Where to base yourself
- Bushmills: a small village 3 km from the Causeway, with the distillery, and a few good places to eat.
- Portrush: a lively seaside resort with two long beaches, amusements, restaurants and Royal Portrush Golf Club.
- Portstewart: quieter and more genteel, with a magnificent strand.
- Ballycastle: a harbour town near Carrick-a-Rede, the Glens and the Rathlin ferry.
- Derry~Londonderry: city hotels within and beside the walls; a good base for the western end and for Donegal.
Avoiding the crowds
Day-tour coaches reach the Causeway from about 11 am to 3 pm. The stones are accessible at all hours, so go early in the morning or in the evening — in June it is light until after 10 pm. Walk the red clifftop trail rather than the road for space and better views. Book Carrick-a-Rede for the first or last slot of the day.
Food and drink
Seafood is the thing: Portrush’s harbour restaurants are well known across Northern Ireland, and Ballycastle and Portstewart have good fish and chips and ice cream. Try an Ulster fry for breakfast, a dram in Bushmills and, in late August, the Ould Lammas Fair’s traditional treats — dulse (dried seaweed) and yellowman (honeycomb toffee). In Derry, the walled city’s pubs, notably Peadar O’Donnell’s, have music most nights.
Practicalities and safety
- Waves can sweep over the lower stones at the Causeway; heed the wardens and keep back from the sea in rough weather.
- Clifftop paths are unfenced in places. Wear walking shoes.
- The National Trust runs the Causeway visitor centre, Carrick-a-Rede and Mussenden; members of some overseas trusts get free entry — bring your card.
- Currency is sterling; Northern Irish banknotes are valid but best spent before leaving.
- Around 12 July there are parades in many towns and some businesses close.
Sample plans
One day
From Belfast by the inland road to the Dark Hedges; Carrick-a-Rede late morning; lunch at Ballintoy or Bushmills; the Giant’s Causeway through the afternoon; Dunluce Castle at golden hour; back via Portrush.
Two days
Day one: the Antrim Coast Road and Glens to Ballycastle and Carrick-a-Rede. Day two: sunrise at the Causeway, the clifftop walk, the distillery, Dunluce and a beach at Portstewart.
Three days
Continue west to Mussenden Temple and Derry~Londonderry: walk the walls, take a Bogside tour and stay the night before crossing into Donegal.
