Best Things to do in Dublin: How we spent our three days
Like many people, our trip to Ireland began and ended in Dublin. It’s the most popular airport to fly through in Ireland, and getting to spend time in the vibrant city was phenomenal. Our May 2025 trip was my second visit to Ireland and my fiancée’s first.
But it was my first time getting to plan out a trip and explore on my own, so I had a long list of things to do in Dublin that needed to be checked off!
Inside, we’ll dive into all the places we saw, where to stay, and how we structured our time walking around Dublin.
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Where to Stay in Dublin
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What We Considered the Best Things to Do in Dublin
These are the things we experienced in Dublin on our excellent Ireland trip.
1. Walk around Temple Bar
This was a fun, electric experience. The Temple Bar area is super fun with tons and tons of people mingling in the streets and in the pubs. If you like energy, then this is for you. If you don’t like throngs of people, then you probably want to go elsewhere.
I honestly think that if you pop into any pub with live music, you’ll be good.
2. Tour the Dublin Castle
All we did was walk around the outside of the Dublin Castle as we arrived after their final tour. But you can do self-guided and guided tours. It costs about $10 for adults.
Taking the tour will give you a great foundation in Irish history and British rule, and will also introduce you to the Viking influence in the country.
Book a full-day tour of Dublin, including Dublin Castle and Guinness Storehouse
3. Take a tour of the Guinness Storehouse
One of the best things to do in Dublin! This is a rock-solid tour that not only dives into the history of Guinness and its rise, but also the growth of Dublin alongside it. There’s like seven stories to the Storehouse, with each level somewhat symbolic of the brewing process.
Highly recommend this tour. And aim to get your tickets in advance – though you can get them on site if you ask nicely.
Book a Guinness and Jameson tour
4. Visit Christ Church Cathedral
Another one we didn’t get into before it closed, sadly. But we spent time walking around it and reading the placards. Christ Church is around 1,000 years old, making it one of the most popular medieval churches in Dublin.
It’s a strikingly beautiful church that still operates as a fully functioning place of worship.
NOTE: Only a few blocks separate Christ Church and Dublin Castle. We walked in a loop from Temple Bar to see them both.
5. Visit St Patrick’s Cathedral
We knocked this one off on our final evening in Dublin. Our hotel was pretty close, so we walked over and enjoyed scoping out the architecture of the 800-year-old building.
Next to the Cathedral is a huge park. On our sunny and warm evening, people had blankets and picnics out on the grass, enjoying the nice May day. Additionally, there’s a nice
The entrance fee is $13 for general visitors.
6. Check out the Irish Whiskey Museum
While we didn’t technically get to see the museum, we thoroughly enjoyed the bar/tasting room. When we arrived after our dinner, the museum section was closed. So, we did what anyone would do and hung out in the bar, listened to live music, and tried new whiskeys!
I’m sure the museum part will be fun and informative! But we had a BLAST on our final evening in the city.
7. See the Molly Malone Statue
This famous statue, built in the late 1980s, depicts a fictional young woman from the song ‘Sweet Molly Malone.’ It’s near the Irish Whiskey Museum, so if you’re close by, you might as well go and see it.
We got a nice little Irish-English yell-off as we were walking by with two older men yelling at each other about who knows what.
8. Visit EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum
I was supposed to visit this on my first trip to Ireland in 2022, and then I was accidentally stranded at the Dublin airport for a few hours. (Long story.) But it is supposedly one of the best things to do in Dublin!
It’s an interactive museum telling the stories of those who left Ireland. It also highlights how Irish people across the world have shaped history, arts, and culture. If you have Irish roots, this is a must-see.
9. Walk along the River Laffey
Our first night in Dublin was along the river, making for a nice place to walk in the morning with our coffees. Compared to the evening before, the area was calm and empty.
