St Stephens Green playground is a well maintained large playground with equipment for both smaller…read morekids and a separate playground equipment setup for the older kids. I think this is probably the 2nd best playground in central Dublin behind Herbert park. The ground is padded with the newly standard rubber playground material to keep the playground safe. There are multiple swing areas, again one for the younger kids and a separate set for older kids at the other side of the park. There are multiple sides and plenty of rope areas to climb up. This playground does get quite crowded and unfortunately at times, way too crowded. I think the reason may be the lack of other well maintained play areas around the city. Herbert park is great, but a little bit far from my location in central Dublin. Merrion Square has a playground and I generally will spend most of my time here, however it is definitely not as well maintained and could use a decent refurbishment. It may reduce some of the crowding here to have a few more well maintained play areas around central Dublin.

Great playground in a lovely park. It is totally enclosed, the parents are all attentive to their…read morechildren, and there are structures appropriate from age 1 to age 10. It is great to find a park that is safe yet challenging for kids in different age sets.

I don't understand how people can give parks less than 5 stars - I mean c'mon - it's a space a city…read morehas turned into a chill spot for everyone and anyone. I walked here all the way from the hotel I was staying at - Hotel Clayton. The walk was quite nice, the park is located near some quaint neighborhoods. There are several entrances to the park so it isn't hard to miss. The park goes across streets so you have to cross certain parts of the park in order to fully see the WHOLE PARK. They have a bunch of flower beds that are really pretty as you walk thru the park. There is a little pond area where swans populate - I saw a couple people feeding them but I now know that isn't the best thing. So just FYI; it doesn't help them if you feed them. Even during a weekday - the park had a lot more people than I thought it would. And it was a gloomy day too - but let's face it - it's Ireland, it's gloomy sometime during the day everyday. lol. All in all - a great park!

Summer nights require playing ball in the park…read more Sunday there was some local kids playing a match on one of the pitches, it made me all nostalgic. Still a fan of the all weather courts chiefly because the space is surrounded by fencing so I don't have to run after any stray shots... I'm not the Maradona I once was... Ah age is a cruel thing as is copious amounts of beer over the years.

What a lovely spot. Walking past on a clear winter's morning, it's a strange sight to see: a…read morechildren's playground surrounding the remains of a deconsecrated church. The tower is all that is left but there's a plaque outlining its history. The playground is divided into three areas for children of different ages and seems very well maintained. What a great use of historical land in an inner city neighbourhood.

Our tour group had the fish and turkey, and both were excellent and very fresh! We had the Greek…read moresalad as an appetizer and it was amazing, very fresh, crunchy and tasty! For dessert, we had the sweet honeycomb and apple crumble, and the apple crumble was a bit too sweet, without enough apple flavor, but the sweet honeycomb was fantastic, light and delicious and presented very beautifully! The server was very nice, warm, and efficient!

A new place for me , never knew it was even here . Gorgeous park lots of interesting things for the…read moreeye to see . Its good to take time out from the busy city and enjoy some peace & tranquility

If you're visiting Dublin and looking for a free, relaxed tourist spot to visit I'd highly…read morerecommend coming to Phoenix Park, one of the largest public parks in Ireland. We taxied up from city center to Phoenix Park and it wasn't too far. There are local bars and such not too far from the park if you need a snack or brew before hitting the park. We were told that this park sometimes hosts concerts and some major events, even that Obama had visited and spoke during one of his trips. The park is lush, spacious and with lots of nature to see. My favorite thing about this park is the free roaming deer that you can see. They are extremely friendly and gentle. It's so unique to get an experience like this to walk with deer and to have them be so comfortable that you can approach them and that there were so many. A beautiful place to spend an hour or two in nature and not far from Dublin City, worth checking out.

I didn't explore too much of Phoenix Park, just the end near the Wellington Monument. But what I…read moredid see is super. The park is one of the largest enclosed recreational spaces in any European capital city. 1700 acres, it's home to the Dublin Zoo, the Flower Gardens and more. Lots of walking paths. Lots of monuments including the Wellington. Lots of meadows and woodlands and landscaped spots. The park is peaceful even with the buses running along its main avenue. There are a number of benches and lots of space for laying out a blanket for a picnic. Well worth the time to explore. [Review 1986 of 2024 - 167 in Republic of Ireland - 23008 overall]

It would be easy to be a bit cruel about the ark, it feels a bit basic and the staff are mostly the…read morearty type who are overly zealous proponents of "worthy" pursuits and they dress funny. The above is probably all true too... but that is not the point of the ark. For a start, I'm not the target audience; it doesn't cover the ethos of the place as a whole nor indeed does it even scratch the surface of the imagination, hard work, dedication and creativity of the staff. They seem to be able to tap into those parts of a child's brain that brings out the creative and possibly undoes some of the damage caused by too much spongebob. Brilliant place, I love it.

