We spent the majority of our time exploring Northern Ireland and its beautiful landscapes. It's stunning. I only wish we had more time there. We explored more of Northern Ireland and only went to Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. There are many things to see and do there as well.
BEFORE YOU GO
ADAPTER: If you are traveling from the US, you will need an adapter. Know the wattage of your electronics before you go, so that you know if you need a converter, adapter or both. I have a universal wattage flat iron. It saves me the hassle of worrying if I need an adapter AND converter. Most hotels and Airbnb rentals provide a hair dryer, so just make sure whatever you bring has Worldwide Voltage, or you will also need a converter.
PHONE: Contact your cell phone provider to see what is included. T-Mobile gives unlimited data and texting, but charges $0.25 per minute per call. I have read other companies require you to get a SIM card, so contact your provider for details. You can also download WhatsApp to your phone and call using Wi-Fi to call others who also have the app installed.
If you have T-Mobile, they also offer In-Flight Connection that gives customers free connectivity with streaming on American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines. This includes data, streaming, and text messaging. All you do is connect to the Wi-Fi and add your phone number to the T-Mobile prompt and you are all set.
CONTACT YOUR BANK AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES: It's important to let the bank know when you will be out of town so that you won't have any problems withdrawing your money when you get to your destination. You also may need to notify your credit card company of the travel dates. We like to withdraw local currency when we arrive at our destination from a bank ATM in one lump sum. This avoids extra fees for multiple transactions. You can get away with using a credit card almost everywhere, but having some local currency is always a good idea. Some credit cards charge fees for use, so ask about fees for both your ATM and credit cards.
WHERE TO STAY: Central locations are pricier, so if you are trying to stay on a budget don't be afraid to stay on the outskirts near a train or bus stop. Group the sites you want to see within each city and make a decision from there. Things to consider are parking fees if you have rented a car, easy access to metro if you are not staying close to the city center, and if you are in the city center, a walkable location to your sites.
AC Hotel Belfast: This beautiful hotel is in a great location on the waterfront. If you are traveling with a car, there is a parking garage across the way that the hotel validates at 50% off. For overnight parking it is £11 per night with the 50% discount. If you go in and out, you only pay half of whatever the ticket says. Just go to the desk and have them validate.
The room was very spacious with two queen beds and fit our family of 4 comfortably. Comfortable beds, cold air conditioning, great shower pressure, and excellent cleaning daily. There is a restaurant on site, but we did not eat there. Would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking in the area.
Crowne Plaza Dublin, Blanchardstown: This hotel is also beautiful, although less spacious. We travel with only carry-on bags, so was not an issue. If you have a lot of larger bags, it could be. The room had two queen beds. The beds were comfortable, air conditioning was cold, and the daily cleaning was excellent. There is a restaurant on site, but we did not use it. Free parking is a plus here. It takes about 25 minutes to drive to downtown Dublin. If you choose to drive, there are several parking garages located throughout the city. Most charge about €5/hour, so keep this in mind if you plan to spend the day there. The metro is also an option, just know it's not in the city center where most tourists want to explore. We used points, so the stay was free and worth it to us.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE
IMPORTANT CURRENCY INFORMATION: You can find a local bank ATM to take cash out. If you will be going to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, be aware that they have two different currencies. Northern Ireland uses Pound Sterling as they are part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland uses Euros. Most places take credit card, so you won't need much cash. We only used cash once for parking in Northern Ireland as I couldn't find out online if a credit card was accepted at one of the parks.
Download the currency converter app on your phone to help you convert to your local currency to keep spending in check.
TRANSPORTATION: We rented a car for this trip since we would be taking several day trips. We used Sixt for the car rental as it was the best deal. In Ireland they drive on the left side of the road. If you are not used to that, you probably want to make sure to rent an automatic car so that you don't have to be adjusting to the side of the road and the stick on the left side. It could be a lot for a first timer. My husband has driven on the left quite a few times now, so he did rent a manual (stick). This can give a considerable rental discount as they have fewer automatic rentals (which hikes up the price). If you want to see the beauty of Ireland and can drive, I recommend it. But if you are uncomfortable doing so there are lots of tours and transport options for you. Always take your International Driver's License with you. They did not ask to see ours, but we have been turned away in the past for not having it with us (Greece).
SIGHTSEEING
Day 1: Arrival Day. We flew into Dublin and drove straight to Belfast. The drive takes about an hour and 45 minutes. Due to the July 12th holiday in Northern Ireland, many of the downtown restaurants and shops were closed. We were able to walk around and find some places that were open, but keep in mind to check for festivals and holidays that may impact your stay. We did see this before going, but since we would be day tripping for the next 3 days, we weren't too concerned with it. We took time to walk around the canal and do some sightseeing.
