Last Updated: June 20, 2026 This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated to reflect current recommendations and travel conditions.

I’ve been to Ireland 6 times (so far) and will always enjoy being in Dublin like a local. I have the good fortune to have some great Irish friends so going to Dublin is not a typical tourist experience. It’s almost like a homecoming. I’m picked up at the airport and driven around town like visiting royalty. The trip is mostly planned out with pub nights (almost every night), dinners and visits to local, worthwhile venues. It’s great fun and provides a very local perspective.

How to Experience Dublin Like a Local

As a local, you DON’T go to Temple Bar (“it’s too damn expensive”); you don’t go to the Guinness Storehouse Tour (“I already worship Guinness- every night”); you don’t limit your shopping to Grafton Street (“stay north of the Liffey with fewer tourists”). Those are the “tourist traps” as deemed by the locals.

As a local, you DO have your regular shops (like the Bretzel Bakery where they know you and your order as you walk in). You’ll also join the locals at Cow’s Lane, Henry Street, George’s Street Arcade, among others.

Where to Drink: Finding Your “Local” Pub

As a local, you DO go to your “local” pub. Your “local” is the pub in your neighborhood where you can walk to and stumble home from. Everyone knows almost everyone who walks in the door. And a guest will be introduced to almost everyone in the “local”. If you are in a group, you’ll all be buying rounds of drinks (and paying for it the next day too). At “last call”, it’s customary to order multiple drinks to stay “into the wee hours” (because the barman can’t leave or kick you out before you are done).

Essential Tips for First-Time Visitors to Ireland

Whatever you do, enjoy Ireland and its culture. I travel Ireland like a local. There’s a good time to be had wherever you go. And of course, there is more to Ireland than Dublin. There are other smaller cities, like Shannon, many towns and villages, and the beautiful countryside. And there is Northern Ireland too.

If you are a shy traveler, you’ll quickly make friends in Ireland. But don’t call an Irishman (or woman) “British” (the Republic of Ireland is not part of the U.K.). And don’t stop for the weather, i.e. rain. It’s either about to rain or will rain sometime later in the day. Pack smart – rain gear, a wool sweater, and enjoy. It’s all part of Ireland. And being in Dublin like a local.