5 Things to See in Northern Ireland in 1 Day
If you didn’t know, Northern Ireland is a different country than Ireland. While the landscape can be similar to Ireland, I would HIGHLY recommend making a point to go here. The history in Belfast (the capital), the absolutely breathtaking natural beauty of the coast, and the ease of visiting make this a great day trip from Dublin or its own trip if you have time!
Belfast is about a couple hours north from Dublin, and it’s pretty much a straight shot on the highway. If you have never driven on the left side of the road, make sure you are comfortable before you head out! Familiarize yourself with the car, and if you are renting, rental companies are pretty good about keeping a sticker that reminds you which side to stay on!
Now, we only had 1 day to explore Northern Ireland, and we definitely made the most of it. We left Dublin around 8:00am and arrived back around 7:00pm. The weather was pretty cold and windy, but as long as you have the proper clothing, you should be fine!
We started our day off by arriving in Belfast to take a tour of the Titanic Museum. Next, we headed up to the Causeway Coastal Route. The Causeway Coastal Route takes you all along the northern coast to see castles, cliff sides, and cute seaside towns (the alliteration was unintended). You can start your journey anywhere along this route, and below I’ve included some of the most iconic sights. Have fun!!
1. Titanic Belfast
The Titanic was built in Belfast, so this is the only Titanic museum you should visit! I highly recommend starting your Northern Ireland journey off here. It’s informative, interactive, and honestly just a massive work of art.
Plus, starting here means you will have less of a wait and a less crowded experience. Because this is interactive as well as informative, there are a lot of people slowly wandering through each exhibit. It also requires a lot of reading, so the crowd can really back up, especially as the day goes on.
Titanic Belfast goes through the entire history of Belfast, how the Titanic was built, and the stories from that fateful night as well as getting to know the passengers who were on board. They also have a short ride that takes you through how the ship was built. Each exhibit is extremely well put together, and you can even see what the different rooms looked like as well as a large projector that walks you through an entire tour of the Titanic.
Titanic Belfast also has a gift shop, a cafe, and a restaurant. Across the street, there is an additional ship/vessel that you can tour if you get that part added onto your ticket price. Again, definitely get here in the morning if you want smaller crowds, and be prepared to spend at least 2-3 hours going through the entire museum. If you want more information on ticket prices or about the museum, click here: Titanic Belfast.
2. Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway has been on my bucket list for YEARS. I love natural beauty, and the coast of Northern Ireland does not disappoint. The Giant’s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is high traffic area.
Don’t make the same mistake we did if you want to have access to the entire Giant’s Causeway Visitor Center. You can purchase tickets in advance to be able to park at the Visitor Center. Tickets are about $13 for an adult, but you get access to the car park, the visitor center with shops and a cafe, and even guided tours if you want.
BUT, if you don’t want to pay for that, you can sometimes get access at a car park down the road and hike to the Visitor Center and down to Giant’s Causeway. We didn’t realize we needed tickets and they were full. The car park attendant told us to drive down about half a mile, and it only cost about $10 to park here. It was an extra little hike, but honestly it wasn’t bad, because we had 4 people in the car, so this is a money-saving tip.
Walking down to Giant’s Causeway is already extremely beautiful. It can be quite a hike down, but getting back up is definitely more difficult (and they do have a bus if you need). Once down there, you can explore all around the columns along the water. Be careful as it can get slippery, especially being so windy! Click here to learn more about Giant’s Causeway or to book tickets: Giant’s Causeway.
3. Dunluce Castle
We didn’t actually get a chance to get close to Dunluce Castle, but it was breathtaking nonetheless. It can just be so dang windy a lot of days!! This wouldn’t be as bad in warmer weather, but when it is 30 degrees plus the wind, it was pretty painful, especially after coming from warm and sunny Italy!
Dunluce Castle was our first stop on the Causeway Coastal Route. You can’t go to Ireland or Northern Ireland without seeing a castle! That’s my rule. And Dunluce Castle does not disappoint. A castle right over the cliffs?! Yes, please. This castle is mostly ruins now, but you can see the structure pretty clearly.
Dunluce Castle has a rich history, and make sure to check their hours or availability before visiting if you’re wanting to see more than just a view. They have a small welcome center with more information about the history. We walked down along the right side and down some steps. From here you can see the castle, but you also have a steep walk down some stairs to a little alcove with a beach.
For more information about Dunluce Castle, click here: Dunluce Castle.
4. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Warning: not for those with a fear of heights or a fear of rope bridges. Again, didn’t go down or attempt to walk across because pretty much everyone in the group was terrified. But, for a view of the bridge and to watch people hesitantly crossing, you can go to Portaneevy Car Park and Viewpoint.
If you’re looking to cross the bridge and explore the small island across it (Carrick-a-Rede Island), you have to book ahead!! While it is currently closed until February in 2023 for bridge repairs (that’s never a bad thing, is it?!), you can book your time online when it reopens. The rope bridge is almost 100 feet over the water, and the island across has a rich history for fishermen.
They even have some hot drinks and small bites to eat after you’re done wandering around the small island. Click here to learn more about the rope bridge and how to access it: Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
5. The Dark Hedges
If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you may have started to recognize some of these places from the show. The Dark Hedges has become popular for this very reason. Northern Ireland even has quite a few Game of Thrones tours that take you to all the iconic sites. If you’re doing a DIY tour or just adding this to your bucket list, make sure you read along.
The only way to access The Dark Hedges is via the Coach and Car Parking across the street. After parking there (even the tour buses park here), you will actually walk kind of out of the way following the signs to The Dark Hedges. You will pass a hotel, and you will also pass The Pantry at the Dark Hedges.
The Pantry is a small and cozy coffee shop, which is perfect on a cold and windy day. After that, you will walk the rest of the way through a golf course and across the street. From the street will be your first view of The Dark Hedges.
It is eerie and moody, and also it is crowded. So don’t be fooled by the empty pictures unless you go early in the morning. There’s not much to actually “do” here besides take a stroll through the hedges, but it is definitely fun to see and makes for a good little walk. I’ll never turn down a chance to see a unique natural sight that I don’t see every day.
For more information about visiting, click here: The Dark Hedges.
BONUS: The Giant’s Barn Cafe
At some point, you will likely get hungry. The weather can be cold and windy, so there’s nothing better than a hot meal. The Giant’s Barn Cafe is super close to Giant’s Causeway. If you are coming from Dunluce Castle, this is the perfect stop for lunch.
It is served cafeteria style, and you can choose whichever dish you want. They have a good amount of traditional Irish cuisines. Actually, 3 of us got the Irish Stew! Potatoes and beef, what more could you ask for in Northern Ireland?
At Giant’s Barn, you can sit outside, under their covered patio or inside. There is plenty of room to park, and make sure you get the chocolate pie – it was delicious!!
To read about things to do in Ireland, click here: Top 5 Stops on a Road Trip in Ireland.
To read more about a trip around Europe, click here: Iceland, Ireland, and Spain in 1 Week.
For more about other international destinations, including Iceland, England, Spain, Greece, and Portugal – click here: International Destinations.
