Northern Ireland Road Trip: 5 Days of Coast, Castles and Glens
Pick up the car in Belfast, point it north, and within an hour you are on one of the great coast roads of Europe. Five days is the right amount of time for a Northern Ireland road trip. It gives you a day in Belfast, two days on the Causeway Coastal Route, a day in Derry and a quiet drive home through the Sperrin Mountains, without ever spending more than a couple of hours behind the wheel at a stretch.
I am a guide, and I am on these roads most days of the year. This is the Northern Ireland itinerary I would give a friend who wanted to drive it themselves, in the order it actually works on the ground, with the stops worth your time, where to stay, and the practical detail for every place: the address, the opening times, what it costs and whether you need to book.
Two things to know before you start. Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling, not euros, and distances on the road signs are in miles. Book Carrick-a-Rede, the Giant’s Causeway and Titanic Belfast before you travel, because in summer the good time slots go days ahead.
What Is in This Guide
- 1Planning Your Northern Ireland Road Trip
- 2Day 1: Belfast, the City Behind the Titanic
- 3St George’s Market
- 4Titanic Belfast
- 5Lunch in the Cathedral Quarter
- 6The murals and the peace walls
- 7Belfast Castle and Cave Hill
- 8Stormont Estate, if you have time
- 9Day 2: Belfast to Ballycastle Along the Antrim Coast
- 10Carrickfergus Castle
- 11The Gobbins, if you book ahead
- 12Glenarm Castle Walled Garden
- 13Carnlough Harbour
- 14Glenariff Forest Park
- 15Cushendun Caves
- 16Torr Head
- 17Ballycastle for the night
- 18Day 3: The Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede and the Giant’s Causeway
- 19The Dark Hedges
- 20Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
- 21Ballintoy Harbour
- 22White Park Bay
- 23The Giant’s Causeway
- 24Dunluce Castle
- 25Bushmills for the night
- 26Day 4: Bushmills to Derry
- 27Old Bushmills Distillery
- 28Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne
- 29The Derry walls
- 30The Guildhall and the Peace Bridge
- 31The Bogside and the Museum of Free Derry
- 32Day 5: Derry to Belfast Through the Sperrin Mountains
- 33Gortin Glen Forest Park
- 34The drive through the Sperrins
- 35Beaghmore Stone Circles
- 36Where to Stay on a Northern Ireland Road Trip
- 37Northern Ireland Road Trip FAQ
- 38Private Tours in Belfast and Northern Ireland
Planning Your Northern Ireland Road Trip
This 5 day Northern Ireland road trip itinerary is a loop. You start and finish in Belfast, follow the Causeway Coastal Route north and west to Derry, and come back across the middle of the country through the Sperrins. You sleep in Belfast, Ballycastle, Bushmills and Derry, so there is only one night in each place after Belfast and very little backtracking.
Car hire and driving
Both Belfast airports have the main car hire desks, and so does the city centre. Book an automatic early if you want one, because they are the first to go in summer. If you are coming from the United States, Canada or elsewhere outside the UK, nidirect says you can drive here on your full, valid licence for up to 12 months from the date you arrive.
We drive on the left. The main roads are good, but the coast road has narrow stretches, sharp bends and tractors, and the scenic road over Torr Head is single track in places. Allow more time than the satnav tells you, and never plan a stop at the Causeway or Carrick-a-Rede for the last hour of the day.
How the five days fit together
Day 1 is Belfast on foot. Day 2 is the Antrim coast and the Glens from Belfast to Ballycastle. Day 3 is the big day, the Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede and the Giant’s Causeway, ending in Bushmills. Day 4 takes you along the north coast to Derry. Day 5 brings you back to Belfast through the Sperrin Mountains.
Day 1: Belfast, the City Behind the Titanic
Spend your first day in Belfast without the car. The city centre is walkable end to end in twenty minutes, parking is more trouble than it is worth, and you will be driving every day after this one. Pick the car up tomorrow morning.
St George’s Market
If you are in Belfast on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, start here. It is the last Victorian covered market in the city, built between 1890 and 1896, and on a Saturday it is food, craft and live music under one roof. Breakfast from the stalls is the best way to begin the trip.
Visitor information
Opening times. Friday 8am to 2pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm, Sunday 10am to 3pm. Closed Monday to Thursday.
Guide prices. Free to enter.
Facilities. Food stalls, seating, toilets and step free access.
Where it is. 12 to 20 East Bridge Street, Belfast BT1 3NQ, five minutes on foot from City Hall.
Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast stands on the slipways where the ship was designed, built and launched, and the building is shaped like four ship’s prows standing on end. Nine galleries take you from the shipyard to the launch, the maiden voyage, the sinking and the finding of the wreck, and the ticket includes SS Nomadic, the last White Star Line ship afloat. Allow two to three hours, and book a morning slot.
Visitor information
Opening times. Seasonal, opening between 8:30am and 9:50am and closing between 5pm and 7:30pm depending on the month. Last admission is one hour forty minutes before closing.
Guide prices. Adult £24.95 online and £26.95 on the door, child aged 5 to 15 £11 online, family pass £62 online. SS Nomadic is included.
Booking. Book a timed slot online before you travel.
Where it is. 1 Olympic Way, Queen’s Road, Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9EP, a 25 to 30 minute walk from the city centre along the river.
Our Titanic Belfast guide has the full detail.
Lunch in the Cathedral Quarter
Walk back along the river to the Cathedral Quarter, the cobbled streets around St Anne’s Cathedral. St Anne’s Square has a good run of places for lunch. The Dirty Onion and the Duke of York are the pubs people come for, and this is where the live music is in the evening.
Visitor information
Where it is. Around St Anne’s Cathedral, Donegall Street, Belfast, about ten minutes on foot north of City Hall.
Guide prices. Free to walk round. St Anne’s Cathedral keeps its own visiting hours.
The murals and the peace walls
In the afternoon, go west to the Falls Road and the Shankill Road. The peace walls went up in 1969 as temporary structures meant to last six months, and several are still standing. You can walk it yourself for nothing, but this is the part of Belfast where context is everything, so it is worth doing with a local guide. Our Belfast city tour covers the murals, the peace walls and the Titanic Quarter.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open streets, any time of day. Some peace line gates close overnight.
Guide prices. Free to walk or drive.
Where it is. Cupar Way is the best known stretch, between the Falls and the Shankill in west Belfast, about ten minutes from the city centre.
Belfast Castle and Cave Hill
If you have energy left, finish the day on the north side of the city at Belfast Castle. It was built in 1870 on the slope of Cave Hill, it is free to walk into, and the gardens and the coffee shop look straight down over the city, the harbour and Belfast Lough. On a clear evening it is the best view in Belfast.
Visitor information
Opening times. Castle reception and shop, Sunday and Monday 9am to 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 9pm. It can close for private events such as weddings. The country park is open access.
Guide prices. Free, including the car park.
Facilities. Coffee shop, restaurant, visitor centre, toilets and an adventure playground.
Where it is. Belfast Castle, Antrim Road, Belfast BT15 5GR, about fifteen minutes north of the centre by road.
Stormont Estate, if you have time
Stormont is the parliament building of Northern Ireland, at the top of a mile long avenue in east Belfast, and the parkland around it is open to walk. It is a good morning stroll if you are staying an extra night in the city.
Visitor information
Opening times. Monday to Friday 7:30am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 7pm.
Guide prices. Free to walk.
Facilities. Toilets, a children’s playground and the Mo Mowlam Play Park.
Where it is. Upper Newtownards Road (A20), east Belfast, with a second entrance on Massey Avenue, BT4.
Day 2: Belfast to Ballycastle Along the Antrim Coast
Collect the car early and head north out of Belfast on the coast road. This is the day the scenery starts, and it is a full one, so leave by about 8am. You finish in Ballycastle for the night.
Carrickfergus Castle
Half an hour from Belfast, Carrickfergus Castle has stood guard over Belfast Lough since the Normans began it in the 1170s. It is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Ireland, and an hour is enough to walk the walls and the keep.
Visitor information
Opening times. Easter to September, 9:30am to 5pm, last admission 4:30pm. October to Easter, 9am to 4pm, last admission 3:30pm. Closed on Mondays, except bank holidays.
Guide prices. Adult £6, child aged 5 to 17 £4, under fives free, student and over 65 £4.50, family £18.
Where it is. Marine Highway, Carrickfergus, BT38 7BG, about 30 minutes from Belfast, with free parking.
The Gobbins, if you book ahead
The Gobbins is a cliff path of bridges and tunnels on the Islandmagee coast, walked with a guide, and it is the wildest walk in Northern Ireland. It takes a good part of the morning and it is weather dependent, so only add it if you have booked and you are happy to push the rest of the day later.
Visitor information
Opening times. From 1 March to the first weekend in January. The visitor centre opens daily from 8:30am to 5pm.
