Dublin Travel Forum

I will be arriving in Dublin for the first weekend November, specifically arriving on a Friday morning and leaving on a Tuesday morning.

How many days would you say a person should do Dublin in? I was hoping to visit a bit further afield during my stay. Are 2 nights in Dublin sufficient?

And what are the recommended - don't miss things to do? Are any days/nights better than others? Should I stay Friday and Saturday night, adn go further afield for the Sunday night? I was hoping to hit a quiet, rural area during my stay.

Hello - Welcome to VT.
You have not yet completed your personal profile with your travel interests. You really would get more helpful replies if we knew a little about any interests you have.
Knowing nothing about how you like to spend time we could easily end up sending you on a pub tour when your interests are history & culture - or vice versa.
So please tell us what kinds of things would you not want to miss.

Fair questions. Here is a little about myself and my traveling companions. I am a 40 yr old male; I will be traveling with my father who is 68 and my brother, 45. The trip is for my father.

I do not think that we are interested in museums, but more interested in "taking in" the local culture. So sending my family on a pub tour is closer to what I personally would like over a museum or local history tour.

Now you are talking! Some of the very best evenings I ever spent were in a couple of the singing pubs in Killarney - I will never forget the generous , freely offered and warm friendship offered by locals. But that was a very long time ago and I am not familiar with the pubs of Dublin - I'm sure tou and your dad and your brother will have a good time in Dublin.
Take a look at the Night Life Tips ( and all the others ) on the VT Travel Guide - just type Dublin in the Destination Search Box at top right of the page.

Have a great time

Here is the Link

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Ireland/County_Dublin/Dublin-296021/TravelGuide-Dublin.html

With only four days I think you should definitely pick Dublin as your base for accommodation, there are lots of things you can do in and around the city and you can do some day trips further afield without exhausting yourself. Personally I don’t think it’s worth driving across the country with a such a limited time schedule.
For city activities check the main tourist links on sites like : www.dublinks.com, www.dublinuncovered.net, www.visitdublin.com, www.dublintourist.com
In the city it might be worth considering a hop-on/hop-off bus tour which takes in all the major sites to get your bearings and to visit whatever sites are most relevant to your interests, ranging from the Guinness Storehouse or Jameson Distillery (Drink) to Kilmainham Gaol or St Patrick’s Cathedral (History).

If you want traditional music/ambience try www.osheashotel.com or www.cobblestone.ie or www.arlingtonhotel.ie
To explore the outer Dublin region I would suggest taking a trip on the DART (local train) to Howth on the northside or Dalkey, Bray or Greystones on the southside.
You could consider a late afternoon/evening visit to Howth , take a walk around the harbour/pier, go for an ‘early bird’ meal in one of the fish restaurants and then go to the Abbey Tavern for a traditional music session – (but make sure you leave in time for the last DART or bus).
To go a little bit further afield, a visit to Newgrange (www.newgrange.ie) or Glendalough (www.glendalough.ie) can be done either by hiring a car and doing it yourself or joining an organised tour.