Tiny fairy doors are hiding inside Dublin shops and restaurants, and families can hunt them down before Dublin City Schools' first day of classes Aug. 20.
The Fairy Door Trail, a free, self-guided scavenger hunt through Historic Dublin and Bridge Park, sends participants searching for miniature doors tucked inside 13 local businesses. Now in its 10th year, the trail is open year-round but makes a particularly good fit for families looking to squeeze in one more adventure before the school year begins.
No registration required.
How it works
Families pick up a passport-style trail guide at the Dublin Visitor & Information Center, 9 S. High St., then follow the map to each participating stop. At every business, kids record the name of the resident fairy. Return a completed passport to the Visitor Center and the reward is a free Fairy Door t-shirt.
The trail guide is also available as a downloadable PDF on the Visit Dublin Ohio website.
Where the doors hide
The route connects two neighborhoods. In Historic Dublin, doors are tucked inside Our CupCakery, Johnson's Real Ice Cream, Paris 75 & The French Store, Dublin Toy Emporium, The Color Bar Dublin, the Columbus Metropolitan Library Dublin Branch, Vernacular, Pet Wants and Boho 72 Boutique. In Bridge Park, stops include Kins Collective, Kilwins and North Market Bridge Park's Bake Me Happy. The Visitor Center itself houses the 13th door.
Because the doors are inside businesses, Visit Dublin Ohio recommends going Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., to avoid closures.
A decade of fairy hunting
The trail opened in March 2016. Visit Dublin Ohio celebrated its 10th birthday with a party at Riverside Crossing Park on April 18. In a July 27 profile by CityScene Magazine, Visit Dublin president and CEO Scott Dring said the Fairy Door Trail and similar campaigns have earned hundreds of regional and national awards while drawing attention to what Dublin's businesses can offer.
The trail is sponsored in part by The Irish Fairy Door Company, a Dublin, Ireland-based firm that also supports the Starlight Children's Foundation.
Before you go
- Start: Dublin Visitor & Information Center, 9 S. High St.
- Cost: Free
- Best hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Prize: Free t-shirt for completed passports
- Can't return in person? Drop your passport at the Visitor Center, email it to [email protected], or mail it to 9 S. High St., Dublin, OH 43017. Allow 30-plus days for delivery.
- Questions: 614-792-7666
Families who finish the Fairy Door Trail and want another challenge can pick up a Dublin Park Pass, a companion program covering 60-plus parks, trails and public art spots around Dublin that runs through Sept. 30.
