On my first day visiting my friend in Ireland, I had a day to myself in Dublin. This would have marked my first time being alone in a country and even though it was only for a day, I wasn’t going to let the fear of being on my own prevent me from seeking out my own adventure. So here is what I did, where I stayed, and some traveling tips I learned along the way.

Where to Stay:
I highly recommend staying at the Keavan’s Port hotel off Camden Street in Dublin, its a Whitherspoon chain and I enjoyed it especially for the lower prices and the food was good.
Keavan’s Port is in an incredible location near all the tourist things you will want to walk to like St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College, the Dublin Castle, and public transport. Not only can you be dropped off right down the road by the Dublin express from the Airport, you are a short walk away from Harcourt station, and the bus couldn’t be any closer stopping right in front of the hotel. My friend warned me not to stay on the main tourist street and go where most Americans stay because prices skyrocket and its just “touristy”. So going a little more local was really fun! With everyone huddled around the pub to cheer on soccer in the evenings, the quiet breakfast nooks in the morning, and the inviting outdoor space, I really enjoyed calling this place home for the next two nights. Did I mention how classy it was?! Abundant natural light flows from the vaulted glass ceiling above, bordered by a glass wall overlooking a beautiful outdoor sitting area, with victorian styled hideouts, fancy booths under arching ceilings, and an impressive pub. Heads up, booking prices increase dramatically starting May 1st. I was lucky to receive the tail end of the April prices.

Transit:
I use the app ***Transit*** to help me plan my routes and make sure you bring change to pay your fair. No card accepted unless you apply for a leap card which is beneficial if you are going to be in the city for more than a couple days. If you are going to take the tram pay BEFORE you get on the tram. The Irish are thee most overwhelmingly kindest people I have met, but I cannot guarantee everyone will receive the same Irish hospitality I did. I hopped on the tram without a ticket and didn’t get fined when the attendant found me. Instead, he hopped off at my stop to teach me how to use the ticket machine. Make sure you know what zone you are traveling to and which station you are hopping on and off at. You select it on the screen and pay with your card to get your ticket.

Besides seeing all the touristy sites, a special day trip for my adventure seekers includes catching a bus to a town called Howth (pronounced like ‘hoath’) and within 45 minutes you can exchange the bustling Dublin for a breath of seaside air amongst hundreds of vibrant flowering gorse.

Day Trip from Dublin:
Howth
`From Camden Street, I took the 14 and 6 bus to Main Street.`
How to get there:
From Camden Street I hopped on the 14 at *Grantham Street Station* to *Busáras* and got on the 6 for a midday trip to hike along the cliffside.
About Howth:
Howth is a charming seaside town that hugs the Dublin harbor. It has stretches of beaches, seaside cliffs, and endless yellow flowers your eyes can get lost in.
Howth is a perfect city escape with its panoramic views, shimmering blue water, and sheer rock faces bursting from the water. For my hike I took the *Howth Cliff Loop* towards the Lighthouse. This hike is decently busy, but it is one of the most cheerful hikes I have been on. There is something about the calming consistency of a landscape, the thousands of extraordinary yellow flowers erupting from deep green layers of shrubs with a brilliant ocean blue backdrop matching the sky for as far as you can see.
Coming back from the lighthouse I snuck onto a hidden backway path that led me right onto Green Street where I headed to The Summit Inn for my first official Guinness. Almost scared the life out of the bartender when I reached for my drink before it had settled into that smooth, rich black stout— which I wasn’t going to drink until it had settled. I had prepared myself not to be an uncultured American and break the number one and probably only drinking rule in Ireland.

Rock Climbing in Dublin:

A perfect activity that avoids mainstream tourist traffic and fun way to get involved with the local community!

At the end of the day I took the tram outside of the town to do some rock climbing at The Wall in Dublin 18. (18 being the district you buy your ticket for). This was less than a 30 minute ride (don’t forget to buy your ticket PRIOR to getting on the tram). Don’t be scared to use the tram, I luckily met a girl on the bus back from Howth that climbs here and she said the tram drops you off practically right in front of the building and she was not wrong! From the station it is about a 2 minute walk.

Day passes were only €18 at The Wall. The bouldering was really fun with creative routes, and overall felt inviting. Beware, this cozy gym lights up on a Wednesday night getting tightly packed with both sides of the mats being filled with climbs so watch where you sit… it could be someone’s starting hold. I met another American who had been living in Ireland for 6 years and got to know each other as we encouraged one another up the climbs. She told me to apply for the holiday working visa after I graduate which I am now deeply considering since I have loved every second I spent in Ireland and want a little bit of the accent she picked up. After our climb we caught the sunset on our walk/ run to the tram to make sure each other traveled safely (literally love girl code).

Overall, the climbing community always makes for such a fun and energizing night regardless of what country you are in.