Visiting Dublin, Ireland wouldn’t be complete without going to the top of the city to have a pint of ‘The Black Stuff,’ but we almost didn’t make it before the doors closed for the day. When planning our trip to Ireland we had quite a number of things on our list to see and do. We spent the day traveling around the city all day, both by walking and via the hop on / off bus visiting the sites, and we figured the best place to end our day in the city would be at the Guinness Storehouse.
We Almost Missed It. But Thankful for a Crazy Cab Driver!
As we stand in the rain waiting for the bus outside of St. Patrick’s cathedral, we realize that the bus seemed to be running late; and no one seemed to know why it wasn’t coming. We always tend to cram things into our trips, so our schedule for sightseeing in Dublin was tight. Looking at our watches, it appears that we are going to miss the last entry into the Guinness Storehouse!
I look at Liz and say “we can’t miss out on this!”
So we make a gut decision and run out into traffic (literally) to hail a cab. We plead with the driver, telling him that we need to get to the Storehouse as fast as possible because it’s about to close. As luck would have it, traffic isn’t moving quickly. I start to wonder if maybe we should have moved a bit faster during the day, especially with our geocaching in Dublin.
So to meet our ongoing pleading, the driver suddenly flips a U-turn and starts driving like a complete crazy person! Weaving around cars and making sharp turns onto narrow side streets to avoid the traffic. “Geez, I feel like we’re on the Amazing Race” Liz tells me with a huge smile on her face. What a way to be taken to the Storehouse!
We Can’t Miss the Guinness Storehouse!
He drops us off at the front and we rush to the door in a complete panic that we can’t be too late for one of the coolest sites in Dublin. Luckily, we already had our Guinness Storehouse tickets ready and with us. We are nervous when we see that we are the only ones in line, but luckily they let us in.
Once we were inside the Guinness Storehouse museum, it didn’t matter that it was past closing time. They allowed us to view the exhibits for a bit. There weren’t many people and we got the feeling that we shouldn’t linger too long; however, the workers didn’t seem to be pushing us to move on. It was nice to be able to take some time to explore the museum before heading up to the Gravity Bar for our drinks.
7 Floors of Interactive Beer Exhibits at the Guinness Storehouse!
The Guinness Storehouse museum covers seven floors, all about the history of Guinness. Each floor is dedicated to different parts of the Guinness business; from marketing to bottling, and even the original Lifetime Contract for the property in which it sits on. So this place is not going anywhere.
It’s a thorough museum with a lot of interactive elements, a really great place to visit! Being a foreigner and not knowing the history of one of the oldest beers in the world, it is great to learn so much about this brew see the pride the country has for it’s beer.
The museum really gave us an appreciation for Guinness that we never had before.
Guinness Storehouse – Gravity Bar: Best Views of Dublin!
After a bit exploring, we are ready to have our free pint of Guinness (included with our admission ticket) before the bar closed. So sadly, we needed to skip a couple of the museum floors so we would have time to enjoy our drinks. Our last stop is the Gravity Bar on the very top level of the museum.
When the elevator opens, we immediately feel like we are entering a roof-top party (enclosed by glass). There is a full 360 degree view of Dublin, the best view in the city by far! Liz and I make our way to the bar and admire the careful way the bartenders poured our Guinness. Yes it is an art form.
Enjoying a Pint of Guinness and the Views Over Dublin is a Great Way to End the Day!
“Ah, now this is what I’m talking about” I say to Liz.
Now with the freshest of Guinness in our hands, we are able to enjoy the views of Dublin. Even better, with the sun shining in through the glass, it felt like the warmest place in all of Dublin (the weather can be a bit chilly!).
The Gravity Bar was a bit crowded, so to obtain a seat we have to stalk some guests who look like they are about finished with their drinks…success! Now we are able to get off our tired feet after a long day of exploring to enjoy our Guinness in bliss while basking in the warm sunlight!
Mission Accomplished! Now Who’s Ready for Some Dinner & Music?
If we would have waited for that bus, who knows if we would have made it to the Guinness Storehouse on time. We may have missed out on this experience, and that would have been a shame. So sometimes, it’s necessary to change the plan.
After a full day of exploring the city of Dublin, it’s time to end the evening with a stroll through Temple Bar (the area where we are staying), enjoy some dinner and some local Irish music in the streets! A perfect Dublin day – cheers!
Editors Note: This post was originally published in September 2013, but has been revamped and updated.
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