Since the Game of Thrones was filmed at many locations in Northern Ireland, there are a lot of fun things to see as a fan of the show. This includes the Glass of Thrones stained glass window collection along the Maritime Mile, from the AC Hotel past Titanic Studios to HMS Caroline. There are six installations that represent the most iconic scenes from Game of Thrones. We found four of them. Be sure to "sit" on the iron throne for a great photo opportunity! We missed the one further down from the throne, so keep walking!
Since this is quite a walk around both sides of the Maritime Mile, we chose to rent bikes back to the hotel. The way it works is that you download the app onto your phone and attach your credit card. The app will tell you the rest. It charges you based on how far you travel. Our trip only cost us €1. It was called "nextbike." It saved us time, and we had fun.
We decided to take in what sites that we could on a holiday and to try to find a place to eat. Belfast is extremely walkable, and the hotel location was perfect. There is a lot of art and beautiful architecture in this area, and tons of beautiful murals.
We found a great restaurant downtown. The Cloth Ear restaurant is a Victorian pub attached to the Merchant Hotel. I had my first pint of Guinness here! We enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere of the restaurant. Pictured below: toastie and soup (cheese and onion toastie), seafood chowder (so much fresh seafood!), fish and chips, and braised lamb shoulder ragu. Everything was excellent. I highly recommend this place.
Once our bellies were full, we walked over to Belfast City Hall. This beautiful building was built in 1906, you are able to go inside for free and look around. They have various historical items for you to view as you walk through the rooms. We enjoyed it. They also have a great photo opportunity out front by the Belfast sign.
Day 2: Causeway Coastal Route. I did quite a bit of research for this trip. It was so hard to narrow down where to go as there were so many places in Northern Ireland I wanted to see, and we had limited time in Belfast. In planning, look up The Causeway Coastal Route map and it will list all of the sites along the route so you can decide what stops you want to make.
The overall consensus in my family was that we had to go to the Giant's Causeway. I couldn't agree more. It is a must see and photos do not do it justice. There is a bit of walking, but you can also take a bus down to the Giant's Causeway area if you have difficulties. The walk down from the visitor center is worth the trip itself. With your ticket you get an audio guide to take with you so that you know what you are looking at along the way and get the history of the area. We loved it. I purchased our tickets online and then we parked during our time slot. There is a cafe, visitor center and gift shop here as well.
You can walk back the way you came, take the bus back or hike another route back to the visitor center. You can also hike the other direction for a longer hike, but we settled for this route. You get great views from the top. You can see the blue bus that takes you down to the causeway and back in the photo below from up top.
Next, we drove to Dunluce Castle. If you are a Game of Thrones (GOT) fan, this was the site of Pyke Castle in the Iron Islands, also known as the House of Greyjoy. There is free parking outside of the ruins. There is fee of €6 for those 18+ to enter the ruins.
We stopped for lunch at the Fullerton Arms. Here we got a glimpse of the first GOT door and got a passport to get stamps at all of the other door locations throughout Ireland. Fun fact: you can order a half pint instead of a full pint if you like throughout Ireland. The food here was okay, but the door made it worth it.
We made a quick stop at Ballintoy Harbor, another GOT site. Fans will remember Theon Greyjoy's baptism reaffirming his allegiance to the God of the Sea at the fictional main port of Pike in the Iron Islands. If you aren't a fan of the show, really no need to stop here.
For the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, you do need a time slot to enter. There is a free parking lot near the cafe where you can grab a cone after your trip over the bridge. There are also restrooms available. This is a fantastic experience along the Causeway Coastal Route. The cost was €15.50 per adult. Another must do in Northern Ireland. We loved it.
We made a brief stop at Portaneevy Car Park and Viewpoint before heading for lunch. From this viewpoint you can see the Carrick-a-Rede bride from afar. Can you see the bridge?
Driving the area, you will see more sheep than you ever dreamed of. So many, everywhere.
Kinblane Castle is a great free stop along the causeway. The ruins are located 140 steps down from the parking lot. Enjoy the beautiful views as you go down the steep stairway. Give yourself an hour for going down and coming back up, plus additional time to explore the castle ruins and grounds. There were hardly any other visitors there when we went, and we thoroughly enjoyed this.
Cushendun Caves are another GOT site. If you are not a fan, skip it. This is the site from season 2 where Priestess Melisandre gave birth to the Shadow Assassin. It was also used in season 8 for the battle between Jaime Lannister and Euron Greyjoy. When we visited, part of the caves were blocked off due to fallen rocks.
We stopped at Mary McBride's Bar to grab a pint and view another GOT door.
The Dark Hedges are another GOT site we were eager to visit nearby. The hedges are composed of beech trees growing on the sides of an old Irish road. The beech trees were planted in the 18th-century by the Stuart family as an enchanting entryway to their family home, Gracehill House. This was featured in the GOT as the king's road.
We parked at the Hedges Hotel where we could get a quick peek at another GOT door. Parking is for guests and patrons of the pub. Take the trail to the left of the building to walk to the Dark Hedges. The last photo shows The King's Road from the show.
