7 Must-Try Activities for an Amazing Time in Ireland

7 Must-Do Activities in Ireland

Ireland is one of my favorite countries that I have visited. Whether you are interested in history, culture, outdoor adventures, or simply enjoying the stunning scenery, Ireland has something to offer every visitor. The culture and people in Ireland make for such a special travel experience, and I believe that everyone must visit Ireland at some point in their life.

There are many fantastic activities to do in Ireland, catering to a wide range of interests. Here are some must-do activities when visiting Ireland:

Hike Around the Cliffs of Moher

Exploring the Cliffs of Moher was by far my favorite thing that we did in Ireland. The views of the cliffs are breathtaking, and you are able to roam around and explore for as long as you would like.

To start, we decided to go to the left of the visitor’s center and kept walking until we got away from the crowds. We quickly noticed that many people chose to stay near the visitor’s center, and once we walked for about 15 minutes, we were completely on our own!

My only regret when visiting the cliffs was that we had more time! There are hikes that you can do from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher visitors center, as well as a few other smaller hikes around the area. I have heard that these hikes are amazing, and I am eager to go back and experience more of the Cliffs of Moher.

We purchased our tickets when we pulled into the parking lot, and it cost 7 EUR per person.

When visiting the Cliffs of Moher, I recommend bringing a raincoat as the weather quickly changes. As we started our hike, the weather was cloudy and windy. About halfway through the hike, the sun came out, and the wind slowed down. On our way back to the visitors center, clouds came back, and we were stuck walking through a windy rainstorm. Luckily, we got to see a rainbow over the cliffs.

While the different weather conditions provided a unique experience, I recommend being prepared for each in order to make the most out of your time at the Cliffs of Moher!

Get a Stoutie at the Guinness Storehouse – Dublin, Ireland

Visiting the Guinness Storehouse is an absolute must-do when visiting Dublin, Ireland.

Prior to our trip to Ireland, I had maybe drunk Guinness a handful of times. Until We arrived and had a few pints, I did not understand all of the hype surrounding Guinness. This opinion quickly changed after our first night at an Irish Pub.

By the time we decided to go to the Guinness Storehouse, the standard entry tickets were sold out. We ended up with tickets for what they call “The Stoutie Experience,” which was 28 EUR per person.

The price includes admission to the Storehouse, a Guinness tasting experience, a Guinness Stoutie Beer, and a free beer of your choice at the Gravity Bar at the top of the Storehouse.

We learned a ton about Guinness while on our tour and had so much fun with the Stoutie experience. It adds another layer of fun for only 8 EUR more than a regular ticket. It is well worth the price!

Stoutie at Guinness Storehouse In Dublin Ireland

You can spend as much or as little time exploring the Guinness Storehouse. Touring the Storehouse was one of my favorite activities during our time in Ireland!

When visiting Dublin, you must visit the Guinness Storehouse!

Pub Hop Around Doolin, Ireland

Doolin is roughly 5-10 minutes from the Cliffs of Moher and one of the coolest little towns I have ever visited.

We stayed in an Airbnb on a farm just about 2 minutes outside of Doolin, and the town itself has a few shops and four pubs.

After checking into our Airbnb, we thought it would be fun to try out each pub in Doolin and rank them from best to worst. We went to three out of the four pubs in Doolin, with our stop at McDermott’s Pub only lasting about 15 seconds. However, our reviews are as follows!

Fitz’s Pub

Our favorite pub by far was Fitz’s Pub, located in the Hotel Doolin.

We planned to start our night at McDermott’s Pub based on a recommendation from my aunt and sister. However, after a confusing and unwelcoming experience, we quickly left and went to Fitz’s Pub.

We ordered two Irish Coffees and an order of their Fish and Chips. The longer we stayed, the more fun the Pub got. They rotated musicians throughout the night. Each musician was better than the last.

Towards the end of the night, a wedding party came in, and everyone took to the dance floor. The band played a mix of songs, including traditional Irish and famous American songs we were familiar with.

We had an amazing time at Fitz’s Pub in Doolin, and highly recommend checking it out if you are in Doolin!

Gus O’Connor’s Pub

Following a long day of driving and exploring the Cliffs of Moher, we stopped at Gus O’connor’s Pub for a late lunch and happy hour. We were both tired and cold after a long day and were excited to get into a dry and warm pub.

We walked into the bar and found a spot at the bar, not too far from the roaring fireplace. Both of us quickly warmed up and put our orders in. We ordered a couple of pints of Guinness and an order of their Guinness and Beef Stew to share.

The stew was probably the best meal either of us had during our entire time in Ireland, and I would go back to Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin just for their stew. The pub was full of locals, and everyone was so friendly!

We were there for a quick happy hour, so we can not attest to how the pub is during the evening hours. However, this place was truly amazing, and I cannot wait to go back!

Whether you are looking for a fun night of pub hopping or just looking to grab a quick drink or meal, you can not go wrong with either Fitz’s Pub or Gus O’Connor’s Pub!

Kiss the Blarney Stone at the Blarney Castle – Blarney Ireland

Or don’t. When we visited the Blarney Castle, we did not end up kissing the stone.

