An amazing Northern Ireland road trip: 7 days itinerary
Here’s one of the most epic Northern Ireland road trips; there’s so much to do and see, and with it being a relatively small area to traverse, with a total of 4-5 hours driving time, you’ll be sure to spend most of your time exploring this gorgeous country rather than sitting in a car. The “Green Isle” or the “Emerald Isle” are poetic nicknames thanks to the luscious green landscapes, rolling hills and incredible Irish charm which you will no doubt fall in love with.
This distinctive feature has been celebrated in literature, folklore, and art for centuries. The use of terms like “Green Isle” and “Emerald Isle” in reference to Ireland can be found in various historical writings, poems, and cultural representations.
After a number of requests for more information on a Northern Ireland road trip or a fab Ireland travel guide along the Antrim Coast, I thought I’d share my ultimate Ireland road trip itinerary with you!
This blog post may contain affiliate links.
If you’re looking for things to do in Dublin, Ireland, have a look at this 2 day itinerary.
Quick links
| Here’s everything I use when I travel abroad: Tours – Compare tour prices on Viator and Get Your Guide Hotels – I always use Booking as the more hotels I book, I get a higher Genius discount. I also compare prices on Expedia. E-Sims – purchase an e-sim with Airalo on your phone so you can make calls and have mobile data abroad! There’s no need to remove your current sim card! Travel insurance – don’t ever go on vacation without travel insurance, you never know when you might need it! Travel essentials – have a look at a full list of travel essentials that I use, including the best power bank! |
Northern Ireland Road Trip 7 Days
Here’s an amazing Northern Ireland road trip itinerary; it can last 7 days, but you can definitely do it in less if you’re pushed for time, you could probably do it in about 4 days although it will be rushed. It is best to explore each location as part of a day trip out.
This trip covers the Antrim coast and sites in the north and skips the Mourne mountains, but if you have a spare day, you could do this on a day trip from Northern Ireland. Car hire is from $24 per day.
Total driving time: 4.5 hours
Distance: 170 miles
- Belfast
- Slemish Mountain
- The Dark Hedges
- Rathlin Island
- Whitepark Bay Beach
- The Giant’s Causeway & Portcoon Jetty
- Dunluce Castle & Rede Rope Bridge
- Port Stewart & Mussenden Temple
- Ulster American Folk Park
Want more travel inspo? Have a look at my other articles on travel destinations in the UK.
You might be interested in my other in the UK:
7 day self drive tour Scotland
25 unusual places to stay in Kent
Top 30 best restaurants in Essex
Best Glamping sites near Brighton
Tours in Northern Ireland
If you prefer not to drive yourself, you can always book onto a guided tour, and save all the hassle by having someone else think everything out for you.
Northern Ireland Road Trip Map
Here’s an amazing Northern Ireland road trip itinerary; packed with things to do, from the Giant’s causeway and the Dark Hedges, you’ll have a great time! Here’s all the travel tips you need for an epic time! Here’s the route we did, with a total driving time of 4.5 hours in the whole week! Not too shabby, meaning you’ll be spending most of your time out exploring instead of being stuck in the car.
Belfast
Hotels in Belfast
We started off with a relaxing Spa-cation in Belfast at Culloden Estate and Spa. It was the perfect relaxing retreat to start our holiday, and close enough for us to pop out for the day to explore Belfast. We wandered down to the coastline and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city!
15 things to do in Belfast
Titanic Belfast: This is possibly the most iconic thing to do in Belfast; Visit the iconic Titanic museum to learn about the history of the Titanic, which was built in Belfast. It’s an interactive experience that tells the story of the ship’s construction, launch, and tragic sinking.
St. George’s Market: Explore one of Belfast’s oldest markets, where you can find local produce, crafts, and souvenirs. It’s a vibrant place to shop and try some delicious, famous and rustic Irish food. Yum! And maybe a Guinness too.
Crumlin Road Gaol: Take a guided tour of this (frankly, pretty terrible and miserable) prison to learn about its dark past. No doubt you’ll learn about the role it had in Northern Ireland’s history and some of the sadder stories that go with it.
Botanic Gardens: now this one you can’t miss; the beautiful Botanic Gardens is home to the Palm House and the Tropical Ravine and is perfect for an afternoon exploring, and if the weather is half decent, an ice cream from one of their stands.
Ulster Museum: There’s a tonne of art, history, and natural science exhibits at the Ulster Museum so head down and make sure you stop for a cream tea at their cafe – yum!
