Is Howth worth a day trip from Dublin?

Absolutely. Howth is 30 minutes by DART from Connolly Station, costs €3.60 each way with a Leap card, and packs a working fishing harbour, cliff walk, seafood restaurants and views across Dublin Bay into a half- or full-day outing. It's the single best easy escape from the city.

How do I get from Dublin to Howth?

Take the DART from Connolly, Pearse, Tara Street or any south-city DART station. The journey to Howth is about 30 minutes and costs €3.60 each way with a Leap card (€5.00 cash). Trains run every 15–20 minutes during the day. The DART drops you right at the harbour. There is no need to change.

How long should I spend in Howth?

Two to three hours covers the harbour, a meal and a stroll along the pier. A full day (5–6 hours) lets you do the cliff walk, visit Ireland's Eye and have a leisurely seafood lunch. Most visitors from Dublin treat it as a half-day and combine it with Malahide.

Is the Howth cliff walk difficult?

The main loop is about 7.5 km and takes 2–2.5 hours at a relaxed pace. Some sections are steep and rocky; sturdy shoes are recommended. The full loop includes the Baily Lighthouse viewpoint. There are shorter easier stretches if you just want a taste of the coastal scenery without a full hike.

What is the best time of year to visit Howth?

May, June and September are ideal — long daylight, lower crowds than peak July–August. Howth is beautiful in winter too; the Christmas fish market and fewer tourists make November and December surprisingly pleasant. Avoid bank holiday weekends in summer if crowds bother you.

Where should I eat in Howth?

The harbour restaurants serve fresh crab, prawns and fish. Beshoff Bros on the West Pier is the reliable fish-and-chip choice. For a sit-down seafood experience, try Aqua Restaurant on the pier or the Harbour Master bar for crab claws and a pint. The prawn shacks along the pier are informal and excellent.

Can I visit Ireland's Eye from Howth?

Yes. Ferries to Ireland's Eye depart from Howth Harbour daily in season (April–October). The crossing takes around 15 minutes and the island is uninhabited, with a ruined church, a Martello tower and nesting seabirds. Book the ferry in advance in summer.

Is Howth suitable for families with children?

Very much so. The harbour walkway is pushchair-friendly, children love watching the fishing boats unload, and the sea creatures at the fish stalls are always a hit. The cliff walk is not suitable for buggies but the lower harbour loop is easy. The DART journey itself is usually a highlight for small kids.

Howth day trip from Dublin: the complete guide (2026)

Thirty minutes from Dublin, a world apart

Dublin has no shortage of interesting corners but Howth offers something the city cannot: the smell of salt air, a working fishing fleet and horizon views that stretch from the Wicklow Mountains to the Mourne Mountains on a clear day. It sits at the tip of the Howth Peninsula, 13 km northeast of the city centre, and it is reachable on the DART in about 30 minutes. For a morning or afternoon escape — or a full day if you add the cliff walk and Ireland’s Eye — it is the best-value trip in the Dublin area.

This guide covers everything you need: how to get there, what to do, where to eat, and whether a guided tour adds enough value to justify the cost. For a broader coastal overview, see the DART coastal day out guide.

Getting there by DART — the practical details

The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is the fastest and cheapest way to reach Howth. Board at Connolly, Tara Street, Pearse or any station on the coastal line south of the city; Howth is the northern terminus. Services run roughly every 15–20 minutes during peak hours, every 30 minutes in the early morning and evening. Journey time from Connolly is about 30 minutes.

Fares: €3.60 each way with a Leap card, €5.00 paying cash at the machine. If you plan to use the DART for other trips (Dún Laoghaire, Bray, Greystones) the Leap Visitor Card for 1 or 3 days is better value still — see the full breakdown in our DART and Luas guide.

The DART station in Howth is at the bottom of the harbour; you step off and you are already on the waterfront. There is no walk, no bus connection, no transfer. It is genuinely one of the easiest day trips Ireland has to offer.

Driving is possible but parking is limited around the harbour on summer weekends — the DART removes that problem entirely.

What to do in Howth

The harbour and fish stalls

Start at the harbour, which is both a working fishing port and a leisure marina. The fish market on the East Pier sells crabs, lobsters, prawns and fresh fish landed that morning. Many visitors buy a bag of prawns from a stall and eat them on the pier wall — one of the simplest pleasures in coastal Dublin.

Walk the East Pier as far as the lighthouse (a flat 15-minute stroll) for the best open-water views. The pier extends about 1.2 km into Dublin Bay and is one of the best vantage points in the area.

The cliff walk

The Howth cliff walk is a loop trail that follows the northern headland of the peninsula, with dramatic drops to the sea and views east towards Wales on the clearest days. The full loop (the Summit, Baily Lighthouse, the Red Rock and back to the harbour) is about 7.5 km and takes two to two-and-a-half hours.

Sections are steep and the path is uneven; wear proper shoes or light hiking boots. The views from the Baily Lighthouse section — especially in the afternoon when the sun is over the sea — are exceptional. A shorter version running from the harbour to Balscadden Bay and back is perfectly adequate if you want coastal scenery without a proper hike.

If you would rather walk with a guide, Howth Adventures runs guided coastal hikes with a local guide who knows the trails well and covers the natural and local history en route.

Ireland’s Eye

The small uninhabited island visible from the harbour is Ireland’s Eye, a nature reserve with a ruined 8th-century church, a Victorian Martello tower and, in season, a large colony of gannets and other seabirds. The ferry from Howth to Ireland’s Eye runs daily in season (roughly April–October), takes about 15 minutes each way, and gives you time to explore on foot before the return boat. It is one of the more unusual things to do on a Dublin day out — a short stretch of open water and you are standing on an island with almost no visitors. Book in advance on summer weekends. Full detail in the Ireland’s Eye guide.

