10 Best Outdoor Activities in Dublin without needing a car

My wife & I don’t own a car and we get asked all the time about how we manage to visit so many amazing places around Dublin despite this.
Well, all you need is a bicycle, leap card for public transport and a burning desire to get out & about 😉
Here’s a handy list of things to do/places to visit:

Perfect place to go for sea dips after work in evenings. We usually just cycle down and lock our bikes here but you can also reach here by DART or take the Dublin bus to Dun Laoghaire which is just a short walk away. There’s no cafe here so make sure to get a hot tea/coffee with you. Trust me you’ll need it after that cold water dip.

There are loads of cafes, restaurants in Dun Laoghaire but Sayfish does some yummy Cajun fish & chips so do try them out 🙂

The walk begins in Marlay Park and although there are many ways to hike up the Dublin mountains, we prefer this Marlay park route. We usually cycle down and lock our bikes inside the park but you could also take the Dublin bus to reach here. There’s a trail that leads to the end of Marlay Park and then a steep road up to the entrance of Kilmashogue forest from where the trail leads up to Ticknock & Fairy castle. The views from above are quite nice and you can see all of Dublin & Bray on a nice sunny day.

Centra just outside Marlay park does some good hot food (Sausage rolls, sandwiches etc)

This one’s on the north side & another great place to go for sea dips after work in evenings. We usually just cycle down and lock our bikes here but you can also reach here by DART to Clontarf or take the Dublin bus to Howth. There’s no cafe here so make sure to get a hot tea/coffee with you. Trust me you’ll need it after that cold water dip.

Kanoodle does some nice noodle soup just outside Bull Island

There are two ways to reach Bray (Dublin bus or DART). This 7 km walk takes you from Bray to Greystones along the stunning coastal path. The path is well maintained and you can return from Greystones to Bray/City centre by DART. Greystones has plenty to offer the hungry walker after beautiful views. Try doing it at night time while the sun is just setting and you’ll treat your eyes to some brilliant pink skies across the Irish sea. Both Bray & Greystones have nice beaches if you also want to go for a quick dip.

Both Bray & Greystones have plenty of cafes/restaurants so you won’t have any issue finding something you like.

There are two ways to reach Howth (Dublin bus or DART) and many ways to do this walk. The bus takes you right to the top and then you could walk various loops whereas the train drops you down at Howth village and you could walk up from there. You’ll find more details on different loops depending on how long you want to walk -> Howth Cliff Walk: 5 Routes To Try In 2020 (Parking + Maps) (theirishroadtrip.com)
There’s a hidden beach as well but its a bit of an awkward walk reaching there so make sure you’re wearing good shoes.

Howth has many cafes/restaurants and its quite well known for its sea food.

The easiest way to reach start of the trail is take the Bus Eireann 133 from Dublin and get down at Kilmacanoge stop. The loop trail begins quite close to that bus stop and you can find all the info you need from Dublin & Wicklow Walks » Blog Archive » Sugar Loaf
It’s not a very easy walk and takes a few hours so make sure to pack a light lunch and enjoy the views from the top 🙂

Must place to visit if you know how to swim and more importantly, if you can handle the freezing, bone crushing, exhilarating adrenaline rush of a dive into the cold waters of the Irish sea 🙂
Located just next to the famous James Joyce Tower & Museum, this iconic sea swimming point is home to hardcore swim enthusiasts of Dublin. You can get here by DART and get down at Sandycove station or take the bus to Dun Laoghaire which is just a short stroll away.

This is a nice little relaxing 6 km walk which takes you through weeping willows, canals and bridges that dot the river. You can start from Bushy park or Herbert Park depending on where you want to start/end. You could even cycle almost all of it except a couple of places where you might have to pick up your bike while crossing the river.

Both Bushy park & Herbert parks can be reached by Dublin bus easily.

Spread around 1800 acres, this is one of the largest urban parks in all of Europe. There’s plenty to do here from walks to cycling to deer watching. There’s infact the Dublin zoo inside this park and a couple of nice cafes too.
On a nice sunny day, you can even laze around watching random cricket or polo matches. There are plenty of dedicated cycle lanes so feel free to bring your bike or rent one at the park entrance.

There are plenty of ways to reach. If you’re not cycling, just get the Luas or Bus to the entrance.

Arguably one of the best views anywhere in the world! No wonder why all the millionaires live here. Just get the DART and get down at Dalky station. The walk starts from there and ends at Killiney beach. On the way, you might spot some people rock climbing at the Dalky quarry or swimming at the Vico 🙂

PS – Bono lives here too so if you’re lucky, you might spot him on a walk