Brought to you by Discover Northern Ireland.
We need a little action in our lives.
The constant routine of work, college, repeat can get pretty tiring and monotonous. Every so often we just need a break, and need to get a bit of fun and excitement into our days.
It’s so handy living in a country that is filled with loads of different activities just a short car ride away. If you take a trip up to Northern Ireland, there are loads of little adventures to try out around the place. Sure you could get several done in the one weekend (that’s efficiency right there!).
If you want a little inspiration for which adventure to try out first, here is a list of our top five to get up to in Northern Ireland.
1. Go for a hike up Cave Hill
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This walk brings you through woodlands and up the (pretty steep) grassy hill, past a big hill cave, and up to the top of the hill McArt’s Fort, where you can take in the stunning view of Belfast Lough and the rest of the scenery below.
The walk begins at Belfast Castle but can also be joined at Bellevue car park, Upper Hightown Road, if you don’t want to do the entire route. The whole thing takes about three hours so make sure to bring a snack (or a picnic) to munch on at the top of the hill.
2. Pop in for some drinks at The Dirty Onion
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If you want to take a visit to Belfast’s oldest building, this is the place to head.
This renovated pub still looks like a crumbling old building from the outside but has been transformed into a cool, laid back bar inside. Its simple, rustic room, complete with a peat fire, works with the building’s ageing look. The beer garden is a lot more modern-looking than the inside and is one of the biggest beer gardens in Belfast. Plus, the drinks are fab.
If you’re starving when you arrive, pop upstairs to Yardbird, their rotisserie chicken restaurant. The menu is small (and all chicken) but what they do, they do very well.
3. Kayaking at Finn Lough
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This stunning lakeside resort hosts all sorts of activities. One of the wonderful activities they provide is kayaking on the beautiful Lough Erne. The lake is surrounded with greenery and crumbling buildings from the Middle Ages and is dotted with numerous tiny islands. It’s a perfect spot for kayaking.
If you want to go wild (and we absolutely suggest you do), check out their spa after your kayaking (it’s divine). Relax after a day on the water and watch the sun go down while you soak in a hot tub. Magical.
4. Have some Tipsy Tea at the Babel Rooftop Garden
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For a top-quality afternoon tea experience, try out the Babel Rooftop Garden in the Bullitt Hotel. The garden has amazing panoramic views of Belfast city and has shrubbery walls made up of over 300 plants (beautiful and impressive!).
They serve food and drinks every day but our favourite reason to visit is their Tipsy Tea, which they serve every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12-4 pm. You’re served mini sandwiches, doughnuts, and other sweet treats, accompanied by one of their delicious cocktails. We suggest you grab your bestie and give them a visit pronto.
5. Take a leap of faith with Vertigo Skydiving
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If you’re a bit afraid of heights but want the thrill of skydiving, or if you want to get a sense of what skydiving is like before you jump out of an actual aeroplane, this is the perfect adventure experience.
At We Are Vertigo, you get to have the Skydiving experience entirely indoors, using artificially generated 120 mph winds. It’s a fantastic experience, to say the least.
When you arrive, you get fully rigged out in the skydiving outfit, warmed up, and then trained by one of their skydiving instructors. When you’re ready, you’re brought into their skydiving chamber, the wind is turned up, and away you fly (literally!). Trust us when we say this is a must-do.
With those five you’ll have plenty of jumping-off points for your own adventure. So get up there and enjoy!
Brought to you by Discover Northern Ireland.
Discover Northern Ireland is the official tourism body for Northern Ireland. Discover inspiring things to do, places to stay, world class events, and the best places to eat and drink to make the most of your short break.
