Dublin with Kids: Tips + Things to Do in 2025
Thinking of visiting Dublin with kids? You’re in the right place.
Ireland’s capital, known for its nightlife and famous beer – isn’t just for adults. It also has lots historical and educational activities, interactive museums, nature and green space and a nice old town to stroll through as a family.
As much as Dublin is known for nightlife, it caters to a family-friendly crowd as well.
Dublin is one of the most walkable cities in Europe, and also very stroller-friendly. You should have no problem getting around on foot, and finding engaging and fun things to do with kids of all ages.
I loved exploring Dublin with my 3-year-old, mostly on foot. The city centre is very walkable, with most of the attractions being within a 10-15 minute walk from each other.
I’m going to show you the best things to do, how to get around and that yes, Dublin is kid-friendly!
So, let’s jump in – Dublin with kids.
BEST Things to Do in Dublin with Kids
Here are the best things to do in Dublin as a family
1. Explore the Christ Church Cathedral
Best for: All ages
Christ Church Cathedral is a medieval church located right in the centre of Dublin that was built in 1030 – almost 1000 years ago!
I visited the Chrischurch Cathedral with my 3 year old on our first trip to Dublin. It was one of the most memorable things we did in Dublin, and I was determined to re-visit it years later as a mother of two.
It’s just so big, majestic and there’s an underground crypt that you can explore.
The stone walls and arches underground make it look very 11th century.
Keep in mind, its a 17-step staircase to get down to the crypt, so it isn’t stroller friendly. (If you have a baby or toddler with you, then a baby carrier is your best bet.)
There’s also a gift shop at the Cathedral, which I found to be a great place to get some nice Irish souvenirs.
Outside of Christ Church Cathedral, there are beautiful landscaped grounds and gardens. You’ll see a sculpture of a homeless Jesus (to children it will just look like a figure with blankets wrapped around them lying on the bench.)
We took a break outside of the Christ Church in its landscaped gardens and relaxed with a picnic, and my 3-year-old ran around and burned off some energy.
Good to Know: You can spend anywhere from 30 minute to literally hours at the cathedral (I’d suggest taking your time.) Make it a leisurely excursion, and don’t be in a hurry. Even with small children with you, you should still budget to spend a good hour at the Christ Church Cathedral. You can do self-guided or guided tours which can be booked online.
2. See the Book of Kells at the Trinity College Library
Best for: School-age kids (especially book lovers or Harry Potter fans)
Trinity College Library is one of the oldest libraries in the world, and have several rooms where you can look at walls and walls of books.
It’s most famous for the stunning Long Room (pictured below) and the Book of Kells, which is a manuscript from the medieval period with pictures.
Kids might love Trinity College Library because it may remind them of scenes from Harry Potter (However, sadly – contrary to popular belief, the Harry Potters movies weren’t filmed here.)
But, The Long Room pictured above, is known as the Harry Potter room because of its resemblance to rooms at Hogwarts.
Trinity College is a very popular attraction, so if you do decide to make your way there, buy tickets in advance. There are different experiences to choose from, ranging from a 90 minute to 2+ hour visit.
3. Spend time at Saint Stephen’s Greens (park and playground)
Best for: All ages
Located right in the centre of Dublin, St. Stephen’s is a historic, Victorian park and garden of 27 acres. Its been open to the public since 1880.
Aside from the Christchurch Cathedral, St. Stephens was the one thing I did in Dublin with my daughter the first time that I just had to do again the next time we visited.
Saint Stephen’s runs adjacent to Grafton Street (mentioned below) one of Dublin’s main shopping streets, so I would combine it with a visit there. Maybe do the park and playground first, and finish the outing with ice cream on Grafton street.
St. Stephen’s paths, trees and gardens on landscaped grounds. There is a pond where you may see ducks or swans.There’s also a playground for kids to play in.
St. Stephen’s Green Playground is suitable for ages 1 through 12, as there are smaller structures for younger kids and a separate setup for older kids.
It’s perfectly enclosed so you can relax on a bench and easily keep an eye on your little ones.
Like any city playground as you can imagine, it gets crowded at peak times, so try to come earlier in the day.
