Navigating leaving Aviva stadium after TS concert

[noideaoffuturenow]

Myself and my 3 daughters are lucky enough to be heading to the Taylor Swift concert at the Aviva stadium 29/06. I have a couple of potential accommodation options (which are ridiculously expensive) or I might drive...from the North down (reluctantly). Considering accommodation in Malahide/Dun Laoghire. Would that be do-able? Wd love to make a weekend of it; first w/e of summer hols and not going away this year. I'm studying google maps and trying to figure out walking distance to hotels in Ballsbridge/O'Connell St etc. I don't really know Dublin very well, and one of my daughters is only 11...safety and distance are important factors in this. Last time we stayed in Dublin City Centre (two years go) I felt a bit nervous walking home with my two younger kids from the Lyric Theatre, which worries me a bit. This will be a once in a lifetime experience I'll bet, so want it to be a good one!

The Aviva is pretty much beside Ballsbridge so if you can get accommodation there you're sorted. But the Aviva isn't that long of a walk to town, and no doubt the kids will be all hyped up. You kind of get swept along iyswim. I'd be very surprised if everything isn't booked up by now tbh. You may need to look further afield.

Am trying to figure this out too, there is the Dart to Connolly or we ll walk in. Connolly/O Connell street not the Best area of town to be at night but I'm banking on safety in numbers as the crowd travels back in after the gig. Balls bridge is very close to Aviva, if you could find accommodation there it would be v handy cos you won't have to set off to the gig mad early either. Malahide I'm not sure about, could you DART it up there after the gig?

Thx to you both-so the DART near Aviva presumably goes into Dublin City Centre and maybe out towards Malahide too? I am really clueless about public transport in Dublin. I know my LO will be on her knees so I want to be organised with Plan A and Plan B. It looks like the route walking from Aviva to the accomodation in Ballsbridge is walking along a rail track. Presuming that's not the only option, walking into Ballsbridge area will prob be the quickest option for us. Do you have your outfits sorted? 😜

What time does the gig finish?
What time is the last dart?
Be aware that only every second dart heading northwards goes to Malahide and the other ones go to Howth.
So just because the last dart north leaves ballsbridge at eg 11pm the last dart to Malahide might leave at 10.30pm

And how many people will be getting the dart? If you can't get on due to crowds you're stuck!

Thx Knitting-that's the sort of detail I need. I know from someone attending the Edinburgh gig that it's long. Tickets say starts at 5pm but if TS starts at 8, should be 11! I'm guessing it def won't be over before 10pm, but huge crowds will be slow-moving & lots ppl piling into Darts. Ballsbridge seems like a good option...

With smaller kids I'd say Ballsbridge is best if you can find/afford the accomodation there (tbh I be surprised if there's anything left!), less anxiety for you too as its a simple walk to and from the venue. I'm trying to work out best way and time to head from city centre to the Aviva too, and hoping they ll put on extra Darts after, if it were just myself I'd just walk it much simpler lol... I sorta have an outfit, DD doesn't yet so once J Certificate exams end next week I forsee lots of panic shopping!

I'd stick with ballsbridge.
The dart to Malahide will take at least 45 min and that doesn't include time waiting. Then you'll still have to get from Malahide station to accommodation.
If you can find somewhere in ballsbridge you just have to walk home!

Also the grand canal hotel and the sandy mount hotel. There are probably loads of b&b's too.

Dun Laoghaire would be an option. It's on the Dart line and the Dart station is at the Aviva.
It's nearer to the Aviva than Malahide.
The Royal Marine Hotel is very near the Dart station in Dun Laoghaire.
Check the time of the Dart to see what time the last one runs.
I don't know what your budget for accommodation is.
Another option is The Mespil Hotel, quite a short walk from the Aviva but it and the Sandymount Hotel ( literally beside the Aviva ) and the Clayton Hotel, also fairly near to the Aviva will probably be booked up.
But all worth checking out.

Following with interest - we have booked a B&B on the other side of the canal - LeesonSt. Looks like it is a 25 minute walk to the stadium so hoping with the crowds it will feel pretty safe……

From the Aviva to Leeson Street should be very safe @Junegirl15

It will be mayhem trying to get on the Dart. If you can get something within walking distance I’d grab it. Surprised there is any availability though??

Thanks @deeahgwitch that is good to know. Getting very excited. We are there for a long weekend so planning to do the whole tourist thing too - open top bus etc.. it is 30 years since I have been to Dublin!

The Aviva is IN Ballsbridge so if you can stay there it would be perfect. The area is very safe and will be really well policed. Stadium to Leeson St is a very easy walk and very safe.

I live in the area so ask away if you have any questions!

The dart was actually grand for Pink on Friday night. It was very well organised and divided into north and south bound queues. Queue looked massive but we got on straight away and had 3 under tens with us. We parked in a station and just drove to accommodation.

Any suggestions of places to have lunch/dinner very gratefully received!

If you want to eat in the area of the Aviva, Baggot St is about 10/15 mins walk and has a lot of cafes, there's a Milano/pizza Express on the bridge.

Lots of options in Ballsbridge itself, it's full of restaurants and just 10 mins from the stadium in the other direction. There an Avoca just around the corner from the stadium, if the weather is good get some picnic food and go up to Herbert Park.

If you're going into town before the show, South Anne St has lots of teen friendly places and the number 7 or 4 bus will take you from Nassau St to the stadium.

I would avoid Temple Bar for eating, but lots of people love it! It's very touristy and just not very nice!

What time is everyone heading out to the stadium? DD is nearly as excited about paramore as she is about taylor but I know we can't queue so don't want to be there too early

Did you get somewhere to stay? Hope it's a great night!

Hope this is helpful, screenshot and zoom in.

SunMoot-we got a room in the Clayton!!! (Far too expensive but I keep telling myself as it's once in a lifetime it's ok!!!). Cannot WAIT!!
Capel-thank you so much! This is so helpful....

It may not be the same obviously OP but in Edinburgh the doors opened at 4pm (I think it was 3pm for VIP tickets), Paramore came on at 6 and finished at 6.45, TS came on at 7.15 and finished at 10.40. Karma is the last song, there is no encore. Remember to go to the loo before the start as there are no breaks - I had thought there would be eg. 10/15 min costume changes but she literally leaves the stage for 30 seconds- 2 mins so you don't want to be wandering off anywhere. Hope you all enjoy it.

This is soooooo helpful. Great map! Really helps to see where everything is. Planning to get there around 5 as it is going to be a long evening but we may go a bit earlier. DD is ordering her merch in advance to cut down on queue time so we can enjoy the atmosphere

Merch in advance is a good idea, we were able to go the day before as the merch stalls were already open but even then the queues were 1-2 hours. If that's not an option then get it online - the queues at the actual concert were miles long!

a few hints based on where we went, queues really were not that long for merch rich by the stadium at 3.30, I think people arrived really early. I joined the entry queue for 4pm entry and it moved fast once gates opened, we were in within 10 minutes - didn't arrive until 3.30 remember. If you have seated tickets I'd leave it even later!

Buy food before you go in (we ate in the queue) and there's water freely available inside

Have plan b's for meeting afterwards in case you are separated leaving or if standing up (we needed it) mobile phones can loose bandwidth though standard text was fine.

Most of all enjoy!