Belfast to Giant’s Causeway Day Trip & Dark Hedges Route

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1/7

Duration9h 30m

GroupUp to 60

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Giant’s causeway day trip from belfast with castles, rope bridge and dark hedges

You’ll ride along Northern Ireland’s wild coast from Belfast, stopping for castle photos, walking Carnlough Harbour and Cushendun Caves, and crossing the famous Dark Hedges avenue before reaching Giant’s Causeway itself. With a local guide leading stories and laughs plus a hearty pub lunch included, you’ll feel both windswept and welcomed by day’s end.

9h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day tour to Giant's Causeway

Photo stop at Carrickfergus Castle
Drive along Antrim Coast Road
Comfort stop at Game of Thrones location
Visit Carrick-a-Rede Ropebridge viewpoint
Lunch at The Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy
Visit Old Bushmills Distillery gift shop
Explore Giant's Causeway volcanic rocks
Photo stop at Dunluce Castle ruins
Walk through Dark Hedges tree avenue

The Experience

I didn’t expect to start my morning staring up at Carrickfergus Castle — it looks almost too solid for how old it is. Our guide, Paul, had this way of tossing in odd facts (apparently someone once tried to break in using a goat?) while we shuffled off the coach into that cold Northern Irish air. The stones underfoot were slick, smelled faintly of seaweed. I remember thinking my coffee hadn’t kicked in yet but the wind did the job for me.

The drive along the Antrim Coast Road was all green cliffs and sudden flashes of blue water. We stopped at Carnlough Harbour — I recognized it from Game of Thrones but honestly, it felt quieter in real life. There was a woman hanging laundry near the boats; she waved when she saw us gawking. At Cushendun Caves, Paul pointed out weird rock shapes and told us about smugglers (I half believed him). My shoes got muddy and I didn’t care.

Lunch was at The Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy — proper pub grub. I ordered something called champ (mashed potatoes with scallions?) and tried not to inhale it too fast. Someone at our table attempted to pronounce “Bushmills” like a local; everyone laughed, including our server. After that we had just enough time for a quick stop at Old Bushmills Distillery — you could smell malt in the air even from outside. Didn’t do a tasting, but maybe next time.

When we finally reached Giant’s Causeway, it felt almost unreal: all those volcanic stones stacked like puzzle pieces by some bored giant (or so Paul said). The wind whipped up sharp and salty, and I kept running my hands over the hexagons — cold, rough edges everywhere. Kids were hopping between rocks; an older couple sat quietly watching waves crash. I still think about that sound sometimes. On the way back we stopped at Dunluce Castle ruins (looked haunted) and then wandered under the Dark Hedges — trees twisted overhead like something out of a storybook or maybe just someone’s dream after too much whiskey.

What’s included

Your day includes travel by modern air-conditioned coach with a local guide sharing stories along every stop: castle photo ops, walks at harbours and caves, time at Giant’s Causeway itself (free access to stones), plus a hearty lunch break at The Fullerton Arms before returning to Belfast in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by McComb's Coach Travel Ltd