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The best day trips from Dublin, ranked
Ireland is small enough that a coach can reach either coast and come back by night. These are the best day trips from Dublin, set side by side on length, ratings and price, so the choice is yours to make.
Check availabilityfrom $90 · free cancellation
Editorial team, dublindaytrip.comUpdated October 18, 20266-minute read26 sources
In short
- 01Top pick
- Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway: 13 hours, rated 4.81 by 26,606 guests.
- 02The north coast
- Giant's Causeway and Belfast: 12 hours, from $99.
- 03Best value
- Glendalough, Wicklow and Kilkenny: 9 hours, from $52.
- 04Ancient Ireland
- Newgrange and the Boyne Valley: 8 hours with tomb entry.
- 05Short on time
- Howth by coach in 4 hours, or by DART in under 30 minutes.1
How we ranked the trips
Every coach trip on this page leaves Dublin and brings you back the same day, with a guide on board and no hotel change. We ranked them by what we think matters most on a single day out of the capital: a landscape you cannot see anywhere else, a fair share of time on the ground rather than on the motorway, and a long record of happy guests. Price came last, because the spread between the cheapest and the dearest coach trip is small next to the cost of choosing the wrong day.
Ratings and review counts come from the listings themselves, so they reflect a great many real bookings rather than one writer's taste. Where a trip is long, we say so plainly. A day that spends most of its hours on the road can still be worth it, but only if the place at the end is the one you came to Ireland for. We also read the guide and transport scores, because on a long coach day the person at the front of the bus shapes your memory of it as much as the view does.
One honest caveat before the list. Irish weather changes by the hour, and no ranking can promise you a clear view at a cliff edge. Treat this as a guide to which trip fits you, and keep an eye on the forecast the night before.
Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway
The west coast trip shows the Ireland of the postcards, and the numbers back it up. The tour this site recommends runs 13 hours and holds a 4.81 rating from 26,606 reviews. You get two hours at the cliffs with entry to the visitor experience, a drive through the limestone of the Burren and about two hours in Galway before the coach heads home.
The cliffs themselves stretch for 14 km and rise to over 200 m at O'Brien's Tower.2 On a clear day the view runs out to the Aran Islands and Galway Bay, and the Burren adds a stretch of bare grey rock that looks like nowhere else in the country. Galway, with its bunting, buskers and pubs, is a lively end to the day.
The price of all that is time on the coach. Expect an early start, long stretches between stops and a return to Temple Bar in the evening. If you only have one day for the west, this is still the trip to take. Pack food, a warm layer and something to read for the motorway, and you will arrive at the cliffs ready to walk rather than tired.
Popularity
Guest reviews per trip
reviews
Side by side
Eight day trips from Dublin compared
| Trip | Length | Rating | Reviews | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Galway | 13 hrs | 4.81 | 26,606 | from $90 |
| Giant's Causeway, Belfast | 12 hrs | 4.81 | 9,626 | from $99 |
| Glendalough, Kilkenny | 9 hrs | 4.78 | 9,164 | from $52 |
| Newgrange, Boyne Valley | 8 hrs | 4.78 | 1,024 | from $98 |
| Cashel, Blarney, Cahir | 12 hrs | 4.71 | 1,311 | from $98 |
| Howth coast | 4 hrs | 4.52 | 2,721 | from $49 |
| Connemara, Kylemore, Galway | 13 hrs | 4.15 | 319 | from $87 |
| Kerry and Dingle Bay | 14 hrs | 4.15 | 242 | from $103 |
From-prices, lengths and ratings copied from the GetYourGuide listings of the eight trips; the live price may differ.
Decision helper
Which day out suits you?
Pick what matters most for your day
Hop on St Kevin’s bus from Dublin city centre and you’re there in an hour.
Giant's Causeway and Belfast
The northern trip crosses the border into Northern Ireland and pairs a natural wonder with a city. The most reviewed version runs 12 hours, starts from $99 and holds a 4.81 rating from 9,626 guests. It gives you at least two hours at the Causeway, a short photo stop at Dunluce Castle, a walk along the Dark Hedges and around an hour and a half in Belfast near City Hall.
The Causeway is the draw: over 40,000 basalt columns, formed some 60 million years ago, stepping down into the sea.3 The Dark Hedges, a road lined with old beech trees, is the other photograph everyone wants.6 The tour we rank here finishes with free time in Belfast, a city that rewards even a short walk around its grand civic center.
