The headline run north is the A2 coastal road through Carrickfergus, Glenarm and Cushendall to the Giant's Causeway, roughly 95km and about 1 hour 45 minutes by car without stops. Most visitors underestimate how much the stops eat into the day. Allow a full day, leave Belfast by 8.30am, and pick two or three stopping points rather than all of them. The Causeway itself is a national trust site with a paid visitor centre; the stones are free to walk to via the public path. Go early or after 3pm to dodge the coach crowds, and skip the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede if wind closures are likely — it shuts often and tickets sell out. Best months are May, June and September; July and August bring the heaviest traffic on the coast road.
The Antrim Coast and Giant's Causeway
Train travellers can reach the coast without a car: the Belfast to Portrush line via Coleraine runs along the shore from Castlerock, and the Ulsterbus 402 connects the Causeway to Portrush and Bushmills in summer. If you want the Causeway and the Dark Hedges in one day by public transport, honestly, don't — the connections are slow and the Hedges are a detour inland that eats two hours. Book a small-group minibus tour instead, or base yourself in Portrush for a night. For a hotel base, I would choose central Belfast around Donegall Square or the Cathedral Quarter for the first two nights, then move to the coast.
Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula
South-east of the city, the Ards Peninsula curls from Newtownards down to Portaferry, where the small car ferry crosses to Strangford — a five-minute hop that feels like a proper journey. The whole loop from Belfast through Newtownards, Greyabbey, Kircubbin and Portaferry is about 60km, or 1 hour 15 minutes each way by car. Mount Stewart, the National Trust house and gardens on the lough shore, is the standout stop and needs at least two hours. Castle Espie Wildfowl Centre near Comber suits families and birdwatchers, especially in October and November when the light-bellied brent geese arrive.
Public transport is workable here: the Ulsterbus 9 and 10 services run from Belfast to Newtownards and Portaferry, though you will want to check timetables carefully because Sunday services are thin. The ferry runs frequently and takes cars. My pick for a relaxed day is a car, Mount Stewart in the morning, lunch in Portaferry, and the ferry across to Strangford for the return via Downpatrick. Skip the peninsula on a wet, windy day — the lough views disappear and the gardens lose their point. Stay in Belfast's Queen's Quarter for this trip; you are on the road south within fifteen minutes.
The Sperrins and the Mournes
Inland and south, two mountain ranges give very different days. The Mournes rise south of Newcastle, about 50km and 50 minutes from Belfast, with the Trassey Road and the Bloody Bridge trails offering walks from an hour to a full day. The Sperrins, west of Lough Neagh around Draperstown and Gortin, are emptier, quieter and about 1 hour 15 minutes away. Neither has much public transport; a car is close to essential. For the Mournes, park at Donard Park in Newcastle and walk the Glen River path as far as your legs allow. For the Sperrins, the Gortin Glen Forest Park and the Davagh Forest trails give waymarked routes without committing to a summit.
Weather decides these days more than any plan. The Mournes catch cloud fast and the summits can be in mist while Newcastle is sunny, so carry a map and turn back early if the tops close in. Best months are April to June and September for the Mournes; the Sperrins are at their best in late summer when the heather is out. If you only have one spare day and no car, I would skip both and take the train to the Antrim coast. With a car, the Mournes win for drama and the Sperrins for solitude. Book a hotel in south Belfast or near Great Victoria Street for early starts.
Booking the Base
Belfast works as a base because every trip in this guide returns to the same bed. The Cathedral Quarter puts you near restaurants and the Titanic Quarter; the Queen's Quarter is quieter and closer to the road south; the area around Great Victoria Street and Howard Street suits train and bus departures. Prices vary with demand, so compare midweek dates in May, June and September, when the weather is decent and rates are lower than the July and August peak. Two nights in the city plus one on the coast is a good shape for a first visit.
Leave a buffer day in Belfast itself — the Titanic Belfast museum, St George's Market on a Friday or Saturday, and the Ulster Museum are all worth half a day. Avoid trying to combine the Causeway and the Mournes in one day; the drive alone is over three hours and you will see neither properly. And do not book a coast tour for a Monday in winter if you rely on seasonal bus services, which do not run year-round. Check opening days for Mount Stewart and the national trust properties before you fix your dates.
