What is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Ireland? I hope you said Guinness…or beer…or Irish pubs. Is it just me then? Well let’s pretend that we have the same mind set…..

More frequently than I see girls posting pictures dangling their legs off of the Cliffs of Moher when they visit Ireland, I also see the Guinness Factory. Unfortunately the Jameson Whiskey Distillery was closed otherwise I probably would have opted for that tour, but once again fate has a way of working things out, which led me back to Guinness. 



Now, I’m not a big dark beer drinker, and I don’t remember ever having a pleasant encounter with Guinness, but this tour definitely changed my mind! 

The tour itself is done independently, so you can pace yourself around the entire factory. We purchased our tickets online for a 5 pm tour and didn’t end up leaving until closing time. It was really interesting seeing the entire Guinness-making process as well as the history of beer. 

I personally enjoyed the pouring room where I earned my most valuable degree so far: The Perfect Pint of Guinness. I think it’ll stand out on my resume more than my B.A. or M.A.

We ended the tour in the gravity room with a 360 degree view of Dublin and a perfectly poured Guinness. 

After walking around all day, we had to refuel at night, so obviously we went to some Irish pubs. 

The Temple Bar was the first on our list. Even though it is touristy and a little overpriced, this bar had a great atmosphere, including leftover Christmas decorations and a local Irishman singing folk songs and rocking out on the guitar. We stopped by there two nights, and I was even lucky even to request a an Irish rendition of Wagon Wheel that had the whole pub dancing along. 

We also went to The Stag’s Head, which true to its name had a large stag head adorning the wall over the bar, along with ceiling-high mirrors and aged barrels. Their stock included some whiskey that was aged for longer than my grandparents have been alive! I would recommend this place for a casual drink or to attend one of their comedy nights. For a younger crowd, check out Dicey’s past Trinity college, which will provide cheap drinks and music to dance to all night long.

Of course we did more than hike and drink, we also did a complete walking tour around Dublin (on our own) and saw all the major landmarks, while stopping for some potato leek soup and lattes on the way!

While there is way more that I could include in this post, I think you get the idea that Ireland is always a good idea.