Northern Ireland isn’t really a place that many people think about when looking to book a dream European vacation. I’ll be honest, Northern Ireland wasn’t at the top of my list either but during my trips to Dublin, we couldn’t help but make the trip up North.
What I found interesting about Northern Ireland is that there are very few signs when you cross the border. It’s almost like you have no idea you are crossing into a new country. Although for those of you that have done road trips in Europe, you’ll likely find that is the case between many countries.
How to get there
If you are comfortable with renting a car and driving on the opposite side of the road (well for everyone except Australia and the UK), then you can easily make a day trip to Northern Ireland. Renting a car from Dublin is relatively cheap.
If you are renting a car last minute than your best bet is to trek to the airport and get a car from there. There are so many car rental companies you are bound to find one at a reasonable price.
There are also several tours that you can book from Dublin to the more popular spots in Northern Ireland like the Giant’s Causeway.
If you are thinking about taking public transit you will be slightly limited in where you could go. That being said, Belfast is a quick 2 hour trip by train and totally doable in a day.
Where to go
If you’re trying to figure out what to do on your day trip to Northern Ireland, there are a couple of options. I would only choose one or two so you can reasonably do it in a day and see what you want to see.
Mourne Mountains
In one of our trips to Northern Ireland we didn’t have a full day so we made the short trek to Mourne Mountains from Dublin. It was a bit of a random trip if I’m being honest but one that was definitely worth it. After a quick Google search I found the mountains which are only an hour and a half from Dublin.
If you were to walk the entirety of the Mourne Mountains than you would be looking at a two and a half hike. We took the shorter route and decided to travel through Slieve Donard which is the highest peak of the Mourne Mountains.
The hike itself was really easy and some of the views were absolutely stunning. As a note, there is free parking as you enter into the area and it wasn’t busy for us at all, we almost had the whole place to ourselves!
Giant’s Causeway
First and foremost this is a FAR trek to take in one day that truthfully I wasn’t that keen on making. However, it was definitely worth it. The 6-hour roundtrip venture is worth it for the epic views. I honestly couldn’t believe the natural beauty at this place. Between the lush greenery and the cool rock formations, it’s hard to take it all in in such a short amount of time.
Don’t make the same mistake we did though and park in the visitors center. The area is actually free to visit if you park a little ways down the road. If you park at the visitors center you’ll be forced to pay in what my opinion, was a ridiculous fee.
The Dark Hedges
The Dark Hedges is one of the most photographed spots in Northern Ireland. I’m sure a few years ago before they became “instafamous” it would have been worth visiting, I found it to be the complete opposite. Due to several storms and horrible tourists, many of the trees were broken and dilapidated. It just wasn’t even close to what I had seen on Instagram so many times, although it’s very rare that something is.
If you are visiting Giant’s Causeway during your day trip to North Ireland than it will be easy enough to stop at the Dark Hedges on your way back. However, if you are planning a trip to just visit the Dark Hedges, I would say skip it for sure.
Belfast
Another option for a day trip to Northern Ireland is of course the main city of Belfast. I have yet to visit here so I can’t speak much to it but from what I’ve read it’s worth the trip. Some of the more famous things to see are the Titanic Museum, Belfast castle and Belfast City hall. There are tours that can take you there but if you prefer to do it on your own you can always take the train there and back – super easy!
