Dublin with young teens

[MarthaDunstable]

We’re visiting Dublin for non-tourist reasons: staying in an apartment right in the centre, about 5 mins west of Temple Bar (closer than I’d ideally like but choice was limited) and we’ll have a day or two to kill.

What’s good to do with a thirteen year old and a fifteen year old? No alcohol-based activities obvs, and while we’re interested in history generally we’re not of Irish descent so not necessarily keen on the stuff aimed at Diaspora Americans.

Or would a day/half day trip out be good? I gather Belfast involves a rail replacement bus service at the moment which puts me off rather, but Kilkenny looks nice?

Also what’s the best shop to get self catering provisions (given the exchange rate we’re not going to be eating out a lot)? And is there anything we should try while we’re shopping (I’ve got as far as Tayto crisps but presumably there’s more ).

TIA

I'd suggest
The Viking Splash tour
The natural history museum (dead zoo)
A tour of Crime park or the Aviva stadium
Take the train to Bray and go to the funfair (if it's still there)
Go to see Riverdance
Wander around Grafton Street and listen to the buskers
Have a great time

Dd went to this museum recently and really enjoyed it

epicchq.com/the-museum/

Viking Splash does look good, thanks. We go to a surprising number of museums of dead things in London so maybe not that, and I’m don’t think we’re the target audience for EPIC.

We’ll be spending a lot of time walking from place to place looking at things and soaking up atmosphere during the rest of the trip, but we’ve only got about a day and a half to do intensive tourist stuff.

The National gallery is beautiful and free. The portrait section is really interesting. The area it's in is very nice and, if the weather's good ,Merrion Square is lovely for a picnic. There's a great statue of Oscar Wilde there and a bronze chair dedicated to Dermot Morgan of Father Ted fame.

For young teens I'd say The ghost tour - also great walks around Howth or greystones to bray and fish and chips afterwards if the weather is fine?

Book of Kelly's and the long library in trinity college. Also if you are heading out of Dublin a day trip to glendalough is great - stunning scenery and very interesting history. Lots of your companies do it

There’s a decent sized Tesco on Fleet Street in Temple Bar, also a SuperValu on Aston Quay and Marks and Spencer’s on Grafton Street for self catering - plenty of cheap fast food options around too.

Sorry for typos - Book of Kelly's

Do you want a theme park? Tayto park in Asbourne isn't far.

Book of Kells is in Trinity library which is very Hogwartesque. Free and you can jump the queue if you have a Trinity student.

Kilmainham Gaol. I’d still recommend the Guinness storehouse even with teens because it’s fab and lots of history not just about Guinness! Plus the view from the bar at the end is the best view of Dublin!

The prison is a must visit in my book. A trip to Cafe en senile (sp) Dawson Street is worth a cuppa in it was a hidden gem last time I was there

If you want fast food you have to get a Boojum.

Ooh new suggestions! thanks all. I’ve discovered a Lidl round the corner from our apartment so we’re sorted for shopping - there’s also a Boojum - so we may give that a go.

I am sure OP that you have researched things already. Sorry if it came up expensive. It is a Capital City.

For teens, just give them a Leap Card (like an Oyster) and let them at it.

Dublin is amazing. Fifteen/twenty minutes or so to the sea at Howth, the Silver Strand at Portmarnock, or Sandycove Beach and so on.

Dublin is just magic. I think it has to do with the interraction with the natives. They are hilarious, and don't give a shit.

So refreshing.

Also: you have a crisps theme park?!

The Science Gallery at one end of Trinity and then the Book of Kells at the other end?

Bring a picnic to have on the lawns there- you can always head toward one of the covered areas if it's wet.

Viking Splash Tour.
Jump on/jump off Bus tour.
If you're considering going further afield, Kilkenny is not hugely distant but the train is slow.
You could do train to Belfast and get a taxi to the Titanic Experience.

Walk up Grafton Street; go for a mooch around Stephen's Green, feed the ducks, then get a Luas out to Dundrum (retail... do your teens like the whole Hollister/Superdry/Penneys experience?).

Go to the DART station on Pearse Street and get a ticket out to Howth or Dun Laoighaire.
Walk the pier when you get there and get fish and chips before returning back to the city centre.
Some spectacular scenery from the DART as it goes along the coast line.

It appears from internet research that in order to reclaim the deposit and outstanding balance on your LEAP card you have to send it by carrier pigeon to the Minister of Transport and have it refunded in Knuts to your Gringotts account, so we’ve gone for paper 7 day passes instead.

Crisp (Tayto) theme Park
Teens would love it
Approx 45 mins from city centre

I would like to get a local train out to the coast if time allows. On the descent to the airport DH and I simultaneously started singing the Father Ted theme tune - the craggy bits are very pretty.

I took teens the same age to kilmainhan jail,they found it very moving.

Gotham on stvAnne’s st.

St michins to see the mummies?

I went to the leprechaun museum last may and it was brilliant fun!

Currently there as a tourist and loving it.
However, whatever you do, don't go to AquaZone, water was too cold for a pool where you can't swim properly to keep warm, the queues at the (honestly not that great) slides were extortionate and you have to wear a swimming cap. Glad we did it with the Dublin pass so it was included anyway. It's also a massive pain in the backside to get there.
Dundrum is great though, we're currently staying there and loving it. You could also go to Malahide castle and gardens, just beautiful (will try and attach pictures)

Yes there is a theme park on the site of the tayto factory. Tayto man and rides and tayto to eat (on the way out you get a bag).