A free toilet sits near the visitor centre, and anyone can pay 2 pounds for the shuttle to the stones (2025)
Take the early train from Dublin Connolly, about 2.5 hours, to arrive near 10am; a Belfast bus day pass is about 5 pounds (2025)
Airport bus about 12.50 pounds return, valid a month; free sights include City Hall exhibition, Victoria Centre viewing deck and Ulster Museum (2023)
Booking tours through Tripadvisor gave about 10 percent off, saving around 20 pounds over four days in Belfast (2023)
Budget for Causeway parking: 13 pounds per adult unless a National Trust member; roadside parking is free and a private lot charges 9 (2023)
Conflicting Stories walking tour of Falls and Shankill roads costs 23 pounds, led by a former prisoner and former soldier (2023)
Dublin to Galway or Belfast by train or bus costs about 20 euro (~$22), so no car is needed between cities (2023)
Giant's Causeway 10-hour coach tour via McComb Coaches cost about 30 pounds with two hours at the site (2023)
Prices change; check before you go.
Tips about Antrim
1Take a Belfast black cab tour with a driver who lived through the Troubles12 visitors
Take a political black cab tour of Belfast; drivers explain the Troubles at murals, memorials and the Peace Wall. · Blog, 2025
On a black cab tour, note the metal shrapnel guards on homes beside the peace walls and paramilitary murals. · Blog, 2024
Pick a Belfast black taxi guide who grew up in West Belfast for first-hand Troubles perspective. · Blog, 2025
Take a Belfast black taxi tour to understand the divided neighbourhoods, murals and peace walls. · Blog, 2024
12 visitors here; showing 4 of the 9 who gave detail.
2Allow two to four hours for Titanic Belfast and book a timed ticket7 visitors
Allow plenty of time for Titanic Belfast; it spans four floors, and the sinking-causes and safety-reform section is worth seeking out. · Blog, 2025
Book Titanic Belfast online in advance; a Dublin to Belfast train day trip is feasible but the city is crowded. · Fodor's, 2024
Allow over two hours at Titanic Belfast; the kids' treasure hunt and ship ride kept a six-year-old engaged. · other, 2024
Buy timed tickets ahead for Titanic Belfast and Malahide Castle; arriving late meant rebooking. · Fodor's, 2019
7 visitors here; showing 4 of the 5 who gave detail.
3The Giant's Causeway is worth it; walk the clifftop Red Trail as well as the stones7 visitors
Visit the Giant's Causeway at low tide, when more stones are exposed, and walk the cliff path behind the visitor centre. · Rick Steves forum, 2024
At the Giant's Causeway climb partway up the cliff for the Giant's Organ, or continue to the top and walk back. · Blog, 2025
Include Northern Ireland; Causeway Coast is worth the drive. · Blog
Giant's Causeway Red Trail is quieter with great views. · TripAdvisor, 2024
7 visitors here; showing 4 of the 5 who gave detail.
4Add Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede (book a timed slot) and the Dark Hedges to a Causeway day5 visitors
Paddy Wagon Causeway tour stopped at Dunluce, Dark Hedges and Carrick-a-Rede, with only about an hour at the Causeway. · Blog, 2025
Buy a timed Carrick-a-Rede ticket in advance; arriving without one meant waiting. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Use Bushmills as a base for the Causeway Coast and add Dunluce Castle ruins. · Rick Steves forum, 2024
5 visitors here; showing 3 of the 4 who gave detail.
5The walk down to the Causeway stones is long and steep, so wear good shoes or take the shuttle bus5 visitors
On the Causeway coach tour sit on the right for views; the walk down is long, about 2,000 steps, with 45 minutes at the stones. · other, 2024
Buses run to the Giant's Causeway stones from the visitor centre if the family does not want to walk the trail. · Blog, 2024
A free toilet sits near the visitor centre, and anyone can pay 2 pounds for the shuttle to the stones. · TripAdvisor, 2025
Skip Giant's Causeway with a toddler, as it means a long walk or a shuttle queue. · TripAdvisor
5 visitors here; showing 4 of the 5 who gave detail.