Guide prices. Adult £23.50, child under 16 £17.50, family of two adults and up to two children £52.50. Boot hire is £5.
Booking. Guided tours only, booked in advance.
Where it is. The Gobbins Visitor Centre, Middle Road, Islandmagee, BT40 3SL.
Glenarm Castle Walled Garden
Past Larne the road hugs the sea, and Glenarm is the first village of the Glens. Glenarm Castle has been the home of the MacDonnell family, the Earls of Antrim, since the 17th century, and its walled garden was named Garden of the Year by Historic Houses in 2023. The tea room inside the garden is a good place for a coffee.
Visitor information
Opening times. Daily, 10am to 5pm, last entry 4:15pm.
Guide prices. Adult £10, over 60s and students £8.50, ages 12 to 17 £5, children under 12 free.
Booking. Online on the castle’s own website, or pay on arrival.
Where it is. 2 Castle Lane, Glenarm, BT44 0BQ, with parking on site.
Carnlough Harbour
A few minutes on, Carnlough is a small limestone harbour built in 1854, and the stone steps on the quay are where Arya Stark climbed out of the canal in Braavos in Game of Thrones. The car park and the toilets at the harbour are free, and Twilight Coffee on Harbour Road serves good fresh ground coffee and scones.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open access all year.
Guide prices. Free, with free parking at the harbour.
Facilities. Toilets and parking at the harbour, cafes and shops in the village.
Where it is. Harbour Road, Carnlough, BT44 0EU.
Our Carnlough Harbour guide has the full detail.
Glenariff Forest Park
At Waterfoot, turn inland up the A43 into Glenariff, the Queen of the Glens. The Waterfall Walkway runs down through a wooded gorge past a string of waterfalls, and it is the best short walk on the whole trip. Wear proper shoes, because the boardwalk is wet and the steps back up are steep.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open to walkers 24 hours a day. The car park gates open by 8am and lock at dusk.
Guide prices. No entry ticket. Parking is £5 per car.
Where it is. 98 Glenariff Road, Ballymena, BT44 0QX, on the A43 between Ballymena and Waterfoot.
Our Glenariff Forest Park guide has the trails in full.
Cushendun Caves
Back on the coast, Cushendun is a village built in 1912 to look like a Cornish fishing village, and at the end of the beach are the caves where Melisandre gave birth to the shadow in Game of Thrones. It is five to ten minutes on foot from the car park.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open at all times.
Guide prices. Free, with nothing to book.
Facilities. Free National Trust car park beside the beach, with public toilets.
Where it is. Cushendun, BT44 0PG. Walk over the bridge and along the shore to the caves.
Torr Head
From Cushendun you have a choice. The main road heads inland to Ballycastle. The scenic road goes over Torr Head, about 12 and a half miles of narrow, steep road with sharp bends, and from the top you can see across to the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. On a clear day it is one of the finest drives in Northern Ireland. If the mist is down, take the main road.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open road at all times.
Guide prices. Free.
Before you drive it. Not suitable for coaches, caravans or large campervans. Allow plenty of time and expect to pull in for oncoming traffic.
Ballycastle for the night
Ballycastle is where the Glens meet the Causeway Coast, a seaside town with a long beach, a harbour and a good choice of places to eat. If you have a spare morning, the ferry to Rathlin Island leaves from the harbour.
Visitor information
Where to stay. The Salthouse Hotel above the town, with views to Fair Head, and the Marine Hotel on the seafront.
Rathlin ferry. Adult return £16.80 and child return £8.40, booked ahead on the Rathlin Island Ferry website. It leaves from Ballycastle Harbour.
Day 3: The Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede and the Giant’s Causeway
This is the day most people come for, and it is the one to start early. The order matters: the Dark Hedges first while it is quiet, then back to the coast for the rope bridge, the beaches and the Causeway, finishing in Bushmills for the night.
The Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges is an avenue of beech trees planted around 1775, and Game of Thrones used it as the Kingsroad. The road has been closed to traffic since 2017, so you park and walk it. Early morning, before the coaches, is when it looks the way it does in the photographs.
Visitor information
Opening times. Always open.
Guide prices. Free.
Facilities. None on the avenue. Toilets, food and drink at the Hedges Hotel a couple of minutes away.
Where it is. Bregagh Road, Stranocum, BT53 8PX, between Armoy and Stranocum.
Our Dark Hedges guide has the full detail.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Carrick-a-Rede is a rope bridge across a 66 foot gap to a small island, first strung up by salmon fishermen. The walk out along the cliff is half the pleasure, and the bridge itself takes a minute to cross. It closes in high wind, and your ticket is for a timed slot, so book it before you travel.
