Go City: Dublin Explorer Pass – Choose 3, 4, 5 or 7 Attractions

Dublin rewards curious planners. The Go City Dublin Explorer Pass lets you choose three, four, five, or seven attractions from a long list, mixing famous stops such as the Guinness Storehouse with smaller museums, distilleries, gardens, and guided walks. I like the freedom to build a pass around your interests, and I like that the choices cover both central Dublin and worthwhile outings beyond the city center.

The strongest value comes from pairing several major admissions with experiences that cost more or take real time, such as the Guinness Storehouse, Big Bus Dublin, or the coastal trip to Howth. The main catch is planning: Guinness, Jameson, and the food walks need advance reservations, and one user had trouble getting the Go City app to recognize the booking number.

Key things to know before choosing your attractions

• Choose three to seven attractions: The pass is designed for a short city break or a longer stay of up to 30 days, depending on the option selected.
• The Guinness Storehouse requires planning: Reserve at least 24 hours ahead, then allow about two hours for the seven-story experience and Gravity Bar.
• Big Bus gives you a useful first look at Dublin: The standard hop-on hop-off ticket is valid for one day and covers 25 stops.
• You can mix city sights with day trips: Malahide Castle, Howth, Newbridge House, and the Irish National Stud reach beyond central Dublin.
• Some experiences include only admission: Food tours require you to buy your own food or drinks, usually about €20 for Food on Foot and €25 for Beer on Foot.
• Use the Go City app, not the Viator app: The digital guide and app contain the attraction instructions, including reservation details.

How the Dublin Explorer Pass works

The pass costs $82.91 per person and comes as a mobile ticket. You choose three, four, five, or seven attractions, then use those selections during the pass period, which can range from one to 30 days depending on the product you buy.

That structure matters. If you are in Dublin for only two days, a three-attraction pass may be enough. If you are staying longer, seven choices give you room to add a coastal outing, a distillery, and one or two smaller museums without paying separately at every door.

I would not buy the pass simply because the attraction list is long. You need to choose enough included sights whose separate admission would justify the price. The best approach is to pick your attractions before purchase, check their opening hours and reservation rules, and avoid selecting activities only because they sound interesting. A three-hour food walk, a four-hour coastal tour, and a two-hour museum visit each use a large part of your day.

The pass does not cover parking, food, drinks, or transportation to and from attractions. That last point is easy to overlook. Big Bus transport is included for its stated tour, but getting to Malahide Castle, Newbridge House, or the Irish National Stud is not automatically covered unless the attraction itself provides the transport.

Start with Guinness, then see Dublin from the bus

The Guinness Storehouse is the obvious first choice for many people. Its seven-story route explains how the famous stout is produced and ends at the panoramic Gravity Bar, where you sample it while looking across Dublin.

Allow about two hours. This is not a quick tasting room visit, so schedule it when you have enough time to enjoy the displays rather than rushing through them. You must reserve at least 24 hours in advance, and the instructions arrive after purchase through the digital guide or Go City app.

The Big Bus Dublin hop-on hop-off tour is another strong early pick. It covers 25 stops and is valid for one day, giving you a useful way to get oriented before deciding which parts of the city deserve more time on foot.

The tradeoff is waiting. One user enjoyed the drivers and their historical commentary but warned that buses can take a while to arrive. I would use the bus as a sightseeing route and planning tool, not as a perfectly timed city transport service. If you have a fixed booking at Guinness or Jameson, leave plenty of room between the bus and your reservation.

There is also a one-hour Big Bus night tour. It follows a different route and gives you a look at Dublin after dark from the open top of the bus, with live commentary and illuminated sights. It is a separate attraction choice, so count it carefully against your pass total.

Whiskey, stout, and four Dublin pubs

Jameson Distillery Bow St. offers a one-hour tour in the original distillery buildings. The experience centers on touching, smelling, and tasting Jameson, with tours generally running every 30 minutes.

Jameson is a sensible pick if you want a polished introduction to Irish whiskey and have limited time. Reserve ahead because it is popular. The pass includes admission, but the attraction instructions determine how you secure a time.

Teeling Whiskey Distillery takes about 90 minutes. You tour a fully operating distillery, learn about the process from distilling to the finished dram, and receive a handcrafted cocktail at the Bang Bang Bar after the tour. You can also browse the full Teeling range, branded goods, and local treats in the shop.

The two distillery visits are not interchangeable in practical terms. Jameson is the shorter option, while Teeling gives you more time and includes the cocktail. If whiskey is a main reason for your Dublin visit, you could choose both, but using two of your seven selections on similar subjects may not suit everyone.

