I live in Dublin but on weekends you'll always find me outside the city. Here are my 5 favorite places for easy day trips.

My hometown of Dublin is fantastic to visit for history, culture, food, and nightlife. But getting out of the city for nature and adventure is also important for locals and visitors.

I am thankful that we have so many easy options for day trips, whether to mountains, the sea, or to visit ancient heritage sites. Before I head out on the road, I usually buy ingredients for a picnic to enjoy on the way, and end my day with a stop at a local cafe after a walk for tea and cake.

Bear in mind that I'm not the only Dubliner that loves day trips, especially on holiday or summer weekends and many popular places get busy. Try to plan your trips for weekdays, and even if the weather looks good, always bring rain gear just in case.

The first place I always send overseas visitors on a day trip from Dublin is to Glendalough in Wicklow Mountains National Park. It's only 32 miles from Dublin city and is an easy way to experience the outdoors.

The name Glendalough comes from the Irish "Gleann dá Loch," meaning, "valley of the two lakes," which is appropriate given that it is a beautiful glacial valley. In addition to admiring the lakes and forests, I also like to walk around a monastic village founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century, which has a round tower and church ruins.

There are many easy walks around the Upper and Lower Lake, but I love to go on one of the nine walking trails amid rushing rivers and woodlands.

Experienced hikers should try the 6-mile Spinc hike, a challenging uphill walk that will bring you past the Poulanass waterfall and onto a boardwalk trail overlooking the Upper Lake. It takes me three to four hours to do it, depending on photo stops (wear sturdy footwear and bring rain gear). The terrain includes bogland and forest trails, and you might see deer. One of the most amazing walks I had on this trail was a night hike and history tour with Wild Summits under a starry sky.

The best way to get to Glendalough is by car but or you can take an organized day trip from Dublin city or try St. Kevin's Bus Service.

The village of Enniskerry in County Wicklow was buzzing in 2021 when the crew of Disney film "Disenchanted," starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, and Maya Rudolph rolled in (the film is set for release in 2022) and the village, 15 miles south of Dublin city, was transformed into a magical kingdom. It seemed like half of Dublin popped out to have a look.

Thankfully the village looks pretty good even when it's not a film set, and us locals love coming here for favorites like Poppies, which serves homely, country-style cooking like beef and Guinness pie, followed by rhubarb crumble and tea.

Visit Powerscourt House and Gardens for a stroll through its manicured Italian garden, ornamental lake, and to enjoy sweeping views of Sugar Loaf Mountain. The Japanese Garden is also worth a stop. The pretty bridges and pagoda are a good place to go if you have different generations traveling together who might not be able to take longer walks.

Elsewhere on the same estate, Powerscourt Waterfall is Ireland's highest at 397 feet. It's 3.7 miles from Powerscourt House, so you can either walk or drive there, and I always find it leaves me feeling refreshed after a visit, best combined with a picnic.

Kilmacurragh, further south, is set on an old country estate full of trees and plants from all over the world.

For a day trip filled with history and heritage, I like to go to Newgrange in County Meath, a passage tomb dating back 5,000 years. It can be very moving to visit something that was built so long ago and is still so full of mystery.

It is part of Brú na Bóinne, a complex of Neolithic sites on the River Boyne, around 34 miles north of Dublin city.

Start your visit at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. I recommend then either taking the tour that brings you to the outside of Newgrange and Knowth monuments, or the tour that includes the dark and narrow inside chamber at Newgrange. Make sure to book your visit well in advance if you are thinking of doing this, as it can book up.

The tours give you plenty of time to explore the site before you take the shuttle bus back to the start.

While in the area, I also always make time to explore the Boyne Valley. Ireland's patron saint St. Patrick, who is celebrated on March 17, is said to have sailed up the River Boyne in the year 433 and lit a fire on the Hill of Slane. You can take a trip in a traditional currach along the Boyne River to learn about the area's Stone Age ancestors and the importance of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

For a storybook-inspired day, I suggest a stop in Trim, which has more medieval buildings than most places in Ireland.

Don't miss Trim Castle, which is the largest Anglo-Norman fortification in Ireland that took 30 years to build. The castle was built in 1173 as a masterpiece, with an impressive curtain wall, towers, and a moat. It's mostly ruins now but walkways allow you to look down over the interior and it is an incredible experience to walk around something so old.

Closer to Dublin, the seaside village of Howth is a popular, easy day trip that's only about 10 miles from the city center. This also means it can get busy especially at weekends in good weather, so plan your visit well.

To avoid traffic jams, the DART suburban rail takes around 30 minutes. On a fine day, the Cliff Path walk has amazing views out to the Irish sea and across Dublin Bay. A loop from the village and back takes me around two hours and I like to bring snacks from Howth Market.

If the village is busy, a great way to get away from the crowds is with a local guide from Shane's Howth Adventures who will bring you on a hiking or e-bike tour around the peninsula, telling stories and taking in the quieter woodland and coastal spots, plus the grounds of Howth Castle and views from the Baily Lighthouse. If you get Shane himself, he is a mine of information on the area's history.

The fishing trawlers land their catches on the pier in Howth, so after exploring, I tuck into fresh fish and chips on the pier from Beshoff Bros or drop into East Café for an open crab sandwich and a glass of wine.