Beaches

Plenty of fine beaches are accessible by city bus or DART, which follows the coast from Howth, north of the city, to Bray, south of the city in County Wicklow. Some popular beaches include Dollymount, 5km (3 miles) away; Sutton, 11km (6 3/4 miles) away; Howth, 15km (9 1/3 miles) away; and Portmarnock and Malahide, each 11km (6 3/4 miles) away. In addition, the southern suburb of Dún Laoghaire, 11km (6 3/4 miles) away, offers a beach (at Sandycove) and a long bayfront promenade ideal for strolling in the sea air. For more details, inquire at the Dublin Tourism Office.

Bird-Watching

The many estuaries, salt marshes, sand flats, and islands near Dublin Bay provide a varied habitat for a number of species. Rockabill Island, off the coast at Skerries, is home to an important colony of roseate terns; there is no public access to the island, but the birds can be seen from the shore. Rogerstown and Malahide estuaries, on the Northside of Dublin, are wintering grounds for large numbers of brent geese, ducks, and waders. Sandymount Strand, on Dublin's south side, has a vast intertidal zone; around dusk in July and August, you can often see large numbers of terns, including visiting roseate terns from Rockabill Island.

But your all-around best bet is a bird sanctuary called Bull Island, also known as the North Bull, just north of Dublin city harbor at the suburb of Clontarf. It's not an island at all, but a 3km (2-mile) spit of marshland connected to the mainland by a bridge. It was created by Captain William Bligh, of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Early in the 19th century, he was head of the Port and Docks Board, and he ordered the construction of a harbor wall at the mouth of the River Liffey, in an effort to stop the bay from silting up. In fairly short order, the shifting sands created this small landmass. Its dunes, salt marsh, and extensive intertidal flats provide a unique environment that attracts thousands of seabirds. Hundreds of species have been recorded here, and 40,000 birds shelter and nest here. In winter, these figures are boosted by tens of thousands of visiting migrants from the Arctic Circle, as well as North American spoonbills, little egrets, and sandpipers. Together, they all make a deafening racket. A visitor center is open daily 10:15am to 4:30pm.

Fishing

There are plenty of opportunities for freshwater angling on local rivers, reservoirs, and fisheries. A day's catch might include perch, rudd, pike, salmon, sea trout, brown trout, or freshwater eel. The Irish Tourist Board operates a good website dedicated to fishing; just run the search engine for County Dublin and the possibilities will pop up, ranging from angling for brown trout with the River Dodder Anglers' Club (tel. 01/298-2112) in southwest County Dublin to sea fishing on Charles Weston's 11m (36-ft.) ketch (tel. 01/843-6239) off the shores of Malahide, just north of the city. In addition, the Dublin Angling Initiative, Balnagowan, Mobhi Boreen, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 (tel. 01/837-9209), offers a guide -- the Dublin Freshwater Angling Guide, available for €2 ($2.60) -- to tell you everything you'll need to know about local fishing.

Golf

Dublin is one of the world's great golfing capitals. A quarter of Ireland's courses -- including 5 of the top 10 -- lie within an hour's drive of the city. Visitors are welcome, but phone ahead and make a reservation. The following four courses -- two parkland and two links -- are among the best 18-hole courses in the Dublin area.

Elm Park Golf Club, Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 (tel. 01/269-3438), is in the residential, privileged south side of Dublin. The beautifully manicured parkland, par-69 course is especially popular with visitors because it is within 6km (3 3/4 miles) of the city center and close to the Jurys, Berkeley Court, and Four Seasons hotels. Greens fees are €80 ($104) on weekdays, €100 ($130) on weekends.

Portmarnock Golf Club, Portmarnock, County Dublin (tel. 01/846-2968), is respected as one of the finest links courses in Europe. About 16km (10 miles) from the city center on Dublin's Northside, on a spit of land between the Irish Sea and a tidal inlet, this course opened in 1894. Over the years, the par-72 championship course has been the scene of leading tournaments, including the Dunlop Masters (1959, 1965), Canada Cup (1960), Alcan (1970), St. Andrews Trophy (1968), and many an Irish Open. You won't be surprised, then, to find out that fees are a bit pricey. Greens fees are €180 ($235) on weekdays, €215 ($280) on weekends.

