10 Easy Day Trips From Dublin To Explore The Best Of Ireland

Going on day trips from Dublin is one of the best ways to explore Ireland.

Ireland is a small enough country that you can get pretty much anywhere from Dublin, including all the main sights and cities, in Dublin and around, without worrying about checking-in and out of hotels everyday.

I’ll go over the best things to do near Dublin, and how to go on day trips from Dublin Ireland.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

How To Go On Day Trips From Dublin Ireland

There are three ways to go on day trips from Dublin: you can rent a car, book an organized tour, or take the well connected Irish bus system throughout the country.

Here’s an overview of each one, so you can decide which mode of transportation is right for you.

	Pros	Cons
Renting A Car	Full flexibility over your schedule	Stressful driving in a foreign country
Organized Tour	Least stressful, everything is planned	Expensive, Lack of freedom to plan the schedule
InterCity Bus	Cheaper, can sleep on the bus	Lack of freedom to get around in your destination

Renting A Car In Dublin

Renting a car in Ireland gives you the most flexibility for planning the exact Dublin excursions that you want.

You can explore at your own pace, stop anywhere along the route, and spend as much time as you want in each place.

This is the best option if you’re interested in combining multiple activities or small towns into one day trip from Dublin.

But!

There are quite a few downsides to renting a car in Ireland, mainly to do with the driving situation itself… which, no surprise, isn’t great… Before you rent a car in Dublin, read my review for driving in Ireland here.

If you’re still interested in renting a car, we rented ours from Enterprise. It’s our go-to car rental company wherever we are, and never have any issues with them!

Book An Organized Tour – Dublin Excursions

There are tons of organized tours to choose from that leave from Dublin as well, see them on Viator here.

This is how I explored Ireland the first time I visited. I was visiting with my sister and we didn’t feel comfortable driving in Ireland, so we booked organized tours from Dublin instead.

We had a blast! It was such a breath of fresh air not to think about anything for the day, but just sit back and enjoy the sights.

There are also organized tours that combined a few towns or activities in the same area, allowing you to explore a lot more during the day.

It might be the most expensive option for going on day trips from Dublin, but it’s also the least stressful!

Take The InterCity Bus

For a more affordable way to go on day trips from Dublin, you can take an InterCity bus (there are a few different companies, like Bus Éireann or CityLink).

This is a network of buses that run to and from popular destinations throughout Ireland, with a lot that leave from Dublin.

This is the only option I haven’t tried for myself on day trips from Dublin (but I have used similar bus systems in other European countries). So if I find myself back in Ireland, this is most likely the option I would lean towards.

The bus system is integrated with Google Maps, so it’s easy enough to find the right bus to take (there’s often a direct bus leaving from Dublin, but you might have to plan a bit in advance).

You gain extra flexibility when planning compared to organized tours, but lose it when it may not be as easy to get everywhere you want to go. So it will depend on where you want to go. And at least you’re able to relax on the bus!

Top 10 Best Things To Do Near Dublin

1. Howth (45 minutes)

Howth Ireland has to be one of the easiest day trips from Dublin.

Howth is a small fishing village on the outskirts of the city. It’s one of the only Dublin day tours that you can use public transit to get to if you don’t have a car.

The village is mainly known for the Howth Walk. This is a smaller (but still scary!) cliff walk compared to the Cliffs of Moher. If it’s a nice day outside, it’s definitely worth checking out and enjoying the views.

You can read my full guide to visiting Howth Ireland from Dublin here, or book a half day organized tour from Viator here.

2. Wicklow Mountains National Park (1 hour)

If you’re looking to escape to nature, Wicklow Mountains National Park is the Dublin excursion for you.

Enjoy gorgeous scenery, and you might get lucky and even spot some wildlife.

For any P.S. I Love You Fans visiting Ireland, this is where you’ll also find a lot of the filming locations, including the famous bridge!

You’ll have to rent a car, or book an organized tour to get here though (like this one on Viator).

3. Castletown (1 hour) – Things To Do Near Dublin

Castletown is a mansion built for William Conolly, a speaker of the Irish House of Commons, in the 1720s. It was the first Palladian-style House in Ireland (an architectural style known for its perfect symmetry).

The mansion is just outside Dublin city centre, in Celbridge, County Kildare. So needless to say, it’s pretty easy to get there. You can drive here, but you can also take the bus or even the train from Dublin, see directions here.

Not only is Castletown gorgeous to tour, but you should also spend time exploring the adjacent Parklands, which are completely free. It’s a beautiful garden with trails and points of interest that take you all the way down to the River Liffey.

Castletown is closed during low season, but the Parklands remain open all year round.

4. Tullamore (1-2 hours)

Tullamore is a town in Ireland most famous for its’ whiskey, Tullamore Dew. So, it’s no surprise that a day trip here should include a stop at the distillery just outside town.

The town itself is small, but still worthwhile to walk around.

If you’re looking to compare whiskeys, you can also check out Kilbeggan Distillery on the other side of the highway. It’s a much smaller distillery that actually completely closed in 1950 due to lack of funding. The townsfolk came together to bring it back to life in the 2000s!

The best way to get to Tullamore is by car or the InterCity bus to Galway, which makes a stop in Tullamore.

5. Athlone (1.5-2 hours)

Athlone is another small town that’s worth a stop on a day trip from Dublin. It’s just past Tullamore on the way to Galway from Dublin.

It’s actually one of the larger towns in Ireland, with a bit more in the town centre to fill your day. There’s a castle, a cathedral, and viking boat tours on the River Shannon.

Athlone is also one of the more beautiful (or iconically Irish) towns I’ve seen with every building painted a different colour.

