Touring Ireland by car

We are looking to plan a touring holiday to Ireland in June this year. We would like to ferry to Larne from Cairnrian then drive around the north then down the Atlantic way. Could anyone recommend places to visit and places to stay. In fact any advice or recommendations welcome. We will be planning to visit for approx. 10 days.

Hi Stan,

Larne is a great location from which to start exploring the Causeway Coastal Route.  This well signposted road follows the stunning coastline of the North Antrim Coast.  There are a great variety of attractions in a relatively small area and because it is a popular holiday destination, there is an excellent range of accommodation to choose from.

Travelling northwards you will come to an area known as the Glens of Antrim.  The Glens are beautiful green valleys surrounded by forested hills and edged by the Atlantic Ocean.  The scenery changes round each corner of the coastal road as you head for Ballycastle.  From there the route heads west going past attractions such as Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, The Giant's Causeway, Game of Thrones filming locations, The Bushmills Whiskey Distillery, Dunluce Castle and Mussenden Temple.  Please see the following link for an example of a 3 day itinerary along the Causeway Coastal Route:
https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CausewayCoastalRouteItinerary.pdf

The Causeway Coastal Route extends to the City of Derry in the west and from there you could link onto the Wild Atlantic Way.

If you have any specific questions about the area, Coleraine Visitor Information centre will be happy to help.  We also offer an accommodation booking service.

Best wishes for your trip!

Alison

Hello Stan, 

It's so exciting that you are planning on coming over this summer! June is a lovely time of year to visit, and there is loads to see and do on the island. :)

I would love to provide you with some personal tips and suggestions for your 10 days here. Is there anything you wouldn't want to miss, or anything in particular that you're interested in?

If you're planning on coming over by ferry from Cairnryan, you can choose to hop off in either Belfast or Larne. From there on you can easily follow the beautiful Causeway Coastal route, all the way up to Derry-Londonderry, and from there on make your way to Donegal and the start of the Wild Atlantic Way.

How much to explore along the Wild Atlantic Way all depends on what you would like to see. Take a look at these suggested Trip Ideas for more inspiration and ideas. 

Have you looked at accommodation yet, or do you have a preference for a certain type of place to stay? Simply select the name of the town, city or area you would like to stay in, and all of the available options will pop up.

I hope this was helpful, and that you'll receive more tips and suggestions from our other members. :) Keep us posted on your plans! 

Warm regards,

Melin

Hi Stan

Great to hear that you are planning to spend some time in the North of Ireland in June - hope you enjoy every minute.  Can I suggest that you plan some time in Historic Armagh.  We are the only city in the world to have two Cathedrals dedication to the same Saint, our wonderful Saint Patrick.  Our two cathedrals are very different in character and both very much worth a visit.  We have the wonderful Navan Centre, ancient home to the Kings and Queens of Ulster, one of the most historic sites in this part of the world - and probably what brought Saint Patrick to this area in the first place.  We have two museums, the Armagh Count Museum will give you an insight into the general history of the County and The Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum which will of course focus on military history. For a complete change of pace, you could visit The Armagh Planetarium!  This fabulous attraction was only built in the sixties and really makes very good use of modern technology - their shows are simply stunning!

The above is only a sample of what Armagh has to offer.  For current information please visit our website www.visitarmagh.com, and you will get more information on the attractions within this wonderful ancient city and of course information on accommodation in the area.

If you do make a visit, please call with us at the Visitor Information Centre and we can better advise how best to spend your very precious holiday time.

Whatever you decide, I hope your enjoy your stay in Northern Ireland.

Hi Stan

This sounds like a fantastic trip. As mentioned also in this thread, the Causeway Coastal Route is the perfect beginning point for your journey. This route provides some of the most majestic scenery in Northern Ireland and actually leads on Derry-Londonderry. Derry-Londonderry, in the North West, is where the Cwauseway Coastal Route meets the Wild Atlantic Way and provides the perfect base for exploring both of these outstanding areas. Not only that, the city is an excellent historical and cultural location with a series of visitor attractions steeped in history. The Historic 17th Century City Walls are likely to be of interest to you with all of the wonders which the Walled City has to offer. The city also boasts the accolade of the only entirely walled city in Ireland. Other excellent cultural and historic landmarks throughout the city include Guildhall, World Famous Murals, St Columb’s Cathedral as well as many fascinating museums and exhibitions. The city also provides great options for tours, leisure, shopping and dining which can help to provide further options for your family to explore. There are many excellent accommodation options, throughout the city, should you choose to spend the night here. More detailed information on what the city has to offer can be found on our official website here. We would also invite you to contact us should you have any inquiries or questions at all.
We are more than happy to help.

Kind Regards

Barry 

Web: www.visitderry.com
Tel: +44 (0) 28 7126 7284
Email: info@visitderry.com