Ah Dublin, city of saints and scholars, Vikings, literary giants, and republican rebels alike. A place of culture, rich traditions, music, poetry, history, and heavenly pints of Guinness. Whilst there are hundreds of reasons to visit the Fair City, this article will be focusing on what is often overlooked before visiting but seldom forgotten after visiting- The Craic. If you have a trip to Dublin coming up soon, it is likely you have already set your sights on the usual tourist haunts and will now be looking to spice up your trip by “doing as the Romans do” so to speak and letting your hair down. After all, the spritely atmosphere of the city will inevitably turn the heads of Joyceans and history buffs eventually. In this article, I’ll be sharing my local expertise on the city’s playful side and revealing my top 10 fun activities for a weekend in Dublin, from cliff walks to shouting at locals from a giant floating bus, this is the definitive guide to Dublin from one of its resident craic dealers. We'll be exploring unusual things to do in Dublin, fun things to do in Dublin and fun places to go in Dublin.

1. Take a Plunge at the Forty Foot

This famous swim spot is a favourite for locals, with a dip on Christmas Day being an age old tradition for many families. The Forty Foot is located in Dún Laoghaire, just a short dart journey from the city centre.

Although the icy water may not be to everyone's taste, the location is worth the visit for its atmosphere, Napoleonic era fort and surrounding attractions including Dún Laoghaire pier. Stop into Teddy's for a 99 to warm you up after your swim.

2. Enjoy a Pint of Plain (or two!) in the Long Hall

The Long Hall is one of the oldest pubs in Dublin dating back to the 1860s. You can still catch locals chatting and drinking in this beautiful pub, a sign that the Guinness is good enough for locals. The pub was written about by James Joyce and Phil Lynott used it for the Old Town video.

3. Scream at Commuters from the Viking Splash

When ever will you have a better opportunity to shout at sad looking Dubliners on their way to work as you enjoy your holiday as when you're on the Viking Splash. This amphibious vehicle is a tour bus with a twist, plunging into the Liffey upon completion of the tour. This is certainly a fun thing to do in Dublin.

4. Hike the Cliff Walk in Howth

The Howth Head walk affords you a glimpse of the Ireland you will see outside of Dublin and is perfect for a weekend trip. The dramatic cliffwalk offers fantastic views over Dublin Bay. The walk is leisurely and Howth is perfect to mooch around afterwards. 

Howth can easily be accessed by dart. 

5. Chase deer at the Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is the largest urban park in the whole of Europe. It houses a huge deer population as well as Dublin zoo and the President's house. 

Deer watching is easy and you can be guaranteed to see deer due to their extensive numbers. 

The deer are used to humans and are happy to be in close proximity.

6. Get chased by ghosts at the Hellfire Club

Offering awe-inspiring views of Dublin, the Hellfire Club takes you through the Dublin mountains up to the abandoned clubhouse of devil worshippers. If you are looking for a fun place to go in Dublin as well as a fright, the club has many supernatural tales and is a fun hike for ghost story lovers.

7. Jameson Distillery

The Bow Street Distillery was established in 1780. The tour takes you through the distillation process, allows you to sample the whiskey and teaches the rich history of the Jameson brand and distillery. As well as being a fun thing to do in Dublin, it is a great start to a night out in Dublin and the tour costs just 19EUR for students.  

8. Go to a Hurling Match

The Irish sport of Hurling has long history dating back to celtic mythology when Setanta slayed the chief Chulainn's wolfhound with his hurley and sliotar to take up its position as the chief's guard and the new name Cu Chulainn or Culainn's Hound. The sport has a strong and well deserved fanbase in Ireland. The sport is the fastest field sport in the world and very entertaining to watch. 

The wooden stick is a hurley and the ball is called a sliotar- pronounced slitter.

Head out to Croke Park to immerse yourself amongst 80,000 screaming fans.

9. Visit your Mummy

The mummies at St. Michan's Church are a lesser known Dublin attraction. The church was built in 1095. The walls in the vaults contain limestone, which has kept the air dry, creating ideal conditions for preservation. This unusual thing to do in Dublin has an eclectic mixture of mummies include a 400 year old nun, a six and a half foot crusader and two rebels of the 1798 rebellion. 

10. Listen to Trad in Temple Bar

The Temple Bar and its surrounding area are iconic in Dublin. Its facade is recognised by many around the world and for good reason. The pub has seen many famous Irishmen as patrons over the years but is now mostly visited by other tourists looking to make the most of their time in Dublin. Live Trad music can be heard all week and the pub has seen performances from the Dubliners and U2. With a rich history dating back to the 1300s, the pub has something to offer for everyone.