Journey of the Doors. If you are wondering what the doors are about...in 2016 a storm knocked down some of the trees. The wood was salvaged to create 10 GOT themed doors to be used in various areas throughout Ireland where filming took place. You can get a stamp for your passport when you visit each location. The passport shows where each door is located as well as information about the door itself. Each place will stamp your passport.
Below are the ones I was able to see while we were in Ireland. If there was one in the area we were traveling, we just made our route pass through. Some I just went in and took a photo, others we drank or ate at. It was fun adding little stops along the route.
We were exhausted from all of our travels that day, so the boys stayed in, and my hubby and I went out to the Cathedral Quarter. There are art galleries, bars, restaurants and more in the area. At night it gets super busy, so we found a burger joint and hurried in before it closed the kitchen for the night. Bunsen has excellent burgers. Then we walked around and ended up at the Dark Horse, where we found another GOT door and hand a pint.
Day 3: Causeway Coastal Route (from the opposite direction). We chose the route that we did for this day to drive along the coastline. After we had a traditional Irish Breakfast and headed to the Chain Memorial Tower and through the Black Arch which were both on our way to Glenariff Forest Park. The view while driving was fantastic.
When planning your trip, look at the google maps route and zoom in on any sites or lookouts that are marked along the way. If it's something you want to see, add it. It breaks up long drives and allows you to see something you may not have thought to stop at.
Glenariff Forest Park is about an hour drive from Belfast. The waterfall walk is 3km which sounds simple enough, but there is a steep climb coming back to the main car park. Bring water or stop at the restaurant at the bottom/halfway point of the trail for a drink or meal.
There is a parking fee at the main car park, but when we visited the machine was not working, so it was free. It's a beautiful walk. When you are done you can grab a bite to eat or drink at the cafe near the car park. There are also restrooms available. If you bring food, there are picnic tables with great views. We grabbed water and took in the view at a table for a bit before heading out.
We headed back to our hotel. Again, the views driving are stunning along the coast.
We made reservations for dinner at The Crown Liquor Saloon. You can eat in the private "snugs" downstairs, but at the time of our visit it was first come first served and there was quite a wait. There are 10 snugs downstairs. Once the doors are shut your party can eat and drink in complete privacy. There is a bell that was used, and you can still use today to call your server over to the table. We went with the restaurant upstairs since we could book a time slot. You can find more information here. The outside and inside of the bar is beautifully decorated.
Day 4: Tollymore Forest Park has a beautiful medieval gate at the entrance to the park. The cost is €5 per car to enter. The River Trail is 5.2km long and takes you by the Shimna River, across Parnell's Bridge, over the steppingstones, and through the forest. It's stunning. I saw a video on YouTube and fell in love with this park. We stopped at Tesco on our way to the park to grab food and drink for a picnic after our hike. There are several picnic tables around the park as well as a small cafe if you don't bring food. Restrooms are near the car park as well. This is also another GOT location: haunted forest.
We met up with some friends that were also in town at Darkey Kelly's Bar and Restaurant. The food was great, the beer was fantastic, and the music was too!
Dublin Castle is a must do in Dublin. It doesn't take long to explore the history of the castle, so definitely put it on your list. An audio guide is included with your ticket to learn more about the castle.
Christ Church Cathedral was on my list because I read on a blog post somewhere that it was better than St. Patrick's Cathedral. Let me just be clear that it is NOT better. Yes, it's a beautiful church, but if you are in a time crunch be sure to go to St Patrick's first. You can go into the catacombs here, which is very unique.
The Guinness Storehouse is another must do. Your ticket takes you through several floors with information about the history of Guinness and how it is made. There are sensory rooms and a tasting room to ensure you are tasting it correctly. Those who are hungry can grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants in the building. Your ticket includes a pint at the rooftop 360 bar. Walking around the viewing windows gives great views of the city of Dublin. If you do not drink, you can get a free soda at the 360 bar.
St Patrick's Cathedral is stunning. Be sure to check the opening times as when we arrived, they were closing for a short time and then reopening later. We quickly walked through in 30 minutes, but I would have loved to have taken my time here. There is a fee to enter.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing at St. Stephen's Green. The park was filled with people and the lake was filled with swans and ducks. Be sure to always add some relaxation time into your trips!
There are so many more places I'd love to visit. I can't wait to go back and explore more of Ireland. I loved Northern Ireland, and we just scratched the surface. I know there is a ton to see and do in the Republic of Ireland as well, but we didn't have time to do both. Wicklow is an area I had planned to try to get to from Dublin, but we just didn't have enough time. I also had Derry on my Northern Ireland list, but not enough time.
When researching spots, try to find places less populated by the mainstream tourist. You will enjoy your time so much more. There are tons of beautiful parks and hikes all over the country just as beautiful. If you are afraid to drive, look for transportation options that limit the bulk of tourists. Or go offseason to enjoy it more to yourselves. I hope this helps with your trip planning. I just loved Ireland so much!
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