Good to Know: Don’t be too surprised if you have trouble finding the playground at first, as the park is quite expansive. Move inward toward the main courtyard in the centre, and then walk around it until you reach the playground. I’d personally put St. Stephen’s high on your list of things to do with kids in Dublin. It makes for a low-key outing with the family, especially on a nice day!
4. Take a walk on Grafton street
Grafton Street in Dublin is one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets. Its completely car-free, stroller friendly, and nice for an afternoon stroll, especially on a nice day.
It’s right beside St. Stephen’s, so you can easily visit them on the same day.
Grafton Street is a famous historical street, which started forming in the 1700s.
One thing that’s wonderful about Grafton Street is being able to see street performers. It’s a traditional spot for buskers, and you’ll see them year-round.
Other than street performers and pedestrian-friendly walking, you’ll find:
- Traditional Irish bars, such as McDaids, Neary’s, Bailey Bar and Cafe, and Kehoe’s Pub (kids are allowed in pubs in Ireland until 9pm)
- A Disney store
- Some vendors
- Flower markets
Pro Tip: Bring some spare change to Grafton Street for the buskers (they’re there every day of the year.) My 3-year-old loved throwing some coins into their guitars on Grafton street
5. Head to Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is a woodland area just a few kms from the Dublin city centre, (so its a bit out of the way.)
Howwver, its a short walk to the Dublin Zoo. I wouldn’t come here if your time in Dublin is short, but if you have lots of time (more than a few days) then I think its worth it.
Phoenix Park is one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. There are playgrounds, trails through the forest, and picnic areas, and even wildlife – there are still some wild deer that call this place home.
There’s even a castle in ruins inside Phoenix Park you can check out for free, called Ashtown Castle. Ashtown is one of the many abandoned castles in Ireland.
Phoenix Park is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and entrance is free of charge. There are toilet facilities on-site, and parking nearby. Visit the Phoenix Park website to see if there are any special events going on, and to plan your visit.
6. Ride the Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus
You can see a lot of things in the city centre on food, but there are also some attractions in the outskirts of Dublin that are harder to get to.
The Dublin Zoom and the Wax Museum, among others, are ‘out of the way’ and having tickets for the hop on, hop off bus reduces complications and makes it easier to get to those places.
The only catch is that kids must be a minimum of 5 years old to ride the bus, so sadly it won’t work if you’re in Dublin with a toddler.
If your kids are old enough, I’d recommend it as a way to see more of Dublin in a fun and stress-free way.
Check availability for the Dublin Hop-On Hop-of bus here (24 hour and 48 hour passes, cost is around $40 USD for adults, and kids ride free)
7. Visit the Dublinia Viking Museum
Best for: All ages
Dublina Viking Museum is right beside Christchurch Cathedral. Its a Dublin history museum with a lot of interactive activities to do with kids.
The premis of Dublina is to show you what Dublin was like while it was ruled by Vikings! (It’s very kid friendly, visual and hands on.)
For young kids, there are:
- Viking outfits to try on
- Viking houses they can go inside
- Opportunities to learn interesting details, like how the Vikings kept their houses warm.
- A large 3D map of Medieval Dublin
The older family members would learn a lot from the exhibits, and the younger would learn from hands-on experiences. Budget about 90 minutes to walk through the entire museum.
Tickets for Dublinia can be booked online. Children under 3 are free of charge.
8. Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Best for: All ages
St. Patricks, along with Christ Church, is one of the only buildings left from the medieval period in Dublin.
I wanted to go here for the name alone since St. Patrick is such a famous name in Ireland, and the holiday named after it.
Its another beautiful cathedral, similar to Christchurch, with nice outdoor gardens to burn some energy off for young kids after exploring the medieval building.
St. Patrick’s isn’t free -you can buy tickets online to visit the inside of the cathedral. Children 0-5 are free of charge.
St. Patrick’s is about a 7-minute walk from Christchurch and Dublinia museum, so it’s a part of the very walkable and compact area of Dublin’s historic city centre.