6Reach the Giant's Causeway early or near sunset to avoid the coach crowds4 visitors
Aim for the Giant's Causeway sunrise with layers and arrive early; photos of waves worked without a tripod. · Blog, 2024
Visit Dunluce early before tour buses; Giant's Causeway was crowded at sunset and took about 10 minutes. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Go near sunset to the Giant's Causeway and bring a zoom lens to capture the columns from a distance. · Blog, 2017
4 visitors here; showing the 3 who gave detail.
7Take the guided tour at the Giant's Causeway; the guides bring the legends and geology alive4 visitors
Buy Giant's Causeway tickets online to enter faster; free guided tour was very good. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Guided tours suit Newgrange, Giant's Causeway and Cliffs of Moher. · Blog
4 visitors here; showing 2 of the 3 who gave detail.
8Avoid Belfast around the July 12th bonfires, and note that peace-wall gates close each evening3 visitors
Belfast's peace wall gates lock every evening at 8pm, so plan visits to divided neighbourhoods earlier in the day. · Blog, 2025
Be cautious around the July 12 bonfire period; her 2009 visit had rowdy youths and tense neighbourhoods. · Rick Steves forum, 2019
Check local rules for divided areas of Belfast, since some gates close at set times each night. · Blog, 2025
Expect huge bonfires around July 12 celebrations in Northern Ireland. · Blog, 2025
9In Belfast, browse St George's Market and drink at the Crown Liquor Saloon3 visitors
In Belfast, browse St George's Market, drink in the Entries, and see the Crown Liquor Saloon, a National Trust pub. · Rick Steves forum, 2026
St George's Market is good for breakfast, with crepes, fresh fish and food trucks. · Blog, 2024
Hire a Belfast black cab tour and visit St George's Market and the Titanic museum. · Fodor's, 2017
10Skip the Giant's Causeway visitor centre fee. The path to the stones is free if you park nearby2 visitors
Budget for Causeway parking: 13 pounds per adult unless a National Trust member; roadside parking is free and a private lot charges 9. · TripAdvisor, 2023
You can walk to the stones free; park free at Portballintrae or Dunsverick Castle and use the buses for a one-way walk. · TripAdvisor, 2025
Only one National Trust ticket was needed for a car; the rest of the group walked in without tickets. · TripAdvisor, 2025
Ireland-wide tips people mentioned here (2)
1No car? Take a Causeway Coast day tour from Belfast or Dublin7 visitors
Reach the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce and Dark Hedges from Dublin on a budget day bus tour rather than renting a car. · Blog, 2025
Book an all-day bus tour from Belfast that follows the coast, stopping at the Dark Hedges and Giant's Causeway. · Blog, 2023
Giant's Causeway 10-hour coach tour via McComb Coaches cost about 30 pounds with two hours at the site. · other, 2023
A McCombs coach tour did Giant's Causeway, Dark Hedges and Ballintoy in under a day from Belfast. · Blog, 2018
7 visitors here; showing 4 of the 6 who gave detail.
