10 of the Best Half Day Trips From Dublin

There is a lot to do within Dublin itself, but sometimes, it pays to venture outside of Ireland’s capital and see the best of what this stunning emerald isle has to offer.

This list of the best half day trips from Dublin showcases how much you can see of Ireland even if you only have limited time to travel.

Even if you embark on just one or two of these day trips, you will be in absolute awe of this magical little country.

Psst! We created this list because we were so inspired after enjoying day trips from Dublin to several iconic places and landmarks. But so that we could suggest even more day trip ideas to you, we’ve also asked some of our travel blogger friends to tell us about their favourites. Happy reading and travel planning!

The Best Half Day Trips From Dublin

1. Kildare (40 Minutes From Dublin)

My favourite half day trip from Dublin is to the village of Kildare, which is about a 40 minute drive from Dublin.  

Kildare is known for several things, but the most well-known are being the home of St. Brigid, Ireland’s Patroness Saint, and National Stud, Ireland’s training yards for championship racehorses. Neither may seem like a reason to visit Kildare but both provide a wonderful understanding of Irish culture.

St. Brigid founded the village of Kildare with an abbey that served the surrounding community.

Today, her cathedral still stands, as well as the site of her eternal flame and round tower. The tower can be climbed during the summer months. Two holy wells blessed by the Saint can be visited, one with prayer stations. 

There is both a village heritage centre and Solas Bhride, which teaches about Brigid and the associated sights of her life in Kildare. 

National Stud features stable tours, a foaling area and a horse racing museum. For horse lovers, this may fill more than half a day. 

But the centre is also renowned for its two fabulous gardens: St. Fiachra’s Garden and the Japanese Garden. Both are amazing, but I particularly loved the Japanese Garden with its quiet, meditative areas.

(Recommended by Roxanna from Gypsy With A Day Job)

2. Howth (45 Minutes From Dublin)

For a seaside break, take the DART suburban train from the center of Dublin just 25 minutes to the town of Howth.

When you arrive, walk to the left of the DART station toward the sea and take a little boat tour around the island of Ireland’s Eye just off the coast.

Have lunch at one of the seafood restaurants overlooking the water as you gaze toward the Howth lighthouse.

Then, walk a bit inland to see other unique Howth highlights including the ruins of a medieval abbey and the Martello defensive tower built to watch for potential invaders from Napoleon’s army that is now a vintage radio museum.

Of course, you will want to see Howth Castle, still inhabited by descendants of the original Lord who arrived in Howth in 1177 AD. For a special experience, you may want to participate in a lesson at the Howth Castle Cookery School!

If you have the time and the energy, consider walking some or part of the 6 km (3.75 mile) Cliff Path Loop above the town. Wear sturdy shoes for this!

(Recommended by Cindy from One Perfect Day In)

3. Bray (45 Minutes From Dublin)

A few years ago, we spent a long weekend in Dublin. We were looking for a quick trip to get out of the city and stumbled upon Bray. It would be a quick trip to the beach by public transportation.

Granted it was October, so it was a bit grey and not what you might typically consider beach weather, but we’re not your typical beach people, so we went for it.

We took the DART from the Dublin city centre to Bray. It runs every 15 minutes and takes about 45 minutes.

The train runs along the coast, so once out of the city, we were treated to some lovely (albeit grey) scenery. And when we got to Bray, we were pleased with our decision.

We walked along a beach which was surrounded by craggy rocks. We had the company of many others, most of whom were out walking their dogs, which of course made us even happier! Seeing dogs frolic on the beach and happily jump in and out of the water was a treat.

We then had another treat – a visit to one of the best bars in the world! The Harbour Bar, established in 1872, was named best bar in the world by Lonely Planet in 2010.

Being the middle of the day on a weekday, we were its only customers, which suited us just fine.

We had the whole place to ourselves and got cozy in one of its snugs.

Our day got even better when we learned the best food in Bray was being served right outside the best pub in Bray! We had the most decadent sandwiches on picnic benches outside the pub before making our way back to the train and back to Dublin.