For a more local-feeling evening, Beer on Foot takes about three hours and visits four authentic Dublin pubs. You learn about Irish ale, cider, whiskey, and stout while moving through the city and sampling traditional drinks.

Admission to the walking tour is included, but the drinks are not. The stated average spend is around €25. Food on Foot also takes about three hours and visits eateries away from the usual tourist route, with an average food spend of about €20. You choose and pay for the food yourself, while the guide recommends what to try.

These walks are good choices when you want the pass to include an activity rather than another building. Both require advance reservations, so do not leave them until your last evening.

Two cathedrals and Dublin’s medieval side

St Patrick’s Cathedral is one of Dublin’s key landmarks. Inside, you can see about 200 monuments, stained glass, the nave, an impressive altar, and the cathedral tower. Plan about two hours if you want more than a quick look.

Christ Church Cathedral is older still in the city’s story, founded in 1030 by King Sitriuc Silkbeard and Dunan, the first Bishop of Dublin. It is described as Dublin’s oldest building and remains one of the city’s central religious and cultural sites.

The two cathedrals work well together because they show different parts of Dublin’s long development. They also make practical sense on the same day, since both are central attractions and each provides a quieter break from the city streets.

Nearby Dublinia brings the Viking and medieval periods to life through life-size displays. Its two-hour visit is more hands-on and accessible for families than a formal cathedral visit. You can see how daily life and society changed over many centuries without relying only on labels and dates.

Dublin Castle adds political context. Built in the early 13th century on the site of a Viking settlement, it later served as the center of English and British administration in Ireland. After independence in 1922, it passed to the Irish government.

The visit includes the original Viking fortress area, remains of the 13th-century castle, and the State Apartments, which still host presidential inaugurations and state functions. Admission is included, but a guided tour costs an additional €3 per person when available. If you want the guide, ask about availability rather than assuming it is part of the pass.

Small museums with big Dublin stories

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum focuses on Irish people who made their lives beyond Ireland. Its 20 interactive galleries use touchscreens, motion-sensor games, audio, and video to tell stories of emigrants who became scientists, politicians, poets, artists, and outlaws.

The visit takes about two hours. It is a strong choice if you want to understand Irish identity beyond the island itself, and the interactive format makes it a useful rainy-day stop.

The GPO Museum takes about 90 minutes and deals with modern Irish history through the General Post Office, one of the world’s oldest operating postal headquarters. The building played a central role in the 1916 Easter Rising, so this stop gives you a direct connection between a working Dublin landmark and the events that shaped the modern state.

The Little Museum of Dublin offers a more personal view. Its collection was built from objects donated by Dublin residents, covering 20th-century city life and subjects ranging from James Joyce to U2. Allow about an hour.

MoLI, the Museum of Literature Ireland, also takes about an hour. It features Irish writers, tranquil gardens, and a first edition of Ulysses donated by the National Library of Ireland. The museum connects literary figures with Dublin places and stories, making it a natural choice if you already enjoy Joyce or Irish writing.

The National Print Museum is another one-hour stop. Its collection includes historic prints, machinery, and photographs, with a guided tour explaining how printing changed over time. You can compose your name in print and produce a poster to take home, a small but memorable hands-on extra.

These smaller museums are where the pass can become more personal. Instead of spending all seven selections on the best-known sights, you can choose two or three places that match your interests.

Wax figures, rock music, and one unusual townhouse

The National Wax Museum Plus is a one-hour interactive attraction in central Dublin. It features famous Irish writers such as Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde, along with other Irish figures.

It is a lighter stop than the GPO or EPIC, and the interactive approach may suit families or anyone wanting a break from formal museums. I would choose it for variety, not as a substitute for Dublin’s major historic sites.

The Irish Rock ’n’ Roll Museum Experience takes about 75 minutes in Temple Bar. It covers Ireland’s music scene and its international impact, with memorabilia connected to U2 and Thin Lizzy, access to rehearsal rooms, and a look at a working music venue and recording facilities.

Fourteen Henrietta Street offers a more focused view of city life. A 75-minute guided tour leads through one Georgian townhouse and its 300 years of residents, changing uses, and less obvious stories. The attraction is small in scale, but that is the point: you follow one address through several eras rather than surveying the whole city at once.

The Murder at Temple Bar is a self-guided mystery based on true events. You walk about one mile while trying to solve a disappearance, with roughly two hours allowed to complete it. It takes place outdoors, is for a private group, and requires at least two people or passes.

That last condition is important. It is not a good solo choice, and you should not assume other participants will join you.

