Belfast is a superb base because so much of Northern Ireland is within a morning’s reach. The north coast is a little over an hour away, the Game of Thrones sets are an easy coach ride south, and the Gobbins cliff path and a royal castle sit even closer. The question is less where to go than how to go, because the answer shapes your day. Here are the best trips, with the practical details that matter.
Tour or drive?
A guided day tour is the easy choice for the north coast. You leave from beside City Hall, someone else drives the Antrim Coast Road and you get several stops in one long day. The trade-off is time, because you see each place in a short window. Driving yourself gives you freedom to linger and to get ahead of the coaches, but you will need to pre-book parking at the Giant’s Causeway, keep to narrow coastal roads and allow for the fact that you will be driving on the left. If you have only one day for the coast and do not want the stress, take the tour.
The Causeway Coast in one day
This is the classic trip. The Antrim Coast Road is one of Britain’s great drives, and the day usually takes in the Carrick-a-Rede viewpoint, the Giant’s Causeway with its 40,000 basalt columns, the ruins of Dunluce Castle on its cliff and the Dark Hedges, the beech avenue made famous by Game of Thrones. Allow a full day of around eight hours, wear grippy shoes for the wet stones and carry a waterproof. Our entries for each stop explain what you can see and whether there is a fee. If you want more time at the stones, choose a trip that gives you a long stop, or drive and spend an hour or two longer there.
Game of Thrones, two ways
Fans have two good options. The Studio Tour at Banbridge, a short coach ride from the city, lets you walk the real sets, costumes and props from the series and is the better choice if you want to see how it was made. A locations trek, which heads up to the north coast, is better if you care about the places where scenes were filmed. If you can only do one, pick the studio on a wet day and the locations trek when the weather is fine. Do not try to do both in a single day.
The Gobbins cliff path
Around half an hour from Belfast on the coast near Islandmagee, the Gobbins is a guided walk along a dramatic cliff path with bridges and tunnels cut into the rock. It is one of the best half-day trips for people who like a little adventure and it is not suitable for everyone, as the route involves steps and uneven surfaces. Booking is needed and the path can close in rough weather, so check the day before and choose a calm day if you can.
Hillsborough Castle and Gardens
For something gentler, take the bus to Hillsborough, the royal residence in Northern Ireland, which is open Wednesday to Sunday. The State Rooms and the gardens make for a relaxed half day, and the village has places for lunch. It is a good rainy-day choice for a family or for anyone who wants a quiet change of pace after a busy coast day.
Ulster Folk Museum and Downhill
The open-air Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra, easily reached by train from the city, rebuilds historic houses, shops and farms from across the province and suits families and history lovers. Further out, Mussenden Temple on the cliff at Downhill Demesne is one of the most photographed spots on the coast, and it makes a good add-on if you are heading to the Causeway by car. Allow about two hours each way from Belfast.
Beyond the border
Dublin and Derry are possible as longer days. Dublin is roughly two hours by direct train, but it is in the Republic of Ireland, where the currency is the euro, so it works better as a night or two than as a rushed day. Check the current times with the rail operator before you plan.
Putting it together
In three days, give one to the coast, and use the others for Titanic, the black taxi tour and the city. With a fourth day, add the Studio Tour or Hillsborough. Leave the weather some slack: winter days are short, so start early and finish by dark.