This is a wonderful place to inspire young children mostly interested in the arts…read more It boosts an indoor and also an outdoor theatre, gallery and workshop. The programmes are apparantly organised by children-and obviously for children. But trust me, you might doubt that once you've seen their work. A very educational centre definately worth visiting for the kids.

This is the second biggest park in Dublin…read more This is by far my favorite park in Dublin! It's super big, spacious, dog friendly, with dog parks, with a nice kids playground, football (soccer) areas, flower garden that's open every other Saturday, and they also have a cafe named Olive Room Cafe in the center that's open daily. Additionally, they also have a market and food trucks every Saturday (except new years). I often go here with family to relax and enjoy a nice beautiful walk throughout the park

It being our last day and night in Ireland we wanted to relax, spend the night in a castle, and…read moremaybe take a stroll. Lucky for us, St. Anne's Park was nearby and was the perfect place to unwind. Others have already talked about the long history of this park and how vast (266 acres) it is. So I will just say that it's beautiful and worth the visit. I especially liked the Rose garden and I don't feel all girly for saying it. I swear the actual rose garden area was more length and width then a football field. Each bundle of roses were as bright and colorful as if they just blossomed. I couldn't even come close to pronouncing half of their names but it was kind of cool to learn that they had some instead of you know Red, Yellow, so on. Oh and a red squirrel tried to take my hat, watch out for those little thieves!!

A really nice little park and playground for the kids to play as well as an big grassy area for a…read morepicnic for families. Parking can be difficult on a sunny day but accessible ok most day. Good paved pathways if your kids want to ride bikes...

Lovely grounds for a dog walk. Lots of open spaces and wooded areas for dogs to explore. Never had…read morean issue with my dog being off the lead here either which is great.

My two year old son has just discovered this place and he loves it - it is more important than…read morelife, it is more important than lollypops, it is more important than Peppa Pig... I don't mind it myself either though I reckon that it is aimed at slightly older kids. Never the less there is enough for the toddler to keep him going including a sprung see-saw (which will even hold me) a couple of small slides and a reasonable harmless climbing frame (still needs supervision though!). For me the big plus is the fact that the ground is covered with a mix of chippings and very soft tar/sponge/rubber stuff (to use the technical term. he couldn't hurt himself if he tried... well, he could, but he'd have to try really really hard.

Visited the play area for the first time with my Grandson last week. He loved it, and so did I!!…read more Nice soft spongy ground, plenty of woodchips, lots of play items and even stuff for the toddlers. Everything was in good repair and it was very clean and well kept. After visitng some other playgrounds in town last week, trust me, this place is gold! Even if you or your child are not wearing head to to Armani, give it a go! (Seriously, there was a (maybe 3 yr old) child there completely kitted out in Armani.. to each their own, but M&S or Penny's probably works better in the dirt! :p)

This beautiful park (known for remaining green throughout the year) is a great place to spend a day…read moreoutside without leaving central Dublin. It's been enjoyed by locals and visitors since 1880 when Arthur Edward Guinness re-opened it as a public park after it served as a private community for the wealthier residents of Dublin for more than century (Just like Merrion Square Park) The 22-acre park is a Dublin treasure and an oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle of downtown city life. When weather permits, you should do as the locals do and stretch out on the grass for some rest and relaxation, or grab a picnic lunch. Immaculate flowerbeds fringe the lawns. The green space is also home to several monuments dedicated to some of Ireland's most important figures, including James Joyce and Arthur Edward Guinness. The park is located in St. Stephen's Green Square; the main entrance is through the Fusiliers' Arch, at the top of Grafton Street

This Victorian park is over 29 acres and has lush greens and florals as far as the eye can see…read more There's a lake and a play are for kids. There's even a garden for visually impaired folks. Lots of sculptures and monuments for James Joyce and others. The lake has a waterfall. Fantastic area to picnic, hang out with friends, and people watch.