Discover the Essence of Ireland ft. Vegan Restaurant Recommendations

• Cliffs of Moher: The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most famous landmarks in Ireland, as seen in movies such as Leap Year and The Princess Bride. The Cliffs of Moher offer dramatic views of the ocean and cliffs with gorgeous scenery all around you. Pro tip: go early in the morning to avoid all the crowds! Afterwards, I would recommend going to Galway (yes, like Ed Sheeran sings about), which is about an hour away. Galway is a charming little town with cute cafes, coffee shops, boutique stores and of course Murphy’s ice cream which has booze-infused flavors! We took a fabulous tour offered by Viator that took us to the Cliffs of Moher, Galway and Wild Atlantic Way as we did not rent a car.

• Dublin Pass: If you find yourself in Dublin for a short 1-2 days, I would highly recommend getting the Dublin Pass! With the Dublin Pass, it allows free access to many different attractions including but not limited to: Guinness, Jameson, Teeling, half-day trip to Howth, hop on hop off bus, Dublin Castle, the Wax Museum, many many famous churches and more! We definitely got our value's worth! I would highly recommend taking a half-day trip to Howth as it is a beautiful coastal town not far from Dublin’s city center. Bonus: Guinness, Teeling and Jameson all offered cocktails and beer after the tour!! The Dublin Pass does not include entry to the Book of Kells. I would recommend seeing that in addition.

• Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland is simply beautiful. Whether you are venturing off to see castle remains on a cliff at Dunluce (Greyjoy’s castle in Game of Thrones), hiking by Giant’s Causeway, learning about Northern Ireland’s devastating history, exploring the Titanic Museum that was newly redone or driving through the Dark Hedges, there is something for everyone! I would recommend challenging yourself to hiking to Giant’s Causeway from the parking lot rather than taking the free shuttle down. It offers unobstructed beautiful views and was not such a difficult hike. It took about an hour. My husband and I were there at the end of February and due to it being off season, there were not many crowds.

Vegan Restaurants Dublin:

• V-Face: Outstanding vegan fast-food restaurant with phenomenal milkshakes! It's a little outside the city center but right near authentic and unique bars (see bar list recommendations below).

• The Saucy Cow: Hip vegan fast food place right in the heart of dublin not too far from Temple Bar.

• Cornucopia: Amazing healthy dining spot. The restaurant is three stories high with nice cafe vibes and windows overlooking the bustling streets below. Think wraps, salads and buffet choices that change daily.

Drinks/ Pubs:

• Temple Bar: Of course, everyone must visit the original Temple Bar at least once during their trip to Ireland. This bar sits right in the heart of the Temple Bar district. Be careful, many bars say “Temple Bar XXX.” You must make sure you check out the original Temple Bar with the classic red sign. Be ready to sing your heart out with crowds of tourists and locals alike. Be sure to check out the other pubs in the area and bar hop! It’s the most fun area!

• The Cobblestone: Our tour guide recommended this one to us. It is off the beaten path and it is a pub where locals each bring their own classical Irish instruments and play traditional Irish music. This pub was mostly filled with locals and was packed to the brim on a Saturday night! This bar is not too far from V-face.

• Church Cafe Bar: Want to see traditional Irish dancing but don’t want to pay for a show? Head to the Church Cafe Bar, which is an old magnificent church converted into a cafe/restaurant. They have traditional Irish dancing and live music every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:30-9:30!