Dublin Family Guide

If your family loves history and learning, you’ll love it at Belvedere Hotel Dublin. It’s just a short walk to the Gate Theatre, the Garden of Remembrance, Croke Park, and O’Connell Street. Being in the midst of Ireland’s most historic buildings (and shopping streets!) is just one reason why you should stay here. The other? Special offers that are perfect for families of all sizes! Whether you’re staying with your kids or you brought along your extended family, there’s always something for everyone!

When you’re staying at Maldron Hotel Parnell Square, you’re at the heart of Dublin City Centre! There’s an abundance of attractions right on your doorstep!

And after a long day’s tour or festivities, wouldn’t it be nice if your family can come home to a cosy hotel? Check out our family-friendly offers that will give you discounts and other treats!

Located on the N81, Maldron Hotel Tallaght is situated just off the M50 & N7 motorways. It is ideal for families, wishing to see the best of Dublin and plans on traveling to and from the North, South, East and the West of Ireland.

And while you’re traveling around the country, isn’t it better if you can come home to a hotel that offers you the best discounts and packages for you and the whole family can enjoy? Maldron Hotel Tallaght offers pizza party and early booker packagers so be sure to check their special offers pages every once in a while!

With its comfortable, spacious rooms, this affordable 4-star accommodation is only a short walk from Dublin city centre. Maldron Hotel Smithfield even has family packages that you and the kids will surely enjoy!

Enjoy a fantastic break with the family at Maldron Hotel Newlands Cross! They have special offers for families staying in Dublin which may include a pass at the Tayto Park or the Dublin Zoo! So be sure to check their offers page often to see the current deals!

Step into a Captain America-themed restaurant, specialising in burgers! Captain America’s serve up 80s and 100% premium Irish beef! Your kids will surely enjoy their juicy burgers as they marvel at the decor!

This place offers fantastic views of the Dun Laoghaire coast, which is famous for swimmers even in cold days! While the grown-ups are enjoying their drink, there is also a wide selection of snacks for peckish kids!

The Forty Foot is easily accessible via the DART Dún Laoghaire station, just several stops away from Pearse Station, a short walk away from Maldron Hotel Pearse Street!

“Imagine being invited to dine and drink in a 19th century rural Irish home. That’s exactly how it feels like to be in Johnnie Fox’s! This old abode, decked up to the ceiling with memorabilia from the past (old family photos, antiques, clothing and farming tools from times long gone), is considered a living museum, on top of being a gastropub.

This is also where you can watch the Hooley Show, a live traditional Irish music and dancing spectacle. Booking to watch this show comes with a four-course meal, including tea or coffee.”

While it is famous as an iconic building in Dublin where James Joyce once worked, The Woollen Mills wants to be known as an “eating house” where one can get coffee and a bun, or a seven-course meal with crabs and beef ribs.

With over four floors, it also has its own bakery, a kids menu, and the best views as it overlooks the Ha’penny Bridge and Liffey River.

Milano is famous for their doughballs with melting garlic — a real hit with kids! Parents can also request for activity packs while waiting for their food. They also have organic options, which is great for health-conscious families.

With several locations around Dublin such as Ballsbridge, Suffolk Street, and Rathcoole, Avoca has gained a reputation for their hand-prepared meals and freshly baked bread and cakes. Avoca started out as a small tea and coffee station but it now has food markets packed with artisanal ingredients. The best part is they cultivate their food in their own gardens!

Dublin is not just about pints, but also about cups of coffee and tea. Ireland’s beloved brand of chocolates have opened cafes that feature a wide range of hot and cold beverages, morning goods and sweet treats. Their specialty? Their signature hot chocolate, of course!

The Lemon Jelly Cafe is not just known for its scrumptious brunches! One of the specialty drinks of Lemon Jelly Cafe is their Suki Tea or loose leaf tea. They have black, green, herbal, fruit, white, and oolong tea blends, sourced from the best-tasting leaf tea from all over the world!

Known as Ireland’s oldest pub, prominent figures in history used to dine in here, including Robert Emmet, Michael Collins, Jonathan Swift, and James Joyce. So if you want to dine where the revolutionaries and literary icons used to eat, The Brazen Head is your bet.

They have a wide selection of snacks and starters, as well as traditional Irish dishes.