9. Take a stroll through the historic streets of Dublin
Best for: All ages
Being from North America, I’m a sucker for European small alleyways and cobblestone streets. These streets in Dublin are lively, and don’t feel overly crowded.
You get to experience the charm of Ireland on these old streets with small alleyways, with hole in the wall restaurants, cafes, and Irish pubs.
Similar to Grafton streets, most of these other streets are stroller-friendly and car-free. A lightweight stroller will be your best bet.
Check out the following historic streets for a leisurely stroll in Dublin:
- Dame Court
- O’Connell Street
- Grafton Street (mentioned above)
- Moore Street
- Henrietta Street
- Kildare Street
- Cow’s Lane
Pro Tip: Get some family photos in front of the famous Temple Bar, which is found in the historic walking area. It’s the oldest pub in the world.
10. Visit EPIC: The Irish Emigration museum!
Best for: 5+
The EPIC Museum is a popular place for locals to bring their kids, as well as tourists.
You walk through 20 different visual exhibits teaching you about the sacrifices, adventures and the influence that Irish people have had on the world.
Like Dublina, EPIC is a very interactive museum, so children will enjoy it. It’s all very colourful, glowly and lit up inside so even younger kids (babies and toddlers) will be entertained.
Enter anytime between 10am and 5pm daily, and it closes for the day at 6:45pm. Give yourself about 90 minutes to explore this museum. Tickets can be booked online, and children 0-5 are free of charge.
Pro Tip: EPIC doesn’t stand for anything officially; its just an acknowledgement to the “epic” journeys that the Irish have made over time.
11. Take a day trip to Malahide Castle & Gardens
Malahide Castle is a nice day-trip idea while you’re in Dublin with the kids. If you don’t mind venturing a little bit outside of Dublin, this 800 year old castle is a great mix of historical, outdoor, and Irish magical fairies, and to top it off- there’s a playground!
Fairy gardens are very popular in Ireland, so if you’re only visiting Dublin, Malahide Castle is a good place to get a chance to experience them.
To see the interior of the castle, you’ll have to book a guided tour (they don’t do self-guided.) You can visit outside of the castle, the botanical gardens and playground for free. There’s a large playground outside for kids with picnic benches, swing sets, a large tower with a slide.
Interesting Fact: According to legend, there is a ghost who lives at Malahide Castle.
There is also a Butterfly House (the only one in Ireand) and a Fairy Trail – these are paid ticketed activities that you can book online through the Malahide Castle website. The fairy trail is 1.8 km, and stroller friendly. It will take longer if your kids are old enough to be solving the clues.
Give yourself a good 2-3 hours to spend at Malahide Castle, plus the transportation, it will keep you busy for a day.
How to Get to Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle is about a 35 minute drive from the city centre of Dublin. There’s free parking onsite if you drive. You can take public transit from the city centre, which would take over 40 minutes.
12. See animals at the Dublin Zoo
The Dublin Zoo was one of the first Victorian Zoos, open since 1830. Today, it is focused on rehabilitation, raising awareness about animals, and conservation efforts for animal habitats worldwide.
I’m normally not a big zoo person, but I wanted to visit the Dublin Zoo for my child. It was a nice and laid back day out. When I picture most zoos, I think busy and crowded.
The Dublin Zoo however was quieter, well laid out and easy to walk around, with the layout is shaped like the number 8.
The exhibits are informative and engaging to read through, or to read to children. The animals truly seemed well cared for and in pretty big enclosures. The staff we encountered all seemed knowledgable and friendly.
Good To Know: You’re going to be outside most of the day, as there aren’t a lot of indoor enclosures, so dress accordingly. The food options for sale are slim, but the Dublin Zoo allows you to bring food in with you if you want. There are picnic tables and lawns around the zoo for you to grab a bite, break or snack anytime you need.
Tickets for the Dublin Zoo can be bought online, or at the door. There may be a line up to get in if you’re buying them at the door, like we did – so I would buy in advance online if you can.
How to Get to the Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo is about a 10 minute drive from the historic city centre, so its pretty close to the city compared to most zoos. You could literally walk here in 45 minutes from the city, (although I don’t think that would be a popular way to get here with small kids.) Parking is free if you do drive.
