Ireland has quickly become one of my favorite countries to visit. The friendly people, lively music, and lush greenery make it a great destination for many different travelers. As of 2025, the Global Peace Index ranks Ireland as #2, making it also one of the safest countries to travel to. As you prepare for your trip to the Emerald Isle, though, you may be tired of seeing the same recommendations over and over on travel blogs. Below, you’ll find 6 activities that you can do while you’re staying in Ireland’s capital city.

1. Bingo Loco
2. Comedy Crunch
3. Walk the Iveagh Gardens
4. Tour the Free National Museums
5. Visit Teeling Distillery
6. Take a Day Tour Outside of Dublin

1. Bingo Loco

*Not suitable for children*

Do you enjoy playing games, drinking and dancing? If so, you’ll definitely enjoy a night at Bingo Loco! Hosted now in over 200 locations, Bingo Loco is a 2 to 3-hour event that mixes the fun of Bingo with the atmosphere of a rave! If two or more bingos are called at once, be ready for some sort of battle on stage to win. The grand prize is often a trip somewhere! Warning: One of the prizes is the notorious Bingo Loco Dildo, so this may not be suitable for everyone, but is sure to bring laughs. For more information, check out the Bingo Loco website here.

2. Comedy Crunch

If you’re looking for a free night of laughs, you should consider attending The Comedy Crunch in the basement of the Stags Head. I saw three Irish comedians, and a bucket of little ice cream cones is passed around at intermission. Shows are every Sunday and Monday evening, and there is no option to purchase seats ahead of time, so be sure to arrive before doors open at 8:15pm to ensure you get a seat. If this is your first comedy show, you may want to avoid the front row seats unless you’re ready to be part of the show! While it is a free event, please bring cash to show appreciation for the comics.

3. Walk the Iveagh Gardens

Far less crowded than St. Stephen’s Green, the Iveagh Gardens is the perfect park if you’re looking for a place to walk in Dublin. It has multiple benches and fountains, so pack some food and plan to spend awhile soaking in nature. The gardens also have a Memorial to Human Rights Defenders in one corner that can be missed if you don’t keep an eye out!

4. Tour the Free National Museums

Dublin has multiple national museums that are free to tour, including the National Gallery of Ireland, and the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street. The National Gallery is a fantastic art museum including various art styles. For true crime lovers, the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street includes the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibit. This exhibit looks at human sacrifice as part of rituals and even has some “bog bodies” to view – parts of bodies that were found preserved in the bogs of Ireland.

5. Visit Teeling Distillery

If you’re looking up things to do in Dublin, odds are that you’ve read that you should stop by the Guinness Factory and the Jameson Distillery. And you should- they’re great, however, I would recommend equally to head to the Teeling Distillery. This is a family distillery, where you can learn about the history of the challenges Dublin distilleries faced, and get an intimate tour of the facility and the different steps of distilling. They even briefly talk about the effects of the US Prohibition on the distilling in Dublin. My favorite part, though, is the cocktail you get at the end of the tour as part of the tasting. I’ve gone twice (September 2022 and May 2023) and both times it was the same delicious cocktail.

6. Take a Day Tour Outside of Dublin

If you go to Ireland and only see Dublin, I hate to say it, but you’re doing it wrong. Getting out of the city center and seeing the gorgeous coasts and greenery is an absolute must. Thankfully, you don’t even need a car to do so. Companies like Get Your Guide and Viator offer half-day and day trips with transport to various locations. In May 2023, I took a day trip tour using Viator to the Dublin mountains, Wicklow, Glendalough and Lough Tay (aka Guinness Lake). There was also an option to go to Powerscourt Gardens on this tour rather than going on the mountain hike for attendees that wanted a lower activity option. The Guinness Lake view was absolutely stunning! There are also tours that run to the iconic Cliffs of Moher on the West Coast.

Whatever you choose to do on your trip to Dublin, if you’re engaging with the locals and spending time in the lush greenery, you’re sure to have a memorable trip.