Outdoors · Dublin · Ireland
5 best outdoor things to do in Dublin
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with St Stephen's Green, Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 9–12 hours across 4 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 9–12 hours
- Areas
- Grafton Street, Phoenix Park and St Stephen's Green
Outdoors in Dublin
Park · Grafton Street
1.St Stephen's Green
Enter through the Fusiliers' Arch at the Grafton Street corner, then continue to the Iveagh Gardens or the Little Museum of Dublin.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Park · Phoenix Park
2.Phoenix Park
Look for the deer on the grassland around the Papal Cross early in the morning, and do not feed them.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
Zoo · Phoenix Park
3.Dublin Zoo
Book online and arrive at opening on weekends and school holidays to beat the queues.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Garden · St Stephen's Green
4.Iveagh Gardens
Enter from Clonmel Street off Harcourt Street, the easiest gate to find.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
- Couples
Historic site · Glasnevin
5.Glasnevin Cemetery
Combine it with the free National Botanic Gardens next door, known for their Victorian curvilinear glasshouses.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Grafton Street | St Stephen's Green | 45 minutes |
| Phoenix Park | Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo | Half a day + 3–4 hours |
| St Stephen's Green | Iveagh Gardens | 30–45 minutes |
| Glasnevin | Glasnevin Cemetery | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 3 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Phoenix Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Grafton Street and Phoenix Park): St Stephen's Green → Phoenix Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Phoenix Park and St Stephen's Green): Dublin Zoo → Iveagh Gardens, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Glasnevin): Glasnevin Cemetery, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- June: highs of 18°C (64°F), about 9 rainy days, busy crowds. Daylight lasts until after 10pm, and outdoor concerts and Bloomsday bring the city outside.
- July: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 10 rainy days, very busy crowds. The warmest month and peak season: busy pubs, full hotels and the highest room rates of the year.
- August: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 11 rainy days, very busy crowds. Mild and busy with summer visitors; the sea is at its warmest, though still bracing.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Grafton Street and St Stephen's Green — Pedestrian shopping, buskers and the city's central park
- Smithfield and Stoneybatter — A cobbled market square, whiskey and a local village feel north of the Liffey
- Portobello and Ranelagh — Canal-side red-brick streets with restaurants and neighbourhood pubs
More of Dublin
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Dublin?
St Stephen's Green. This 22-acre Victorian park at the top of Grafton Street has a duck-filled lake, a bandstand, flower beds, a playground and statues of figures from James Joyce to Wolfe Tone.
+Which of these are free in Dublin?
St Stephen's Green, Phoenix Park and Iveagh Gardens.