Visitor information
Opening times. Daily, roughly 9am to 4:30pm, with the car park open 9am to 6pm. Times shift with the season.
Guide prices. Adult £16, child aged 5 to 17 £8, family £40. Parking is included.
Booking. Essential, and it sells out in summer.
Where it is. 119a Whitepark Road, Ballintoy, BT54 6LS, off the B15 coast road between Ballintoy and Ballycastle.
Our Carrick-a-Rede guide has the full detail.
Ballintoy Harbour
Two minutes west, a steep, narrow road drops down to Ballintoy Harbour, with sea stacks, rock pools and a harbour cafe. Game of Thrones used it for the Iron Islands.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open at all times.
Guide prices. Free.
Facilities. Car park, toilets and a harbour cafe.
Where it is. Ballintoy, BT54 6NA, signposted off the coast road at Ballintoy village. Take the road down slowly.
White Park Bay
Just along the road, White Park Bay is a mile and a quarter of pale sand between two chalk headlands, and there may well be cattle on it. Even if you do not walk down, stop at the viewpoint above the car park. Swimming is not safe here.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open dawn to dusk.
Guide prices. Free, with a small free National Trust car park.
Facilities. None. The nearest toilets are at Ballintoy Harbour.
Where it is. Whitepark Road, on the A2 Causeway Coastal Route, 6.5 miles from Bushmills.
Our White Park Bay guide has the full detail.
The Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is around 40,000 basalt columns stepping down into the sea, and it is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland. The stones themselves are open land. What you pay for is the Visitor Experience, the audio guide and the car park. Give it at least two hours.
Visitor information
Opening times. The stones are open at all times. The Visitor Experience keeps seasonal hours, generally 9am to 6pm in summer and 9am to 5pm in winter.
Guide prices. From around £15 to £16 adult, £7.50 to £8 child, cheaper booked online. Parking is included in the ticket.
Facilities. Cafe, shop, toilets, and a shuttle bus down to the stones for £1 each way.
Where it is. 44 Causeway Road, Bushmills, BT57 8SU.
Our Giant’s Causeway guide has the full detail.
Dunluce Castle
Finish the afternoon at Dunluce Castle, the MacDonnell ruin on a basalt stack above the sea, a few minutes west of Bushmills. If the car park is full, the Magheracross viewpoint a quarter of a mile towards Portrush gives you the best view of it anyway.
Visitor information
Opening times. Daily 9:30am to 5pm, last admission 30 minutes before closing, closing at 4pm in December and January.
Guide prices. Adult £6, child aged 5 to 17 £4, student and over 65 £4.50, family £18. Tickets on arrival.
Where it is. 87 Dunluce Road, Bushmills, BT57 8UY.
Our Dunluce Castle guide has the full detail.
Bushmills for the night
Stay in Bushmills tonight. The village is ten minutes from the Causeway, it has the Bushmills Inn for dinner and a bed, and you wake up next to the distillery for the morning. Portballintrae, five minutes away, is a lovely little harbour for an evening walk.
Visitor information
Where to stay. The Bushmills Inn, in the middle of the village.
Where it is. Bushmills, County Antrim, on the A2 between the Giant’s Causeway and Portrush.
Day 4: Bushmills to Derry
A shorter drive today, with the morning on the north coast and the afternoon in Derry.
Old Bushmills Distillery
Old Bushmills is one of the oldest working distilleries in Ireland, and the tour takes about an hour including the tasting. Drivers get a non alcoholic option. Book ahead from May to September, and remember tastings do not start until 11am.
Visitor information
Opening times. Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm.
Guide prices. Around £20 for an adult on the standard tour. Card only.
Age limits. No under 8s on the guided tour.
Where it is. 2 Distillery Road, Bushmills, BT57 8XH.
Our Old Bushmills Distillery guide has the full detail.
Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne
Past Portrush and Coleraine, Mussenden Temple stands on the very edge of the cliff above Downhill Strand, built in 1785 by the Earl Bishop as a summer library. Walk out from Lion’s Gate past the ruins of Downhill House. It takes about an hour, and the wind on the cliff top is something else.
Visitor information
Opening times. Grounds open daily dawn to dusk. The temple itself opens on selected days only.
Guide prices. Free to walk the grounds. Parking is £10 per car, free for National Trust members and Blue Badge holders.
