We'll be ending our 4 week European trip in Dublin to see U2 at the end of Nov. The concert is at 3Arena. We've never been to Dublin, so we want to see all the amazing tourist sites, and we also would like to be near the concert venue. There are 4 of us (2 adults, 2 children).
Any suggestions?
No suggestions for Dublin - but how lucky are you?! We got to see U2 in New York for the I+E tour - we had the best seats just off to the side of the stage (I was so happy when I saw our seats)...a few times, when Bono came over to the side of the stage, we felt like we could almost reach him. I've only been to 4 U2 concerts (they don't come to our neck of the woods so we've gone to Boston twice and saw them in Paris once) but this one at Madison Sq was def my fav. And to see them in Dublin...wow - enjoy!
You don't specify a budget, but The Gibson Hotel is right near 3Arena, and there is also a Jury's Inn not far from there. Dublin is very compact. If you see something you like that is more central to tourist sites, then go for it. It's not an expensive taxi ride to get over to 3Arena for just one night to attend a concert.
Whatever you do, just avoid staying in any hotels located in Temple Bar - particularly if traveling with children. Very noisy, especially on weekends.
Last summer I was on a tour that stayed at the Gibson Hotel. It's very modern, comfortable, with spacious rooms and a huge breakfast buffet. It's a short tram ride to the center of town for sightseeing (multi-ride tickets are much cheaper than singles). If it's in your price range, it would be ideal for the concert, just a few meters' walk, and avoid all the crowds taking the tram.
Things to see. One of my favorite things in Ireland was the Bus Eireann day trip to Boyne Valley/Newgrange. It's a very affordable and well paced day trip. The driver isn't a guide, they tell you the basics about the stops but stay on the bus. Each stop had enough time to look around without being in a hurry. The stops were Newgrange (stone age passage tombs), Hill of Tara (historic seat of Irish Kings) Trim castle, plus a quick stop at the sight of the Battle of the Boyne.
They offer a second day trip that takes you to Glendalough Abbey ruins and more of a scenic drive through that area.
We picked up our tickets the evening before at the downtown bus station, then showed up the next morning for the trip. I doubt they'll be sold out so booking far in advance isn't necessary.
Ahhh, fond memories of our first flight on Aer Lingus... We were headed to Dublin for a semester long trip with our students when who should pop back into our economy section but Woddy Harrelson with his big gap toothed smile. He'd come back to talk to a friend sitting behind us. Next to pop through the curtain was Martin Sheen coming back to see someone. Finally of the students said they'd talked to Reece Witherspoon (also on our flight) and Reece had given them the scoop that they were all heading to Slane Castle to go to the U2 concert the next day. I thought, wow, this is what flying on Aer Lingus is like!
Have a wonderful time. We've since gone to a U2 concert in LA.
My husband is a BIG fan of U2, and so that also makes me a fan! We can hardly believe we get to see them in Dublin!! This is setting the bar pretty high for any other concert we ever see.
I so appreciate all the helpful comments and advice. We've never been to Dublin and are excited to finally get to see all the places we've read about.
Still working on booking a hotel....
Have you tried a map view of a site like www.booking.com? The concert venue is on the east side near the convention center. There is a DART station near both.
We stayed in the center at Trinity College which is in session so that is no help but we did use DART to get around.
Edit: I used google maps and measured the walking distance from the 3arena to Trinity College and it is about 1.2 miles or a 30 minute walk. If you look at the area between TC and the concert venue it should be less than 30 min to walk, a 15 min bus ride or 5 min taxi.
I saw a Best Western along the Liffey for $170 per night (mid November) for a quad room i.e.
Dublinia is fun for kids and adults - a very hands-on way to learn about the Viking history of Dublin. The Leprechaun Museum was a bit kitschy but fun, the guide was very enthusiastic and told lots about the history and legends of leprechauns. Stop in the Main Post Office in O'Connell Street for the free museum. It's open 7 days a week. One of the best things I did was the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl (suitable for all ages, though young children may not be interested). A friend took the Viking Splash tour with her 12-13 year old granddaughters and they had a good time. You'll see them riding through the streets. The Archaeology Museum is a wow and free.
