On Thanksgiving day, my boyfriend and I flew out bright and early to Dublin, Ireland. Let me just say, this was an adventure of a lifetime! We stayed in Dublin for the first few days of our trip and then jetted off to Edinburgh, Scotland (Click here to read about my Winter Wonderland in Edinburgh). We had so many potatoes... No regrets! Here are just a few of the amazing places we saw, and you should too!
Dublin Zoo: One of our favorite places was the Dublin Zoo. This place is HUGE. The Dublin Zoo is the largest zoo in Ireland and was opened in 1831. The zoo was 20 minutes from our hotel, the Best Western Plus Academy Plaza Hotel (tiny rooms, great staff/location). They have every animal you could think of; from lions to wolves, giraffes to zebras, monkeys to penguins, this place has it all. Give yourself at least 3 hours to walk around the zoo since it is so big. Did I mention they have a mini farm with adorable sheep, goats and pigs?
Irish Whiskey Museum: Another amazing place to visit was the Irish Whiskey Museum in Dublin, which was just a 10 minute walk from our hotel. They gave us a brief yet really enjoyable history lesson on Whiskey... and yes, it was invented by Irish Monks! Sorry Scots... Anywho. This was such a fun experience, and I don't even like Whiskey! This was a treat for the boyfriend that ended up being a treat for the both of us! We tried 4 different types of Irish Whiskey and were able to blend our own to take home. I left with an appreciation of Irish Whiskey and a bit of a buzz... Absolutely an experience worth trying! Not to mention we ended up at a pub afterwards and made friends with a lovely older Irish couple. They are all so friendly!
Guinness Storehouse: As you can see, the major theme of this vacation was alcohol and a lot of walking. Nothing wrong with that! Our next adventure took us to the Guinness Storehouse, about a 20 minute drive outside of Dublin. This place was awesome. There were so many floors, each with a different story to tell about Guinness. The first floor has a ridiculously huge gift shop with everything you could every want that has Guinness written on it. There's no official tour guide so we walked around by ourselves. The next floor gave us the history of Arthur Guinness and explained how Guinness is made (truly fascinating!). The following floor had all of the different advertisements that they used to use, all very fun and quirky! The top floor is made up of all glass windows for a breathtaking 360 degree view of the surrounding area, along with a bar which serves you one free Guinness that comes with your ticket. This stop is a must!
Overall, this trip was absolutely unforgettable. It was such a beautiful time to go because the whole city was decorated for Christmas. The mall and the streets were completely decorated with beautiful lights and incredible street performers. Oh, and the food/drinks. There was a pub at every turn, and the names are amazing. Madigan's, Flanagan's, Brannigan's and Mulligans, to name a few. The fish and chips and cocktails were incredible as well. I wish I could take it all back with me! Well, I did bring myself back a bottle of Baileys, I swear it tastes better in Ireland! Enjoy one final collage of food and drinks and start planning your trip!