Malahide, Howth, and the best day trips

Malahide Castle and Gardens takes about two hours. The 12th-century castle sits near the seaside village of Malahide, with period furniture and an Irish portrait collection. The guided tour explains the building and its former occupants.

The Big Bus Dublin coastal tour takes about four hours and travels to Howth, a pretty coastal village with a guided walk covering stories connected to Vikings and Normans. You have time to enjoy the village at your own pace, perhaps with an ice cream, while taking in the sea views.

Howth is the stronger choice if you want scenery and a change from central Dublin. Malahide is better if you prefer a formal house, gardens, and a shorter outing. Because both take substantial time, I would usually choose one unless you have a longer stay.

Newbridge House and Farm is another two-hour outing. The Georgian house was built in 1747 to James Gibbs’s design and remained connected with the Cobbe family through generations. It offers a different type of country-house visit from Malahide, so compare location and transport before committing.

The Irish National Stud and Gardens takes about two hours and combines Ireland’s thoroughbred tradition with formal gardens. The Japanese Gardens are a major reason to go, while St Fiachra’s Garden draws on Ireland’s monastic traditions and was designed in 1999 by landscape architect Professor Martin Hallinan.

Casino Marino is a compact-looking 18th-century pleasure house with a surprisingly complex interior. Designed by William Chambers for the Earl of Charlemont, it contains 16 rooms across three floors, including kitchens, servants’ rooms, and a state bedroom.

These four attractions make the pass more useful for a second or third day in Dublin. They are less convenient than central museums, but they give you places and subjects that a standard city tour may miss.

Dublin Zoo for a slower family day

Dublin Zoo occupies a 28-hectare park and is home to more than 400 animals. The visit takes about three hours, so it can anchor a half-day rather than fill a spare hour between city sights.

The zoo combines animal exhibits with education and conservation. It is a practical selection for families, especially if children need time away from churches and museums. For adults on a short city break, it may offer less value than the Guinness Storehouse, EPIC, or a coastal tour unless you particularly want a zoo visit.

How to get the best value from $82.91

The pass makes the most sense when you select attractions that you would pay for anyway. A sample three-choice plan could be Guinness, Big Bus Dublin, and EPIC. That gives you a major attraction, city transport and commentary for one day, and an interactive museum.

For five choices, add Jameson and either St Patrick’s Cathedral or Christ Church Cathedral. For seven, consider one coastal or country-house outing, a smaller museum, and a food or drink walk.

I would avoid packing too much into a single day. Guinness takes two hours, EPIC takes two hours, and a three-hour food walk may involve reservations that cannot be shifted easily. The pass counts attractions, not hours, so a full schedule can become a race.

Use the Go City app and digital guide for entry instructions. One user found the pass easy to use after realizing that the Go City app, rather than the Viator app, was needed at the attractions. Another had a serious problem with the reservation number not being accepted in the app and could not get help before the trip ended.

That makes a pre-trip check worthwhile. Confirm that your pass appears in the correct app, read the reservation instructions, and book the most popular activities early. The purchase is non-refundable and cannot be changed, so do this before committing your money.

Who should choose this pass?

I think the pass suits first-time visitors who want several major admissions and like having choices. It is also useful for families, mixed-interest groups, and anyone staying long enough to combine Dublin’s center with Howth, Malahide, or the Irish National Stud.

It is less appealing if you prefer wandering, free sights, pubs, and public spaces, or if you will choose only three low-cost museums. It also requires more organization than simply buying tickets as you go.

The clearest praise for the pass is its ease of use once the Go City app and instructions are understood. The strongest warning is customer support and access problems before arrival. Check the app before your trip, reserve the time-sensitive attractions, and calculate your likely admissions first.

FAQ

How many attractions can I choose with the Dublin Explorer Pass?

You can choose three, four, five, or seven attractions. The pass period can range from one to 30 days, depending on the option selected.

Is the Guinness Storehouse included?

Yes. Admission to the Guinness Storehouse is included, but you must reserve at least 24 hours in advance according to the attraction instructions.

Is transportation included?

Transportation to and from attractions is not included. The pass does include the stated Big Bus Dublin experiences, including the one-day city route, coastal tour, and night tour, when selected as attractions.

Do the food tours include food and drinks?

No. On Food on Foot, you buy your own food, with visitors spending an average of about €20. On Beer on Foot, you pay for your own drinks, with an average total spend of around €25.

Do I need to reserve Jameson Distillery Bow St.?

Jameson is popular, and advance booking is strongly advised. Tours generally run every 30 minutes, but you should follow the booking instructions in the Go City app or digital guide.

Can I cancel or change the pass?

No. The purchase is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.