We stayed at the Shelbourne (a Marriott Autograph property... got to love those points). This is a fantastic hotel with exceptional service.
Friday night we went to the Temple Bar area. We made a quick stop in the Temple Bar (great music, tons of fun, but REALLY crowded). We found another bar a few blocks away that was a little less crowded and also had live music.
On Saturday we started the day at the Kilmainham Gaol Museum. This was a great place to visit. You need to book in advance (you can book EXACTLY 28 days in advance. Tickets go on sale at midnight in Ireland (so 7PM the day before on the east coast). The entire day's tickets sell out in about 5 minutes... so you really need to be on top of this if you want tickets).
Reminded me of the tour of Alcatraz, with the added benefit of learning about the Irish Revolution.
Our next stop was the Guinness Storehouse. We booked The Connoisseur experience. It is a bit more expensive, but you get to skip the line at the front door, you get a 1 hour private tasting (about 20 people in the hidden speak-easy). At the end of the tasting, you get to pour your own Guinness.
After the private tasting, you are free to spend as much time as you like in the museum, and to conclude you get two free drinks in the Gravity Bar (crowded, but a fantastic view). Here are some pics:
We ended our night at the oldest pub in Ireland... the Brazen Head. Touristy, but it was worth it!