Facilities. Toilets and a coffee hut at Lion’s Gate, open 10am to 4pm.
Where it is. Mussenden Road, Castlerock, BT51 4RP, on the A2 a mile west of Castlerock.
Our Mussenden Temple guide has the full detail.
The Derry walls
Derry’s walls are the only complete city walls left in Ireland, and you can walk the whole circuit, about a mile, for nothing. Martin McCrossan City Tours runs a walking tour from Carlisle Road that tells the story of the siege and the city, and you just turn up.
Visitor information
The walls. Free and open at all times. Shipquay Gate, beside the Guildhall, is the easiest place to climb up.
Guided walk. Martin McCrossan City Tours leaves from 11 Carlisle Road, BT48 6JJ, at 10am, 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm from March to November. £6 per adult, children 12 and under free, no booking needed.
The Guildhall and the Peace Bridge
Just outside Shipquay Gate, the Guildhall is free to go in, and its stained glass tells the history of the city. Behind it the Peace Bridge, opened in 2011, curves across the River Foyle to Ebrington Square.
Visitor information
The Guildhall. Guildhall Square, BT48 6DQ. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and weekends 9am to 6pm, last entry an hour before closing. Free. Guided tours daily at 11am and 2pm, £3 per person.
The Peace Bridge. Starts behind the Guildhall at the river. Free and open at all times.
The Bogside and the Museum of Free Derry
Below the walls is the Bogside, with Free Derry Corner and the murals of the civil rights years. The Museum of Free Derry tells the story of Bloody Sunday and the civil rights movement through the people who lived it.
Visitor information
Opening times. Weekdays from 9:30am, until 6pm from March to October and 5pm the rest of the year. Weekends 10am to 4pm. Last entry an hour before closing.
Guide prices. Adult £10, student £7, concession £8, children 12 and under free with their family.
Where it is. Museum of Free Derry, 55 Glenfada Park, BT48 9DR. Free Derry Corner is where Lecky Road meets Fahan Street.
Our things to do in Derry guide has much more on the city.
Day 5: Derry to Belfast Through the Sperrin Mountains
The quickest way back to Belfast is the main road. The better way is through the Sperrin Mountains, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of open moorland, quiet glens and very few other cars. It is the most peaceful day of the trip.
Gortin Glen Forest Park
Head south to Gortin Glen, at the western gateway to the Sperrins. It has forest walks, a play park for children and a cafe, so it is a good place for a morning coffee and a stretch of the legs.
Visitor information
Opening times. October to March 6:30am to 6pm, April to September 6:30am to 9pm.
Facilities. Cafe, toilets, play park, walking trails and parking.
Where it is. On the B48 between Omagh and Gortin, about six miles north of Omagh.
The drive through the Sperrins
From Gortin, take the road east through Barnes Gap and along the Glenelly Valley under Sawel, the highest of the Sperrins. There is nothing to book and nothing to pay for, just narrow roads, sheep and some of the emptiest country in Northern Ireland. Pull in wherever it is safe and take your time.
Beaghmore Stone Circles
On the far side of the mountains, on open bog near Cookstown, Beaghmore is a group of seven stone circles with cairns and stone rows, found during peat cutting in the late 1930s. Few people come here, and that is the beauty of it. From Beaghmore it is a straight run back to Belfast on the main roads.
Visitor information
Opening times. Open access, though access can be restricted during works.
Guide prices. Free.
Where it is. Blackrock Road, Cookstown, BT80 9PB.
Where to Stay on a Northern Ireland Road Trip
Belfast, night one. The Merchant Hotel in the Cathedral Quarter is the city’s best known five star. The Grand Central Hotel, the Fitzwilliam and the Europa are all central. The Titanic Hotel, in the old Harland and Wolff drawing offices, puts you beside Titanic Belfast. For good value, there are Premier Inns in the city centre and the Titanic Quarter.
Ballycastle, night two. The Salthouse Hotel and the Marine Hotel.
Bushmills, night three. The Bushmills Inn.
Derry, night four. Stay inside or just outside the walls, so you can walk everywhere in the evening.
Where to choose in Belfast. The Cathedral Quarter for pubs, restaurants and music, the Titanic Quarter for families visiting Titanic Belfast, and the city centre for everything else. For the evening, the Crown Liquor Saloon, the Duke of York, the Dirty Onion and Kelly’s Cellars are the pubs I would suggest to a friend.
Northern Ireland Road Trip FAQ
How many days do you need for a Northern Ireland road trip?
