How to Spend a Weekend in Dublin

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Earlier this month we had the opportunity to explore a new city abroad together! We hadn’t done this since becoming best friends while studying abroad in Southeast Asia a decade ago so it was such a treat. It was perfect to have three days in Dublin  to explore the charming Irish capital. Here’s how we spent our weekend in Dublin– with a primer on what to see, do, eat and drink, of course!

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What to See and Do

A hop on, hop off bus tour is a great way to orient yourself to the city, get a handy overview, and get around easily. We also love walking in new cities and find it’s a great way to soak in the vibe of a place. Here a few recommendations of what to see and do in Dublin based on your interests!

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HIstory: The Book of Kells and Long Hall at Trinity College are absolutely stunning to visit. Do book your tickets ahead of time for timed entry so you don’t have to wait in line. The Old Library holds over 200,000 books and has that amazing scent of old books that we just love.

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Kilmainham Gaol is one of  Europe’s largest unoccupied prisons. While somber to visit, it has a fascinating history and helps in understanding the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish struggle for independence.

Art and Culture: Chester Beatty Library has a gorgeous collection of rare manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and decorative arts. Definitely our kind of place! Plus it’s free to visit. As a bonus, the lovely Dublin Castle is nearby with beautiful grounds to walk around.

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Alcohol: Guinness Storehouse is one of the most famous sights in Dublin and is a fun, informative experience. Plus you get to pour own pint if you want and experience 360 view of the city! Other places to go include the Irish Whiskey Museum, Teeling Distilery, Jameson Distillery (note it’s closed until March 2017 for renovations), and be on the lookout for the new Alltech distillery housed in an old Gothic, Anglican church coming soon in the Liberties.

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Churches: St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest church in Ireland and a beauty. We went for evensong on a Sunday afternoon which was a memorable experience. Christ’s Church is also close by and quite pretty.

Where to Eat

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Our favorite places for breakfast were Queen of Tarts and The Little Kitchen. They were both absolutely delicious (and adorable)!

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For lunch or dinner, try the Boxty House for traditional Irish boxty, Peruke and Periwig for fantastic cocktails and burgers (lunch only), Chapter One for a gourmet dinner and certain pubs are also an option for food while others only serve drinks.

Where to Drink

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Of course going to pubs in Dublin is an experience in and of itself. There’s only so much you can eat and drink in a weekend after all.

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Do you have any other restaurants, pubs or sights that you enjoyed in Dublin? We always love hearing from you in the comments below!

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Our Travel Uniform – Chic and Comfy Travel Style

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Travel isn’t always easy. It isn’t always glamorous. A long road trip, a train with no air conditioning, an overnight flight – our transportation options never offer true comfort – that’s for us to worry about. However, we don’t believe you have to sacrifice style for comfort. We know you can have a chic and comfortable travel style.

Our tried and true airport uniform consists of stretchy but conservative pants, a warm and cozy cardigan, stylish sneakers, and a warm scarf that can double as a blanket. We love bringing along a minimalist backpack like the Everlane one below as a hands-free carry-on that holds all of our must-have travel accessories that add a little luxury to our long-haul.

Chic and Comfy Travel Style - www.AFriendAfar.com - #travel #style #travelstyle #airportstyle

– Shop This Story –

What items make up your travel uniform? Share your favorites with us in the comments!

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5 Lesser Known National Parks to Visit for the 100th Anniversary

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Happy birthday, National Parks! The US National Park Service (NPS) is celebrating its centennial today! To celebrate along with them, we’ve been working on a whole series on our National Parks. We started with the Top Ten National Parks to visit based on number of visitors, and now we’re pleased to share our favorite of the lesser known National Parks. We hope this inspires you to get outdoors and plan a trip to see a new park!

5 Lesser Known National Parks- www.afriendafar.com #nationalparks #us

 

 

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Top 10 National Parks to Visit for the 100th Anniversary

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This year the National Park Service (NPS) is celebrating its centennial! On August 25, 2016 the NPS turns 100. To celebrate we’re doing a national park post series and starting with the top ten national parks to visit based on number of visitors. Stephanie’s on a quest to go to all the national parks and has been to eight of the ones on this list. Enjoy these ideas of which top 10 national parks to visit for the 100th anniversary!

Top 10 National Parks to Visit- www.afriendafar.com #nationalparks #nps #centennial

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The Sound of Music Bicycle Tour in Salzburg

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The Sound of Music is one of my all-time top movies and my favorite musicals. So when my sister, a fellow fan, told me she had a conference for work in Germany in July I asked if she’d considering adding on vacation days and do a Sound of Music tour of Salzburg with me. And I am so glad we did because Salzburg is easily my new favorite smaller city I’ve visited in Europe. Plus we had way too much fun recreating scenes from the movie around Salzburg on our Sound of Music Bicycle Tour!