Belfast City Hall: Take a guided tour of the impressive City Hall; it’s great for a photo op too, and will look great on the old ‘Gram.
Black Cab Tours: Consider taking a Black Cab Tour to learn about Belfast’s complex history, including the Troubles and the city’s political murals – the political murals are dotted around the city and the black cabs know exactly where they’re going; when we went on our own, we did get a bit lost!
St. Anne’s Cathedral: This is the famous cathedral of Belfast, known for its impressive stained glass windows; something they do right in NI!
Belfast Castle: Get up here if you want to see (and take pictures of) panoramic views of the city from Belfast Castle, which sits proudly on Cave Hill and you’ll get views for days.
Linen Hall Library: Explore one of the oldest libraries in Belfast, with plenty of cute books to browse through.
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum: look through their historic buildings, vintage vehicles, and fun and fairly unusual interactive exhibits.
Cathedral Quarter: see for yourself Belfast’s arty district with galleries, theatres, restaurants, and lively pubs; everything you could possibly wish for!
Belfast Zoo: Spend a day at Belfast Zoo, home to the famous African pygmy goat and a bunch of other animals too.
Cave Hill Country Park: Go for a leisurely walk in Belfast’s prettiest park, which has some stunning views of Belfast.
Game of Thrones Tour: If you’re a fan of the TV series, consider taking a guided tour to visit filming locations around Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Slemish Mountain
Slemish mountain is famous for being the first home home of Saint Patrick. It is a 20 minute hike of easy-medium difficulty, with spectacular views in every direction of Northern Irealnd. You will be clambering up various rocks and boulders, so you’ll be out of breath, but is totally worth it. Bear in mind it is windy up there by you’ll have the chance to see everything! If you have a bit of time on your way to Slemish Mountain, head to Gobbins Cliff Path for an incredible hike along the coast. You won’t regret it!
The Dark Hedges
Ok so this is something you have to do. A must do activity for everyone! The Dark Hedges is an unusual formation of spooky looking beech trees near Armoy in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was meant to be a feature to impress visitors approaching the Georgian Mansion, Gracehill House back in the day. It’s now a huge photography hotspot, and featured in many films and TV including Game of Thrones.
You’ll need a zoom lens in order to capture the layer effect of trees. I used a 82mm for the below picture on the left, the picture on the right is taken on a drone.
Rathlin Island
We wanted to see puffins! Whilst we did see puffins, it was on an exceptionally rainy day and sadly the weather was pretty terrible. I imagine this experience would be amazing in better weather. We also saw seals too!
This will definitely make your epic Northern Ireland Road Trip.
Whitepark Bay Beach
On a glorious day, Whitepark Bay beach rivals any across the Mediterranean. There are beautiful cliffs with plenty of caves to explore. Make sure you dedicate half a day at least to exploring this place, it’s incredible!
This will definitely make your epic Northern Ireland Road Trip.
The Giant’s Causeway & Portcoon Jetty
The Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast is actually Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 1986 was declared as a natural site thanks to its geological formation which is fairly unusual. I spent loads of time at the Giant’s Causeway, I actually visited about 5 times in total as we stayed nearby and I’d walk down in the mornings and evenings. This is a must do epic Northern Ireland Road Trip.
This is along the causeway coastal route and definitely very scenic to drive down. The weather was misty and moody most of the time but it made it more special! Our log cabin was also brilliant, it’s worth booking one if you can. Portcoon Jetty is in a bay on the other side of the Giant’s causeway and is not to be missed.
Why is it named the Giants Causeway Ireland?
It’s called ‘The Giant’s Causeway’ because, as the story goes, it was made by an Irish giant named Finn McCool. He supposedly built it to walk to Scotland and fight against his enemy, Benandonner.
Rede Rope Bridge
The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is a famous place in County Antrim, Northern Ireland that you absolutely must try, especially if you’re after some adventure thrills or if you want to conquer your fear of heights. It’s part of the Causeway Coastal Route. The bridge is made of ropes and goes across a 20-meter gap to connect the mainland with Carrick-a-Rede Island, basically, it’s like one of those scary suspended rope bridges you see in the movies but an absolute must on your Northern Ireland Road Trip..
Back in the day, it was said that fishermen built this bridge to reach their fishing nets. You’ll get amazing views of the coastline, cliffs, and the sea below, which is a beautiful emerald green waters.
It’s looked after by the National Trust takes just make sure you check when it’s open, as sometimes it is closed for maintenance – avoid a disappointment! An absolute highlight on your Northern Ireland Road Trip.
