10 things to do in Dublin at night

Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is a very exciting place. Full of rich history and character, this wonderful city stands out from the rest of the country. Home to the National Gallery, which boasts Irish and international art, and heritage sites like the Christ Church Cathedral, the landmarks and cultural events in Dublin will keep you busy throughout the day.

It’s also one of the friendliest cities you’ll ever visit, with vibrant locals who will be happy to chat or give you a smile as you pass by. During the day, your itinerary will be filled with museums, galleries, live performance theaters, shopping, and more. Watch a game of Gaelic football. or visit Windmill Lane Recording Studio, used by famous entertainers like Lady Gaga and the Rolling Stones. 

Whatever you do during the day, there’s no need to stop exploring when the sun goes down. In fact, you’ll get the opportunity to see a whole new side of the city at night.

From wandering the streets lit up at night to spending hours in a rooftop lounge or pub, Dublin is a city that comes to life after dark. Whether singing karaoke or enjoying evening sightseeing, you’ll want a place to stow your bags. Take advantage of our luggage storage services in Dublin to store your bags as you discover the city at night. We have flexible hours to accommodate nighttime exploring and plenty of convenient locations in Dublin. 

Local bars

The Temple Bar Pub

Address: 47-48 Temple Bar, Dublin 2

Temple Bar is one of Dublin's most famous streets and a locale you’ll want to visit come sunset. Not only does it hold an important spot in Irish history, but it’s also one of the best places to go in Dublin at night. The Temple Bar district is lined with traditional Irish pubs, most of which have live music from early evening until late at night. If you're unsure whether you found a traditional Irish pub, you'll know when you hear the sound of a fiddle and a penny whistle. These unmistakable instruments are often part of traditional music in Ireland.

One of the most famous pubs on the street is the Temple Bar Pub. In operation since 1840, it’s made quite the name for itself and gained many loyal customers. One of the pub’s main draws is that it’s reputed to have the biggest collection of Irish whiskey in the country.

Dublin Literary Pub Crawl

Address: 9 Duke St, Dublin

Dublin is the perfect place to go on a pub crawl. Dublin’s City Centre area is filled with options, but all the pubs are welcoming, and you might forget to leave once you settle down at the first one. To make the most of your time there, try joining a guided pub crawl. Not only are there several themed options, but you’ll get an insight into the history of each location and the city overall.

You can take your pick from all of the options, but a popular choice is the Literary Pub Crawl. On this crawl, you’ll stop by at the Dublin drinking holes of Ireland's most renowned writers like James Joyce and Oscar Wilde. If you’re a bookworm or are interested in Irish literature, this is the pub crawl for you.

Tours

Big Bus Tours

Address: 26 Bachelors Walk, North City, Dublin

While a trip on the bus may not seem like one of the typical things to do at night in Dublin City, the Big Bus Panoramic Night Tour offers an exciting and educational experience. Because it only lasts for an hour, there's still plenty of time left for other activities afterward.

The bus tour has three different departure times to choose from: seven in the evening, eight o'clock, and nine-thirty at night. All three follow the same loop route around Dublin City Centre where the most popular tourist attractions are. You’ll see places like Temple Bar, St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street, Smithfield, and Dublin Docklands. There's a pick-up point near Ha'penny Bridge, but partying on the upper deck isn’t allowed, so you’ll have to wait until you get off.

Nighttime Walking Tour of Dublin

An evening walking tour of Dublin can differ greatly from a pub crawl. That being said, as things tend to go in Ireland, it can happen that you end up in a pub on your walking tour which is always a fun way to finish the night.

After dark, walking tours of Dublin are best done with a local guide. They'll let you in on all the local traditions and places to party and get you to the main attractions quickly and easily. Seeing the city at night is completely different from seeing it during the day, so it’s well worth visiting the same popular attractions twice. Walking tours are also some of the best free things to do if you want to save money, and you’ll find several groups happy to take you around their city.

Haunted History Tour of Dublin

Address: U1 Kylemore Way, Inchicore, Dublin 8

Historic cities like Dublin have paranormal happenings somewhere—or at least that's what the legends say. Go on a ghost tour of Dublin at night and you'll soon discover just how spooky this charming city can be.

For the brave, there are some great ghost tours of Dublin, and one of the best is the Haunted History Tour. From the gruesome and macabre to supernatural happenings, you’ll hear mysteries and tales of the city’s darkest times while on this haunted tour. You’ll go to the St Audeon's area of the city to walk the cobblestone streets and learn of Dublin characters from days gone by. It's certainly steeped in Irish history and of the darker kind, too.

