Best Day Trips from Dublin, Ireland
Are you looking for the best day trips from Dublin, Ireland?
Dublin is Ireland’s capital city located on the central eastern side of the island. While Dublin is a great place to spend a few days with lots of cool things to do, the real beauty of Ireland lies outside the city.
I highly recommend taking at least one or two day trips from Dublin if you can — day trips were the highlight of my visit to Ireland, which I spent basing myself in Dublin but taking several day trips.
Ireland is fairly small, so you can get from one side of the country to the other (Dublin to Galway) in just 2.5 hours. Many popular day trip destinations are even closer to Dublin than that. It’s great to get into the countryside of Ireland and see firsthand why this beautiful country is nicknamed the “Emerald Isle.”
Getting Around on Day Trips
If you’re staying in Dublin, I mainly recommend taking tours for your day trips.
There are a couple of places that are accessible by public transportation (train or bus) from Dublin, but if you want to see the smaller towns and the countryside, you really need a car to get around.
Renting a car in Ireland can be pricey, and if you’re staying in Dublin, finding parking for your rental car can be a hassle in the city. You also need to be confident driving on the opposite side of the road from the United States and many other countries, adding another challenge to driving yourself in Ireland.
That’s why I generally recommend organized tours for your day trips around Ireland. You don’t have quite as much flexibility with the routes and timing, but you don’t have to worry about any of the logistics.
Below I’ll talk about the best day trips from Dublin, including ones I personally did!
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Best Day Trips from Dublin:
- Cliffs of Moher and Galway day trip from Dublin
- Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny day trip from Dublin
- Belfast, Dunluce, and Giant’s Causeway day trip from Dublin
Cliffs of Moher and Galway
One of the best day trips I did from Dublin was visiting the Cliffs of Moher and Galway. This is the exact tour I did. You start off your day by heading to the Cliffs of Moher, a beautiful, rugged destination.
It’s a long drive (over three hours from Dublin) but a must-visit place in Ireland.
After spending two hours at the Cliffs of Moher, you drive along the scenic coastal Wild Atlantic Way for about 1.5 hours until you reach Galway, a fun and lively city on the western coast of Ireland.
You have two hours of free time there before returning back to Dublin. This is a great day trip that combines two destinations on the western coast of Ireland, giving you a taste of both city and nature.
Howth Coast
If you’re short on time or don’t want to spend a lot of time driving, a half-day trip close to Dublin is the coastal village of Howth. Located on a small peninsula east of Dublin, this is an easy day trip.
You can take the DART train to Howth from central Dublin, or the H3 bus.
Another option is taking a guided half-day tour like this one with transportation from Dublin. It includes a guided walk along the coastal cliff paths and a visit to the charming fishing village of Howth.
While I did not personally visit Howth, it looks like a great day trip from Dublin!
Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny
Another one of the best day trips from London that I took was this tour to Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny. This is another great day trip that combines multiple destinations around Ireland.
You start off by driving about an hour from Dublin to Glendalough and Wicklow National Park. You can explore the monastic ruins and take in the beautiful, mysterious atmosphere of the national park.
Then you will drive another hour and 15 minutes to Kilkenny, a lovely little town with a cool castle. You’ll have plenty of free time to explore here, before returning back to Dublin in the evening.
I enjoyed this tour because it’s not too much time spent driving and more time at each stop. If you’re short on time, this half-day tour just includes a visit to Glendalough and Wicklow National Park.
Boyne Valley
For another great day trip from Dublin, head to the Boyne Valley. I didn’t get to experience this destination on my trip to Ireland, but it’s definitely somewhere I want to go on a future visit to the Emerald Isle.
This full-day tour is the best way to experience the Boyne Valley. Located about an hour form Dublin, the Boyne Valley is one of the oldest parts of the country with lots of ancient Celtic heritage.
On this day trip, you’ll visit some of the oldest sites in Ireland, including 6,000-year-old cave art in Loughcrew and the Hill of Tara where ancient kings ruled. You’ll also visit Trim Castle and Fore Abbey.
Belfast, Dunluce, and Giant’s Causeway
I really loved visiting Belfast, Dunluce, and Giant’s Causeway on a day trip from Dublin. This is the exact tour I did. All of these destinations are located in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
So although Northern Ireland is geographically on the same island as the rest of Ireland, it’s actually part of a different country. You will learn a little about this separation in Belfast, the first stop on the tour. Honestly, I would have liked more time in Belfast, but the black cab tour was a good introduction.
After Belfast, you head to the ruins of Dunluce Castle, followed by a visit to the Giant’s Causeway, an iconic natural landmark in Northern Ireland. Then it’s a three-hour drive back to Dublin at the end of the day.
This is another long journey, but well worth it to get a taste of Northern Ireland.
Rock of Cashel, Cork, Blarney Castle
Finally, one awesome day trip I didn’t get to experience myself but would definitely like to do the next time I’m in Ireland is this day trip to the Rock of Cashel, Cork, and Blarney Castle.
You start off by visiting the Rock of Cashel, an impressive ancient site with a historic cathedral, chapel, and tower. Then you’ll drive another 1.5 hours to reach the vibrant southern city of Cork.
After spending an hour and a half exploring Cork, you’ll head to your final stop — Blarney Castle, home to the famous Blarney Stone which you can kiss if you want to receive the “gift of gab.”
Best Day Trips from Dublin
This guide showed you the best day trips from Dublin, Ireland.
Dublin makes a great base for day trips around Ireland. Since Ireland is a fairly small country, you can actually explore quite a few destinations on day trips from Dublin if you’re short on time.
The three day trips I personally did were the following:
- Cliffs of Moher and Galway day trip from Dublin
- Glendalough, Wicklow, and Kilkenny day trip from Dublin
- Belfast, Dunluce, and Giant’s Causeway day trip from Dublin
I would highly recommend any of these tours if you want a fun day trip and experience and don’t mind spending a lot of time driving in order to see some of the most beautiful destinations in Ireland.
Enjoy your trip to Ireland!