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While there are big bus, mini bus and self-guided tour options for the Sound of Music, we opted to choose  Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour after reading wonderful reviews online. The three and a half hour tour starts and ends at Schloss Mirabell . I highly recommend the tour for several reasons  It’s easier to find the stops following a guide than on your own (though not impossible) It’s fun to hear stories and facts about the filming and stops. I loved the photo guide attached to the bicycle that showed what each location was used for in the film….and these are a few of my favorite stops from our Sound of Music bicycle tour!

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Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour

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One of the most iconic filming sites from the movie is the square Residenzplatz and the Residenzbrunnen where Maria sings “I Have Confidence” and splashes in the horse fountain.

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St. Peter’s Cemetery provided the inspiration for the abbey’s cemetery in the movie but most of that scene was actually filmed on a set in Hollywood.

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Nonnberg Abbey, where Maria was actually a nun in real life, was used in the movie to film for the exterior of the abbey. The abbey itself is beautiful and the views of Salzburg on the way up hill is stunning!

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After the stop at the abbey, we coasted downhill away from the city and into the outskirts where our fantastic guide Elise played songs from Sound of Musical for us! It was pretty magical to ride through Salzburg while listening to soundtrack. And as much as we wanted to sing a long, we were booking it on the bikes at this point so mostly hummed and sang along on the inside!

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Our first stop was Schloss Leopoldskron, which was the filming location for the exterior of the Von Trapp family home. The terraces from the movie are only accessible to guests of the now boutique hotel but this epic view is pretty spectacular to see!

 

The next stop is the “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and “Something Good.” Our guide took a few group shots of us throughout the tour which were posted on their Facebook page and this one was one of the best. Wheeee!

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We actually did this stop independently the next day since we didn’t stop on the tour but rode on by to get back to our starting point! It’s the Mozart Bridge that Maria and the children cross on their big day out!

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The tour ends back at Mirabell where you’ll make a final stop at the famous Do Re Mi steps Maria and the children sing on with the beautiful gardens and fortress in the background.

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The tours happen rain or shine so do bring a rain jacket! Show Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour love on Instagram and Twitter and book with them if you find yourself in Salzburg in season!

[This is not a sponsored post. We had such a fun time on our Fräulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour we wanted to share it for our readers who are planning a trip to Austria from April to October!]

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Ten Tips for Vancouver and an Alaskan Cruise

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Our friend Alli, who most recently wrote about her Midwest adventure for us, and her husband are on a quest to see and experience all 50 states! He’s now been to all 50 (!) and she has one more to go, Alli’s also previously shared her incredibly helpful 8 family travel tips with us. They both had some flexibility in their schedules and so decided to book an Alaskan cruise in May. They strategically picked a cruise leaving from Vancouver because it is where one of Alli’s best friends lives. So she packed up her toddler son and left a few days before her husband did to visit her friend and husband. Thus began an epic adventure! Check out Alli’s ten tips for Vancouver and an Alaskan cruise. 

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We loved every moment in this beautiful city. Here are a few memories that truly stand out.
1) Traveling with a toddler, I try to not burden my friends with the early morning noise that a toddler brings so we found a fantastic Airbnb.  It had stunning views, a great location, fireplace, reasonably priced and very kind host.
2) We loved walking around Granville Island; it’s a delightful area. From the food selection, coffee, little shops, farmer’s market, the kids area, the entertainment, we loved all of it.
3) My friend Erin is attending Regent University apart of the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus. The views were breathtaking. It is such a beautiful campus!
4) The line out the door was quickly explained with one bite out of my sandwich from Meat and Bread. It was a packed place with rules to keep the flow of the line but the food was excellent and they really tried to accommodate my stroller and toddler.
5) When the buses are out of service they say sorry, very Canadian.

