As Dorothy once said, “there’s no place like….Bray!” Born and bred in Bray, I recognise all its subtle beauty and relaxing lifestyle. From quirky and fun restaurants, to the big summer carnival, it’s walks and nature spots, there’s a lot to love about this little community. It’s 10 minutes to the beach and 10 minutes to the mountains – the best of both worlds! Here are some of my favourite places for family fun and outings:

Bray Beach

It’s hard to not mention Bray’s beach as it’s my all-time favourite place. The crashing waves and salty air is a perfect moment of calm from the bustling Dublin city. There’s also a lovely grass promenade above the beach, which is perfect for a walk – I bring the family dog here at least 2 times a week. In the summer, there’s no other place like it!

Platform Pizza

The rustic interior, plush leather seats, stone walls and even a car on the roof; Platform Pizza is the perfect Saturday lunch and dinner spot for the entire family. But the real hero here is the food – mouth-watering, pizzas, savoury sandwiches, burgers and fresh salads are simply divine. It’s great family fun and comes at good value. Just have a look at their Instagram to see the masterpieces they can cook up!

Harbour Bar

A great spot for a night out and live music, the Harbour Bar is also the home of the famous Toastie Festival. With live music nearly every night and open mic on Wednesday, this is a lively place to be. The Toastie Festival is one you really have to sink your teeth into! About a 2 minute walk the from the Dart station, on the Strand road, the Harbour Bar is the perfect family friendly (and pet friendly) bar.

Bray Wanderers

If fresh air and a bit of football is your weekend getaway, go on over to the Bray Wanderers Club for a match. Offering senior, U19, U17 and U15 divisions, it’s the perfect fit for teens and adults looking for some fun or just to watch. Their club is located at Carlisle Grounds on Quinsborough Road, just opposite the Dart station.

Bray Head

When walking along the beach, it’s hard not to notice the Bray Head peaking out in the distance. About 40 minute walk to the top, it has spectacular views of the seafront and Bray. The climb is not difficult overall, but there are some challenging parts to it. To get to the mountain, follow the promenade up the hill and you will see some steps and then a path leading all the way up to the cross on the top!

We are really lucky in Bray that it’s so easily accessible. Either by car (from the N11) or from public transport (Dart, Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann and the Glendalough bus), Bray is just a short trip away from Dublin with a fun day packed with all the best hidden gems.