now there is a fine line between a tourist trap and a tourist destination. a tourist trap is an overpriced restaurant with bad food and bad decor that you are led to believe is a must see. see: the rainforest cafe. but a tourist destination is an over-photographed, over-visited site that is well known for a reason. see: the guinness factory in dublin, ireland.

this weekend our entire api group went on our final trip to dublin and kilkenny. my favorite part of dublin hands-down was going to the guinness factory. i’ve actually been once before in 2008, but it was still amazing fun the second time around.

the story is fascinating and the tour is full of interesting facts. did you know arthur guinness signed the lease for a whopping 9,000 years for the factory? and visiting the gravity bar for the freshest pint of guinness possible at the end- priceless.

the next time you are in dublin, do yourself a favor and go to the factory. don’t listen to bus drivers who tell you it’s a waste of time. don’t listen to other tourists who say it’s overrated. just do it. you cannot come to ireland and not go to the factory.

if you’re lucky enough to go the guinness factory, you’re lucky enough