Check your papers before you book. Since 2025 you need an ETA to enter Northern Ireland, even when you arrive from the Republic.7 British and Irish citizens are exempt.8 Apply early: the advice is to allow three working days for a decision.9
Map
Where the day trips from Dublin go
The big tours cross the whole island; the coast towns and the stations sit within the city's reach.
1Dublin city centre2Cliffs of Moher3Galway4Giant's Causeway5Belfast City Hall6Glendalough7Kilkenny Castle8Newgrange9Rock of Cashel10Blarney Castle11Killarney
12Connolly Station13Heuston Station14Trinity College15Guinness Storehouse16Howth17Malahide Castle18Dún Laoghaire19Dublin Port
- 1Dublin city centre
Day trips leave from the city centre, and the Cliffs of Moher tour drops you back at 12 Aston Quay in Temple Bar.
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Cliffs of Moher
The cliffs stretch for 14 km and rise to over 200 m at O'Brien's Tower.2
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Galway
Trains from Dublin take about 2.5 hours and stop at Galway Ceannt, just off Eyre Square.1011
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Giant's Causeway
Over 40,000 basalt columns, formed some 60 million years ago.3
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Belfast City Hall
Causeway day tours stop near City Hall for around 1.5 hours.
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Glendalough
A monastery founded in the sixth century; St Kevin's bus gets there from the city in an hour.125
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Kilkenny Castle
A twelfth-century castle, later the principal seat of the Butlers.13
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Newgrange
A passage tomb built around 3200 BC, entered on a guided tour only.414
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Rock of Cashel
Brian Boru was crowned High King here in 978.15
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Blarney Castle
In Blarney village, 8 km northwest of Cork city.16
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Killarney
The gateway to Killarney National Park and the 179 km Ring of Kerry.17
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Connolly Station
Enterprise trains to Belfast leave from here, and the DART reaches Howth in under 30 minutes.181
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Heuston Station
The rail day tours to the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry check in here at 6:40 in the morning.
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Trinity College
Home of the Book of Kells, a 1,200-year-old manuscript.19
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Guinness Storehouse
Visit Dublin suggests planning 2 to 3 hours here.20
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Howth
The cliff path loop from the DART station is 7.8 km and takes about 2 hours.21
In Google Maps ↗ - 17Malahide Castle
Home to the Talbot family for over 800 years.22
In Google Maps ↗ - 18Dún Laoghaire
Cruise passengers can pick up a rail ticket into the city at the DoDublin kiosk by the harbour.
In Google Maps ↗ - 19Dublin Port
Ferries from Holyhead dock here; buses reach the centre in about 20 minutes.23
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Before any long day trip
01
Pack
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A rain jacket, whatever the forecast
- A packed lunch for the coach
- A charged phone and power bank
02
Check
- The meeting point and the time it opens
- An ETA if your trip enters Northern Ireland7
- The free cancellation deadline, 24 hours ahead
Cost calculator
What the top trips cost for your group
Choose a trip and enter how many of you travel.
People
Total from$180
per head from $90
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals multiply the starting price GetYourGuide lists by your party size, shown in your chosen currency at the ECB rate; checkout confirms the final sum.
Video
Ten day trips from Dublin, with and without a car
The YouTube player stays switched off until you press play, then streams through youtube-nocookie.
Glendalough, the Wicklow Mountains and Kilkenny
If you want green mountains and history without the longest drive, head south. The Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough and Kilkenny trip runs 9 hours and starts from $52, the lowest price of the full-day trips on this page, and it holds a 4.78 rating from 9,164 reviews.
Glendalough is a monastic valley founded in the sixth century, with a round tower, stone churches and lakes in a glacial glen.1224 Kilkenny brings a medieval city and a twelfth-century castle that became the principal seat of the Butler family.13 The drive between them crosses the Wicklow Gap, a high pass where the coach stops for photos.
This is also among the easy day trips from Dublin, because the coach time is shorter and the walking is gentle unless you choose the trail to the upper lake. It suits families and anyone who would rather stroll than sit. Pick it when you want variety in a single day: a holy valley, a mountain road and a lively town with good places for lunch.
Newgrange and the Boyne Valley
Newgrange takes you further back in time than any other trip here. The passage tombs of Brú na Bóinne were built around 3200 BC.4 Entry is by guided tour only, and visitors reach the tombs by shuttle bus from the visitor centre, so a tour with tickets included takes away the hardest part of planning.1425
The listing we recommend runs 8 hours, includes entry to Newgrange and Brú na Bóinne, and adds the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre and the high crosses at Monasterboice. It holds 4.78 from 1,024 reviews.