Howth Castle and the rhododendron gardens

Howth Castle is a private residential property not open to the public, but the estate grounds contain extensive rhododendron gardens that are spectacular in late April and May, when the hillsides above the harbour turn deep pink and purple. Access to the gardens has been subject to changes in recent years — check the current situation before going. Even outside rhododendron season, the hilltop above the castle has excellent views.

Howth village and shopping

The village itself is small but pleasant — a few craft shops, independent restaurants and the Abbey Tavern (a historic pub with traditional music nights). It is not a shopping destination but there is enough to fill an hour’s wandering between the harbour walk and lunch.

Where to eat

Howth’s real draw for many visitors is the food. The concentration of good seafood at reasonable prices is among the best on the Dublin coast.

Beshoff Bros: the fish-and-chip shop on the West Pier is consistently rated among the best in Ireland. Expect a queue on summer weekends, but it moves fast. The fish is always fresh — sourced from the boats visible in the harbour. Order cod or haddock in batter and eat it on the wall.

The prawn shacks: informal stalls along the pier sell cooked prawns, crab claws and cockles. No tables, no fuss — ideal with a takeaway cup of tea.

Aqua Restaurant: sit-down restaurant on the pier with a full seafood menu. Better suited to a long lunch than a quick stop; book ahead on weekends.

SOLE Seafood & Grill: newer option up from the harbour, popular with locals.

The Harbour Master: pub with a good menu of seafood plates and a terrace overlooking the marina. Useful if the weather is good enough to sit outside.

Avoid arriving at midday on a summer Saturday without a reservation for the sit-down places.

Organised tours: worth it or not?

Most visitors do Howth independently via DART — it is simple, cheap and flexible. Where organised tours add value is if you want:

A guided bus tour from the city centre that picks you up, covers the highlights with commentary and drops you back — the half-day coastal bus tour to Howth is the most popular option and works well if you prefer not to navigate public transport.
A combined day to Howth and Malahide Castle in one itinerary — the full-day Howth and Malahide tour covers both efficiently.
A hiking guide for the cliff walk, covered above.

If you are an independent traveller comfortable with the DART, skip the tour and save the money for better seafood.

Combining Howth with other trips

Howth pairs naturally with several other coastal destinations along the DART line. Dún Laoghaire is 40 minutes south, Dalkey about the same — details in the Dalkey village guide and the Dún Laoghaire section of our coastal hub. Malahide Castle is a 20-minute bus ride inland from Howth station — see the Malahide Castle guide.

For a longer coastal loop, the Dublin Bay boat tours guide covers cruises that link the harbour points along the bay, which is a pleasant alternative to the train on a calm day.

Planning your visit

Getting there: DART from Connolly/Tara Street/Pearse, approximately every 15–20 minutes, 30 minutes journey, €3.60 Leap card.

Best time: May, September, and weekday mornings in summer. Avoid bank holiday Sundays.

Time needed: Half-day (3 hours) for harbour + meal; full day (6 hours) for cliff walk + Ireland’s Eye + meal.

Weather: Bring a layer and a waterproof regardless of the forecast. The headland is exposed to the Irish Sea and conditions change quickly.

Accessible options: The harbour walkway and the East Pier are accessible. The cliff walk is not accessible and involves uneven rocky terrain throughout.

Howth slots naturally into a Dublin coastal 3-day itinerary or as a half-day addition to a 2-day Dublin trip. It is reliable enough that we recommend it to almost every visitor. The only caveat is that a miserable rainy day does reduce its appeal significantly — check the Dublin weather and what to pack guide before you go.

Frequently asked questions about Howth day trip guide

How do I get from Dublin to Howth?
Take the DART from Connolly, Pearse, Tara Street or any south-city DART station. The journey to Howth is about 30 minutes and costs €3.60 each way with a Leap card (€5.00 cash). Trains run every 15–20 minutes during the day. The DART drops you right at the harbour. There is no need to change.
How long should I spend in Howth?
Two to three hours covers the harbour, a meal and a stroll along the pier. A full day (5–6 hours) lets you do the cliff walk, visit Ireland's Eye and have a leisurely seafood lunch. Most visitors from Dublin treat it as a half-day and combine it with Malahide.
Is the Howth cliff walk difficult?
The main loop is about 7.5 km and takes 2–2.5 hours at a relaxed pace. Some sections are steep and rocky; sturdy shoes are recommended. The full loop includes the Baily Lighthouse viewpoint. There are shorter easier stretches if you just want a taste of the coastal scenery without a full hike.
What is the best time of year to visit Howth?
May, June and September are ideal — long daylight, lower crowds than peak July–August. Howth is beautiful in winter too; the Christmas fish market and fewer tourists make November and December surprisingly pleasant. Avoid bank holiday weekends in summer if crowds bother you.
Where should I eat in Howth?
The harbour restaurants serve fresh crab, prawns and fish. Beshoff Bros on the West Pier is the reliable fish-and-chip choice. For a sit-down seafood experience, try Aqua Restaurant on the pier or the Harbour Master bar for crab claws and a pint. The prawn shacks along the pier are informal and excellent.
Can I visit Ireland's Eye from Howth?
Yes. Ferries to Ireland's Eye depart from Howth Harbour daily in season (April–October). The crossing takes around 15 minutes and the island is uninhabited, with a ruined church, a Martello tower and nesting seabirds. Book the ferry in advance in summer.
Is Howth suitable for families with children?
Very much so. The harbour walkway is pushchair-friendly, children love watching the fishing boats unload, and the sea creatures at the fish stalls are always a hit. The cliff walk is not suitable for buggies but the lower harbour loop is easy. The DART journey itself is usually a highlight for small kids.