Our good friend Audrey and her new husband spent a wonderful, two-week honeymoon in Ireland and Northern Ireland last June. Neither had ever been before, and they quickly fell in love with the lush scenery, the friendly people, and the surprisingly tasty food. Their goal was to get to see the sights, but also to enjoy down time embracing Irish culture. They spent their fair share of time off the main roads in tea shops and pubs enjoying one type of brew or another. Enjoy Audrey’s guest post on her visit to the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland!
Belfast
We kicked off the honeymoon in Belfast in Northern Ireland. We had round trip Dublin flights, but caught a bus up to Belfast for about $30 a person when we arrived. We then took a taxi out to our amazing hotel, The Culloden, which was situated about 10 minutes north of the city.
Seriously, I got sleep here! Normally I would get a place closer to the sights, but who on earth would pass up staying in this beauty?!? They even had a train station just off property so you could get into Belfast with ease.
While we were staying in Belfast, we didn’t spend too much time in the actual city of Belfast. We did make a point to stop by the Titanic museum. It is architecturally very interesting even if you have no interest in the boat. We were lucky enough to be in Belfast for a festival called Tall Ships. Sailors from all over the world gathered in Belfast in their large sailboats. I am talking pirate ships here, people! There were ships as far as the eye could see. They were giving tours of the ships if you signed up in advance. Festivals in Europe are truly a thing of wonder!
The Causeway Coast
If you are lucky enough to be in Northern Ireland, you must visit the stunning Causeway Coast! There are bus tours that will take you up there from Belfast, but if a bus tour isn’t your thing, you are going to need a car. Rick Steves has some good tips for driving in Ireland. My personal tip is to practice in the parking lot until you are comfortable with the feel of where the car stops and the curb begins.
Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge
Our first stop was Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge. There was a bit of a hike from the parking lot out to the bridge. The views once you get there were amazing! There is a little tea shop where you can have a cup of tea and a scone after your hike. There is a fee to visit the bridge, we were able to pay with credit card which was handy. All told, we walked about 3 miles to the bridge and back.
Giant’s Causeway
Our next stop was the Giant’s Causeway! There was a bit of a hike from the parking lot to the actual site, but this time it was all down hill. Again the views of the coast are fantastic. If you are a fan of hiking, then this is the place for you to visit.
The walk down is quite nice. The causeway is a series of hexagonal stones that are completely inexplicable! There is a bus you can take for 1 pound per person, and we rode it on the way back up!
Bushmills Distillery
Bushmills Distillery got its license to distill liquor in 1608. This makes it the oldest distillery in Ireland (though there is much controversy around this)! The tour walks you through the process of making whisky and the history of whiskey in Ireland. I learned a lot! Did you know that whiskey is clear and the color comes from the aging process in the barrel? At the end of the tour, you get a glass of whiskey to try. I was not a fan of whiskey before this trip, but by the end I was the one trying to figure out just how much we could legally bring back!
We hope you loved this guest post from Audrey as much as we did! Thanks, friend!
We love hearing from you in the comments below! Does this post make you want to visit the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland? If you’ve already been, do you have any tips to add?
