Bushmills
Dunluce Castle · Photo: Iain Irwin
The classic north coast day out: clamber over the Causeway's basalt columns, lunch at the old schoolhouse by the entrance, explore the clifftop ruins of Dunluce, then finish with a run on Portrush's long beach.
09:30–12:30 (3h)
Arrive early; the coastal path down to the stones is open even if you skip the visitor centre.
An indoor and outdoor family attraction in Bushmills, aimed at ages 4 and up.
Photo: nationaltrust.org.uk
Food stop · 12:30–13:30 (1h)
Lunch right by the entrance before moving on.
A café-restaurant in a restored 1850s schoolhouse right at the entrance to the Giant's Causeway, serving local dishes for a range of budgets.
Photo: Graham Hogg
Castle · 13:45–14:45 (1h)
Wander the ruins on the cliff edge; children under 16 need an adult.
Dramatic ruins of a 16th and 17th-century MacDonnell castle on a basalt headland above the sea, between Portrush and the Giant's Causeway. Small exhibits explain the site's history; the nearby Magheracross viewpoint is good for a picnic.
Photo: Iain Irwin
Nature & gardens · 15:00–16:30 (1h30m)
Sandcastles and a paddle with the Whiterocks cliffs in view.
Portrush's long main beach running east towards the Whiterocks cliffs, with toilets, outdoor showers and a large pay car park. Lifeguards patrol in July and August, and beach wheelchairs can be booked.
Photo: Colin Park
Northern IrelandArmagh
Armagh packs a lot into a small city: a planetarium show and the Astropark, a picnic and play in the free Palace Demesne, then the ancient royal site of Navan Fort with its Iron Age characters.
Armagh Planetarium → Palace Stables Heritage Centre → Navan Centre and Fort
Northern IrelandOmagh
Follow Ulster emigrants from thatched cottages onto a life-size sailing ship and into the American backwoods at the Ulster American Folk Park, then head into the Sperrins for a guided tour of the OM Dark Sky observatory.
Ulster American Folk Park → OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory
Northern IrelandLimavady
A sunny-day loop on the far north coast: woodland gorge walks at Roe Valley, the clifftop Mussenden Temple with views over the Atlantic, and an afternoon on the huge sands of Benone Strand.
Roe Valley Country Park → Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne → Benone Strand