(Recommended by Sarah & Justin from Travel Breathe Repeat)

4. Battle of the Boyne Site (1 Hour From Dublin)

To learn more about one of the defining moments of Irish history, a half day trip to the site of the Battle of the Boyne is well worth the effort.

Situated just under an hour by car northwest of Dublin in County Meath, the battlefield today is a green and peaceful site on the banks of the Boyne river.

But on July 12th 1690, an epic battle between the forces of Protestant King William III of England and forces loyal to the deposed Catholic King James II met and fought on this site.

The small museum in historic Oldbridge House gives a great, easy-to-understand summary of the battle via a multi-media display. The museum also contains details of the two armies, recreations of uniforms and army camps, and displays of weaponry.

On the battlefield itself, actors in costume add their own commentary to the experience.

The battle site itself is free to visit; the museum costs €5 for adults as of March 2020.

To reach the battle site, head out of Dublin on the M1 motorway (tolls apply) to Drogheda then pick up the signs.

(Recommended by Jill from Reading the Book)

5. Monasterboice (1 Hour From Dublin)

Down a shady country lane, you will find one of Ireland’s most revered and historic sites known as Monasterboice.

Not an easy place to get to by public transport, Monasterboice is home to Ireland’s most impressive and historic high crosses and was in its day a seat of great learning and teaching, and home to remarkable writers, artists and poets.

Founded in or around the 10th century, Monasterboice is home to not only three amazing High Crosses but also a 1000-foot round tower and some of the best medieval ruins in the country.

The site is tucked behind a small Irish cottage and its gardens – and even today is still used as a local graveyard.

Vikings captured the site in 968AD, and as you pass by the High Cross of Muiredach, you can see one of the panels that details the Viking raids.

Monasterboice’s round tower is over 3 metres (110 feet) tall and was divided into four or more stories inside connected with ladders. 

As with other round towers in Ireland, this was used as a belfry, watchtower and a refuge for monks and valuables during times of Viking attack. Records indicate that the interior went up in flames in 1097.

(Recommended by Faith from XYUandBEYOND)

6. Powerscourt Estate & Waterfall (1 Hour From Dublin)

Just short of an hour’s drive south of Dublin is stunning Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow, which is attached to huge gardens and parklands.

The estate and gardens stretch for a whopping 47 acres so there’s a lot to explore during your half day trip from Dublin. You’ll be given a map with your ticket so that you can be sure you’re not skipping the best bits. 

You can easily spend a few hours walking around Powerscourt while admiring waterfalls, interesting buildings and a myriad of different trees, plants and flowers.

Initially, you’ll come to an old battlement style building complete with canons and great views across the estate. Leave here and take a wander through beautiful trees, and within a few minutes, you’ll find the Japanese style gardens. At first, you’ll be up high allowing you to see this full garden in one glance.

Take a leisurely stroll down into the gardens and you will have Sakura (Cherry Blossom) trees to marvel at, flowing streams to walk along and Japanese style architecture to admire.

Further walks through the estate will show you various kinds of plants, flowers, trees and shrubberies. You’ll even spot some redwood trees towering over the valleys in the estate! This place really is a botany lover’s, photography lover’s and nature lover’s dream.

Along the way, you’ll also be treated to fantastic views across several water fountains towards the Powerscourt House. The closer you get to the house, you’ll find the various walled and landscaped gardens to also wander through. 

These gardens have been perfectly landscaped to show everything in such a beautiful way. We adored the multi-coloured tulips that seem to be a specialty here. Make sure you also keep an eye out for the golden leaf gates that showcase rose bushes in such a unique way!

Powerscourt Gardens is also a really good spot for shopping as well! Powerscourt House is now home to the best of Irish design in giftware, clothing, furniture and ethical cosmetic products. 

Avoca Stores is a firm favourite of mine, allowing you to browse through clothing, books, jewellery and cosmetics. Here, you are welcome to try locally sourced food in the Avoca Food Hall including the famous Avoca jams, cakes and homemade breads.

During this half day trip from Dublin, you could also include a visit to nearby Powerscourt Waterfall, which is a quick five minute drive from the estate.

You need a separate entry ticket to see it, but at over 121 metres high and officially Ireland’s tallest waterfall, it’s beautiful and well worth seeing during your day trip from Dublin. You can even climb up on the rocks to see the waterfall in all of its majestic beauty up close!

