Day trip Causeway Coastal Route: Overly ambitious or just right?

Happy Monday All,
My family of four (girls 12 and 17) are counting down the days until our early June trip to Ireland. After spending three days in Dublin we will be taking the train to Belfast on June 8th and staying right by Central Rail on the river. We have rented a car on Sat the 9th to drive the Causeway Coastal Route.
We are planning on packing food from St George's Market and hitting the road around 9:00a.  I have referenced the Causeway Coastal Route day trip idea itinerary on this site for approximate travel times between points of interest, but wanted to get an expert opinion.
We are currently planning on driving the route as far as Dunluce Castle with stops at the usual suspects of Carrickfergus, the Carrick-a-Rede bridge, Giant's Causeway, (a Bushmill's tour is not priority this go round). 
Am I being overly ambitious to try and get in a trip to Rathlin Island to see the puffins, seals and other island flora and fauna? Seems to be about a four hour commitment, yes? (The boat tour of Rathlin and the coastline also sounds pretty awesome). 
Or is our time better invested in walking The Gobbins (2-3 hour) with a chance of seeing the puffins (and seals?) there?
Our main goal is to be a part of and absorb the things that make this area so magical, with out feeling too much like we're just doing "drive by" tourism. I realize now we really should've planned an extra night (at least) on the coast to take in more of this beautiful stretch of your country. Aiiee, so many options.
We will be keeping the car overnight so we are not pressed for time on returning to Belfast at the end of the day.
Any thoughts, guffaws or words of wisdom are much appreciated! Molli

Hi Molli, 

First of all, great idea to start with breakfast at St. George's Market, since there is something for everyone. Make sure to pick up something for along the way as well, they have some wonderful baked goods. :) 

You're right in thinking the trip to Rathlin Island will take about 4 hours, especially if you want to see the puffins located on the side of the island. There might not be too many birds there by the time you're here, because most of them will arrive in July. At the end of the Gobbins Cliff path, you'll find the only puffin breeding ground on the main island, where the birds lay their eggs in burrows. They usually arrive in May, and will stay there until the end of August. You get a good look at them during the tour. There is no seal colony nearby, but you'll see the occasional curious seal pop its head up. The guided tour along the cliffs takes about 2.5 hours, including the scenic ride to the path, and it is highly recommended to book your tour ahead. 

Looking at the time frame, it might be possible to go to Rathlin, but it might feel a bit hurried because you have to make sure you get back to the ferry on time. I do think the Gobbins will be possible, and from Islandmagee you can go back to Causeway Coastal route. Also, Dunluce Castle is open from 10 am to 5 pm, but you can see and walk around the castle even when it's closed. There is a (free) path that goes down alongside the castle, which I highly recommend. 

I understand it is a difficult choice to make because you don't want to miss out on anything in this beautiful area, so feel free to get in touch if you have any questions! 

Thank you Melin,
I appreciate the feedback about Rathlin. May need to save that until next time. (always a reason to come back). So the Gobbins walk seems to cover most of the must sees including puffin breeding ground. We will wind our way back inland from Dunluce maybe stopping in Ballymoney for the dark hedges at sunset. So many choices...

Hi Molli,
I am delighted to read of your forthcoming trip to Ireland, and isn’t it difficult to get the balance right between trying to see sights and also having time to pause and just enjoy sharing the experience of being in beautiful places together.
You mentioned first of all that you wanted to visit Carrickfergus Castle, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, The Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle. I wonder whether that might be sufficient for major stops on the Causeway Coastal Route, assuming that you will also make some unplanned stops to take photographs, or maybe to watch jewellers at work in Glenarm or have an ice cream and a stroll in Ballycastle.
The Gobbins walk would undoubtedly be very special and memorable. Note that there is a minimum height restriction of 1.2m/4ft for reasons of health and safety.
My slight concern, however, is co-ordinating tickets for Carrick-a-Rede and the Giant’s Causeway in order to get the full experience of these attractions. Tickets for the Giant’s Causeway can be booked online, for example at a Visitor Information Centre, but to cross the Rope Bridge you currently must buy a ticket on site. The ticket gives a time when you may cross and advice is generally to buy your ticket earlier in the day to avoid disappointment in times of peak demand. On Saturday 9th June there is The Salmon and Whiskey Festival in Bushmills, so potentially there could be a lot of visitors in the area that day. Once you know when you will cross the Rope Bridge, you can work out how best to spend the time before and after.
So, essentially it’s a matter of identifying what attractions you want to visit in detail, and giving them priority. And come back another time to visit those you don't manage to explore!
I hope this helps,
Mary.

Mary, thank you for thoughts about timing. Good to know about the festival (I believe we will be having salmon for lunch!) and its attendant crowds. I can see the day will pass before we know it. Does it make sense to head up to Carrick-a-Rede first thing to get tickets, then spend the late morning/afternoon around there and book for the Gobbins at the end of the day (last slot is 18:00p)?

That would be an option, Molli. :) If you spend most of your time on the scenic route along the coast on the way up, you can take the faster way back to the Gobbins on Islandmagee on the way back. The drive from the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge takes little over an hour and a half, so as long as you get back on time it shouldn't be a problem. Keep in mind that the time it takes to cross the bridge depends on how many people there are at that moment. Hope this helps! 

So, as I'm planning, wise to give each site about two hours? And I suppose traffic along the route will be slower than normal due to weekend tourists such as myself mucking up the roadway. All this feedback is SO helpful as I wrap my head around making this day and our time in your lovely country as functional and stress free as possible. Northern Ireland has been on my "must see" list for decades.

I completely understand, Molli! It's very exciting you finally get to see Northern Ireland. It's a good idea to plan 2 hours for each site, just to make sure you aren't late for your Gobbins booking. Try to get a bite to eat before you go to the Gobbins as well, as you aren't allowed to bring food on the path. :) 

Hi Molli,
Just when you thought you had it all sorted, may I come in with another variation?
How about first going north to Ballycastle by the M2, the A26 and the A44. These are fast roads and it should take about an hour and a quarter. Go straight to Carrick-a-Rede and secure your tickets for the crossing. If you have to wait for a short time, check out Ballintoy Harbour – a favourite place of locals. If you have longer to wait, check out Bushmills, where you can buy a family ticket for the Giant’s Causeway at The Visitor Information Centre on the left as you enter the village. The Salmon and Whiskey Festival starts around 11:00am if I remember correctly from last year. Besides the focus on salmon and whiskey, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate with music and dance, and stalls selling artisan food and crafts. An eclectic mix! Ideally, do the Giant’s Causeway after Carrick-a-rede - reckon on about two hours at The Causeway; then Dunluce Castle – probably an hour. (Mind you it’s not crucial as the places are all within a short distance of one another.) That way, after Dunluce Castle head towards Portrush, but take the B62 turn off on the left side towards Ballymoney. In the village of Ballybogey turn left along the B67 inland route towards Ballycastle. (This will be quicker than the coast road and also avoid any build-up of traffic around Bushmills as the day unfolds.) You actually pass quite close to the Dark Hedges, but that’s another diversion!
From Ballycastle you can then follow the A2 to Cushendun and continue in peace down the rest of the Causeway Coastal Route to The Gobbins.
After your walk, you will then have a short drive via Carrickfergus Castle in the evening light back to Belfast and bed!
All the best!
Mary.