During the 17th & 18th centuries, Bray was a small fishing village. In the later part of the 18th century, the Dublin middle classes began to move to Bray to escape city life, while still being relatively close to the city. The Dublin & Kingstown Railway, the first in Ireland, opened in 1834 and was extended as far as Bray in 1854. With the railway, the town grew to become the largest Irish seaside resort.

The outbreak of World War II put the industry 'on hold'. However, during the 1950s tourists from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland returned to Bray in great numbers to escape the austerity of post-war rationing. The town's career as a resort declined from the 1960s onwards when foreign travel became an option for large numbers of people. However, the town is still popular with visitors particularly from Dublin who come to enjoy the beach, the amusements, ice creams and fast food.