Dublin in One Day: An Extreme Day Trip from Liverpool with My Lad.

I’d been looking forward to breakfast in Dublin for over a month. What I hadn’t planned on was nearly missing the flight because of scrambled eggs at Liverpool Airport.

Me and my lad headed over for the day with a couple of tours booked and a walking route to follow. Between those, we managed to fit in some good food, a wander around Trinity College, a go on the arcades and time sitting by the river. There were a few things I’d happily go back for, a couple I probably wouldn’t, and my first-ever Guinness. Turns out there was a reason I’d never had one before. 😂

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Two breakfasts and a close call at Liverpool Airport

The plan was simple: fly to Dublin, get into the city and head to Stage Door Café for breakfast. I’d heard really good things about it and had been looking forward to trying it for weeks. My lad, however, couldn’t wait a couple of hours, so we ordered scrambled eggs on toast at Monty’s Diner in Liverpool Airport.

Over half an hour later, we were still waiting. It got to the point where we nearly had to leave without the food because we were going to miss our flight. When it finally turned up, my toast looked like charcoal, so I had to leave that anyway. We forced down what we could and made the flight, although it wasn’t quite the relaxed start I’d had in mind.

After landing in Dublin, we caught the shuttle bus into the city centre and walked to Stage Door. Having nearly made us miss the flight because he needed feeding, my lad then announced he was too full for breakfast. We’d only gone there specially for it. 🤦‍♂️😂

I wasn’t missing mine. I ordered a full breakfast, and it was worth the wait. Honestly, I’d have flown over just for that. The owner was boss as well, dead nice and proper funny, which made it an even better start to our time in Dublin. After the airport’s attempt at breakfast, this was more like it.

He also has a list of his top places to visit while you’re in Dublin and lets customers take a photo of it before they leave. It’s a nice touch, especially if you’re looking for a few ideas for the rest of your day.

Jameson Distillery and Guinness Storehouse

With breakfast finally sorted, we headed to the Jameson Distillery for our booked tour. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it ended up being a lot better than I thought it would be.

I got a glass of Jameson, then we were taken through the history before a tasting session with a few different varieties. It felt like we were actually involved in the experience, which I really liked. My lad enjoyed it too, even though he could only have lemonade. 😂

From there, we walked to the Guinness Storehouse for our next visit. Going from a whiskey distillery to Guinness makes it sound like we’d planned a very particular sort of day out, but both were places we wanted to see.

The Guinness Storehouse was good, although I preferred the Jameson Distillery. We walked around on our own, and it felt more like a museum. I came away thinking there could have been a bit more to it, especially after how interactive the Jameson Distillery tour had felt. There are guided tours and other experiences available at an additional cost, including learning to pour a proper pint, so there are ways to get more involved if you want to pay extra. We just didn’t do those on this visit.

We did go up to the Gravity Bar, where I tried Guinness for the first time in my life. I thought I might as well try it while we were there. When in Rome and all that.

It wasn’t for me. 😂

You get really good views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar, so it’s worth heading up for a look. The bar was very crowded, though, so that part wasn’t as enjoyable as I’d hoped. I’m glad we visited, but if I was choosing between the two experiences we had that day, the Jameson Distillery would get my vote.

Famous fish and chips, a closed castle and a chocolate break

After Guinness, we headed towards Leo Burdock, the famous chippy near Christ Church Cathedral that we’d put into our walking route. They’ve got pictures of all the famous people who’ve visited, so there’s something to have a look at while you’re there. I don’t like fish, so naturally I went to a well-known fish and chip shop and ordered chicken nuggets and chips.

Leo Burdock is takeaway only, so we took ours over to Peace Park and sat down to eat. My lad had the fish and chips, which were €17. He asked for salt and vinegar, then moaned that it tasted like salt and vinegar. He did say the fish was really good, though, despite tasting exactly like what he’d asked them to put on it. Between that and being too full for the breakfast we’d gone to Dublin for, he was keeping me entertained. 🤣

To be fair, my food was really nice. I enjoyed it, but I still don’t think any chippy is worth €17 for fish and chips, famous or otherwise.

We’d hoped to have a look around Dublin Castle while we were nearby, but it was closed because of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. That put an end to that idea, so we found a Butlers Chocolate Café and sat down to chill for a bit instead.

By this point, a sit-down was very welcome. Their hot chocolate is extremely good, and so are their lattes, so if you’re looking for a nice coffee stop while you’re wandering around Dublin, I’d definitely recommend one of their cafés. There are several around the city centre, including on Grafton Street, Wicklow Street and Henry Street, so you’ve got a few to choose from. You get a little chocolate with your drink as well, which is a nice bonus when you’re giving your feet a rest.

After a recharge, we started walking towards Trinity College and the Book of Kells. On the way, we passed a statue of Donald Trump standing in a wheelie bin, with rubbish bags around the bottom and a plaque calling it “The Trash Talker”. I can safely say that wasn’t something I’d expected to come across on the walk to Trinity College. Some sights need a little explanation. This one had helpfully supplied its own title. 🤣

Trinity College and an afternoon wandering around Dublin

We went into the Book of Kells Experience, and I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that. I came away still not entirely sure what the experience was actually about. 😂 It didn’t really do it for me, and it’s definitely not something I’d go and see again.

The Trinity College grounds were worth a wander, though, and we were able to just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet for a bit. It was a lovely chance to take a breather in the middle of the city. I also spotted luggage storage within the college, which could be handy if you’re exploring with bags. It’s worth checking access and opening times for the service before relying on it.

After leaving Trinity, we had a wander around some of the shops and found an arcade and bowling alley. We had a go on the arcades, then went and sat by the river for a while. We’d already done our booked visits, so it was nice to spend some time just wandering and stopping when we fancied it.

Eventually, we got hungry again, and I found a little place called Street Food Factory, just off Temple Bar. I love finding little food places in the cities I visit, and this turned out to be a really good find. I had honey garlic chicken and chips, and it was amazing. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re nearby and fancy something to eat. Between that and Stage Door, we’d eaten really well once we’d left the burnt toast behind in Liverpool.

Before heading back, we walked over to the Molly Malone statue and the “Welcome to Dublin” sign, then took a slow walk towards the bus stop for our shuttle to the airport. Our flight wasn’t until 22:45, so that early arrival and late departure had given us a proper full day to explore.

Would I do Dublin as a day trip again?

Definitely. We got plenty done without needing an overnight stay, and there are still things I’d like to go back and see. Dublin Castle is one for the next visit, for a start.

Jameson was a real highlight because it was better than I expected, and the food gave me a couple of places I’d happily return to. The Book of Kells wasn’t for me, and I won’t be rushing out to order another Guinness, but I enjoyed having the day out with my lad and finding out what we made of it all.

Dublin felt like quite a relaxed city to me, and everything we wanted to visit was within walking distance. Apart from the airport shuttles, we got around on foot, with time to stop for food, a coffee or a sit by the river along the way.

I’d go back for the breakfast alone, to be honest. Next time, though, he can wait until we get to Dublin. 😂

A quick note on disability tickets

The Guinness Storehouse, Jameson Distillery and Book of Kells Experience all offer disability-related ticket concessions, including free carer or companion admission under their individual policies. Message them before you book to check what you qualify for, what proof they need and how to arrange the tickets. It’s worth asking rather than assuming you need to pay full price for everyone.

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