We are planning a trip to Ireland in October with our children ages 5 and 8. We will most likely rent an apartment in Dublin. We do not feel comfortable driving on the "other side" since we are from America, but would still like to explore day trips outside of Dublin. What are our best options with kids? What are your favorite day trips from Dublin? Any recommendations for tour buses and etc would be awesome. Any family friendly recommendations of any sort would be great, since we have never been in Ireland. Thanks!
Posted by
25 posts
Jessie,
I can't recommend specific tour companies, but I can help you with some destinations that your children might enjoy.
-Croke Park stadium is the headquarters of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), which is the governing body of Ireland's national games, including Gaelic football and hurling. They have a great museum and tours of the stadium. The museum is very interactive and kids normally enjoy it. Croke Park is easy to get to from Dublin city centre; it's located just north of the city centre area.
-Outside of Dublin, Trim Castle would be a good destination. Portions of the film "Braveheart" were filmed there. You can tour the castle and go all the way up to the roof for great views.
-You could combine Trim Castle with a trip to Newgrange. Ancient burial tombs which are quite breathtaking. There is a good visitor centre and restaurant. I know day trips to Newgrange come up quite a bit on this forum; if you do a search you will find some recommendations I'm sure.
-The village of Howth (north of Dublin, accessible on DART) is right on the coast, has a nice cliff walk that the children might enjoy, and plenty of good fish restaurants and friendly pubs.
-Dublin Zoo is located in the Phoenix Park. I'm not a huge fan of zoos, but if you went on a sunny day, you could enjoy a picnic afterwards in the Park.
-Kilmainham Jail is a must-see in my opinion, but I'm not sure if it works with young children.
-It is possible to take a boat trip down the River Liffey. I'm sure your children would love that! Again, I'm afraid I don't have the name of a specific company to recommend, but you could google it.
I hope this is helpful. Have a great time in Ireland!
Posted by
1531 posts
Also know that Oct 1st is the end of the main tourist season so some museums, etc, go to winter hours, so look extra close at websites as you make plans
Someone else has a thread rt now about the difficulty in finding rooms that will sleep
4, check it out
Posted by
Vermont USA
359 posts
A day trip through the Wicklow mountains and seeing Glendalough is fantastic. There are frequent stops...amazing sights, fun places to run around and explore and introduce a bit of history. It might be a long day for some kids, perfect for others but you might want to check it out and see if it fits your family.
Second the trip to Newgrange.....it's close and awesome !!!!
Also if you all fancy a day at an amusement park about 30 minutes from Dublin is Tayto Park which is good goofy fun.....especially for kids. Easy to get a ride to and from. They are open Saturday and Sunday in October.......kids love the animals and rides.
As for driving....if you're not comfortable it may be best to skip it.....but as someone who was petrified of it before trying we ended up trying it when we traveled with our kids and it was far easier than we expected and quite easy. Now I actually enjoy and look forward to it. Driving IN Dublin is a nightmare but outside is generally easy. You might consider just a one day rental to give it a try......having that mobility opens up so many options and it really isn't bad at all....but obviously you know you the best !
Have a fantastic time. Ireland is Great !