Summer is the best time of year to be out and about the town with your family and friends. It’s important to make the most of the season while it lasts, which isn’t very long on the Green Isle. There’s so much to get up to in Dublin, so why not take a break and stay in our fair city.

Go for a swim in the turquoise waters of Portmarnock. Within a stone’s throw of Ireland’s capital, Dublin, the beach at Portmarnock is also known as the Velvet Strand. This is on account of the beautiful smooth sand that makes up the three miles of Portmarnock Strand. The beach stretches all the way to Baldoyle and adjoins Malahide Beach.

From the beach there is a lovely view of Dublin Mountains and Howth Harbour. The beach also has the advantage of being backed onto by the world famous Portmarnock Golf Club and you can scramble up the dunes to have a peek. Only a 25 minute drive from the Bonnington Hotel Dublin, make your stay a memorable one.

Or why not cheer on the boys in blue at Croke Park, home of Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Croke Park has been at the heart of Irish sporting life for over a hundred years. Boasting a capacity of 85,300 people, the stadium is the 4th largest in Europe. The stadium is where traditional GAA games are held throughout the year with the All-Ireland Football and Hurling finals every September. The stadium is only a 6 minute ride from the North Star Hotel, so you can get a comfortable nights sleep after a taxing day of cheering for your favourite team.

Shop till you drop on Dublin City O’Connell Street, Ireland widest and premier street. You’d be hard-pressed to miss the main thoroughfare of Dublin, one of the busiest shopping districts the city has to offer. The pathways are full of retail stores and the middle of the road is lined with statues commemorating many Irish heroes. The street is dominated by the historic GPO and The Spire, which is 133 metres tall is the world’s tallest sculpture.

Grafton Street is one of the two main shopping streets in Dublin city centre. It runs from St Stephens Green in the south to College Green in the north. The street has been Ireland’s shopping mecca since Victorian times. This entire area is dedicated to shopping and you’ll get everything from the quintessential high street stores to the more unique boutiques and vintage shops. Both O’Connell street and Grafton Street shopping district are only a ten minute walk from the North Star Hotel.

How about spending the day with family at Phoenix Park. The urban park is one of the largest enclosed recreational spaces within any European capital city. The Park is also home to the Zoological Gardens, Áras an Uachtaráin, and Victorian flower gardens. With 14 km of cycle trials, it really makes a safe and enjoyable way for family friends  and visitors to experience and explore the Park. Bikes are also available to rent on site.

If you’re looking for some evening entertainment, why not catch a play at the Bord Gais  Energy Theatre. Located in the docklands of Dublin, the performing arts venue is Ireland’s largest fixed-seat theatre. Offering the best of Broadway and the West End, alongside new niche and local productions to as wide an audience as possible.

Dublin has so much to offer so why don’t you make your summer, a McGettigans summer and stay with us at any of our 3 locations across Dublin.