2 Days in Dublin With Kids (Not Guinness), Dublin Co., Ireland

When one thinks of visiting Dublin, the obvious choice would be to tour Guinness, a bunch of distilleries and pub crawl at the Temple Bar. But if you are traveling with kids, these choices might not be very appealing to all audiences. Dublin has a variety of family-friendly places to visit.

River Liffey: River Liffey flows through Dublin and is the best place to spend an afternoon. There are multiple bike rental places accessible to tourists. Several tours have starting points near River Liffey.  The Famine sculptures and a guided tour of Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship gives an insight into the hardships faced by people during the Irish famine. A cast-iron pedestrian bridge across river Liffey also knows as Ha'penny Bridge, is the oldest bridge in Dublin. It is an easy walk across the bridge to reach the other side of the city. However, Beckett bridge is much cooler in appearance. 

Butler's Chocolate Factory: Click here for the full post. Butler's Chocolate Factory tour was a huge hit with kids. Try to pre-book a tour on a weekday. Chocolate production is down during weekends and hence there won't be much to see on a weekend. Decorating a chocolate elephant was a sweet ending to the tour.

Dublin Zoo: Another kid's favorite. The area is huge and the grounds are well maintained. The habitat is designed specifically to suit the animals. Wild lights display during Christmas is amazing to see.

Merrion Square: Another fun place to visit. Stephan's green is good but Merrion square is awesome. As my kids say, Merrion Square is funky fun. The odd sculptures, swings and play areas are super fun for kids. 

Natural History Museum: Natural History Museum is right across the road from Merrion Square and the entry is free. A mid-size museum with animal and bird exhibits. Groud floor exhibits are predominantly local to Ireland. While the 2nd-floor exhibits are taxidermy exotic wild animals. A very good place for kids to visit.

Trinity College & Book of Kells: Book of Kells is right in the middle of Trinity College. Some find Book of Kells expensive. But strolling through the college grounds is a good way to spend a few hours. 

Howth Village and Cliff Walk: Click here for the detailed post. Howth Village is about an hour from Dublin. A cute village with beautiful views of the Irish Sea.

A Perfect Day in Snowdonia National Park, UK

Snowdonia National Park is by far, the best national parks I have ever visited. The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. It is a perfect destination for outdoor activities like walking, hiking, camping, and many more. If you are short on time, just drive around the national park and stop to soak in the views. Snowdonia National Park covers around 2135 square kilometers. Given the vast area, it is impossible to cover the entire national park in one day. Here are the few locations that are accessible by road and can be covered in a day. The starting point of this trip is from Liverpool.

Swallow Falls - Snowdonia National Park

Swallow Falls Waterfall: The waterfall is located right across A5 and does not involve strenuous hiking or walking. It is just 2.5 miles from the village of Betws-y-Coed and can be reached by car or on foot. A nominal fee of £2 is charged at the entrance. Make sure to carry cash in Pounds as no other currency is accepted. A paved pathway leads to the beautiful cascading waterfalls surrounded by lush forest. Nearby rock stairs lead to different levels for better views.

Llynnau Mymbyr From A4086 - Snowdonia National Park

 Llynnau Mymbyr: On A4086, 0.5 miles away from A5, lies two beautiful lakes of Llynnau Mymbyr. It is a perfect scenic location. You can park the car and take a short walk or be a bit more adventurous and go parasailing, hiking or kayaking. No matter how you choose to explore, this place is a feast for the eyes. Probably, this is the most photographed lake in all of Snowdonia.

Beautiful Views From A4086 - Snowdonia National Park

Beautiful Views From A4086 - Snowdonia National Park

Peak, Lake, and A Valley - Snowdon Viewpoint

Snowdon Viewpoint: Proceed on A4086 for a couple of miles and continue towards A498. You would come across an undeniably best viewpoint and that would be Snowdon Viewpoint. Snowdon Peak, a valley and a lake, a perfect location for a photoshoot.

