Dublin is a city we are very fond of having lived there for 4 great years.

At th
e time we did not have kids of course and were more into the wonderful nightlife
the city has to offer : fancy company get-together, trendy modern bars, and tr
aditional cosy pubs. Since that time alot has changed and we (as Im sure many of
our readers) obviously look at cities in a different manner - how are we going t
o entertain the kids ? Dublin has the particularity of being a bite sized capita
l with most things within a short commute. Its location right on the coast and no
t far from the wicklow mountains ensures there is an abundance of free things to
do.
Here is a little guide we have put together for the Irish capital on the best fr
ee things to do in and around Dublin.

Trinity College
Starting right in the middle of the city the must visit Trinity College occupies
a good portion of space in the center of Dublin city. It is surrounded on all s
ides by high wrought iron fencing so you will know when you have reached the per
mitter. The famous giant wooden door acts like a customs house for the city hust
le and bustle.
You can take a guided (paid) tour hosted by Trinity College history majors if yo
u wish. However the free experience is very sufficient as you simply wander your
way through the grounds. You can visit the campus art gallery and even catching
a cricket match on a Sunday afternoon - delightful when the sun shows up !
Temple bar Farmers market.
If you happen to be in the centre on the weekend then head over to Meetinghouse
Square in Temple Bar early Saturday morning. It transforms into a farmers market
with stalls packed full of fruit & veg, cheese, baked goods, olives, and even oy
sters. Its great for getting the kids to taste local foods. Meetinghouse Square
has a permanent umbrellas setup (good thinking dublin city council :) , making i
t a great destination even on traditional irish rainy days.
Grafton Street
We are not the biggest fans of commercial shopping streets, especially with kids
, but Grafton street is rather nice to experience for the buskers and street per
formers.
As you stroll down the wide pedestrian street you will come across a fire-breath
ing strait jacketed unicycling magician , a classical pianist with his full size
piano and even talented children irish folk singers. Beware Bono has been know
n to pop out for a few chords especially around christmas.
Docklands
The Docklands in themselves are not really worth a visit as they house the centr
al financial district, within which i spent a few years : ( However in summer th
ere can be alot going on around there.
Docklands summer festival takes place at Grand Canal Dock in mid may ( this year
it was 16-17 May) It is a free great weekend out with loads of entertainment. T
here are open air DJs getting everybody in the vibe : ) It has loads of markets a
nd a whole host of entertainment, including a golf water challenge, canal barge
tours, raft races, duck races, world class street performers and more. Kayaks we

re also available this year. It was interesting to kayak on the inner canal dock
! This festival has something for all the family to enjoy and its free! so defin
itely recommended to visit if you are around this weekend.
The Dublin Port River Festival happens every year on the June bank holiday weeke
nd. There is a wide array of activities all weekend including of course the epic
arrival of ten tall ships and schooners which berth at North Wall Quay for the w
eekend. There are amusements, tug boat dancing, kayaking and more, so
there is something for all the family to enjoy! This year the festival had a pir
ate theme so it was great for the little ones
Phoenix Park
The Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed recreational spaces within any E
uropean capital city. Over the years organised sporting events are an important
feature of the Park like national and international athletics including duathlo
ns, triathlons, cross-country events, cycling events and community sports days.
The parks authorities are now focused on promoting a range of passive rather tha
n active recreational pursuits that broaden interest in the Park and are in keep
ing with the peaceful ambiance of the Park. There are extensive walking trails t
hroughout the Park which are great for families. Deer watching is a great activi
ty for the younger ones.
Be sure to check out the visitor centre that has an interesting 20 minute audiovisual presentation on the Phoenix Park through the ages.
On a sunny day this place is buzzing with
frisbee and all sorts of games. Once its
out of the city to breathe some fresh air
ke sure they dont make too much noise as
e irish president lives)

activity with people playing football,

dry then this is worth the short trip
and leave the kids run riot : ) But ma
ras an Uachtarin is nearby (thats where th

http://www.phoenixpark.ie
ras an Uachtarin
Entrance to ras an Uachtarin (Irish for The President s House) is possible and fre
e, so check that out whilst you are in the Phoenix Park. This building is charge
d with history and official State business still takes place here.

Bray walk
Bray is a small seaside town south of Dublin. Getting to Bray is very easy - Jus
t jump on the DART in the city centre and it takes about 40 mins. The trip down
is very nice as the Dart hugs the coast most of the way down.
There is a great walk from Bray to Greystones along the coast and winds along th
e side of Bray Head. It has some of the most stunning views of the East Coast or
Ireland so this must be
The Cliff Walk is about 7 kilometres, starting from the bandstand on the Bray Pr
omenade and ending at Greystones harbour. The walk takes about 2 hours to comple
te and is suitable for all abilities - however do mind the kids as it is a clif
f walk . Whilst doing the Cliff Walk you can see loads of types of seabirds and v

arious types of colourful wildflowers. If you are real lucky you might spot dolp
hins, black harbour porpoises and basking sharks swimming in the waters around t
he Cliff. We have not personally seen any of these but they do appear on a regul
ar basis.
Once you arrive in Greystones be sure to have a hard earned xxx in xxxx. You can
jump on the Dart in Greystones to bring you back to dublin.

Wicklow mountains
The wicklow mountains are not actually in dublin (even if they do start on the e
dge of the city) and they do necessitate a blog post of their own, but Im adding
them in here anyhow as everyone should get out there for at least a day trip.
[need to put more info here]
http://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/

Call for comments :

Have you been to dublin ? Can you comment on any of the above or can you suggest
any other ideas for free activities to keep families active and busy on their t
rip to the Irish capital