Best Two Day Trip to Dublin Ireland – What to See and Do

When I went for a two day trip to Dublin, Ireland, I spent part of the day walking around the city. It is a charming city, with lots of great restaurants, active, and vibrant with a vibe similar to Seattle. A river runs through the town. Many bridges cross the river which adds to the charm of the city. There are lots to see. I have my favorites, and I will tell you all about them. Hotel options are plentiful. I stayed near Trinity College because of its quaint location. Let me tell you all about my favorite things that I saw on my trip.

Two Day Trip to Dublin Ireland

Getting around Dublin is very easy.  The city has an extensive bus system and the Dublin Trams (Luas).  I preferred the Luas over the bus in Dublin, but it depends on where you want to go. The tram stops at all the museums and tourist attractions. It is also the primary transportation for locals too. My hotel wasn’t great so that I won’t mention their name, but the location was fabulous at Trinity college. It was conveniently located close to the bus stop as I was coming from Donegal, Ireland. I found using Google maps helped me find everything I was looking for in Dublin.

Day One – Two Day Trip to Dublin Ireland

There are city parks such as St Stephen’s Green, Phoenix Park, home of the Dublin Zoo. The National Museum of Ireland called EPIC is a fantastic accounting of Irish heritage and culture. EPIC was my favorite site in Dublin; I think because my father’s family comes from Ireland. As EPIC explained, three million fled during the famine. We were among those who fled to the US during the Irish famine.

Kilmainham Gaol

My first stop was Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland.  This prison sent chills down my spine. In front of other prisoners, British officers executed Irish revolutionaries and the leaders of 1916 of Easter Rising. The most horrific part of the jail was ordinary people were tried in front of a judge at the prison, including children and women who were imprisoned here and then held with the male prisoners.

Talking, or noise of any kind was not allowed. Hard to believe when we all want to talk and talk.

Inside the Gaol Cell

The jails acoustics are remarkable. The jail, designed to amplify every sound, intimidated the prisoners. I can’t imagine keeping children, arrested for stealing bread here. If a child was caught stealing, the family was imprisoned to pay for the child’s crime. All the prisoners convicted were kept quiet. They were kept silent through fear and punishment. In 1924, The Irish Free State government closed the prison. Irish Public Works now runs the museum.

Purchase the tickets in advance for the Kilmainham Gaol. I lucked out, googled the museum, and bought a ticket on short notice.

Guinness Storehouse Museum

The largest brewery in Ireland in 1838, and the largest in the world by 1886, with an annual output of 1.2 million barrels, the Guinness Storehouse was worth visiting on my two day trip to Dublin Ireland. Buy tickets at the location to save you time and money.

The top of the museum offers a great view of all of Dublin. I learned how to pour a proper Guinness, the way Guinness is brewed, and the history of the world-famous brew.

Day Two – Two Day Trip to Dublin Ireland

After a morning browsing the Antique Quarter, you can move quickly to the oldest part of the city, the Medieval Quarter. This is where the original Dubh Linn settlement was and became the center of Viking power in Ireland. The city has a rich history, so pick the areas you are most interested if you only have a two day trip to Dublin Ireland. If you like this area, spend more time here.

Epic Museum

My favorite exhibition in Dublin is the Epic Museum. EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum located in Dublin’s Docklands. The museum chronicles the history of the Irish emigration to other countries.

At the World Travel Awards in 2019, the museum won “Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction.” The museum is worth your time because I learned how the Irish emigration impacted Ireland today.

Additionally, Irish culture impacts all of us through music, literature, food, and traditions. I learned that some Irish people were sold into slavery and were hated as immigrants in America. This museum is worth seeing because it’s interactive, innovative, and designed beautifully. 

Book your tickets online or at the museum. If you buy a ticket at the museum, lines may be long, but the line moves quickly.

Jameson Whiskey – Dublin Tour

In 1780 John Jameson opened the Jameson Distillery Bow St. Over 200 years later, the doors are still open to friends old and new. Jameson, the World’s Leading Distillery Tour is the birthplace of Irish whiskey in Dublin. Buy your tickets when you arrive. If you need to wait, relax in the shop or the pub. The wait won’t be long, and tours move quickly with friendly staff, tasting room, and beautifully designed tour.

Please let me know if you have comments or advice about Dublin. I have to say Dublin and all of Ireland is worth a week or two. Dublin is where most travelers will land if you are coming from another country. Plan to spend at least a two days in Dublin. If you have more time, Dublin is a great place to visit but, it’s more expensive than London.

My full itinerary can be found for Ireland Scotland Wales and London