Phoenix Park Deer in Dublin: How to find them?

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Since Eric and I moved to Dublin, going to see the Phoenix Park deer has become, with going to the beach, one of my favourite activities in the city. Dublin’s deer are really cute and it is the perfect breath of fresh air to add to your Dublin itinerary when on a romantic trip to Europe. In the past months and years, I have managed to find the Phoenix Pard deer in a few minutes or a few hours. And sometimes by walking a little bit and sometimes by walking a lot (lol). In this Phoenix Park deer guide, I will therefore share how to find the Phoenix Park Deer and the places where you are most likely to find them. This guide will help you find the Phoenix Park deer faster.

If you are looking to move to Dublin, check out our detailed guide for living in Dublin.

PHOENIX PARK INFORMATION

Phoenix Park is 1,752 acres which makes it more than twice the size of Central Park in New York City! The Park offers 707 hectares of fields and forests through which you can wander all day long. It is a quiet and peaceful large space which is ideal for a Dublin city break without having to drive to the Wicklow Mountains. It is also a great place to visit when spending Christmas in Dublin as it hosts several Christmas events every year. There are lots of things to do in Phoenix Park and seeing the deer is one of them. But most importantly, it is the home of 600 wild deer. Phoenix Park deer are wild deer, which means you can’t just show up to Phoenix Park and hope to find them right there. That also means the Phoenix Park deer could be anywhere on those 707 hectares which gives you a lot of options of where to find them. So, when I say that I have walked a lot before to find the deer, I mean it!

Entrance to Phoenix Park is free and the park is open 24/7. That said, the smaller parks within the park do close in late afternoon.

HOW TO GET TO PHOENIX PARK

You can enter Phoenix Park by driving and park along the main avenue which goes across the Park. You can also take the red luas (the tramway) to Heuston Station which is a 5 minute walk from the Park.

HOW TO GET AROUND PHOENIX PARK

If you are coming to Phoenix Park to search for the deer, I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes, in case you have to walk a lot.

Finding the Phoenix Park deer will most likely require you to walk or ride your bike through the fields. If you’re not into walking or cannot walk for kilometres, you can rent a bike. Dublin bikes are available everywhere in the city. You can book one on dublinbikes.ie. You can also rent a bike at the entrance of Phoenix Park for 15€ a day. This is the option we chose in the past and it was super convenient. When the deer are hiding, bikes come in handy so you can travel faster and farther through the park.

There are lots of bike lanes throughout the park so it is very safe to ride your bike there.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO FIND THE PHOENIX PARK DEER

Mornings and weekdays are usually quieter in Phoenix Park and therefore are the best times to go to Phoenix Park to find the deer. If the park is very busy, the deer will tend to hide a bit more, making it more difficult to see them.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE FINDING THE PHOENIX PARK DEER

Let’s start with the most important rule in the Park: please do not feed the deer. The Phoenix Park deer are wild animals and find their own food. The park asks that you don’t feed them any bread, carrots or other human food. We love the herd and don’t want them to be disturbed or removed from the Park just because people can’t respect them.

In addition, please don’t let you kids run into the herd and scare them off. I have seen people do this and it is very disrespectful. Phoenix Park is the deer’s home. YOU are on their territory, walking in their living room. Of course, you want to approach them and  get a cute photo. But there’s no need to run into them or scare them off to do so.

Another rule is to not touch the deer. The herd, when there is no babies, is actually quite chill and will let you approach them. But honestly you’d be lucky if you managed to actually touch them. When there are babies (which are extra cute to be honest), the herd tends to keep a little more distance.

WHERE TO FIND THE PHOENIX PARK DEER

The first place where you can find the deer is in the field overlooked by the Papal Cross. To get to the Papal Cross, start walking on Chesterfield Avenue. You will need to pass the Wellington Monument on your left.

Then, you will need to keep going and pass the Tea Room on your right. I would highly recommend stopping by the Tea Room for some delicious organic coffee, hot chocolate or homemade vegan treats! The Tea Room has tables outside protected from the rain which makes it the perfect place to rest after a long day of chasing after the herd of wild deer! If you prefer grabbing a snack afterwards, check out some of the best restaurants in Dublin.

While you keep going, you will see the home of the Irish President on your right. Walk all the way to the first roundabout.

At the roundabout, you will see the American Embassy on your left. You will want to keep left and walk along the Embassy in the forest. Soon you will be able to see the Papal Cross.

The Papal Cross is a really helpful place to spot the deer as it is on elevated grounds. At the Papal Cross, you will be able to look down at the fields and the forests giving you an advantage to spot the deer.

Now, depending on the time of the year, the grass can be quite tall which makes the fields a great place to hide for the Phoenix Park deer! So keep your eyes open and focus.

In my experience, if the deer are not visible from here, it means they have moved to the back of the park. So, you will want to walk into the fields towards the right to the back of the Park. I recommend being very quiet as noise will scare the deer off.

Keep walking to the end of the park until you see a small road. It seems that there, they have their own little spot where they lay down as a herd and chill by the forest. This is the second spot where you can find them.

In my experience, I was always able to see them at one of these two spots each time I visited Phoenix Park and looked for the herd. If you still can’t find them there, I recommend using bikes to be able to cover more of the back of the park.

When you find them, take your time to admire them. Keep your eyes out for babies as well. They are super cute, jump quite high and make the cutest noises. Also keep your eyes open for bucks! Actually, bucks might be the reason you manage to spot the herd as their antlers usually show above the high grass.

Do you want to learn more about Dublin and where to travel in Ireland? You can check out my guide on the best beaches in Dublin, my guide on the best things to do on the Dingle Peninsula and my 7 days Itinerary to visit the Wicklow Mountains National Park.

Any questions on the Phoenix Park deer? Drop them in the comments or on insta and we will get back to you asap.