Five days covers the essentials: a day in Belfast, two on the Causeway Coastal Route, a day in Derry and a day back through the Sperrins. With three days, do Belfast and the Causeway Coast. With seven, add a day in the Mourne Mountains and a slower pace on the coast.
What is the best route for a Northern Ireland road trip?
A loop from Belfast. Follow the Causeway Coastal Route north through the Glens to Ballycastle, along the north coast past the Giant’s Causeway to Derry, then back across the Sperrin Mountains to Belfast.
Can you drive in Northern Ireland with a US licence?
Yes. According to nidirect, a visitor with a full, valid licence from outside the UK can drive here for up to 12 months from the date they arrive. We drive on the left, and distances are in miles.
Do I need a car for a Northern Ireland road trip?
To do this itinerary, yes. Belfast and Derry are fine on foot, but the coast, the Glens and the Sperrins are not well served by public transport. If you would rather not drive, a private tour with a local driver guide covers the same ground.
What is the best time of year for a Northern Ireland road trip?
May, June and September. The days are long, the roads are quieter than in July and August, and the coast is at its best. Winter is quiet and cheap, but the daylight is gone by four in December.
What is the most scenic drive in Northern Ireland?
The Antrim Coast Road from Larne to Ballycastle, through the Glens of Antrim, and the narrow road over Torr Head on a clear day. The Sperrins are the quietest.
What are the must see stops on a Northern Ireland road trip?
The Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle, Titanic Belfast, Mussenden Temple and the Derry walls.
Do I need to book attractions in advance?
For Carrick-a-Rede, yes, booking is essential. Book the Giant’s Causeway and Titanic Belfast ahead as well, especially in summer. Most of the other stops on this route are free or pay on arrival.
Where should I stay on a Northern Ireland road trip?
Belfast on the first night, Ballycastle after the Antrim coast, Bushmills after the Giant’s Causeway, and Derry on the last night.
Is driving in Northern Ireland difficult?
Not on the main roads, which are good. The coast road has narrow stretches and sharp bends, and some scenic roads such as Torr Head are single track in places, so allow more time than the satnav suggests.
Can you do a Northern Ireland road trip without a car?
You can see Belfast and Derry without one, and the train runs between them. For the coast and the Glens you need a car or a tour.
Can I combine Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland on one trip?
Yes. Dublin is about 100 miles from Belfast, around two hours by road. Check that your car hire allows you to take the car across the border, and remember the Republic uses euros and metric road signs.
Is Northern Ireland good for a road trip with kids?
Yes. The days are short on driving, the beaches and forest parks give children space, and Titanic Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway and Glenariff all work well for families.
Follow Us for Tour Updates & Travel Inspiration
Follow us for travel inspiration, local insights, and real moments from our private tours across Northern Ireland. Stay updated with new experiences, seasonal highlights, and guest stories.
Private Tours in Belfast and Northern Ireland
If you would rather not drive, the same route works as a private tour. Your local guide collects you from your hotel in Belfast, from either Belfast airport or from Belfast Cruise Terminal, and does the driving, so you can watch the coast instead of the road.
You can take it one day at a time, with a day on the Causeway Coast, a day in Belfast or a day in Derry, or as a tour of several days with your hotels along the way. If you are starting in Dublin, we can collect you there and bring you north. The route is yours, so if you want longer at the Causeway and less time somewhere else, you say so on the day.
Every tour is private, for your party alone. Up to 7 passengers travel in a Mercedes-Benz V-Class, 8 in a Ford Tourneo Custom, and 9 or more in two V-Class vehicles travelling together.
Tell us your dates, where you are staying and what you would like to see, and we will plan the days around you.
Giants Causeway Tour
A full day at the Giant’s Causeway from Belfast, travelling the Causeway Coastal Route with your own local driver-guide and time for photos at every stop.
Game of Thrones Tour
Visit the real Game of Thrones filming locations across Northern Ireland, including the Dark Hedges and Ballintoy Harbour, on a fully private tour.
Belfast Shore Excursions
Private shore excursions from Belfast Cruise Terminal, planned around your ship’s schedule with a guaranteed return before departure.
Planning a private tour of Northern Ireland? ➔ Get in touch to discuss your ideas.
Connect with Us
I am on these roads most days of the year, and we post what we see: the coast in every season, how busy the big stops are, and the quieter places worth a detour.
If you are planning a Northern Ireland road trip and want to ask something, a message on any of the channels below is the quickest way to reach us, whether or not you end up booking with us.
Facebook
Pinterest
LinkedIn
WhatsApp