A Family-Friendly Guide to Exploring Dublin With Toddlers
Dublin has fast evolved from a stag and hen-do Mecca, to a family-friendly holiday destination within easy reach of the UK and without a lot of the hassle of continental European destinations.
Via a pleasant ferry from Liverpool or flights from most UK airports, Dublin is a short trip away, highly accessible and increasingly popular for families.
Walk with the Animals in Dublin Zoo
Taking your smaller family members along for the ride can put them face-to-face with the elephants and rhinos of Dublin Zoo along with interactive walkthrough habitats and the Brictacular Lego-style trail of life-size animals.
One of the major family attractions, especially if your town isn’t near one like Marwell Zoo, a recent addition was the Zoorassic Trail with animatronic dinosaurs. And there’s plenty of conversation and education topics to help them learn about the natural world.
Carrying on the animal theme, the National Museum of Ireland, aka the Dead Zoo, with free entry. Currently closed for refurbishment, some of the exhibits are on view at the Collins Barracks site. But when reopened, it will have thousands of exhibits across the history of animal nature and their place in an evolving world.
Lunch and Snacks
Dublin is increasingly popular as a foodie destination, but that doesn’t mean your children will miss out as there are plenty of family-friendly options among Dublin restaurants.
If they start the day hungry, there are plenty of traditional breakfasts on offer, such as 3fe Gertrude’s breakfast or veggie baps, chorizo hash with eggs, pancakes, and plenty of smaller plates for younger tums. But if you fancy broadening their palette, Brother Hubbard offers greek-flavoured brunches and mezzes to share, with hummus, bread, dips and plenty of salad to provide a healthy alternative.
For dinner, Pinocchio Restaurant on Temple Bar is an Italian restaurant with a charming kid’s menu, including pizzas, lasagne, bolognaise and a great range of desserts. Café en Seine does a great-looking range of fish and chips, salads and burgers, all familiar flavours but served with polish and style to deliver that grown-up feel for younger diners.
The Wilds, the Culture and Dublin in the Evening
With plenty of hop-on-and-off bus options it is easy to get around the city, where there are plenty of diners and eateries, whatever your activity schedule. And you don’t have to confine yourself to the central areas, with older children enjoying the ziplines and woodland walks of Zipit out in the hills.
After lunch, adventurous families can take the Eye and Howth Coastal Boat Tour to see Ireland’s puffins and rugged coast. Or, as evening falls, a gentler alternative is a sightseeing cruise along the River Liffey, which is a great way to see the city at its best. And in the dark, spooky, ghostly bus tours are just some of the great ways to enjoy the city while others do the driving.
Back in town, The Ark is a great cultural centre with a huge variety of events for younger family members. Offering crafts, theatre workshops and much more it will charm and engage those with creative skills.
The National Wax Museum also has evening sessions for older families when the interactive vaults and exhibits could be down on the numbers of shouty younger children doing the rounds.
However long your stay, there is plenty to see and do beyond the usual theatre, movies and dining options. The passion of Dublin’s sports fans can be seen at the Aviva stadium with plenty of international rugby, football and other events. While small arenas host local sports and teams.
The Dublin Maker Festival is a trove of creativity and innovation and as a literary and cultural centre, Dublin is home to endless events like Bloomsday, celebrating James Joyce’s seminal Ulysses, and the city centre is always home to ad hoc events, musical acts and other creative delights to make each day special and memorable for family members.
And as an older city, whenever you visit, always be prepared to venture down the smaller side streets and alleys to see what delights, like the Little Museum of Ireland that offers a half-hour tour for those with lots to see and do.