If you live in the capital here's your chance to give up yer auld cars and try escaping for a day with the kids by public transport, suggests Victoria White
THE BEST THING about travelling with kids by public transport is that you're not doing the driving. Not only can you pull the kids apart when they're threatening to pummel each other to death, you can look at their faces when they're happy. They like the fact that you're just a passenger like they are; and you may get to like it too, if you can master the art of living in the moment, as they do.
Here are some ideas for day trips by bus and train from the capital. Pack those empty schoolbags with water and goodies and go on a journey.
DUBLIN BUS
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Routes are the same in either direction.
Fares range from €1 to €1.90 for adults; 70 to 90 cent for children, one way; under threes go free. Unlimited one-day family tickets for two adults and up to four children cost €10. Unlimited one-day family tickets for bus, Dart and some suburban destinations cost €14.20.
Enniskerry
Route 44/44C Townsend Street , Ranelagh, Dundrum, Stepaside, Kiltiernan, EnniskerryIt takes an hour to get from the city centre to this sweet village centre and indeed, the sweet cakes to be found in Poppy's coffee shop. On a sugar high, you will think nothing of the mile to Powerscourt House and gardens, or further to the waterfall with its wonderful playground.
Admission to gardens: adults €8, under-16s €5, under-fives, free. Waterfall: adults €5, under-16s €3.50, under-fives free. www.powerscourt.ie
Botanic Gardens/Airfield House
Route 11A Kilmacud/Mather Road North , Clonskeagh, Ranelagh, O'Connell Street , Wadelai ParkSouthsiders can get out of their local area and pay a visit to the wonderful National Botanic Gardens, with their rolling lawns, sparkling river, Turner glass houses and great restaurant.
Admission free. www.botanicgardens.ie
Northsiders can head across the river on the 11A to Kilmacud and visit Airfield House, with its collection of native farm animals and its equally impressive restaurant.
Adults €6, children €3
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Phoenix Park
Route 10/A Stillorgan, Belfield, Baggot Street, City Centre, Doyle's Corner, Phoenix ParkThe only way to proceed down O'Connell Street is on the top of a bus, particularly in the coveted front seats. The park is the last stop. You can just wander and go to the playground and spot wildlife from ducks to deer. The zoo is very close to the bus terminus. www.dublinzoo.ie
Admission: adults €14.50, children, three to 16, €10, under-threes free
Or you can take the new shuttle bus, which runs from Parkgate Street to the zoo, to Farmleigh, the Papal Cross and the Visitors' Centre and back again and it's just €1 for unlimited travel all day.
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This makes the Luas Red Line to Heuston Station another good public-transport option. And you can now hire bikes, including some with child-seats and tag-alongs, as well as children's bikes, at the gate of the park. www.PhoenixParkBikeHire.com
€5 per hour, €10 for three hours
Ardgillan Castle
Route 33 Lower Abbey Street, Upper Gardiner Street, Drumcondra Station, Omni Shopping Centre, Airport Roundabout, Swords Village, Lusk, Rush, Skerries, Balbriggan
Ask to be let out at the "Ladies' Stairs" and you will find yourself at the pedestrian entrance to Ardgillan Castle. www.fingalcoco.ie
Climb the hill towards the 18th-century turreted mansion and wonder at the views of Dundalk Bay. There are vast gardens to explore and the house holds the 17th-century Down Survey of Ireland.
Tour of castle €7; tour of gardens €7; family tickets €14
DART
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Highest fare, adult day return €7.30; child €3; under-fives free; unlimited one-day family Dart ticket €13.
Killiney Beach
The sweep from Dalkey Island across the wooded hills all the way to Bray Head is magnificent, animated by the little green train regularly snaking around the coast.
Howth/Sutton
From the Dart, you can walk to Howth village and the harbour and the National Transport Museum, with its collection of Irish vehicles, and then walk around the head to the Bailey lighthouse. The island of Ireland's Eye, with its monastic ruins, can be reached by boats from the harbour and it's a real Robinson Crusoe island.
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Admission: adults ticket €3; children and OAPs €1.25; Family tickets €8
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Bray/Greystones
The kids will be gunning to go to the amusements on Bray seafront and there's also Bray Sealife Aquarium.
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Admission: Adults, €10.50; children, €7.90; with family rates available.
I would be all for shunting older children on around Bray Head and along the cliff-path to Greystones. You can walk around the coast to the south beach, have your swim and get the Dart back from Greystones Station.
LUAS
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Highest return fare; adult €4.10; child €1.90, under threes free.
Green Line Airfield House
This urban farm is best reached by Luas. Get out at Balally, turn to the right when you reach the road, and on to the 30-plus acres of the Airfield Estate.
Red Line Tallaght/Busaras-Connolly Imma/Phoenix Park
The Heuston stop is ideal for day-trippers from the Galway and Cork trains, as well as natives - it leaves you a short walk from Imma (admission free), which will interest a lot of older children.
National Museum - Decorative Arts and History
Get off at Collins Barracks to visit the newest branch of the National Museum (admission free) which will not disappoint the kids. Some 1,000 years of Irish coins and currency, Soldiers and Chiefs - The Irish at War at Home and Abroad 1550-2001 and The Easter Rising: Understanding 1916 are among the current exhibitions.
RAIL
Malahide/Donabate/Rush/Lusk/Skerries/Balbriggan/Laytown
Dublin to Laytown return, adults €17.40; children €9; family, €24; under-fives free.
The Dublin-Dundalk line winds around a stunningly beautiful coastline, and you could have a great day out at any of these seaside towns. Tara's Palace, one of the world's finest doll's houses, is at Malahide Castle. The castle's 250 acres of grounds also house the Fry Model Railway handmade collection of model Irish trains.
Malahide Castle. Admission: adults, €7.25; children under 12, €4.55; families, €21.
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Donabate is the stop for Newbridge House, which was built for the archbishop of Dublin in 1737. There are acres of parkland for children to gallop freely and a traditional farm complete with rare breeds of farm animals and poultry.
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Admission to house: adults €7; children over 12, €3.50; under 12, €3.
Wexford/Rosslare
Adult day return, Dublin to Rosslare Strand from €20.50; children, excluding Friday and Sunday, €10.50; family day return €61; under fives free.
Drogheda/Maynooth, Dublin Connolly, Tara Street, Pearse Street, Grand Canal Dock, Lansdowne Road, Sydney Parade, Booterstown, Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey, Killiney, Bray, Greystones, Kilcoole, Rathdrum, Arklow, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford, Rosslare Strand, Rosslare EuroportYou'll be suspended above the sea, ushered through spectacular Wicklow scenery, and then brought back to the coast again. It's a full day out: it takes three hours to get from Dublin to Rosslare Strand, but it's not much more than two hours from Bray.
Belfast
Dublin, Newry, Portadown, BelfastThere's a special £10 day return offer from Northern Ireland Railways, Belfast to Dublin until August 30th, conditions apply.
The best Iarnrod Éireann can do is: €38 return, excluding Friday and Sunday; €19 for kids and €86.50 for two adults and up to four children; under-fives go free. It takes just two hours along the coast and through sweeps of countryside to Belfast. The wonderful interactive W5 science museum at the Odyssey, which is close to the station, hosts a major exhibition on dinosaurs, Dino Jaws, until the end of October.
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Admission: €9.33 for adults; €6.67 for children, with good family offers