7 Day Family Trip to Ireland, Including Northern Ireland

Once we arrived in Belfast, we immediately had some lunch at a local pub and then checked into The Merchant Hotel. We stayed in one of the art-deco rooms with a view of the city. The building was once a bank, and when you dine in the restaurant you can see the original bank teller windows. We took it easy as the kids were tired and just ordered room service for dinner and got a good night’s sleep.

Fully rested, we set out for a day of sightseeing. First up was the Titanic Belfast. The Titanic Belfast is a museum dedicated to the doomed voyage of the Titanic, and if you love history and the story of the Titanic, this is a must-see. What a well-thought out, informative and interactive museum. You’ll learn about how it was built, the people who built it, it’s launch, the passengers on board and its disastrous fate. The museum brings the story of the Titanic in all its glory, to its tragic demise. We all loved it.

After a bite to eat, we head to the FA Stadium for a tour. This iconic football (soccer) stadium is definitely worth a visit, especially when your kids love football. You get to walk through the tunnel and sit in the managers' chairs in the dugout. Do the virtual penalty shoot-out game and try to score against the Northern Ireland football legend Pat Jennings.

We leave Belfast behind and head to the Causeway Coastal Route, spanning 130 miles of rugged and spectacular coast of Northern Ireland from Belfast to Derry. The views are breathtaking, and the kids are in awe of the fields of sheep and the windswept coastline. We stopped at Glenarm Castle to see the walled garden. Dating from the 18th century, the Walled Garden was originally created to provide the Castle with all its fresh produce. It has been restored into its full glory with beautiful flowers, statues, water fountains, all hidden behind an old stone wall. The boys found it fascinating. We had lunch at the charming Tea Room, which is in the old mushroom house. Everything is sourced locally and delicious. And then finally arrived at our destination for the night, the Bushmills Inn in the town of Bushmills, where you can take a whiskey tour at the Old Bushmills Distillery.

Two must-sees in Northern Island in one day! Our first stop is the Carrick-a-Rede, a famous rope bridge near the town of Ballintoy. This swinging bridge spans a chasm 30 meters deep. It’s an absolute thrill to walk across, but it is not for the faint of heart. It connects you from the mainland to a tiny island where you can see Scotland off in the distance. The surrounding scenery is stunning.

Next up, Giants Causeway. This UNESCO World Heritage Site along the coast is renowned for its otherworldly geological formations that consist of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by volcanic activity. There are designated walking trails that make it easy for the little ones to get around. And the visitors center gives all the information on its geological history and folklore on how an Irish giant named Finn McCool built the causeway to get to Scotland to fight a Scottish giant.

We leave Northern Ireland behind and head back into Ireland into County Sligo. We stay at the Temple House in the town of Ballymote in a beautiful Manor house set in a private estate of over one thousand acres. There’s sheep running wild that the boys chase after and the property has its own private lake with row boats that we use. At night, they have a private chef that serves you local dishes.

We head to the vibrant city of Galway. Galway is a quintessential Irish town and filled with visitors from all over the world. It’s so fun to stroll down Quay Street and Shop Street, which are brimming with lots of shops and pubs and filled with performers singing traditional Irish tunes. Galway Bay can be seen from the waterfront promenade, and from here you can take a boat trip to the Aran Islands. Since it is summertime, there’s a small carnival set up and the boys go on some of the rides.

It’s our last day and we’ve saved the best for last. We drive to the Cliffs of Moher, one of Irelands most iconic destinations. You can walk along the top of the cliffs while looking down at the dramatically crashing waves below. The cliffs are majestic, and their beauty will awe you. You can go up into O’Brien’s tower to get an even better view. It’s a historic stone tower and for a small price of admission you can walk up it for panoramic views of the cliffs and coastline.

After visiting the cliffs, we drive to Dromoland Castle to spend our last night. This incredible property is close to the Shannon airport where we will fly out in the morning. When we arrived, we took the horse and buggy tour of the grounds where we got to know the history of the castle and just our lick, they have their very own walled garden! And be sure to indulge in their traditional afternoon tea. The most gorgeous selection of pastries, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and homemade jams.