Nicest beach / coast near Dublin city centre....

[JessicaBlabbit]

Will be in Dublin for a few days in May - any recommendations for nice beach if we get a dry afternoon. Will have a car. Also if there is a nice coffee/lunch/pub nearby that would be a bonus - but not essential.

Howth is lovely to visit. You can get there by bus or the Dart which saves trying to find a parking space. Not much of a beach though.

Dollymount is always nice and there's a beach cafe, Happy Out which did good toasties

On the southside there is sandycove and the forty foot if it is just a swim you are after or Bray and Greystone's. But if you are looking for a nice sandy beach and have a car heading to Wicklow with beaches like silverstrand, Brittas Bay or Magheramore are lovely. Depending on traffic they would be about an hour from city centre

Malahide has really good pubs and restaurants, a beach and a marina. I used to travel out of the city to go to restaurants there. Malahide Castle and Gardens are also good for a visit, there's an Avoca there too.

There's also fab beaches in Donabate, Skerries and Rush as well. It's a while since I've been there but Skerries and Rush are nice fishing villages with coffee shops, restaurants etc

Portmarnock, sand and dunes, on the Northside. Go into Malahide for the village, cafes. Malahide has a beach too but not as nice as Porrmanock’s Velvet Strand.

40 Foot, Sandycove, Killiney on the Southside are for hardcore swimmers. But we have enjoyed Coliemore Harbour in Dalkey (with a picnic from Thyme Out). Seapoint is fine too but not really a beach. Stay away from Sandymount as the water quality can be a bit all over the place.

As suggested, consider heading south to somewhere like Brittas Bay. Just know that the water will still be freezing cold.

I wouldn't say Sandycove was for hard-core swimmers. Lots of small kids there usually. Also the beach at Howth is lovely I think.

it’s a small crescent with wet sand. It’s fine and the views are lovely but it’s not exactly a large sandy strand like Portmarnock. The walk along the promenade from Dun Laoghaire to the Martello tower in Sandycove and beyond into Dalkey is great though and I’d highly recommend Dalkey village for food.