Northern Ireland glamping breaks
Craving sea views and strolls or looking for big-city adventures? Whether you’re taking a brood of kids on holiday or looking for some adults-only downtime, glamping in Northern Ireland is an excellent way to fulfil both these criteria. You'll get the outdoorsy feeling of staying in a tent but with an extra boost of comfort, and you’re never very far away from spectacular museums, buzzing restaurants or millennia-old natural phenomena.
Northern Ireland is home to legendary sights like the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge as well as top attractions like the exhibits at Belfast Titanic – plus a whole swathe of filming locations connected to the Game of Thrones blockbuster series. Add into that mix indie shopping, international dining and a lively music scene – not forgetting that legendary warm welcome – and Northern Ireland is one magical place to visit on a glamping break.
Where you should stay in Northern Ireland
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Holidaying with the kids? Seek out glamping sites like Highview Holiday Park near the rugged Atlantic shoreline for visits to clifftop Dunluce Castle and daredevil strides across the vertiginous bridge at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Keep up the sporting activity with surfing, fishing, hiking and cycling from site and days of fun on the sandy beach at Portrush.
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The well-equipped pods at Lisnabrague Lodge in County Down have a pretty setting overlooking Lough Shark and scenic walks along the Newry Canal Way – and yet they’re only half an hour’s drive from the city of Belfast for romantic strolls in the gardens at Ormeau Park (gorgeous in spring when the blossom is out), a trip to the top of Victoria Square’s Dome for 360-degree views, and sampling the city’s buzzy dining scene.
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Avid fans of Game of Thrones should bunker down at Causeway Coast Holiday Park for easy access to two GOT-related sights in less than 20 minutes’ drive. The Dark Hedges (King’s Road in the TV series) is an avenue of beech trees planted in the 19th century, while Ballintoy Harbour doubles as Lordsport in the Iron Islands. When you’re done with GOT-style adventures, take a dip in the pool back on site, and let the kids loose in the games room or play area.
What you can do in Northern Ireland
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Take a tour of Belfast’s historic shipyard to learn the tragic story of RMS Titanic – from her construction and launch to her sinking on her maiden voyage in 1912. The striking Titanic Belfast musuem offers interactive tours of reconstructed engine rooms, opulent cabins and deck promenade.
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Walk the clifftop trails around the Giant’s Causeway for spectacular Atlantic Ocean views, stopping off to admire the basalt columns formed up to 60 million years ago by volcanic action (or by angry giant Finn McCool, if legend is to be believed…). Don’t forget to take a selfie perched in the Wishing Chair.
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Visit Carrickfergus Castle, one of the best-preserved Norman structures in Northern Ireland. Found on the side of Belfast Lough, it was besieged down the centuries by the Scots, English and French, but now houses historic suits of armour and is host of archery events and craft workshops.
If you’d like to travel south of the border after your Northern Ireland break, check out your options for glamping in the Republic of Ireland.