Snowdon Peak: There are two options to reach the Snowdon summit. One is to hike the peak and the second is to take a train from Llanberis Station. Be sure not to confuse Llanberis Station with Llanberis Lake Railways. Getting to the summit is still on my to-do list. Unfortunately, we were not able to procure train tickets for the summit. Tickets to the summit can be prebooked. The total trip takes around 2.5 hours. One hour to ascend, one hour to descend and half an hour to explore the summit. For travelers who wish to hike the peak, the Miners' Track and PyG Track start from Pen-y-Pass car park on A4086. Roundtrip on either track takes around 6 hours. However, the Miners' track is popular among hikers and is well known for its beautiful views.

Ceunant Mawr Waterfall: A beautiful waterfall accessible from A4086. The waterfall is very near to Llanberis village. It would take around 10 minutes to reach the waterfalls from the village. There are two paths to reach the waterfall. The marked path takes you to the top of the waterfalls. An unmarked path that passes under the stone bridge leads you to the bottom of beautiful waterfalls.
Pont Pen-y-Llyn: Pont Pen-y-Llyn is a viewpoint very near to Brybrefail village and is accessible from A4086. A beautiful view of lake Llyn Padarn with mountains as a backdrop. Stop by for a quick walk across the bridge. There are several watersports and activities on the lake. 

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll Village:  

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the name of a village in North Wales. With 58 letters,  this village name is considered the lengthiest one-word name in the world. There is nothing in the village to see or do. James Pringle Weavers have a better sign with English translation. James Pringle's store is full of trinkets and souvenirs.

Day Trip From Amsterdam to Giethoorn, Netherlands

Geithoorn Village Canals

Geithoorn is a small Dutch village in the province of Overijssel. A round trip from Amsterdam to Geithoorn would take about 3 hours. In recent years, with the influence of social media, Geithoorn has become one of the popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands. Several tour operators run day tours from Amsterdam to Geithoorn at a reasonable price. Renting a car is the best option to get around.

Amsterdam to Geithoorn

From Amsterdam, the shortest route to Geithoorn is through A6. Alternatively, taking E22 increases travel time by half an hour or so. But it will run through the enclosed dike. Enclosed dike is a major causeway and dam in the Netherlands. The dam serves as a barrier and protects low lying areas from flooding. It also separates the North sea from a freshwater lake. If you are crossing the causeway, I would recommend a brief stop at the observation tower for fantastic views of the dam.

Afsluitdijk - Enclosed Dike Observation Tower Netherlands

We visited Geithoorn village during spring. The drive was fantastic and the view of tulip fields from the highway was amazing. The Dutch are experts in water management. They know how to work with water instead of fighting it. They create amazing living spaces right next to canals. Geithoorn is the best example of it. On the contrary to popular belief, the village of Geithoorn is not completely car-free. What makes Geithoorn special is its canals, thatched-roof houses, walkways and cute little shops. 

If you are wondering what to do in Geithoorn, here are few tips.  You can rent a boat and ride on your own in the canals. Or, take an organized boat tour around the village. Cycling around the neighborhood is also a possibility. I always will cherish the memory of walking on the narrow pathways and bridges. My personal favorite was enjoying a tasty ice cream under the tree shade on a warm spring afternoon. Shopping for trinkets and souvenirs in the cute little shops was the perfect ending for a relaxed day. Few canals are private and are blocked off for tourists. It is always advisable to stick to the public place and respect the privacy of locals. We don't want locals to ban tourists forever. Do we now?

I love taking photos. So here we go..

And more... 

This village is an embodiment of peace and serenity. In a place like this, a house, a book, and a hot cup of tea are all I would need. Bonus: During April / May the routes from Amsterdam to Geithoorn has beautiful tulip fields. Feel free to stop and take a few pictures.

Albufeira to Benagil and Everything In-between, Portugal

Portugal's south coast has one of the beautiful coastlines in the world. With beautiful cliff views and clear turquoise waters, it draws thousands of tourists every year. The entire south coast and a small part of the west coast belong to the Algarve region of Portugal. This region is a prime destination for beach vacations. As of April 2019, Portugal has 352 Blue Flag accredited beaches. Out of that, the Algarve region is home for 88 Blue Flag beaches. If you are wondering what a blue flag beach is, it is the highest accolade given to a beach. It indicates that the beach adheres to a high standard of quality, safety, and services.

