It seems a tradition has started in the McMahon household: traveling for the Christmas holiday!

A month after we got married we headed to Mexico with my family for Christmas in Mazatlan. Last year we spent Christmas Day traveling from Minneapolis to Denver, and this year we are headed to Ireland for Christmas. This will also be our first actual vacation. We’ve travelled before, but always been with or visiting our families, so this will be our first actual vacation (although I will meet his extended family in Dublin, but that won’t be the reason for the travel, so I’m not going to count it :p).

I have never been to Europe and I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!

So far all we’ve done are booked are our flights, and found an apartment in Dublin via VRBO, but we still need to finalize plans for our days and nights in Dublin. We are definitely going to try and go to the Jameson Distillery.

(photo courtesy of Flickr).

And will even likely take a tour of the Guinness brewery (so #paleo, I know, but when in Ireland…).

(photo courtesy of Flickr).

Otherwise, we are still very much in the planning stages of our trip. Some things on our radar but not necessarily on our list so far include going to the library at Trinity College (if it is open – it is a holiday after all). I mean, look at all of these books!!

(photo courtesy of Flickr).

We also may spend a night in Galway during this trip as Jonathon’s relative live here, and I’ve heard the west coast of Ireland is incredibly beautiful.

(photo courtesy of Flickr).

And I found a few ‘Speakeasies’ in Dublin that I’m going to make reservations for once we get closer to the trip and know when we are meeting Jonathon’s family.

From now until we leave, I’m sure I’ll not only be consumed with finding the best places to visit while we are there for the holidays, including music venues, but also trying to acclimate myself to Irish accents. I know the minute Jonathon sets foot on Irish soil, his accent will come out in full force, and I need to be able to understand him and his relatives!

Have you been to Dublin? Recommendations for Jonathon and my trip in December? Please let me know!