Related: Going to Dingle? See my 2-day itinerary
How our three days in Dublin were structured
First Day in Dublin
We spent the first and last days of our Ireland itinerary in Dublin. My fiancée and I landed around noon from Seattle, and after getting bags, going through customs, and hailing a taxi, we didn’t get into Dublin until 2-3pm.
Even though we had splurged (points, not cash) on lay-flat seats, we were still pretty zonked and ended up napping for a couple of hours. After some shut-eye, we got ready and headed out across the River Liffey to the Temple Bar District.
Walking around Temple Bar
There are mixed opinions on this area. Sure, it’s uber touristy, but it’s also a ton of fun! The vibes were great, lots of energy, and plenty of live music to be had. If you want a quieter area, sure, stay away. But we needed some life to be injected into us, and this was the perfect place to be.
Because it was still early in the day, we went through Temple Bar to get a sense of what it was like, then headed to Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral. Unfortunately, the latter had just closed, so we could only see the outside.
Now, with bellies hungry and ready for a Guinness, we headed back to Temple Bar and found live music and a place to hang.
Even though we were decently tired, we persevered, staying out until 10pm, across a couple of different pubs.
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Second Day in Dublin
We left Galway around 2:15 pm and checked into our place in Dublin by 5:30 pm. Thankfully, in May, the daylight lasts forever, so we still had a chance to see more of the things to do in Dublin.
Just a short walk down the street from our hotel was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It’s an impressive architectural feat and a stunning sight. From here, we made our way back to Temple Bar for dinner at the Hairy Lemon.
Jaimie and I got the Irish Stew, which was superb.
After filling up our bellies, we headed to the Irish Whiskey Museum. Unfortunately, the museum part was closed, but the bar, with live music, was open. So, we figured, why not hang out here for a bit?
We did a flight of Irish Whiskey, giving us a chance to try some tasty pours.
To cap off the night, we found a booth at a local pub in Temple Bar and listened to music for hours. That wasn’t part of our plan, but we had a good spot and figured we should stay and enjoy ourselves. I don’t think we got back before midnight.
Final Day in Dublin
Who doesn’t love a 10am beer tour?! Well, that’s exactly what we did!
With a flight home to Seattle in the afternoon, the only time we could fit in a Guinness Storehouse Tour was early in the morning. Luckily, I planned this out so our hotel would be less than a mile walk from the Guinness area.
Jaimie and I stopped at an excellent cafe for breakfast, The Art of Coffee. Highly recommend for anyone reading this.
From there, we took a short stroll to the Storehouse to begin the tour. We ended up having to rush through parts of the tour in order not to miss our flight. Still, it was a great place to check out, and I think it’s one of the best things to do in Dublin.
FAQ’s about visiting Dublin for three days
Did we feel safe walking around?
We (well, I can only speak for myself) felt very safe walking around, no matter the time of day. We were out and about at all times of the day while visiting Dublin; morning, evening, and late at night. At no point was I worried for my safety.
What is the conversion rate from USD to Euro?
As of November 2025, the conversion rate is $1 USD to $0.87 EUR. The exchange rate is at its worst for Americans since August 2021. So, doing the best things in Dublin will cost a little more, but it isn’t a terrible rate.
What was the weather like in May?
I think we got fortunate on our trip to Ireland. We had sunny skies quite literally every day except the first and last days. We truly lucked out. It was so warm that we were wearing shorts and a t-shirt for most of our Ireland road trip.
Final Thoughts on the Best Things to Do in Dublin, Ireland
While I’m not a city person, I did enjoy walking around Dublin and seeing the city. Obviously, it’s much different than American cities, with far more heritage, which makes it unique. I recommend at least two nights in Dublin, bookending your trip, and you’ll be able to experience all the best things to do in Dublin.
I for sure recommend the Guinness tour, even if you don’t like the beer. It’s interesting from a business and historical perspective. And I do think everyone should spend a couple of hours in Temple Bar to get a sense of what it’s like. And if it is too much energy or too touristy, plenty of other places to go.
Enjoy your trip!
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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