Bray

One of Ireland's oldest seaside resorts, Bray is a trim, growing village known for its summer cottages and sand-and-shingle beach, which stretches for 2 km (1 mi). When the trains first arrived from Dublin in 1854, Bray became the number-one spot for urban vacationers and subsequently took on the appearance of an English oceanfront town. Some Dubliners still flock to the faded glory of Bray's boardwalk to push baby carriages and soak up the sun. It's the terminus of the DART train from Dublin, so it's easy to get here without a car. Uncrowded trails for hiking and mountain biking crisscross the mountains bordering Bray to the south. One of the best is a well-marked path leading from the beach to the 10-foot-tall cross that crowns the spiny peak of Bray Head, a rocky outcrop that rises 791 feet from the sea. The semi-difficult, one-hour climb affords stunning views of Wicklow Town and Dublin Bay.