Powerscourt Gardens, House & Waterfall

The Powerscourt Gardens and House are absolutely gorgeous (and were even voted the #3 garden in the world by National Geographic). One can easily spend an hour or an entire day here enjoying the gardens. They are perfectly manicured and offer some great views. In addition, the house offers plenty of unique shopping for guests.

The Powerscourt Waterfall, which is about a 10 minute drive away, is also worth a visit (but does require a separate fee). This is the tallest waterfall in Ireland and is well worth the visit. It's also a great place to have a picnic lunch.

Glendalough

Located about one hour south of Dublin, Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains offers absolutely gorgeous mountain views. There are 2 lakes to walk around and plenty of hiking trails. In addition, there is the main monastic site that was founded in the 6th century. These monastic grounds are great to explore for anyone who enjoys ancient lands. There is also a visitor's centre that offers more information about the area, as well as a quick video. In addition, if you have the Heritage Card for Ireland, the video in the visitor's centre is free.

After you're done visiting here, you can also take a gorgeous drive through the Wicklow Mountains and experience some of the best scenery you'll find in Ireland, and also drive on very tight, windy, dirt roads. Be sure to stop as some of the view points to take in a full panoramic view and a deep breath of the fresh mountain air.