2Do Belfast as a day trip from Dublin by train. It's about two hours each way3 visitors
Take the early train from Dublin Connolly, about 2.5 hours, to arrive near 10am; a Belfast bus day pass is about 5 pounds. · Blog, 2025
Take the train from Dublin to Belfast for a weekend; Belfast City Hall and Christmas Market are lit up in November. · Blog, 2023
Skip the car in Dublin; do Belfast as a train day trip and take the Black Cab tour. · Rick Steves forum
Show 65 single-report tipsHide single-report tips
Driving (2)
Drive the Antrim coast north of Carrickfergus for small glens; day trips from Belfast suit a rental car better than the city itself. · Rick Steves forum, 2021
Take the B-roads (B146, B15, B92) from Portrush East; leave early and allow around nine hours with stops. · TripAdvisor, 2024
Getting around (15)
Airport bus about 12.50 pounds return, valid a month; free sights include City Hall exhibition, Victoria Centre viewing deck and Ulster Museum. · other, 2023
Belfast Sunday buses are infrequent; missing one meant a 45-minute wait. · Fodor's, 2019
Book Irish Rail tickets online for a guaranteed seat; your name shows above it. Dublin to Belfast from Galway needs a station change. · TripAdvisor, 2023
Bus Belfast to Dublin Airport and rent there instead; one-way cross-border car hire fees are steep. · Rick Steves forum, 2021
Citylink buses did Belfast-Dublin-Galway; hostels stored bags, and an Uber to Dublin Airport was cheaper than the bus. · Blog, 2018
Fly into Belfast City Airport rather than International; he was at his city-centre hotel about 45 minutes after landing. · other, 2024
Fly into Belfast City Airport, not International 30 miles away; the Visitor Pass covers the city airport bus but not the other. · other
Get the Belfast Visitor Pass for public transport and attraction discounts, then take the train to Carrickfergus Castle. · other
Last train to Belfast arrives around midnight and the hostel walk is 30-40 minutes; plan transport. · TripAdvisor, 2022
On the Belfast-Derry train, sit on the right side for ocean views. · TripAdvisor, 2026
Pay a couple of euro extra for flexible Irish Rail tickets; the author caught an earlier Belfast train, and late trains are open seating anyway. · TripAdvisor, 2023
Return a rental at Belfast airport, then take a bus from Belfast Grand Central to the Glasgow ferry port. · Blog, 2024
Trains Dublin to Belfast, Dublin to Galway and Cork to Dublin worked well; connections elsewhere meant backtracking and sparse services. · Rick Steves forum, 2024
Trains were all on time; the Belfast to Dublin run takes about two hours. Pre-book buses and private tours since they sell out. · Rick Steves forum, 2025
Dublin to Galway or Belfast by train or bus costs about 20 euro (~$22), so no car is needed between cities. · Blog, 2023
Food & pubs (6)
At Belfast's Crown Liquor Saloon, eat in the quieter upstairs dining room instead of the packed ground-floor bar. · TripAdvisor, 2019
Belfast: only one pizza shop was open around 1am; eat before late arrivals. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Buy groceries before reaching tiny villages like Ballintoy. · Blog
Eat early with children: many Belfast places stopped serving food or turned away kids by about 8pm. · TripAdvisor, 2026
Reserve ahead for dinner at Flame in Belfast; steak and lemon tart praised. · Blog, 2025
Reserve dinners in Belfast; many restaurants stop serving around 9pm or are fully booked. · Fodor's, 2019
Sightseeing (22)
A smaller Game of Thrones bus (McComb's) can reach Ballintoy harbour where large coaches cannot. · Fodor's, 2017
Belfast Titanic Museum was overpriced; Cliffs of Moher crowded with paths closed. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge was closed by a landslip in winter; check status before driving up, though the approach is still scenic and free. · TripAdvisor, 2019
Cliffs of Moher and Giant's Causeway from cruise shore excursions were mobbed; ship timing left no time for Cork or Galway. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Conflicting Stories walking tour of Falls and Shankill roads costs 23 pounds, led by a former prisoner and former soldier. · other, 2023
Dublinia suits children, with its Viking experience, and Belfast's private black cab tour pairs well with Titanic Belfast. · other
