Antrim Coast Road
Antrim Coast Road
4.5
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An undeveloped, scenic stretch of road that passes along the nine Glens of Antrim.
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4.5
149 reviews
Excellent
118
Very good
26
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Kim F
Solihull, UK19 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
We flew in to Antrim and picked up our hire car in the Airport we then drive though Crumlin and on to Portrush and drive though to Larne stopping off for view points walking or something to eat in the beautiful places of Port Stewart, Balintoys must if your a Game of Thrones fan a beautiful rustic harbour with the cleanest toilets, Giant Causeway a must on any trip to Northern Ireland just stunning . The coastal road is a delightful drive at every turn stunning views Ballycastle, Cushendon, a drive up in to the beautiful Glen Mountain’s Stunning Scenery a must when visiting beautiful Northern Ireland. Lots of little towns along the route everyone worth a stop . Carnlough does a great Ulster breakfast or if not lovely cakes and drinks . A beautiful drive. Well worth a visit.
Written 4 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian K
Renfrew, UK673 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
We came off the boat at larne and were heading for port Stewart so we had two options go through ballymena or take the coast road . I’m so glad we took the coast road . We were lucky enough to have good weather all the way . Every corner we took revealed a better vista than the one before . There is loads to do on the road from famous attractions like carrick -a- rede etc to nice wee towns with nice beaches / bars / restaurants etc . We were spoiled for choice . There are loads of places to park up and take photos . Don’t go the motorway go the coast road
Written 7 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
🥳 🎉 🥳 Keep Life Simple 🥳🎉🥳
Pittsburgh, PA127,330 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
THE Antrim coastal highway is a beautiful drive . Around every bend is a beautiful view of coutryside to beautiful coastal views.
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MelbourneChrissy
Melbourne124 contributions
July 2017
We spent three days exploring the Antrim Coast Road and the many spectacular features, both man made and natural, that it has to offer. My advice would be to take it slowly, making time to soak up the atmosphere of the small towns and villages along the way, as well as spending time exploring the many coastal walks in the area.
A great jumping off spot is Carrickfergus, a lovely seaside town that has a fabulous castle to investigate. The castle, which sits on a cute little harbour, was built by the Anglo-Normans more than 800 years ago and is in really good condition.
A little further along the coast you come to Whitehead where we found 'The Old Teahouse', a wonderful little place that is a great location for brunch (I had the Ulster Fry) or morning and afternoon tea. The scones were terrific. The highlight of the town is the waterfront which sports a row of beautifully coloured homes. It is well worth taking the walking along from the houses to the Blackhead Lighthouse.
Very close to Whitehead you will find The Gobbins, a cliff path walk with spectacular, wild coastal scenery. The only way to enjoy this site is on a guided walking tour that takes about 2.5 hours. The path itself is uneven and there is a steep uphill walk at the end. Booking is essential and I am pretty sure it is closed over winter. There is a nice gift shop and coffee shop at the start of the walk. A visit to the Rinkha Ice Cream Parlour, a short walk from the parking lot, is a must.
On the road from from The Gobbins to the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge we went through some pretty harbour towns - Cushendun, Cushendall and Ballycastle - before arriving at one of the most amazing coastal spots I have experienced. The bridge, which is advertised as the highlight, pales into insignificance compared to its location. After parking at the top of the cliff, you take a reasonably long walk down towards the bridge. Take your time on the way to stop and soak up the views. If you are a photographer you will be in heaven. If you want to cross the bridge to the small island (and its definitely worth it for the scenery - you can clearly see Scotland) you will need a ticket, but the walk to the bridge is free.
From here we want to Ballintoy, the tiny harbour that features in Game of Thrones. We drove to the car park at the bottom of the road, but in hindsight, parking at the top car park to avoid the crowded conditions would have been wise. Despite the crowds, it was well worth the visit. There is a cute little cafe beside the harbour.
The next stop along the coast is the famous Giant's Causeway, a must visit location. It was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions and has over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns and is steeped in the myth of Finn McCool. As with most tourist attractions along the coast there is a reasonable walk from the visitors' centre but there is a shuttle bus available if the walk is too much. The visitors' centre is really impressive and has exhibitions, cliff top walks and a cafe. If you don't want to eat there, there are other options.There is a good sized hotel beside the car park and a cute little cafe is located in an old stone schoolhouse, which is where we chose to eat.
We did a walk between the Giant's Causeway and Portballintrae, about a 10 kilometre round trip. There are two walking tracks, one that hugs the coast and one that goes a little inland. We used both paths. The inland path is pretty. At one point it hugs a golf course that reminded us of the Scottish links courses. The coastal walk is amazing, made the more memorable for us because the weather turned nasty and we had wild winds and pouring rain. It was an experience we will always remember.
The most fabulous town along the coast (in my opinion) is Bushmills. It is home to the world's oldest licensed distillery, which is the town's most visited spot. One of the best pubs we visited in Ireland was in this town - the Bushmills Inn - dating back to to 1608. There are both indoor and outdoor eating areas, with the indoor areas being a ramble of small interconnecting rooms, some of which are small and full of atmosphere. The food is excellent.
A 10 minute drive from Bushmills is Dunluce Castle, a partly ruined medieval castle that is well worth a visit. There is an entry price and there is a cafe of the site.