Alaskan Cruise

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1) Splurge for a balcony! We made the decision to take the trip last minute and so we were able to get a decent price for a mini-suite. Having coffee in my pajamas with the Alaskan or Canadian mountainous shoreline to wake up my sleepy eyes was one of the best things I will ever experience! We saw glaciers, whales, bald eagles, and sea otters all from the comfort of our own room.
2) Whale watching was my favorite outing. My face hurt from smiling. It was so exciting when you first see the spray from the blowhole announcing its presence to the partial arch above the water. My son Jack would giggle when he spotted a whale.
3) The Alaskan Railroad train in Skagway was recommended and I am glad we heeded the advice. The scenery was majestic and this was a great activity. Because we had a stroller, we were placed in the handicapped car and we had the whole car to ourselves.
4) Go to the Twisted Fish Company in Juneau, AK! I do not remember what I ate but what I drank would make it worthwhile to take trip again just for that. My favorite drink is an old fashioned with Rye Whiskey. They serve what they call  a “Red Eye” Old Fashioned. It is made with Rye Whiskey, Cold Brew Coffee Syrup, vanilla, coffee, and toasted Pecan Bitters. This may have been the best drink I have ever had!
5) Bring stomach ailment supplies! Of course report anything serious to the medical staff but traveling usually messes up most people’s systems and it is so expensive to get the usual remedies. We did see the medical team as we all got sick but it would have saved some money to have some of the basic supplies.  I will say it was not ideal to get sick on a trip but laying on the bed looking out of our balcony window as we passed snow peaked mountains,  I did think to myself “this is not so the worse experience.”
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The Best Printable Europe Packing List – Two Weeks in a Carry-On

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Heading to Europe? Here’s our printable two weeks in Europe packing list!

Europe Packing List - AFriendAfar.com

I always aim to pack in only a carry-on if at all possible no matter how long my trip is going to be. I find it much easier to tote around a carry-on suitcase rather than a checked-size bag. Plus, if you pack right, you can mix and match pieces to re-wear and make different outfits. And there’s always the option of doing laundry (Airbnb is amazing for that) or hand-washing in the hotel sink. Here’s a printable Europe packing list of what I brought on my latest two week trip to Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. My goal was to strike a balance between being  comfortable and stylish.

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Some of the items I am so glad made it into my luggage include a pair of New Balance for J.Crew sneakers (I have these navy ones while Meagan has them in white and gold), laundry detergent packets, a rain jacket, sandals, Downey Wrinkle Releaser, and a scarf! I used my trusty Travelpro Rollaboard as my carry-on piece and my Lo & Sons OMG bag as my personal item on the plane. And of course I used an Everlane Tote as a day bag while exploring!

One last tip: if you’re packing for two weeks in a carry-on, you’re going to need packing cubes!

Is there anything you always pack for a summer trip to Europe? Let us know in the comments!

Printable Summer in Europe Packing List - A Friend Afar

 

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Marrakech Retreats – Our Favorite Spots

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The Medina of Marrakech – a chaotic maze of ancient architectural treasures, delicious food and drink, and exciting shopping. It’s an opportunity to dive right into Moroccan culture. It’s also pretty hot during the mid-day sun and in the winding souks. These are our favorite Marrakech retreats for when you need a rest. Drop in for a few hours of pampering or just a chance to refresh while enjoying the views.

La Sultana Hotel - Marrakech Retreats - www.AFriendAfar.com

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Historic Marrakech: Must Visit Sites

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Traveling to Marrakech was a dream come true! It’s an exciting vacation for lovers of color, architecture, food, shopping, and a bit of chaos. You could easily get lost and lose track of time, spending your whole time in the city navigating the souks, but you don’t want to miss the Medina’s historic sites. If you are only in Marrakech for a short time, here are the 4 Must Visit Sites in the Historic Marrakech Medina.

4 Must Visit Historic Sites in Marrakech -- www.AFriendAfar.com

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Kasbah du Toubkal in the High Atlas Mountains

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Kasbah du Toubkal, Morocco - www.AFriendAfar.com

About the Kasbah du Toubkal

We recently returned from Morocco, and while we loved the excitement of Marrakech, we can’t get the tranquility of the Atlas Mountains off our mind. Less than 2 hours from Marrakech, the Imlil Valley is home to the most unique lodge we have ever had the opportunity to visit. We stayed only 2 nights at the Kasbah du Toubkal, but now we’re dreaming of going back for more.

The Kasbah du Toubkal is truly a special place. After all, it has been chosen as a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World. Its uniqueness is evident as soon as you arrive in Imlil. At the small office in town, you are met by your host and a mule that will carry your luggage up the path to the Kasbah. It’s a rambling fortress of a lodge perched on a hilltop overlooking the Imlil Valley while Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, rises behind it at 13,671 feet.

If the view and the hike don’t take your breath away, the story of the Kasbah will! The land and a kasbah in ruin were purchased in 1989 by Discover Ltd, a family affair, and after years of traditional methods of construction by local laborers with local materials, the Kasbah du Toubkal opened in 1995. Since then, it has impacted the Imlil Valley through sustainable and responsible tourism.

Kasbah du Toubkal, Morocco - www.AFriendAfar.com

A view of the gardens and lodging from the rooftop where we spent our afternoons lounging under Jbel Toubkal to the sound of birds and the waterfall.

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