We are fortunate to be close to nature - with nearby seaside and mountains - and not too far from the city. There are plenty of varied activities to enjoy on your holidays.

Below is an example of day trips around Dublin and beyond:

1. Getting to know the neighbourhood:
The local village of Blackrock https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Tourism-g10536946-Blackrock_County_Dublin-Vacations.html
A short trip to the nearby Monkstown village https://monkstown.ie/
Coffee at the Monkstown Salt Cafe https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g616166-d2424174-Reviews-Salt_Cafe-Monkstown_County_Dublin.html
Tasting an Irish scone at the Salt Cafe - https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/the-humble-scone-simple-pleasures-of-a-national-treasure-1.3490633)


2. Day out in the Dun Laoghaire harbour:
A half day trip to Dun Laoghaire harbor https://www.dunlaoghairetown.ie/top-10-things-to-do-in-dun-laoghaire-town/ with the following attractions:
a) Visit to the Lexicon cultural centre with lovely views of the Dun Laoghaire seashore.
b) Walk on the harbour Pier https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186606-d6697340-Reviews-Dun_Laoghaire_Pier-Dun_Laoghaire_County_Dublin.html
c) Visit to farmers market for baked goods and other food stands at People's Park Farmers Market (on Sundays)
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186606-d7985191-Reviews-People_s_Park_Farmers_Market-Dun_Laoghaire_County_Dublin.html
d) Coffee/lunch at Fallon and Byrne tea rooms in People's Park.
e) Shopping at Irish flagship home wear shop: Meadow and Byrne
https://www.meadowsandbyrne.com/
f) Lunch at Gourmet Food Parlour
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186606-d1787183-Reviews-Gourmet_Food_Parlour_Dun_Laoghaire-Dun_Laoghaire_County_Dublin.html
g) ... with a dessert at a French chocolate coffee shop run by our Friend Fred
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186606-d13847960-Reviews-Le_chocolat_de_fred-Dun_Laoghaire_County_Dublin.html
Another place worth a visit for a coffee and cake is Royal Marine Hotel
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Hotel_Review-g186606-d651610-Reviews-Royal_Marine_Hotel-Dun_Laoghaire_County_Dublin.html


3. Day trip to Wicklow National Park (half an hour drive south)
Hiking around the Wicklow Way (mountains)
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186646-d2640580-Reviews-The_Wicklow_Way-Wicklow_County_Wicklow.html
Most popular hikes:
a) Glendalough (‘valley of two lakes’) https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland/county-wicklow/glendalough
b) Sugarloaf mountain hike (it is steep towards the top) https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d526326-Reviews-Sugarloaf_Mountain-Dublin_County_Dublin.html


4. Dublin city trip
Hopping on a bus (5 min walk from the house) to see:
a)Grafton Street (main pedestrian shopping area) https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d188828-Reviews-Grafton_Street-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
b)Powerscourt Townhouse https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d189583-Reviews-Powerscourt_Townhouse_Centre-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
c) Georges Street Arcades https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d189578-Reviews-George_s_Street_Arcade-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
d) Christchurch Cathedral https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d214879-Reviews-Christ_Church_Cathedral-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
e) Walking through the campus of Trinity College https://www.gettyimages.ie/photos/trinity-college-dublinHopping on a bus home from outside of Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) at Kildare Street
f) Book of Kells in Trinity College Dublin https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d215062-Reviews-The_Book_of_Kells_and_the_Old_Library_Exhibition-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
g) A hop on hop off tour of Dublin
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/AttractionProductReview-g186605-d11448079-City_Sightseeing_Dublin_Hop_On_Hop_Off_Bus_Tour-Dublin_County_Dublin.html (you can get off at any attractions and hop back onto the next bus)
h) Guinness Storehouse https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en
i) Dublin Zoo https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d214885-Reviews-Dublin_Zoo-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
j) Phoenix Park - the largest enclosed public park in any capital city in Europe
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d189068-Reviews-Phoenix_Park-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
Phoenix Park Café and Visitor Centre https://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowUserReviews-g186605-d189068-r133592376-Phoenix_Park-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
Tour of private residences of the President of Ireland (free tour take place every Saturday) in Phoenix Park https://president.ie/en/explore-visit/tours-visits/
k) Botanic Gardens https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d216335-Reviews-National_Botanic_Gardens-Dublin_County_Dublin.html