Plus, it’s also home to the oldest pub in Ireland, Sean’s Bar. And this is the real one – not The Brazen Head in Dublin, who also claims that title. Sean’s Bar actually has the Guinness World Record to prove it!

Our time was cut short in Athlone as we made our way to Galway, but I would have loved to spend an entire day exploring it!

The intercity bus to Galway stops in Athlone, or you’ll have to rent a car to get here.

6. Rock of Cashel (1.5-2.5 hours)

The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland’s most visited attractions – and for good reason. It not only has historical significance, but also some of the oldest medieval architecture in the country.

The Rock of Cashel stands out in Ireland, literally and figuratively. It’s located on a limestone “mountain” surrounded by flat land. Apparently, the rock mountain is the direct result of St. Patrick banishing Satan from the nearby cave he lived in.

This became the seat of the kings of Munster, and where St. Patrick even converted King Aengus to Christianity (becoming Ireland’s first Christian king).

There are several points of interest here: the abbey ruins, Cormac’s Chapel (with the best preserved Romanesque Fresco in Ireland), and a cross tombstone that was hit by lightning, and St. Patricks Cross (which is said to have dental healing powers).

The town of Cashel is worth checking out once you’re in the area as well.

There are countless organized tours that stop at the Rock of Cashel, I actually went on this one from Viator, which also included a stop at Blarney Castle. Or there is a direct bus from Dublin through Bus Éireann.

7. Belfast (2-3 hours)

Belfast is a must-do on any trip to Ireland. It’s a part of Northern Ireland (which means it’s in the UK) and has a completely different history than Dublin.

Belfast had a rough past, and is still rebuilding from it. That’s why one of the top things to do while you’re here is a Black Cab tour (like this one on Viator). They’ll teach you about the rough history between the Protestants and Catholics, known as The Troubles.

While you’re here, you should also check out the Titanic Museum. Belfast is where it was built after all (you can book a combined ticket on Viator here).

Belfast is one of the main day trips from Dublin, so you can drive here, take the bus, or join an organized tour. I actually did a similar one to this tour from Viator, which also includes a stop at the Giants Causeway.

8. Galway (2-3 hours)

Galway is another classic Irish harbour city to visit on a day trip from Dublin.

Although it isn’t the most beautiful city, there are some scenic spots that are worth checking out (like Nimmos Pier). And there’s quite a bit of history to learn about here, so I would highly recommend booking a walking tour, like this one on Viator.

The city even has connections to literary icon James Joyce if you’re interested!

And no trip to Galway is complete without a stop at the orginal Supermacs (Ireland’s McDonads).

See my full list of things to do in Galway here.

Most organized tours to Galway from Dublin also include a stop at the Cliffs of Moher, but I don’t recommend booking an organized tour to see the Cliffs of Moher (see why here!). So I’d recommend either driving or taking a direct bus to Galway from Dublin.

9. Cork & Blarney Castle (2.5-4 hours)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland, so it seems to be a main city to visit in Ireland. I didn’t exactly fall in love with Cork when I visited, but I’m happy I saw what it was all about (which isn’t much).

The main attraction, and the main reason to visit Cork, is Blarney Castle on the outskirts of the city. There’s also more than enough to do at Blarney Castle itself, if you wanted to skip Cork entirely.

Blarney Castle is actually famous for the Blarney stone, which you’re supposed to kiss to receive the gift of the gab. Just a heads up, there will most likely be quite the long wait to kiss it. But, once you’re there, the grounds are also worth exploring.

Cork and Blarney Castle can be on the longer side of day trips from Dublin (depending on traffic), so I would recommend going on an organized tour (like this one on Viator) or taking the InterCity bus so you can relax a bit.

10. Giant’s Causeway (3-4 hours)

The Giants Causeway is the furthest day trip from Dublin, but nonetheless a worthwhile one.

It’s a huge bay made up of limestone basalt columns that you can walk around on, believed to have formed from an ancient volcanic eruption. Let’s just say, they’re cool AF. You can walk all along the rocks, admiring the incredible scenery.

Once you’re here, you can also make a stop at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge nearby.

But again, due to the distance from Dublin, the easiest way to get here is to book an organized tour from Dublin, like this one on Viator.

Why I Didn’t Include The Cliffs of Moher For Dublin Day Tours

The Cliffs of Moher is technically within range for a day trip from Dublin (about a two and a half hour drive by car).

But!

Just because it’s doable in a day from Dublin, doesn’t mean you should attempt it. You see, seeing the Cliffs of Moher is very weather dependant. And as we know, the weather in Ireland isn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows 24/7.

I also don’t think the Cliffs were anything special, and ultimately the other day trips from Dublin are so much more worthwhile.

P.S. Need A Place To Stay In Dublin?

I’ve stayed in Dublin twice, at very different places, and would honestly recommend both depending on your budget and type stay!

For a budget friendly option, stay at a hostel, I really enjoyed staying at The Abbey Court Hostel (see it on Booking.com). We couldn’t beat the location, on the River Liffey, included breakfast, and loved the interior design with all the graffiti! See updated rates and availability here.

When I came back to Dublin with my partner, we stayed at the Zanzibar Locke Hotel (see it on Booking.com). This was perfect for the stay we needed, with more apartment vibes equipped with a washing machine and kitchenette. See updated rates and availability here.

Click here for more hotel options in Dublin, Ireland

My Ireland Day Trip Must Haves

Read More Related Posts

• Should You Visit The Cliffs Of Moher In Ireland!?
• Top 15 Things To Do In Galway Your First Time Visiting
• What To Expect Driving In Ireland (& Why You Might Not Want To!)

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Last update on 2024-05-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API