Royal Dublin Golf Club, Bull Island, Dollymount, Dublin 3 (tel. 01/833-6346), is often compared to St. Andrews. The century-old, par-73 championship seaside links is on an island in Dublin Bay, 4.8km (3 miles) northeast of the city center. Like Portmarnock, it has been rated among the world's top courses and has played host to several Irish Opens. The home base of Ireland's legendary champion Christy O'Connor, Sr., the Royal Dublin is well known for its fine bunkers, close lies, and subtle trappings. Greens fees are €150 ($195) on weekdays, €170 ($220) on weekends.

St. Margaret's Golf Club, Skephubble, St. Margaret's, County Dublin (tel. 01/864-0400), is a stunning, par-72 parkland course 4.8km (3 miles) west of Dublin Airport. Though one of Dublin's newest championship golf venues, St. Margaret's has already hosted three international tournaments, including the Irish Open in 2004. Greens fees are around €75 ($98) Monday to Thursday, €90 ($117) Friday to Sunday.

Horseback Riding

Plenty of riding stables are within easy reach of central Dublin, and prices average about €30 ($40) an hour, with or without instruction. Many stables offer guided trail riding, as well as courses in show jumping, dressage, prehunting, eventing, and cross-country riding. For trail riding through Phoenix Park, Ashtown Riding Stables (tel. 01/838-3807) is ideal. They're in the village of Ashtown, adjoining the park and only 10 minutes by car or bus (no. 37, 38, 39, or 70) from the city center. Among the other riding centers within easy reach of downtown Dublin are Calliaghstown Riding Centre, Calliaghstown, Rathcoole, County Dublin (tel. 01/458-8322), and Carrickmines Equestrian Centre, Glenamuck Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18 (tel. 01/295-5990).

Walking

For casual walking, the Royal Canal and Grand Canal, which skirt the north and south city centers, respectively, are ideal for seeing the area. Both are marked trails, so you can't get lost, and because they stick to the towpaths of the canals, the paths are flat and easy. Both routes pass a range of small towns and villages that can be used as starting or stopping points. For more information, contact the Waterways Service at Dúchas the Heritage Service (tel. 01/647-6000).

The walk from Bray (the southern terminus of the DART) to Greystones along the rocky promontory of Bray Head is a great excursion, with beautiful views back toward Killiney Bay, Dalkey Island, and Bray. Follow the beachside promenade south through Bray; at the outskirts of town, the promenade turns left and up, beginning the ascent of Bray Head. Shortly after the ascent begins, a trail branches to the left -- this is the cliff-side walk, which continues another 5km (3 miles) along the coast to Greystones. From the center of Greystones, a train will take you back to Bray. This is an easy walk, about 2 hours each way. Don't attempt this walk in bad weather or strong winds, as the cliff-side path will be quite treacherous.

Dalkey Hill and Killiney Hill drop steeply into the sea and command great views of Killiney Bay, Bray Head, and Sugarloaf Mountain. To get there, leave the Dalkey DART station, head into the center of Dalkey and then south on Dalkey Avenue (at the post office). About 1km (half a mile) from the post office, you'll pass a road ascending through fields on your left -- this is the entrance to the Dalkey Hill Park. From the parking lot, climb a series of steps to the top of Dalkey Hill; from here you can see the expanse of the bay, the Wicklow Hills in the distance, and the obelisk topping nearby Killiney Hill. If you continue on to the obelisk, there is a trail leading from there down the seaward side to Vico Road, another lovely place for a seaside walk. It's about 1km (1/2 mile) from the parking lot to Killiney Hill.

Watersports

Certified level-one and level-two instruction and equipment rental for three watersports -- kayaking, sailing, and windsurfing -- are available at the Surfdock Centre, Grand Canal Dock Yard, Ringsend, Dublin 4 (tel. 01/668-3945). The center has 17 hectares (42 acres) of enclosed fresh water for its courses. It's open from June to September.