It is a quieter, more thoughtful day than the cliffs or the Causeway, and the shorter hours leave you an evening in Dublin. If you care more about stories in stone than about scenery, put it near the top of your list.
Cashel, Blarney and Cahir in the south
The castle trip heads south through Tipperary into County Cork. Its most reviewed version visits the Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle and Cahir Castle in 12 hours, with all three entry fees included, and holds 4.71 from 1,311 reviews.
The Rock of Cashel is where Brian Boru was crowned High King in 978.15 Blarney gives you the famous stone and large gardens, and Cahir is a river castle built in the thirteenth century.26 Note that this trip does not enter Cork city itself, so look at our Cork page if the city matters to you.
It suits travelers who love castles and do not mind long drives through farmland. It is less dramatic than the coast trips but packed with stories, and the guided tours at Cashel and Cahir explain them well. Wear shoes that cope with old stone stairs and uneven courtyards, since every stop on this route involves some climbing.
Howth, Kerry and the rest
Two trips sit at opposite ends of the scale. Howth is a fishing village on a headland north of the city, and a guided coach trip there takes 4 hours from $49. You can also ride the DART there in under 30 minutes and walk the cliff path on your own.1 It is the natural choice when you have only a morning.
Kerry is the opposite. A coach day to Killarney, the Ring of Kerry area and Dingle Bay runs 14 hours and holds 4.15 from 242 reviews. The scenery is superb, but you spend most of the day on the road, and a rail tour or an overnight stay often serves Kerry better.
Galway and Connemara, Cork city by train and private drivers all have their own pages on this site. Use the table and the decision helper on this page to narrow the list, then read the page for the trip you choose. Whichever you choose, book the date early in summer, keep the free cancellation window in mind and check the meeting point the evening before.
Plan your west
Cliffs, stone and Galway, all in one day.
Reserve a seat today, pay later, and cancel for free until the day before.
You ask,we answer.
Which trip should a first-time visitor take?
The west coast trip. The Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway tour has 26,606 reviews and a 4.81 rating, the most reviews of any trip compared here.
Which day trip is the cheapest?
Glendalough and Kilkenny. Among the full-day trips here it starts lowest, from $52. A shorter Howth trip starts from $49.
Do I need a passport for the Giant's Causeway?
An ETA as well, unless exempt. You need an ETA for Northern Ireland, even when you come from the Republic; British and Irish citizens do not.78
Which trip has the least time on the road?
Howth. The coach trip lasts 4 hours in total, and the DART reaches Howth in under 30 minutes.1
Can I cancel if the weather looks bad?
Yes, up to a day ahead. Each trip in this ranking gives your money back when you withdraw a full day, 24 hours, before it leaves.
Is the Ring of Kerry possible in a day?
Yes, but it is long. The coach day runs 14 hours, so many travelers prefer a rail tour or a night in Killarney.
Which trip is best for history?
Newgrange. Its passage tombs were built around 3200 BC, and the tour includes entry.4
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland)Howth Walking Tours↩
- 2Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland)Cliffs of Moher Experience↩
- 3National TrustGiant's Causeway↩
- 4Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre: Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth↩
- 5Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)5 great day trips from Dublin↩
- 6Causeway Coast and Glens Borough CouncilGracehill House↩
- 7Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)↩
- 8Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)↩
- 9Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)↩
- 10Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)Ireland by train↩
- 11Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)Embrace the Galway rhythm↩
- 12Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Glendalough Monastic Site and Visitor Centre↩
- 13Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Kilkenny Castle↩
- 14Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre: Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth↩
- 15Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)The Rock of Cashel↩
- 16Blarney Castle and GardensBlarney Castle↩
- 17Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland)How to explore Killarney and the Ring of Kerry without a car↩
- 18Tourism Ireland (Ireland.com)Ireland by train↩
- 19Trinity College DublinBook of Kells Experience↩
- 20Fáilte Ireland (Visit Dublin)Guinness Storehouse↩
- 21Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland)Howth - Cliff Path Loop↩
- 22Malahide Castle and GardensMalahide Castle and Gardens↩
- 23Fáilte Ireland (Visit Dublin)The first-time visitors guide to Dublin↩
- 24Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Glendalough Monastic Site and Visitor Centre↩
- 25Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre: Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth↩
- 26Office of Public Works (Heritage Ireland)Cahir Castle↩