Although it’s possible to use a couple of public transport options such as trains and buses, it’s easiest to hire a car and drive yourself to the estate. This way, it’ll only take you an hour to drive there and is an ideal half day trip from Dublin.

Don’t forget to see more of Wicklow National Park while you’re in this area of Ireland too – the views are outstanding!

7. Wicklow National Park (1.5 Hours From Dublin)

A half day trip from Dublin to Wicklow National Park should definitely be on your Ireland itinerary. It’ll take about an hour and a half to go from the capital city to Ireland’s largest national park.

You can drive yourself or go on a guided tour. We personally recommend having a car so you can visit the park at your own pace. However, if you don’t want to drive, there are plenty of tour options available.

Several hiking trails can be found throughout the park ranging in distance and intensity.

Glendalough Valley is the park’s main attraction and contains several historic sites in addition to an abundance of plant and wildlife species.

The Monastic City in Glendalough is made up of ruins of an early Christian settlement. If you take a stroll along the Upper Lake, you’ll eventually reach the remains of an old lead mine (Miner’s Village).

Not feeling up for a hike? You can always take a drive through the scenic Sally Gap.

To make the most out of your visit to Wicklow if you’re just doing a quick half day trip from Dublin, we’d recommend 1) visiting Glendalough, 2) walking along Upper Lake and 3) driving back to Dublin via Sally Gap.

Pack some snacks/meals, because although there are a few restaurant options out this way, they are few and far between.

With this half day trip you can escape the hustle and bustle of Dublin and connect with the beautiful nature of Ireland.  

For more about Wicklow National Park and the other five national parks found throughout Ireland, check out this post.

(Recommended by Toccara & Sam from Forget Someday)

Editor Note: Whilst driving through Wicklow National Park, the roads are quite steep and bendy in places with steep drops but it’s not as much of a challenge as you might expect. That said, we live in England so we’re very used to winding roads and steep hills. You should also keep an eye out for deer! One jumped out right in front of our car when we drove through and then disappeared into the forest. Safe to say we had to be very quick with the brakes!

8. Glendalough (1.5 Hours From Dublin)

Found 90 minutes from Dublin, the monastic settlement of Glendalough is part of Ireland’s fascinating Ancient East and is a perfect half day trip from the city.

Glendalough was founded in the 6th Century and the monastic ruins include a round tower, Celtic high crosses and the remains of several early churches.

Many of the ruins date back as far as the 10th Century and the site sits against the backdrop of a glaciated valley with lush forest and two lakes. The name Glendalough actually means ‘The Valley of the Two Lakes’.

Glendalough is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland and we were amazed by both the natural beauty and the historical significance of the fascinating site.

Glendalough is a 90 minute drive from the centre of Dublin and the easiest ways to visit are by car or by joining a dedicated tour from Dublin.

We’d recommend wearing comfortable shoes for walking through Glendalough and, if you are a movie buff, save some time to visit the filming locations of Braveheart in the nearby Wicklow Mountains.

(Recommended by Elaine and Dave from Show Them the Globe)

9. Loughcrew Cairns (1.5 Hours From Dublin)

Loughcrew Cairns are a collection of around 30 ancient burial tombs that you can visit in just over an hour’s drive from Dublin.

Dating back to 3000 BC there is beautiful neolithic artwork carved into the stone in and around the chambers, with the most important burial chamber being aligned with the rising sun on the spring and autumn equinox.

The main site is on top of a steep hill which takes about 20 minutes to climb and even on a cloudy day, the views all around the cairn are mighty impressive.

Being inside it, imagining the years of careful alignment and engineering of the structure and the beautiful mysterious carvings inside, will leave you awestruck at the genius of these people that lived over 5000 years ago.

It can be visited by taking a private tour or hiring your own transport.

Our top tips are: 

• Be prepared for all kinds of weather and wear sturdy shoes
• Between May and September is the best time to visit
• Bring some tracing paper and a pencil and bring home your own artwork from inside the tomb!

