We arrived in Dublin a little before 6:00 in the morning. We had traveled from Atlanta to Dublin via Philadelphia. Florida State football fans headed to the game packed our flight to Dublin. (I had learned an estimated 25,000 fans would be coming to Ireland for the game, bringing in an estimated $100 million to the Irish economy.) After breezing through customs, we made our way to ground transportation. As we waited for our Uber in the damp dawn air, I noticed the words God Is Love perfectly painted on the side of a building near the airport. These welcoming words stood out amidst Guinness ads and signs in Gaeilge and English, pointing us to where to turn. What a lovely reminder that God is love no matter where we are.

The Merrion — Details and Art

We immediately headed to our hotel. The Merrion welcomed our tired bodies with open arms. Staff provided a tour around the elegant and curated space. Details and art jumped out as specific invitations to next-level comfort. I was awestruck by the stories told by the common areas, gardens, and hallways when we opened our door. A beautiful fruit basket, fancy bottled water, and champagne. Bath products reminiscent of previous stays in my favorite places. Soft curtains, fireplace, comfy chairs, and lush carpet ushered us into a pastel dream. The bed beckoned with a language all its own, and before unpacking, we took a long nap. Our night would end hours later at the bar downstairs, The Cellar, drinking Guinness and craft cocktails, talking about roller coasters, and snacking on the best bar nuts I can remember.

The Pub Crawl

After the nap, we began our first pub crawl. (Greg has researched and set a goal of visiting 50 pubs across Ireland during our 12 days, so we had to get busy.) We had our first Guinness at Kehoe’s, then went to the Long Hall and the Stag’s Head. At every establishment, the warmest bartenders greeted us with cold, perfectly poured Guinness. (Yes. Guinness tastes better in Ireland, especially when poured by Richie at Kehoe’s.) Stories flowed as we made new friends at every stop. Dublin was in full display.

Favorite Food

We grabbed a bite at Jamie Oliver’s Chequer Lane and ate the most amazing Irish mussels and crispy squid with a chilled Albariño. For dinner, we headed to Vintage Kitchen. I chose prawn chili risotto, goat cheese with apricot jam tart, and sea bass with a creamy sauce.