The Gravedigger Bus Tour

Address: Church Ln, Dublin, Ireland

If you’d rather sit in the comfort of a bus than walk around the city’s spooky streets, check out this option. Take the Gravedigger Ghost Bus Tour, and you'll laugh as much as you shriek with fright. The bus departs just before eight at night from the College Green Tourist Office and follows a two-hour-long route, passing by some of the oldest buildings in Dublin.

The bus is wired with special effects, like smoke machines and strobe lights, so expect the show to start as soon as you set off. Two ghoulish actors narrating the trip come along with you for the ride. They’ll give you a show by turning into street performers at the Kilmainham Jail stop and offer comedic relief throughout the night. To finish, your tour will end with a drink in the Gravediggers Pub.

Jameson Distillery Bow St. Experience and Cask Draw

Address: Bow St, Smithfield, Dublin 7

Rather than look longingly at the bottles on display in the Irish Whiskey Museum, join a Dublin Whiskey Tour run by local tour guides and sample a few of the best Irish malts. They're some of the best night tours to enjoy after window shopping on Grafton Street. As Irish whiskey is pretty strong, most tours limit the tastings to five different whiskeys you can sip in three different pubs, mostly in the Dublin City Centre.

One of Dublin's big must-dos is visiting the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street. You can book the cask draw as late as seven in the evening, so it’s a good place to start a night out. Not only will you get to tour the distillery and see how whiskey is made, but you'll also have the opportunity to blend whiskey and watch a cocktail-making class. Take your own bottle and get it filled straight from the cask. Afterward, keep the night going with other whiskey tours offered around the city.

Nighttime sightseeing

St Patrick's Cathedral

Address: St Patrick's Close, Dublin

You may be surprised to learn that more Dublin tourists make a pilgrimage to St Patrick's Cathedral than the historic Guinness Storehouse or the Irish Whiskey Museum. As one of the most popular landmarks in the city, it’s often a busy spot, and that’s why visiting it at night is a good idea.

St Patrick's Cathedral is around eight centuries old and dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland. It’s a beautiful sight during the day, and the grand building is illuminated in emerald green lights at night. Stop by on your own time to snap some photos, or join in on a guided evening tour to get a rundown of the history of the building.

Activities

Sunset Kayak Tour at Dalkey

Address: Bullock Harbour, Bullock, Dalkey, Co. Dublin

If you want a night off from whiskey tasting, one of the most exciting things you can do in Dublin is kayaking. Kayaking.ie offers this activity, and it happens as the sun goes down. It’s one of the best family-friendly activities at night and you can enjoy the beautiful sunset from the water.

This activity takes about 3 hours, and the professionals leading it will keep you safe and show you around Dublin Bay. It’s a good activity for beginners, so don’t worry if you have little experience.

Abbey Theatre

Address: 26/27 Abbey Street Lower, North City, Dublin 1

When you want a sophisticated night out in Dublin, put the Abbey Theatre at the top of your list. The theater is located on Lower Abbey Street, around a ten-minute walk from Dublin Castle or a fifteen-minute bus ride from Phoenix Park.

The Abbey Theatre has provided quality productions to entertain visitors and locals since 1904. Performances and events promoting Irish culture change periodically, so visit the official website to find out what's on during your stay in Dublin.

The best way to spend evenings in the Irish capital

Dublin is known partly for its pubs, and it’s a city ideal for having fun and staying out late. You’ll find your fair share of bars in the city. If you want to hang out by the pool tables, play drinking games, or try Irish dancing while listening to world-class music, there are plenty of options around the Temple Bar area. 

If you’re still looking for things to do in Dublin at night, try delicious Irish food at the Temple Bar night market, visit the National Concert Hall, or watch a movie at the Irish Film Institute. Don’t miss out on visiting The Brazen Head, the oldest pub in the city, or spending an evening at the Irish House Party.

From listening to traditional Irish music in a bar, following Dublin ghost tours, walking by the River Liffey, or catching a live performance of Irish folk ballads at a theater, Dublin has plenty to do after sunset. Whether you’re here for one night or a week and a half, download the Bounce app and drop your purses and backpacks off at one of our Dublin baggage storage locations. Explore this magical Irish city as late as you’d like.