To be completely honest, prior to arriving in Ireland, we did not do much research on the history or activities in Ireland. We planned a last-minute trip and decided we would figure it out as we went.

Until we stopped, neither of us was familiar with the Blarney Castle or that it was famous for the Blarney Stone. While driving by, we saw a road sign for a castle and thought it would be cool to stop and look at it.

We arrived right when they opened and explored the ground for about two hours. Since we arrived when the castle opened, there were no lines, and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves.

Blarney Castle dates back to the 15th century, with the current structure built by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, the Lord of Muskerry, in 1446. The most famous feature of the castle is the Blarney Stone, also known as the Stone of Eloquence. Legend has it that kissing the stone endows the kisser with the ability to speak persuasively and eloquently. To kiss the stone, you must lean backward over a parapet at the top of the castle. We did not.

Since we were some of the first people to visit the castle that day, there was no line to kiss the stone or anyone else at the stone while we were there. Because of this and our lack of planning/research, we passed right by the stone, and I remember thinking that it seemed like a scam.

I would say that I very mildly regret not kissing the stone. To be honest, it seems kinda gross to kiss a stone that thousands of other people have kissed. According to google, 400,000 people kiss the stone each year. They claim it is sanitized, but come on. Still don’t regret it.

The castle was only about a 15-minute drive from Cork and cost 20 EUR per person.

Stroll around Trinity College and Visit the Book of Kells?

I would like to reiterate that we did very little planning prior to our trip to Ireland.

To the best of my knowledge the Book of Kells is housed within Trinity College.

During our time in Dublin, our hotel was located less than a 5-minute walk away from Trinity College. While our stay in Dublin was brief, we walked by the Trinity College campus multiple times without heading in to see what it looked like.

From the outside or street view, you really can not see much. You must go through the campus gates/ entrance to enter, and once you are in, you completely forget that you are in the center of a major city.

The campus is clean, quiet, and such a beautiful part of the city.

After a quick Google search, I can now confidently state that the Book of Kells is within Trinity College. We did not end up visiting the Book of Kells while we were in Dublin, and we truthfully almost didn’t even stop by Trinity College during our time.

Our final morning in Dublin, prior to heading to the airport, we took one last stroll around the city to pick up souvenirs and take in the city of Dublin. As we got close to our hotel, we decided to walk through Trinity College, and we were so happy that we did!

Trinity College is such a gorgeous campus, and when we go back to Dublin, checking out the Book of Kells is at the top of our list!

Have some Drinks at Temple Bar – Dublin, Ireland

We spent more than 5 hours at Temple Bar in Dublin on our last night in Ireland!

If you google Temple Bar, depending on what article you read, you may get mixed reviews. Prior to our visit, we heard that the Temple Bar is known as one of the more touristy pubs in Dublin. However, it is also one of the most iconic pubs.

Temple Bar was one of the most crowded bars I have ever been to, having to push our way through the doors. While it was absolutely jam-packed with people, everyone was very kind, and the place had an incredible vibe!

The bar rotated musicians every hour or so. Each musician was as good as the last. We drank Guinness throughout the night and sang along to both classic American songs and traditional Irish songs.

While Temple Bar may be known as one of the more touristy bars in Dublin, we met locals throughout the night who assured us that the bar was not only for out-of-towners. We had a great night at Temple Bar and did not even realize how long we were there.

Road Trip through the Irish Countryside

If you visit Ireland, renting a car and going on a road trip is an absolute must! During our trip, we rented a small Honda CR-V and drove around the countryside of Ireland for two and a half days.

Until you get out of Dublin and get lost on a small Irish Country road, you truly can not appreciate all the country has to offer.

While renting a car and driving on the opposite side of the road may seem intimidating for most people, it is not nearly as bad as you would imagine. I had only briefly driven on the left side of the road prior to our trip and picked it up rather quickly.

Some tips that we would recommend when planning a roadtrip in Ireland include the following:

Rent a Small Car

The roads in the Irish countryside are very narrow. Renting a smaller car will make driving around the country much easier, as well as driving throughout any city.

We did not run into much traffic on our road trip. However, on a few occasions we had to pass tour buses and other cars on the small countryside roads. We were very glad that we decided to get a small car for our trip.

Don’t be Afraid to get Lost

Some of our favorite moments from our road trip included going down random roads and driving through random towns. The small towns of Ireland are so unique and easy to miss if you are just driving on highways the whole time.

It may add an hour or two to your drive. However, getting to explore new areas and see the countryside is well worth it when visiting Ireland.

Read all the Car Insurance Options

We rented our car through Discover Car, and when booking the rental, it was mandatory to buy car insurance.

When booking online with Discover Cars, they made us choose the default insurance option. When we arrived at the rental desk, I asked to review all insurance options, and we were able to lock in a cheaper insurance package with the same amount of coverage.

It is always worth asking the rental person upon arrival to be sure you chose the correct insurance package!

Ireland is truly one of our favorite places we have ever visited, and we hope that this travel guide helps when planning your next trip to Ireland!

Be sure to check out our other blog posts detailing all of our trip to Ireland! While you’re there check out our photo gallery with all of our unposted shots we have taken on our trips.

Till next time – Josh 🙂

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