Stretching between Derry and Belfast, the Causeway Coastal Route across the top of Northern Ireland has some of the best views on the Emerald Isle. Naturally, the most popular things to do on the Causeway Coastal Route are centered around the stunning nature that Ireland is known for. Visits to the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway, seeing Scotland in the distance from the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and spying the ruins of the medieval Dunluce Castle are a few of the magical sites along this easily accessible route.
Choosing when to visit the Causeway Coastal Route is a difficult decision. The summer months have more congestion, while spring and fall are hit-or-miss on clear skies. The first days of September put the odds in your favor for maximizing daylight and minimizing time spent in traffic. You’ll arrive after summer crowds and before the autumn weather sets in. It may be too chilly for swimming, but watching the sunsets in solitude makes up for splashing.
Take one look at even a sliver of this stunning shoreline and you’ll see why renting a car and going at your own pace is the ideal option. However, visitors on a tight budget or schedule may consider joining a guided tour of the coastline. Another alternative is to take public Ulsterbus routes linking Belfast to the Causeway Coastal Route. The Causeway Rambler runs between Coleraine and Carrick-a-Rede, covering many major sites in between.
Travelers combining a visit to Great Britain with Ireland risk missing out on the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland. If you’re not interested in devoting multiple days to exploring Northern Ireland in full, you can still see this exceptional part of the U.K.’s coastline with day trips from Dublin. Multiple tour operators depart from Dublin in the morning, make stops along the Causeway Coastal Route, and end the tour back in either Dublin or Belfast.
