Family Friendly Dublin Attractions

When staying in Dublin there are so many visitor attractions that you can go see. We have put together our top 6 family friendly spots  that we think are ones for the list when visiting the capital city.

1. Dublinia

Right in the heart of Medieval Dublin, next to Christ Church Cathedral, there are 3 exhibitions to be experienced in Dublinia. Both “Viking Dublin” & “Medieval Dublin” will bring you back in time to how life was in Dublin in those historic days – walk down a Viking street and visit a Viking house  as well as seeing what life on board a Viking ship would have been like. “Historic Hunters” is the third exhibition which brings you into the world of Archaeology. See excavation sites and a lab which will give you an insight into Dublin City and allow you to see it in a whole new light.

(Inside Dublinia)

2. Viking Splash Tour
A favourite amongst many visitors, both young and old, the Viking Splash Tour allows you to see the city from land and water in the reconditioned World War II military vehicles known as “Ducks”. The tour will bring you around the city to the many attractions it has to offer while also teaching you about the history of the city; from the Vikings who settled here over a 1,000 years ago right through to the Dublin becoming a cosmopolitan European city.

(View Dublin by land and water with the Viking Splash Tour)

3. National Wax Museum
The Wax Museum – a firm favourite for the list of attractions to visit on any city break. Everyone enjoys a good Wax Museum! At the National Wax Museum not only can you view the wax version of many well-known faces and get your picture taken with them but you can also visit the fully functioning recording studio and green screen video room, take a journey through Ireland cultural heritage and check out the tribute to Ireland’s top scientific inventors.

(The National Wax Museum Entrance)

4. GAA Museum
Interested in the history of the country’s National games? Well then go behind the scene of Gaelic Football and Hurling with this interactive touch-screen technology and test your own skills in the interactive zone. Test your passing skills and how quick you can react along with the many other skills required for these two fantastic national games. You can also do the Croke Park Stadium Tour while you are there.  Take the opportunity to walk through the players tunnel and visit their lounge as well as the corporate boxes with the best seats in the house and then top it all off with a birds eye views of this 82,300 capacity iconic stadium.

(GAA Museum Croke Park)

5. Science Gallery
Located at Trinity College, this public gallery has various exhibitions, lectures and workshops. There are no permanent collections but instead a series of 4-6 temporary exhibitions each year so there is always something new to see for those who wish to visit on a number of occasions.

(The Science Gallery at Trinity College)

6. Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo, located in Pheonix Park (one of the largest city parks in Europe), is one of Dublin's biggest attractions. It is home to over 400 animals and has been open since 1830. There is so much to see at Dublin Zoo. There are lions, tigers, hippos, seals, elephants, gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, red pandas and penguins to name just a few of the many fascinating animals that can be seen at Dublin Zoo.  

(Gorillas at Dublin Zoo)

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VERTICAL PARK FOR DUBLIN

It has become one of the most iconic reminders of our embarassing past. The image the shell of what was to be Anglo Irish Bank's new headquarters has fronted many a newspaper around the globe as a representation of the collapse of the Celtic Tigers...but a number of very interesting proposals, including a "Vertical Park" could transform the eye sore.

A radical proposal is being made to transform the concrete skeleton on Dublin’s North Wall Quay into a park in time for the centenary of the 1916 Rising.

A Dublin architecture firm is seeking a licence to develop the seven-acre site on behalf of the people of Ireland to put in place a landmark on the Liffey Quays that would nurture sustainable vision-making and proclaim a new future.

It sounds like a wonderful plan...if it goes ahead. A good example of how successful such a development could be can be seen in New York, where an disused railway line was turned into a park and has since become one of the most visited attractions in the city.

Developed by Mahoney Architecture, the Trees on the Quays group is seeking support from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, Dublin City Council and – most of all – Nama. “If we get heads of agreement with Nama that the site would be made available for, say, 10 years, that would be a big step forward,” Mr Mahoney told The Irish Times.

The licence would need to be made available free for the proposal to succeed. He added: “Even a tiny fraction of the Irish diaspora would create a huge fund to develop this project and there would also be enormous benefits for nearby buildings, such as the convention centre and O2.

Inspiration came from Dutch architects MVRVD’s Netherlands pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover, which featured trees growing at different levels, and the High Line in New York City, where an abandoned elevated railway was turned into a linear park.

The Trees on the Quays group proposes a similar vision, re-imagining Anglo Irish Bank’s concrete structure as a multilevel city park – with its floorplates punched out to make room for trees and the resulting rubble reused to form a hill alongside.

I for one think it is a fantastic idea and one that the city planners should embrace with open arms. The city is dotted with statues of great figures in Irish history who inspire the next generation of Irish people, so why not use this shell as a reminder, an inspiration and most importantly...a lesson to the future.

Sure aren't we the kings of packages; we can put together a package for visitors coming to Dublin to have a pre-parkviewing meal, return transfer and night's accommodation...that one could catch on!!!

FREE VISITOR ATTRACTIONS IN DUBLIN

The Office of Public Works are introducing a very interesting new concept for visiting some 750 attractions across the country.
Access to most historic sites managed by the Office of Public Works will be free today and on the first Wednesday of every month for the rest of this year.
It is part of a new initiative to encourage more national and international visitors to sites such as the Rock of Cashel, Clonmacnoise and the State Apartments in Dublin Castle.
The decision was made by Minister of State responsible for the OPW Brian Hayes who said it was done to stimulate interest in the built heritage of the country.
Access to most is free but for some sites such as Kilmainham Gaol, Kilkenny Castle and Newgrange adult visitors pay a fee of between €3-11 each.
The offer will run until the end of the year, when it will be reviewed...hopefully with the intention of maintaining it!!! Keep an eye on www.grandcanalhotel.com for more information.

NEW VISA WAIVER INITIATIVE FOR VISITORS TO IRELAND

It has been a very good week for tourists hoping to come to Ireland and by extension the beleaguered Irish economy.

Not only will the Airport tax be withdrawn, VAT in tourism is to be reduced to 9% and arguably more significantly, from July, tourists from 14 nations, that up until now required a visa to holiday in Ireland, will not need one as long as they hold a visa to enter Britain.

The change to Ireland's visa regulations will encourage tourists visiting Britain for the Olympics next year to travel on to Ireland. The programme will last from July 2011 until October 2012. It will be reviewed and more countries may be added to the list.

Some of the countries that will be able to avail of the waiver from July include: Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, India, China and Uzbekistan.

The government have stated they expect the new initiative to see an increase of 30,000 visitors to the country.

Currently tourists must fill out forms and this will avoid delays and costs.
Minister Shatter said the visa waiver scheme alone would not transform the tourist industry in Ireland.


Under the programme, nationals of 14 countries - who would normally have to apply and pay for a visa to enter the state at a cost of EUR60 – will be allowed enter Ireland if they have already obtained a short-term visa to enter the UK.

The initiative is expected to come into effect on July 1st, running until the end of October 2012.

Some good news indeed. There has NEVER been a better time to visit Ireland. Everything is cheaper...even the Queen is dropping off in the markets when she visits Dublin next week.

Added to the hottest April since records began, this has been a good couple of months for people visiting Ireland. Check out www.grandcanalhotel.ie for best rates online.

Talk soon,

Ollie (OMG).