Dublin

Guinness Family Park & Dublin Bay Beach Tour

Darragh

02 Jul 2025 — 6 min read

St Anne's Park Dublin

Everyone goes to the Guinness Storehouse but only a few come to the old Guinness family estate that today is Dublin's best park. Their loss!

If you're ready for something totally different than the busy city centre, this is it! This tour brings you through the fabulous park and onto a beach that is a nature reserve with panoramic views over all of Dublin Bay.

It doesn't get any more local and off the beaten track than this. Families in particular love this tour and it's just a 15 minutes train from Dublin City.

You'll see a part of Dublin where you rarely see tourists. Yet.

What You'll Experience:

Walk through a local Dublin village where real Dubliners live
Explore the park that the Guinness family created 200 years ago
Eat at Saturday's farmers market with organic farms and local food
See 25,000 roses bloom in summer at the Rose Garden
Find the hidden Naniken River that feels like rural Ireland
Walk the Bull Wall with panoramic views across Dublin Bay
Discover how Dublin accidentally created an island in the 1800s

Raheny Village

We start in Raheny Village, authentic Dublin where tourists never go. This is real Dublin life, not the tourist version. These are the places I hunt for when I travel: where locals actually live, what their houses look like, village life unfolding from a coffee shop window.

Guinness Family Estate

The grandson of Guinness's founder bought land here in 1835, renamed it St Anne's after its holy well, and over generations the family created what became Dublin's most beautiful park before giving it to the city.

St Anne's Park

Today the park is Dublin's second biggest at 250 acres. I live nearby, walk it every day and I am still finding new things in the park!

The Dark Hedges of Dublin

All the tourists race to Northern Ireland to see the Dark Hedges from Game of Thrones. But here in St Anne's Park, we have our own version, although it's more squirrel chasing dogs you have to look our for instead of dragons.

Park Run

On a Saturday mornings, there is a Community Park Run. I love the concept behind it. It's a 5km run, but it's not about winning, it's about bringing the community together. You can do it too! It's free. Run or walk it.

St Anne's Farmers Market

Also on a Saturday morning (see why I suggest coming on a Saturday) is the Farmers Market. Come hungry, order your food and sit down on the grass with Dubliners.

The Red Stables

On other days, eat at the lovely cafe in an old stable. The food here is really fresh and tasty. Bathrooms here too.

The Rose Garden

During the summer, this is the nicest part of all of north Dublin when the 25,000 roses bloom. Take your coffee to go, silence your phone, and sit awhile here on a bench here.

City Farm & Ecology Centre

A community farm in the park run by volunteers that is open at the weekends.

Fairy Tree

Kids leave their fairy doors on this old tree. You can see the names on the doors.

Walled Garden & Clock Tower

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St Anne's Park Dublin Clock Tower

The route brings you through the walled garden and under the bell tower that was built in 1850 and used to summon the workers on the Guinness estate. It's a beautifully maintained garden with water features and bright colors.

The Hidden River

This next part is my favourite in the whole park, but it's hard to find. I call it the hidden river. As you walk along it, you could be in rural Ireland, not in our capital city. You just hear the birds and the calming trickle of water.

Gaelic Games

At the weekends, you'll see the two Gaelic sports of Hurling and Football being played. These sports are only played in Ireland. I'll explain all the rules and tell you how important these games are in Ireland.

Dublin Bay

Leaving the park, you immediately see all of Dublin Bay right in front of you. To the left is Howth and its cliffs. Straight ahead is the busy shipping channel of the Irish Sea. To the right is Dublin City and behind it, the Wicklow Mountains. There's nowhere else in Dublin where you have such a panoramic view of the entire city.

Bull Island

Bull Island was naturally created 200 years ago when a wall was built for the port. Then a 6km beach built up behind it and now Bull Island has collected more titles than the Dublin Gaelic football team: National Bird Sanctuary, National Nature Reserve, Special Protection Area, Special Area of Conservation, and UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve.

UNESCO Biosphere

Dublin is the only capital city in the world that is in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This means "it is an area that demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature". And you understand why as you walk towards Bull Island.

Wooden Bridge

To get to Bull Island you walk across the 100 year old wooden bridge. You'll be joining lots of Dubliner as they get their steps in and enjoy the views too. Remember, this is authentic Dublin. You very rarely see tourists here so you are getting a very local look at Dublin.

Dollymount Beach

Further along the Bull Wall, you'll find male and female bathing shelters where for some reason people like to go swimming in our freezing water.

I prefer to just walk and take in the fantastic view over all of Dublin. There's often kitesurfers to watch on the beach. Or have a coffee from Happy Out, a coffee shop in a shipping container.