Dunluce Castle
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. It was brilliant!
It is a lot larger than I initially expected and there is plenty of history which dates all the way back to the 13th century and belonged to the MacDonnell clan. There are plenty of myths and legends that surround Dunluce Castle too!
Legend says on one stormy night, the cliffs collapsed into the sea taking the entire kitchen wing with it. You can see the edge of the cliff where the remains of the kitchen used to be!
Port Stewart
It is a gorgeous little town worth visiting, plenty of boutique art shops, ice cream parlours and restaurants. Highly recommended.
It’s famous for its promenade along the beach front with tonnes of boutique stores, souvenir stalls, ice cream parlours, and seafront ferris wheels. Pick up some fish and chips and watch seagulls whizz by the harbour.
Mussenden temple
This was brilliant. I loved it here, even though it was exceptionally windy. I’d also check out the fields surrounding it, there was a wild flower field of buttercups.
Ulster American Folk Park
On your way back to Belfast, you have the option of stopping at the Ulster American Folk Park. The Ulster American Folk Park tells the story of Ulster people’s emigration to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s no secret that times were tough during the 18th and 19th centuries for the Irish, and here you’ll learn more about the lives that were left behind, the hardships endured on the journey and building new lives in a foreign land. An absolute highlight on your Northern Ireland Road Trip.
Weather in Northern Ireland: When is the best time to go?
That’s it! I loved the trip to Northern Ireland and would highly recommend it! Drop me a comment below if you have any questions.
Northern Ireland Weather in January
- Average temperature: 4°C (39°F)
- Average Rainy days: 17
- Average Daylight hours: 8
- Average Sunrise time: Around 8:30 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 4:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in February
- Average temperature: 4°C (39°F)
- Average Rainy days: 13
- Average Daylight hours: 10
- Average Sunrise time: Around 7:45 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 5:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in March
- Average temperature: 6°C (43°F)
- Average Rainy days: 15
- Average Daylight hours: 12
- Average Sunrise time: Around 6:45 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 6:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in April
- Average temperature: 8°C (46°F)
- Average Rainy days: 12
- Average Daylight hours: 14
- Average Sunrise time: Around 6:00 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 8:00 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in May
- Average temperature: 11°C (52°F)
- Average Rainy days: 11
- Average Daylight hours: 16
- Average Sunrise time: Around 5:15 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 9:00 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in June
- Average temperature: 14°C (57°F)
- Average Rainy days: 11
- Average Daylight hours: 17
- Average Sunrise time: Around 4:45 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 9:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in July
- Average temperature: 16°C (61°F)
- Average Rainy days: 12
- Average Daylight hours: 17
- Average Sunrise time: Around 5:00 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 9:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in August
- Average temperature: 16°C (61°F)
- Average Rainy days: 13
- Average Daylight hours: 15
- Average Sunrise time: Around 6:00 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 8:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in September
- Average temperature: 14°C (57°F)
- Average Rainy days: 12
- Average Daylight hours: 12
- Average Sunrise time: Around 6:45 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 7:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in October
- Average temperature: 10°C (50°F)
- Average Rainy days: 15
- Average Daylight hours: 10
- Average Sunrise time: Around 7:30 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 6:00 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in November
- Average temperature: 7°C (45°F)
- Average Rainy days: 15
- Average Daylight hours: 8
- Average Sunrise time: Around 7:45 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 4:30 PM
Northern Ireland Weather in December
- Average temperature: 5°C (41°F)
- Average Rainy days: 17
- Average Daylight hours: 7
- Average Sunrise time: Around 8:30 AM
- Average Sunset time: Around 4:00 PM
Quick links
| Here’s everything I use when I travel abroad: Tours – Compare tour prices on Viator and Get Your Guide Hotels – I always use Booking as the more hotels I book, I get a higher Genius discount. I also compare prices on Expedia. E-Sims – purchase an e-sim with Airalo on your phone so you can make calls and have mobile data abroad! There’s no need to remove your current sim card! Travel insurance – don’t ever go on vacation without travel insurance, you never know when you might need it! Travel essentials – have a look at a full list of travel essentials that I use, including the best power bank! |
Want more travel inspo? Have a look at my other articles on travel destinations in the UK:
25 unique, quirky & unusual places to stay in Kent
21 Best hot tub cottages, lodges & hotels in Kent
7 day self drive tour Scotland
Top 30 best restaurants in Essex
Best Glamping sites near Brighton
Travel resources for your trip that are actually really handy!
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