Like our first day, we had left our second day open so we could do what we wanted. This ended up working out really well as the front desk at the apartment recommended a half-day trip to Howth. The train station was roughly a 15-minute walk and then took a little bit by train. However, the travel time was well worth it. We really enjoyed walking around Howth Sound and seeing Ireland’s Eye. We also were able to spot some wildlife here—we saw a couple of seals and even spotted a jellyfish swimming along the shore. Of course, if you ever stop in Howth (or really anywhere in Ireland), there is no shortage of seagulls. Prepare yourself for this as they will fly directly at you.
If you plan on going to Howth, it might be worth looking into finding a way to get out on a sailboat! We weren’t able to make this work in the time we had, so I can’t actually speak to the experience, but we just imagine it would be fun. We did see a group of local kids going out for a sailing lesson.
While in Howth, we felt like we had to enjoy some of the fresh seafood! I had a platter that included crab, shrimp, and muscles. I’ve never had muscles but did not enjoy them as much as I was hoping to. They were a bit chewy for my liking. I normally like crab, but the shrimp (which isn’t my favorite) actually ended up being the highlight of my dish. The rest of the group enjoyed their choices! If I were to order again, I would probably find salmon.
The majority of our time in Howth was spent walking. Grab a coffee and walk down to the lighthouse. This is where we saw the jellyfish swimming and where we first saw the seals. It’s a great view and so neat to see all the sailboats floating out on the water.
Back in Dublin, we stopped at Toner’s pub. Like O’Neill’s, this pub had a great atmosphere. It was small, warm, and cozy. It stands out in my mind as one of the pubs that feels the most similar to how I imagine an Irish pub to be.
After Toner’s, we made our way to Grafton Street. Ed Sheeran fans may recognize this from his song Galway Girl. We didn’t spend much time here and that was okay with our group. That said, if you wanted to spend time shopping, this would be a great place to do it as there were tons of stores. We made a very American stop at McDonald’s. In our opinion, U.S. McDonald’s is considerably better. That said, the Irish version does have some unique menu items—the Twix McFlurry being my favorite!
We finished our day and stop on Grafton Street with our group picture. At this point, it was rainy, which isn’t ideal, but it did make for some pretty cool pictures.
