Brittas Bay is located on the County Wicklow coast, around 16km south of Wicklow Town. It's also one of the more convenient sandy beaches for visitors travelling from Dublin, making it extremely popular on warm summer weekends. The beach is divided into two main access areas — Brittas Bay North and Brittas Bay South — both providing access to the same broad coastal landscape of sand and dunes.

Brittas Bay is famous for its long stretch of sand. Wicklow tourism information describes the overall beach and dune landscape as extending for around 5km, while the official Discover Ireland listing describes the North Beach section as around 3.2km. Either way, there's plenty of room for a proper beach walk. If you enjoy walking rather than simply sitting on the sand, Brittas is excellent.

Honestly, both are good. Brittas Bay North is one of the most popular access points and has car parking, toilets, seasonal lifeguards and seasonal wheelchair beach access. Brittas Bay South also has car parking, public toilets, seasonal lifeguard patrols and Blue Flag status. Both give you access to the same beautiful stretch of coastline. If one car park is especially busy, trying the other can sometimes make life easier.

There are dedicated car parks at both North and South Beach. Parking charges apply during the high season, while seasonal arrangements have made car parks free once the bathing season ends. Because arrangements and charges can change each season, check the signs when you arrive rather than relying on an old figure found online. On a hot summer weekend, go early — Brittas can become very busy.

Brittas Bay is a designated bathing area and one of Wicklow's best-known swimming beaches. Wicklow County Council provides lifeguards at both Brittas Bay North and South during the bathing season, which runs approximately from 1 June to 15 September. For 2026, both beaches received Blue Flag status, with the council noting consistently excellent bathing-water results. Always check lifeguard flags, local signage, sea conditions and any bathing-water notices before entering the water.

The dunes are one of the most important parts of Brittas Bay. Wicklow tourism information describes the dune system as covering roughly 100 hectares and notes its ecological importance. These dunes provide habitat for a range of plants and wildlife and also happen to make the beach look fantastic. Dunes are fragile — stick to established paths wherever possible and avoid climbing through fenced or protected areas.

Wicklow County Council provides a free beach wheelchair service at Brittas Bay during summer, currently running from June until around mid-September. The wheelchair must be booked in advance. Users also need to have a carer or assistant with them as the chair isn't self-propelling. For anyone who needs accessible beach access, this is a genuinely useful service to know about.

For swimming and a classic beach day, June to early September is the obvious period — that's when lifeguard cover and full seasonal facilities are most likely to be available. For walking, Brittas is excellent outside summer too. March, April, September and October can be brilliant when the beach is quieter. Winter walks can be lovely provided conditions are safe. Just expect fewer facilities outside the bathing season.

Around 16km away, Wicklow Town is an easy addition to the day — you can explore the harbour, Black Castle ruins and town centre before or after the beach. For more coastal scenery, continue towards Wicklow Head for cliffs, lighthouses and wide views across the Irish Sea. Brittas also pairs brilliantly with a morning at Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains — mountains in the morning, beach in the afternoon makes for a very good Wicklow day.