Powerscourt Golf Club: With Two Championship golf courses set in stunning surrounds at the world renowned Powerscourt Estate, Powerscourt Golf Club is an immensely popular venue. The 36 hole championship lay out ensures availability 7 days a week for both members and visitors, add to that friendly staff, outstanding facilities and excellent dining, and it’s not hard to see why so many flock to the Estate.
Powerscourt Hotel: Offering Palladian-style architecture with 198 generously sized bedrooms, luxurious amenities with the majority of rooms enjoying a clear vista of one of Ireland’s most celebrated valleys with the Sugar Loaf Mountain taking centre stage; making the guest stay experience incredibly special.
Gordon Castle … I found a website for Gordon Castle in Scotland 1. It is located near Fochabers in Moray, Scotland. The castle is historically known as the Bog-of-Gight or Bog o’Gight, and was the principal seat of the Dukes of Gordon 2. The website provides information about the castle’s walled garden, which is being restored to its former glory and is one of Britain’s largest and oldest working kitchen gardens. The garden features rare and heritage plants, and the garden walls are lined with 259 espaliered trees. The website also mentions that the recently restored Victorian Mackenzie & Moncur glasshouse displays an impressive amount of delicious tomatoes in the summer months.
We are looking to travel to Iceland for 5-7 days and to Scotland for 4-5 days. As the game is on the 24th. At the latest, we will arrive in Dublin on Thursday prior to the game, play golf on Friday morning, the game festivities on Saturday, followed with golf on Sunday. Leave Dublin either Monday or Tuesday.
FAQ ABOUT AIRLINES FLYING TO ICELAND
Icelandair has direct flights from New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, and Orlando.
United Airlines flies directly to Iceland from New York and Chicago.
Delta airlines have direct routes to Iceland from New York and Boston.
As we work on the schedule, let me know what you would prefer. One interesting flight planner is https://matrix.itasoftware.com/search. It is like Kayak on steroids. I flew Virgin Atlantic via Delta in the summer of 2023 and I really liked the pajamas they provided me for the flights. We will probably take Delta on the long haul.
BOS to KEF Direct on Delta
ATL to KEF Via BOS, JFK or BWI $700
REK to Edinburg (EDI) via EasyJet direct 2hrs $80
REK to INV or ABZ require connections
EDI to Dub 20 flights a day some at $20
ABZ to DUB is Direct Via BA & Air Lingus
INV to DUB Requires a connection
If skipping Iceland, you can fly direct from ATL to EDI. If connect in DUB, you can fly direct to Aberdeen, Glasgow or EDI
In the city there are two good choices to stay near the pubs;
The Shelbourne is best https://www.theshelbourne.com, or the Westin. Both accept the ACC rate code without question. There is a nice bar which is popular each night. I prefer the quiet Horse Shoe bar. They have a nice Spa connected which you can use the pool and facilities as well. The Westin is a good alternative.
Our favorite place, a bit out of town and often cheaper… is Marriott’s PowersCourt, a former Ritz, on the estate – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powerscourt_Estate If you would like a review, just ask Tonya, she will glow. It is a drive to the city, but a great area to hike, golf, shop in the mill store and relax. From there you could visit a few other places. The classic pub is down in the basement.
In the city there are two good choices to stay near the pubs; Shelbourne and Westin.
You should go to the Guinness factory tour if not interested in the entire history, just go directly to the top. It is a 360 degree bar overlooking the city. For Whiskey tours, Jameson’s is popular and Brenda liked Teeling’s. Jameson’s is close, small and interesting
The Temple Bar area in the city is the best pub crawl. Dozens and walking distance. Of course, if you swing a cat in Dublin, you will hit a pub.
For others to visit while there;
O’Donoghues is one of our favorites. Although good, no better than several others. Don’t make a special trip to any pub. You will realize after 5 or so that they are pretty similar. If you go, ask if he Old Man is still around. His son has been taking over due to his Dad’s health. The Old Man will talk with you like a friend and recommend a place for dinner. My bet is that he didn’t make it thru the corona.
Kehoe’s Pub is a popular one for us and it is located in good area, Grafton Street, for walking and shopping. Ask the what the upstairs was used for originally. Ask if they will show you the keg room. Nothing special, but Todd and I have been there.
The Brazen Head is recognized as the oldest and one to visit for most tourist. Although, we have never returned.
There are several good places to eat. For a good steak, we like FX Buckley’s. Take a recommendation, there are several good steak and seafood places.
Two dinner clubs we have tried…
https://www.johnniefoxs.com A few miles out of town. An interesting pub and show. You can go for dinner or catch the dinner and show. Just the dinner is my preference.
On my personal trip, I rented a car at the Dublin airport and drove to Waterford, then to KilKenny, then to Northern Ireland to see Belfast. When we got to Dublin, I turned the car in. It is pointless to try to drive or park in the city.
You could travel to Northern Island, Not much to the city of Belfast, but loads of history. Belfast has two good points of interest; the Titanic Museum and I recommend the London Cab Tour to the real history. The Giant’s Causeway is a very interesting park to visit. Most tour groups cover the three.
There are several tour operators that will run you up there and back. I highly recommend the operator that takes the smaller 14 passenger bus. You will get in and out of places much faster.
The Waterford Castle is an interesting place, ahttps://www.waterfordcastleresort.com, and I thought the food was good as well. The town has an small interesting museum and the crystal factory is cool. Although, we only spent time in the store which is crazy.
We spent the day at Killiney park. Hiked to the top, lunch in the city. Enjoyed that better than the town of Bray on coast.
We’ve visited Bray where Bono lives. There is O’Toole’s pub, but not too much to see. They have the beach and a number of pubs along the shore.
I enjoyed Howth by the sea. You can take an Uber up, walk a bit, have lunch. Just a small fishing village. They have one of the Beshoff Bros Fish N chip’s chain there. Considered a pretty good fast food place for Cod. You will see them in the City. There is a nicer place by the water. I’ve gone up on the weekend
We enjoyed KilKenny, the castle, and the Left Bank Pub. If you go in, wonder upstairs. The place is huge and has completely different environments.
The Cliff’s of Moher is one we did not do. We would like to make to make the trip over to the coast one visit.