Praia das Escalieras

There are two main options to see all the beautiful beaches. One is the cliff walk and the second option is from the sea. However, few beaches can only be accessed from the sea. I can list a hundred reasons why a cliff walk can be a disastrous option for parents with young kids. Even from the sea, there are several options. SUP, Kayak, small boats, and catamaran tours. The best option is the SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) or a Kayak. They give access to hidden beaches inside the cave. Which are otherwise inaccessible. We being us, choose an easy option. A Catamaran tour.

The Most Beautiful Beach - Praia do Pontal

There are different types of tours starting from Albufeira Marina. Ours was caves and coastline tour. We were welcomed by our tour guide with a glass of bubbly. The tour lasted for a couple of hours. The only disadvantage with a catamaran is that they cannot enter Benagil caves. We just get a peek inside and nothing more. But, traveling with young kids demands compromises. On the bright side, we had a wonderful trip with an open bar and blaring music. 

Yellow Submarine - Praia da Morena

The best way to see cliffs is from the water. With beautiful formations and hidden beaches, the views were amazing. 

Arco Natural - McDonald's Arch

Praia do Pontal

Praia de Albandeira

Benagil Cave

The World famous Benagil cave can be accessed only by water. A little beach inside is generally filled with tourists. 

Benagil Cave Entrance

Praia da Marinha

Viewing beaches from the water is not enough. They deserve a visit. However, visiting all the beaches is next to impossible. It is very important to prioritize a few. The best way to end the day is to visit the old town of Albufeira and spend an hour or two in its Blue Flag beaches. If I had a choice, Portugal would be the place I would go to and never come back.

Sagres to Lagos, Algarve, Portugal

I never considered Portugal as a holiday destination. Little did I know that if planned properly, Portugal can be a perfect holiday destination with the right temperature and practically zero crowds. We visited the Algarve region of Portugal during the last week of May. We couldn't have picked a better time than this. There were practically no crowds. At times, we felt that we were on a private beach. Water was warm enough to swim in the late afternoons and temperatures were around 25-30°C. This is how a perfect vacation should be.

Driving is the best and only way to see Portugal. We took a flight to Faro and rented a car online. We picked our rental car at Faro airport and had the independence to roam around as we please. Car rental prices are reasonable compared to other European countries like Ireland. Pre-pay for the tolls at the rental office beforehand. I presume all tolls are electronic as I did not find any toll booths on the highway. 

Cape Sagres Viewpoint

Sagres is a municipality in the South-Western tip of Portugal. Sagres Fortress or Fortaleza de Sagres is located at the southernmost tip of Sagres. Sagres played a prominent role in the 15th century during the golden era of Portugal's exploration. The fort is mainly a series of huge walls built to separate the mainland from Sagres head. Henry the Navigator launched his expedition from Sagres. Most of the fort was destroyed by 1755's earthquake and resultant tsunami. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the area on foot. Even though there is not much to see, this fort provides beautiful views of the ocean from the cliffs. 

Church of Our Lady of Grace

Inside the Church

On N125, 10 KM away from Sagres, we came across an un-named shop full of Portugal made ceramic wear. The collection inside the store is huge and the variety is incredible. This place is located right next to the N125 and hard to miss. I got a 'Rooster of Barcelona' and a Portugal ceramic tile from this shop.

A Splendid Find

Next stop - Farol da Ponta da Peidade, Lagos.

Ponta da Piedade

Cliffs & Crystal Clear Water

We drove down the dusty road, without any expectations. Parked our car in an empty parking spot and followed the crowd blindly. Then, we climbed down a series of narrow stairs. Little did we know that these are the stairs leading to a hidden paradise. The sea caves stood shining like golden mountains in the bright afternoon Sun. Boats were floating on a crystal clear turquoise water. One can spend hours appreciating the beauty of the land and the sea. Gazing at the ocean floor and guessing it's depth. My heart danced with joy like a child in a candy store.

Accessible Only by Small Boat

Small boat tours start at the foot of the cliff and take visitors through the sea caves and formations. These caves are accessible by a small boat or kayak or SUP board. Tour lasts for 20-30 minutes covering the surrounding areas. This was the best day of our vacation.