Dublin Hen Do

There are direct flights from London to Dublin, which normally take around 75-90 minutes and the flights are generally cheap if you catch Ryanair at the right time, albeit the prices tend to spike around bank holidays, big rugby weekends, St Patrick's Day and during the summer break when kids are out of school. Other British regional airports also offer routes to Dublin airport, which is North of the city centre.

Getting from the airport into the city couldn’t be easier, the Dublin Express is a coach service that leaves from Zone 1 at terminal 1 and Zone 21 from terminal 2. This regular service is relatively cost effective, compared to a taxi service. It's worth working out where your accommodation is in advance and the closes stop, so you know whether you need to get off at George's Quay, Aston Quay, Wellington Quay, Heuston or Harcourt Luas area.

Another option is to take the TFI bus service from the airport, which is the ideal lost cost option for those on a tight budget. You can use the Leap card or a contactless bank card for payment, however you may want to use Luas or DART throughout the rest of the hen weekend. The Leap visitor card offers unlimited travel within a permitted area, usable for Dublin buses, Go-Ahead Ireland city services, DART, Luas and some commuter rail routes. The schemes are basically for 1 day, 3 days or 7 days. If you'd like to pick one up for your hen weekend in Dublin then you can get them in the airport shops such as WHSmith or SPAR.

Once you arrive at your destination, you’ll find the light-rail tram service is invaluable for getting around. Operated by Luas, there are two lines, red and green running from the city centre to outlying areas. Think of the Green Line as the one for the central nightlife, including the likes of Harcourt and St Stephen's Green, while the Red Line serves areas like Smithfield, Heuston and around the Guinness Storehouse.

Overall, Dublin is a very walkable city, although comfy shoes are a must if you’re walking around all day. Some of the key attractions tend to be split to other sides of the city, e.g. the Guinness Storehouse being over on the west and Croke Park up in the North, as well as coastal spots needing a train or bus. But if you're staying central and plan on mainly visiting central bars and restaurants then you should be ok with mainly walking.

Once you arrive in Dublin there are electric bikes available for hire, which are a fun and environmentally friendly way to tour the city. Going at speeds of up to 25 km you can cruise with ease and see the sights. If you fancy cycling around, there are several bike hiring options, with DublinBikes having a number of docking stations around the city, but make sure to register before you arrive to save time (share that in the WhatsApp group if you're thinking of all hiring bikes).

We can also arrange private pre-booked transfers for your group, meaning you might be able to all stay together as one big group, plus you don't have to worry about splitting the cost on the day and finding a solution when you arrive.

Temple Bar

This district on the South bank of the River Liffey is easily one of the most famous areas of Dublin, if not THE most famous area. You'll find a number of bars and nightclubs, while the cobbled streets make for a great photo of the hen group. Expect all the bars to be busy on weekends, while drink prices are higher than elsewhere in Dublin. You should definitely visit, especially if it's people's first time in Dublin, but don't forget there are many other amazing areas to explore, so don't feel obligated to spend the whole night here.

You're also not far from key sights like Dublin castle, Trinity College and Dame Street. There are also some decent restaurants in the area, many of which are chains, but you also have some independents which are good to support.

Camden Street & Wexford Street

So Temple Bar is the tourist trap, where you will find groups travelling from all over the world, but I'm sure you'd also like to find some venues where the locals love to visit, well that's where Wexford Street and Camden Street come in. You'll find plenty of live music venues, as well as bars that stay open late, not to mention a fair few decent cocktail bars that can make up a tasty treat. On top of this, it's a nice area to stop off for dinner, with restaurants at both ends of the budget available.

Harcourt Street

Just South of St Stephen's Green you'll find Harcourt Street, which is where you'll find a couple of nightclubs in a row, hence why many people head here once they've finished with the bars and they want their last venue for the night. You also have some hotels nearby, ideal if you want a short walk back, but it does mean it can be quite loud outside. You will find the Harcourt Luas stop nearby, meaning you can easily travel back depending on where you're staying. 

South William Street & Creative Quarter

Here you will find a number of independent shops which can be fun to peruse during the daytime if you all have time on your itinerary. On top of this, you'll find some nice cocktail bars and restaurants, making it a good place to head in the early evening. During the daytime, you'll also find venues offering bottomless brunch, which you can book with us.

Smithfield

This is a much more quiet area and a bit further away from the centre, but it's where you'll find the Jameson Bow Street, as well as Stoneybatter and Phoenix Park. This is somewhere hen groups often like to visit but not many groups stay here. You will find this area on the Red Luas line.