Giant's Causeway in January is fun, but Northern Ireland can be wet; check Dunluce Castle is open before going. · other
Hotel Europa front desk handed out a hand-drawn map of local sights; Cathedral Quarter pubs and the Duke of York suit a pub-snack stop. · Blog
Leave a hand free at Carrick-a-Rede; gripping the ropes the whole way meant no photos. · Blog, 2025
Napoleon's Nose is short but harder than it sounds; bring warm layers and pick a clear day, as fog hid the views. · Blog, 2024
On a one-day cruise stop, a combined city bus, Titanic Museum and Causeway tour crams too much; four hours at Titanic alone would have sufficed. · Rick Steves forum, 2018
Photograph Carrick-a-Rede's bridge as a silhouette from the mainland end; the site closed by evening. · Blog, 2017
Pick Giant's Causeway over the Cliffs of Moher if you must choose one; the author preferred it. · Blog, 2025
Pre-book Titanic Experience, Carrick-a-Rede and Newgrange tickets. · TripAdvisor, 2025
Reread A Night to Remember before the Titanic museum; the second half, with Morse distress signals and the passenger names wall, engages most. · Blog, 2024
Spend a day in the Antrim Glens; Glenariff's short waterfall walk is dramatic, and Torr Head north of Cushendun is a scenic drive. · Rick Steves forum, 2024
Take the Ballycastle ferry to Rathlin Island, and consider the Mourne Mountains or Lough Erne if time allows. · Rick Steves forum, 2026
The Causeway felt calmer than the Cliffs of Moher she visited earlier; add the Bushmills distillery stop nearby. · Blog, 2024
Titanic Museum is mostly about shipbuilding and covers the sinking very little, so set expectations accordingly. · Blog
Visit the Cliffs of Moher or Giant's Causeway shortly before closing; tour buses have left and sunset was nearly empty in August. · Blog, 2023
Walk Cave Hill for views over Belfast and the port. · Rick Steves forum, 2026
Walk from the Falls Road through the gates onto Cupar Way to see the peace walls instead of paying for a black cab. · other, 2024
Where to stay (5)
Avoid lofted beds with curtains for toddlers (as at room2 hometel, Belfast); bedtime took two hours. Bring a travel cot. · Blog, 2025
Stay at The Harrison Chambers of Distinction in Belfast: friendly staff, good breakfast, rear parking and a pleasant neighbourhood. · Rick Steves forum, 2026
Stay at the Europa in Belfast for its central position. · Fodor's, 2017
Stay one or two nights around Ballycastle so you can ferry to Rathlin Island for a day. · Rick Steves forum, 2024
Vagabonds hostel near Queen's was safe, with breakfast included; The Parlour pub there was packed, so go early. · Blog, 2025
Money (5)
Belfast restaurants may add a 12 percent service charge. · TripAdvisor, 2025
Belfast uses pounds sterling, the rest of Ireland euros. · Fodor's, 2024
Booking tours through Tripadvisor gave about 10 percent off, saving around 20 pounds over four days in Belfast. · other, 2023
Bring a backup payment card; some American cards were declined first time in Northern Ireland. · Blog, 2025
Carry euro and pounds if you cross to Northern Ireland; the north uses sterling. · Blog, 2023
Other (10)
Allow 4 hours rather than 2 for Kinbane Castle; the walk from the bus stop is long with steep steps. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Allow time for Ballycastle and the basalt stepping stones; they ran out of time. · Blog, 2024
Base in Dublin, Killarney and Galway and use day trips; Belfast works as a day trip by train. · Fodor's, 2017
Bring warm layers even in summer; it was about 11C (52°F) on the Antrim coast. · Blog, 2024
Dress for wind and cold at the Causeway even on a sunny day, and take the easier trails along the coast. · Blog, 2023
In low cloud, swap Cliffs of Moher or Causeway for another day. · TripAdvisor, 2024
On Bombay Street look for the metal covers over backyards built against pipe bombs. · Blog, 2024
Pack warm waterproofs; wind at the Giant's Causeway made standing difficult, especially on wet rocks. · Blog, 2023
The Points in Belfast for evening Irish music; Botanical Backpackers hostel has a good kitchen. · TripAdvisor, 2022
Wear sturdy footwear at the Giant's Causeway; the uniform basalt stones were hard to walk on. · Blog, 2023