Recommendations for lunch in the city:
1. Pepper Pot Cafe (located in a gorgeous built in courtyard with boutiques) https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186605-d1951654-Reviews-The_Pepper_Pot-Dublin_County_Dublin.htmlor
2. Avoca Cafe (famous - yet small - Irish café/restaurant chain) https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186605-d2335461-Reviews-Avoca-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
3. Budget place with delicious Middle Eastern cuisine ‘Umi Falafel’ https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186605-d5003310-Reviews-Umi_Falafel-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
4. Buswell’s hotel (opposite the Parliament buildings)
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Hotel_Review-g186605-d209076-Reviews-Buswells_Hotel-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
5. Please note Temple Bar area in the city is very touristy and prices of food can be high. But a visit to a typical Irish pub Oliver St. John Gogarty (live music all day) for a drink might be fun – be warned it will be packed with tourists.


5. Day at the beach (1 hr drive)
An article about beaches within 1 hr drive from Dublin:
https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/8-brilliant-beaches-within-an-hour-of-dublin--30364953.html)
Our recommendations:
a) Brittas Bay Beach https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186646-d3214391-Reviews-Brittas_Bay-Wicklow_County_Wicklow.html - park only at the designated car park
B) Silverstrand Beach (surrounded by dramatic cliffs)
A visit to any of the cafes in Wicklow Town https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurants-g186646-c8-Wicklow_County_Wicklow.html

6. Day trip to a fishing village of Howth (1 hr on the train)
Howth is located on the northern fringes of Dublin Bay (Howth Peninsula) - this trip can be done on the local suburban train called DART (direct line Blackrock to Howth).
a) Hike along a cliff top trail with sweeping sea views (Howth Head)
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g212088-d216311-Reviews-Howth_Head-Howth_County_Dublin.html
b) Visit to the grounds of 15th-century Howth Castle - with rhododendron gardens and a transport museum with local trams. The 19th-century Martello Tower houses a vintage radio museum. The medieval ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey lie nearby. Offshore, Ireland’s Eye is an island bird sanctuary with an ancient ruined church.
c) Lunch in Howth https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurants-g212088-zfp30-Howth_County_Dublin.html


7. Day trip to County Wicklow (half an hour drive south):
a) Powerscourt Gardens (voted number 3 of the Top Ten Gardens in the World by National Geographic)
https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g212535-d319031-Reviews-Powerscourt_Gardens_and_House-Enniskerry_County_Wicklow.html
b) Powerscourt Golf Course https://powerscourtgolfclub.com/
c) Avoca Estate (a lovely restaurant and food/pottery/clothes/homewear shop)
https://visitwicklow.ie/item/avoca-kilmacanogue/ (lunch at Avoca)


8. Dublin Mountains hiking (20-30 min drive)
Trails information at https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186605-d216536-Reviews-Dublin_Mountains-Dublin_County_Dublin.html
a) Ticknock mountain and surrounding trails https://www.dublinmountains.ie/recreation_sites/ticknock/
b) Afternoon/evening trip to 'Johnnie Fox's Pub' (20 min drive) - a Dublin landmark pub https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g656611-d802999-Reviews-Johnnie_Fox_s_Pub-Glencullen_County_Dublin.html

9. Day trip to Newgrange (1 hr drive)
Newgrange is an exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic period, around 3200 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g804266-d10326114-Reviews-Newgrange-Donore_County_Meath.html
Visiting nearby
1. Trim Castle https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g644237-d525404-Reviews-Trim_Castle-Trim_County_Meath.html
2. Tayto entertainment park (for young kids) http://www.taytopark.ie/


10. Malahide Coastal Walk to Portmarnock
This requires taking the DART train from Blackrock to head north to Malahide village and walk along the seafront to the Portmarnock beach https://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowUserReviews-g211873-d3679069-r610996990-Malahide_Beach-Malahide_County_Dublin.html

Other day trips:
1. Designer outlet shopping centre for some bargains https://www.tbvsc.com/kildare-village/en/brands/
2. Kilkenny city (1,5 hr drive) https://visitkilkenny.ie/ with an interactive brewery tour https://www.smithwicksexperience.com/
3. Giant Causeway & Belfast city (3h drive) https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g209948-d189773-Reviews-Giant_s_Causeway-Bushmills_County_Antrim_Northern_Ireland.html https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Tourism-g186470-Belfast_Northern_Ireland-Vacations.html
4. Primary school children can join a full day day multi-sports camp at the nearby Newpark Sports Centre in Blackrock https://www.newparksportscentre.ie/activity-camps