A taxi fare will cost about 12-15 € for the trip. The cheapest way without your own car is public transit: the Dublin Bus leaves from Westmoreland Street, stop 320 every 15 minutes, every day. The journey takes approximately 20 min. It arrives at Infirmary Road, stop 7877. From there its less than 5 minute walk to the zoo. (This was what we chose to do.)
13. Attend a festival
Ireland is a country of festivals, with many artsy, fun, family friendly (and not so family friendly) events happening year-round. Quite a few of these festivals take place in Dublin, or just outside of it.
Some of the kid-friendly festivals that take place in Dublin are:
- Dublin Pride Festival (June) Pride Village in Merrion Square has many activities for families
- St. Patrick’s Day (March) and Christmas Markets (December)
Where to Stay in Dublin with Kids
I spent hours and hours researching the best places to stay in Dublin with kids, so I really hope that these suggestions will be useful!
Budget: Parnell Apartments. They’re a short walk to the Old Town area and all the landmarks, and you have a kitchen where you can prepare your own food. This is where I chose to stay before I had to change dates, and then they didn’t have availability for my new dates.
Mid-Range: Staycity Aparthotels. Located right downtown, and there’s a restaurant on-site with a child-friendly buffet!
Luxury:The Grafton Hotel The Grafton Hotel has family rooms with 2 different bunkbeds. They’re only a 5-minute walk to St. Stephen’s Greens, and less than 10 minutes to other key attractions. They have a ‘family escape package’ which includes buffet breakfast every morning, and teddy bears for the kids.
Want to treat yourself and family? There are a few castle hotels located just outside the Dublin city centre
Is it Safe to Visit Dublin with Kids?
Like many other cities, the crime rate in Dublin has increased since the pandemic; but it is still lower than other cities around Europe, especially the UK.
The population of Dublin is currently around 1.2 million people, (which is actually still quite small in comparison to other European capital cities. )
The the crime rate in Dublin is lower than other cities in the United Kingdom.
These stats will show you how Dublin measures up against London, and you’ll see that it is still statistically safer.
Inevitably, as with most major cities, there may be pickpockets that target tourists in Dublin, so you’ll need to just excersise caution.
Generally though, most crime that does take place happens in the outskirts of the city which is not typically where you’d be spending your time as a touris
Getting Around Dublin with Kids
Here are your options for getting around in the city with your family
Dublin doesn’t have a metro or any kind of underground system, so you have three options in terms of getting around:
- Driving (makes sense if you’re Irish and visiting from out of town, but as a foreigner, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car for Dublin only.) Ireland’s main parking garage chain is called Q-Park and there are several locations within Dublin where you can leave your car safely as you explore.
- Taking the bus or rail. Buying a Leapcard for visitors will allow you to go anywhere in the area using the bus or train, for about 8 € a day. They also have plans for 3 days or 7 days. The Leapcard is also applicable on the airport express buses, so its worth it to purchase your Leapcard before you land in Ireland.
- Stay somewhere central and walk. This is what we did, and from our experience, it worked out perfectly because the city is very walkable. Most of the activities below we travelled to on foot, with a 3-year-old, with no issues.
Final Thoughts: Is Dublin Kid-Friendly?
It goes without saying that Dublin is popular for people celebrating bachelor and bachelorette parties, or travelling there for the pub and party nightlife to enjoy the Guinness culture. Dublin is a kid-friendly city that offers something for the whole family. To sum it up, the following attractions can all be accessed in a less-than 20 minute stroller-friendly walk:
- Christ Church Cathedral
- St. Patricks’ Cathedral
- Dublinia
- St. Stephen’s Greens
- EPIC museum
- Grafton street, and other streets in the historic old town
A few other attractions, such as the Dublin Zoo and Malahide Castle are the only ones that you have to venture a little bit outside the city for, but they are still accessible by public transit and have free parking.
So, is Dublin kid-friendly? YES! We hope that this article helps you make an informed decision about a trip to Dublin with the kids. Another city consider right across the pond from Dublin is Liverpool, which also has fantastic activities for families.