The Poolbeg Lighthouse Walk is also known as the Great South Wall Walk, built-in 1768. Back then it was three miles long and the world’s longest sea wall. Now, it’s a 6.7-mile loop trail that gives you a gorgeous coastal scenic view.

One of the famous walking tours around Dublin is retracing the steps of one of its greatest writers, Oscar Wilde. You can start from his house at Merrion Street and drop by the park in front of his house where young Oscar used to play. There’s also a statue of him there, a famous tourist spot, and some installations with quotes from his well-known books.

Known as Ireland’s Premier Scientific Institution for Botany, within the living collections at the National Botanic Gardens are over 300 endangered species from around the world, and six species already extinct in the wild. Of course, the views inside are also picture perfect so it’s a great place to have your next family portrait!

Situated in the Viking quarters of the city, Dublin Castle was built in the 13th Century. Now, it’s a government complex and a tourist attraction. There’s usually an event, exhibition or fair every weekend, including a winter wonderland during the Christmas season.

Dublin Castle is open everyday, from 9:45 to 17:45 (last admission at 17:15).

The Book of Kells is known as one of Ireland’s greatest cultural treasures. This library tour at Trinity College will have you exploring not just this 9th-century manuscript, but also The Long Room, home to 250,000 of Ireland’s ancient texts! It’s also been a working library since 1732!

One of the popular walks in Dublin, the Howth Cliff Walk takes you to the scenic views of Dublin Bay, Lambay Island, Ireland’s Eye, and the Baily Lighthouse. There are many routes you can take, with varying difficulty levels. The paths around the cliff are marked with directions about each trail so don’t go bringing your nan to the longest route if you think she can’t handle it!

While this walk is safe for your healthy and active youngsters, it may not be best to bring your nan along! The good thing about Howth is that it’s easily accessible via DART. And when you’re staying in Maldron Hotel Pearse Street, then getting to Howth and other destinations outside the city centre will not be a problem at all!

Located at the General Post Office building along O’Connell Street, this historic building has been the silent witness to the city’s colorful history. Aside from being a fully functional post office, it also has a highly immersive and engaging exhibition! The focus of this exhibition is the Easter Rising, which took place in GPO in 1916, a pivotal moment in the Irish revolution for independence.

Do you have kids who get fussy easily? Here’s a quickfire way to learn about Dublin and its history! The Little Museum of Dublin gives you a quick history lesson in under 30 minutes! You’ve got everything you need to learn under one roof and parents can also enjoy a pint after the enjoyable lecture is over!

Retrace the steps of the Irish Immigrants who were escaping the famine and learn more about Irish heritage at EPIC: The Irish Immigration Museum. The museum also offers a fully interactive experience and you will be guided as you uncover inspiring stories of the Irish people who travelled the world! One of the special features of this museum is that you can have a personalised consultation with a genealogist, who can help you trace your ancestry! Now that’s a way to get your kids interested in the family history!

The country’s favourite water park is perfect for a family day out. This indoor facility has eight rides, slides, and experiences!

Located inside the Sport Ireland National Aquatic Centre, it’s open every weekend and national holidays.

Go shopping at St. Stephen’s Green, a shopping destination for tourists! This is where you and your family can shop for souvenirs that are distinctly Irish such as Carroll’s Irish Gifts, Celtic Spirit, and The Donegal Shop.

After shopping, you may also want to drop by the nearby St. Stephen’s Park, one of the main parks in the city. It’s not unusual to see families or groups of friends having a picnic in this park, especially if it’s a lovely sunny day!

Imaginosity is Ireland’s only interactive children’s museum, with spaces where kids can play-pretend to work in laboratories, the library, a broadcast station, a post office, the market, and more!

Tickets are at €8.00 for children and adults, €6.00 for toddlers, €2 for those over 6 months (under 6mths free) for a (minimum) 2-hour visit.

Did you know that Dublin Zoo’s 28 hectares attracts over one million visitors a year? It’s Ireland’s biggest family attraction where kids and parents can learn about biodiversity and the conservation of wildlife.

The zoo is also a registered charity and regularly supports conservation projects that benefits great apes, tigers, rhinos, golden lion tamarins, African wild dogs and amphibians.

Tickets range from €7.50 to €15 for kids, depending on their age, and €20 for adults. Children below three get in for free.