A Guide To Bray Seafront And Promenade

Although there are many things to do in Bray, a ramble along Bray Seafront and Promenade tends to be the first stop for most.

This busy coastal town was one of the first seaside resorts in the country and it continues to attract visitors from far and wide.

Bray Promenade was constructed back in the Victorian Era and you’ll discover everything you need-to-know below!

Some quick need-to-knows about Bray Seafront

Although a visit to Bray Seafront is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location

Bray Seafront is located just above Bray Beach. A short spin from South Dublin, the seafront is also easily accessed via public transportation. The Bray Dart Station is located right on the seafront, just a stone’s throw away from the promenade. 

2. Parking

There is a public car park right at the north end of the strand (here on Google Maps). Parking is paid, €0.50 for an hour or €5 for the whole day (prices may change). Make sure to pay for your parking at either end of the car park as the area is frequently patrolled by parking wardens. 

3. Dates to Victorian times

The promenade was constructed back in the Victorian Era when Bray was being developed into a seaside resort. More on this below.

About Bray Seafront and Prom

Bray Promenade was constructed as part of the Irish engineer, William Dargan’s, efforts to turn Bray into a seaside resort town in the early 19th century.

Dargan was responsible for the construction of the promenade as well as bringing the train to Bray, two additions that would help Bray earn the title of ‘The Brighton of Ireland’.

Visitors can still see Victorian features along the promenade such as the wrought iron fence along the seaside and the lovely Victorian band stand.   

The promenade is a wide paved path suitable for walkers, prams and wheelchair users. Dogs are allowed along the prom as long as they are on a leash.

A walk up and down Bray Promenade will take you about 45 minutes and covers around 1.6km.

Things to do around Bray Seafront

One of the beauties of Bray Promenade is that it’s a short stroll away from plenty to see and do.

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Bray Seafront (plus places to eat and where to grab a post-adventure pint!).

1. Bray Beach

Now that you’ve walked along the length of the beach, why not dip your toes in? Bray Beach has lifeguards on duty every day from June through August.

The beach is a great spot to puck a ball around at low tide or get your feet wet but we wouldn’t recommend going farther than that.

There have been a bunch of rescues off the beach in recent years due to a strong rip current.

2. Bray Head

Head up to Bray Head for incredible views of the beach, Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains. Just head south until the promenade ends, and then continue along the road, passing a metal barrier.

Shortly past this you will reach a crossroads where you have the option to turn right. Keep right and follow the trail up over the Dart line, past the car park and up to Bray Head.

The top is marked by a stone cross. From there, you can continue along the Bray Head loop or turn back. The walk from the end of the prom up to the stone cross is only about a kilometre but it is steep.

3. Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk

The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is one of the most popular walks in Wicklow. Unfortunately, you can no longer walk the whole way to Greystones as part of the walk on the Greystones side is no longer safe to traverse.

The remaining sections of the cliff walk are worth a visit. Just head south from the promenade like you are heading to Bray Head. Once you pass the Cliff Walk Car Park, take a left on the trail and continue along the cliff walk.

Starting at the end of the promenade, the cliff walk there and back stretches a little over 4km and will take you around an hour.

4. Post-walk bite

There are some excellent restaurants in Bray for those of you on the lookout for a post-walk feed.

If you fancy something hearty, head to either Platform Pizza Bar or Dockyard No.8.

There’s also the hugely popular Daata Bray and Butler & Barry (find a full guide to where to eat in Bray here).

FAQs about Bray Seafront

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Where to park?’ to ‘What is there to do nearby?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.