(Recommended by Neil & Orla from All The Ways You Wander)

10. Kilkenny (2 Hours From Dublin)

The photogenic and friendly town of Kilkenny, Ireland is one of the first places travellers usually pick for a day trip from Dublin.

This cute medieval town is located just under a 2 hour drive from the city of Dublin and has roots going back to the 12th Century. There are several buses that also make the trip.

The city centre is full of bright cafes and shops selling a variety of wares including pottery and jewellery.

There are ancient city walls and picturesque alleys as well as several churches and monasteries dating from the 14th century. If museums are what you enjoy, they have those too. 

 There are small train tours, walking tours and biking tours available to learn more about the area.

My favourite part of the city is Kilkenny Castle. The castle (built in 1195) is large and is a perfect spot to socialise and explore. The grounds include plenty of space to run, hike and play football. There is also a wonderful playground.

If you’d like a glimpse of old Ireland, Kilkenny makes a great day trip from Dublin.

(Recommended by Lori from Fitz5ontheGo)

Even More Incredible Day Trips From Dublin

1. Giant’s Causeway (3.5 Hours From Dublin)

Giant’s Causeway is easily one of the most famous landmarks in Northern Ireland and is where you’ll find 40,000 black basalt columns that are said to be 50-60 million years old.

If you want to walk in the path of giants (at least according to local legend), then this will be a long day trip from Dublin… but one that is well worth it. 

Giant’s Causeway is roughly 3.5 hours (160 miles) away from Dublin but there are lots of coach tours available if you want to leave the driving up to someone else and have a few power naps while on the road.

There’s no hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland so you won’t need to show your passport. But you will have to get used to using different currencies – Euros in the south, British Pounds in the north.

Check out our detailed blog post to find out more about Giant’s Causeway and how to visit it as a day trip from Dublin.

Bonus: Belfast (2 Hours From Dublin)

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland but is a great bonus day trip from Dublin as it’s possible to see it on your way to or from Giant’s Causeway. 

It’s roughly 1.5 hours away from Giant’s Causeway and just over 2 hours away from Dublin. Lots of Giant’s Causeway tours from Dublin include Belfast within the itinerary to help break up the drive on the way back, which helps to give you a feel for what this city is like.

An absolute must-see in Belfast is the Titanic Museum where you can learn more about how this infamous ship was built, how it sank and you can even see Titanic’s sister ship SS Nomadic, which was the last White Star Line ship to be built.

2. Blarney Castle & Blarney Stone (3.5 Hours From Dublin)

Found around 3.5 hours south west of Dublin near Cork is Blarney Castle, which is a medieval stronghold and home to the famous Blarney Stone. 

According to legend, if you kiss the stone, you’ll receive the gift of the gab. In other words, you’ll speak more easily and be more confident when doing so. In order to kiss the stone, you have to lean backwards over some railings, but hey, no one said gaining confidence is easy!

Blarney Castle is around 30 minutes outside of Cork, so it’s also popular to wander around the city during your day trip too. 

As with Giant’s Causeway and the Cliffs of Moher, this will be a long day trip so you might want to consider joining a coach tour rather than driving yourself.

3. Cliffs of Moher (3.5 Hours From Dublin)

Another popular day trip from Dublin are the Cliffs of Moher, which can be found around 3.5 hours west of Dublin (right on the other side of the country!)

These incredible cliffs stretch as far as 9 miles and help show off Ireland’s incredible coastal views and emerald green scenery. 

Check out this tour on Get Your Guide so you don’t have to worry about the driving!

Another popular way to see the Cliffs of Moher is with an epic road trip around the Wild Atlantic Way, which hugs Ireland’s coast from north to south for some 1600 miles.

Bonus: Galway (2.5 Hours From Dublin)

About 90 minutes north of the Cliffs of Moher is the port city of Galway, which is all kinds of bohemian cool. 

It’s the perfect place to while away a few hours listening to Irish music in a laid-back pub, or wandering around the independent boutiques, bustling markets or eclectic art galleries found in abundance throughout the city.

Galway has also been made famous by Ed Sheeran’s song Galway Girl and is usually a detour on most coach tours from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher.

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So, now you know what the best day trips and half day trips from Dublin are, which ones will you embark on first? Let us know in the comments section below…

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