We finished our trip in Portrush, seaside holiday destination. It had special significance for me as I was born in Northern Ireland and had memories of going there with my cousins when I was very young. It was busy the day we were there but we explored the town and beach and enjoyed afternoon tea in one of the many cafes along the main street.
A great jumping off spot is Carrickfergus, a lovely seaside town that has a fabulous castle to investigate. The castle, which sits on a cute little harbour, was built by the Anglo-Normans more than 800 years ago and is in really good condition.
A little further along the coast you come to Whitehead where we found 'The Old Teahouse', a wonderful little place that is a great location for brunch (I had the Ulster Fry) or morning and afternoon tea. The scones were terrific. The highlight of the town is the waterfront which sports a row of beautifully coloured homes. It is well worth taking the walking along from the houses to the Blackhead Lighthouse.
Very close to Whitehead you will find The Gobbins, a cliff path walk with spectacular, wild coastal scenery. The only way to enjoy this site is on a guided walking tour that takes about 2.5 hours. The path itself is uneven and there is a steep uphill walk at the end. Booking is essential and I am pretty sure it is closed over winter. There is a nice gift shop and coffee shop at the start of the walk. A visit to the Rinkha Ice Cream Parlour, a short walk from the parking lot, is a must.
On the road from from The Gobbins to the Carrick-a-Rede Bridge we went through some pretty harbour towns - Cushendun, Cushendall and Ballycastle - before arriving at one of the most amazing coastal spots I have experienced. The bridge, which is advertised as the highlight, pales into insignificance compared to its location. After parking at the top of the cliff, you take a reasonably long walk down towards the bridge. Take your time on the way to stop and soak up the views. If you are a photographer you will be in heaven. If you want to cross the bridge to the small island (and its definitely worth it for the scenery - you can clearly see Scotland) you will need a ticket, but the walk to the bridge is free.
From here we want to Ballintoy, the tiny harbour that features in Game of Thrones. We drove to the car park at the bottom of the road, but in hindsight, parking at the top car park to avoid the crowded conditions would have been wise. Despite the crowds, it was well worth the visit. There is a cute little cafe beside the harbour.
The next stop along the coast is the famous Giant's Causeway, a must visit location. It was formed by ancient volcanic eruptions and has over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns and is steeped in the myth of Finn McCool. As with most tourist attractions along the coast there is a reasonable walk from the visitors' centre but there is a shuttle bus available if the walk is too much. The visitors' centre is really impressive and has exhibitions, cliff top walks and a cafe. If you don't want to eat there, there are other options.There is a good sized hotel beside the car park and a cute little cafe is located in an old stone schoolhouse, which is where we chose to eat.
We did a walk between the Giant's Causeway and Portballintrae, about a 10 kilometre round trip. There are two walking tracks, one that hugs the coast and one that goes a little inland. We used both paths. The inland path is pretty. At one point it hugs a golf course that reminded us of the Scottish links courses. The coastal walk is amazing, made the more memorable for us because the weather turned nasty and we had wild winds and pouring rain. It was an experience we will always remember.
The most fabulous town along the coast (in my opinion) is Bushmills. It is home to the world's oldest licensed distillery, which is the town's most visited spot. One of the best pubs we visited in Ireland was in this town - the Bushmills Inn - dating back to to 1608. There are both indoor and outdoor eating areas, with the indoor areas being a ramble of small interconnecting rooms, some of which are small and full of atmosphere. The food is excellent.
A 10 minute drive from Bushmills is Dunluce Castle, a partly ruined medieval castle that is well worth a visit. There is an entry price and there is a cafe of the site.
We finished our trip in Portrush, seaside holiday destination. It had special significance for me as I was born in Northern Ireland and had memories of going there with my cousins when I was very young. It was busy the day we were there but we explored the town and beach and enjoyed afternoon tea in one of the many cafes along the main street.
Written 6 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
egwanderlust
Hampton, NH1,854 contributions
Sept 2019
This scenic drive beats the Ring of Kerry in the Republic of Ireland. The views, stop-offs, and the roads themselves are more exciting. We started the drive around the Portstewart area and visited Dunluce Castle and Giants Causeway along the way. The weather was absolutely beautiful and made this one of the best days of my trip.
Written 2 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
iaclo123
Dublin, Ireland24 contributions
Sept 2017 • Couples
If you haven't been you must on a fine day get very close to heaven. Heading north from Belfast the scenery can not be described it has to be seen, ! as a passenger on one side the green glens on the other the spectacular antrim coast with Scotland in the background. Along the way little postcard seaside towns and excellent hotels. Try Ballygarry with its historic tower and ghost! Fresh herb garden and excellent food. Go on to Carnlough a quaint quirky and historic town and stay in the former home of Winston Churchill now the Londonderry arms. Look out at the sea and the bridge over main street where the limestone was brought down to the harbour to be shipped to England and Scotland. Take a walk up to the Cranny falls and on to the viewing point at the quarries views to die for on a clear day
Carry on through Cushendun and Cushendall with Glenarm and Glenariff on your left places to walk and linger when the sun shines.
Then to Ballycastle ferry to Ratlhlin and walks to marvel at, if not have fish and chips in Mortons you won't be disappointed or overcharged. Onward to the rope bridge and the giants causeway . If you need a break try the Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy. On the way to Derry check out Port Stewart and Harrys shack didn't stop this time went on to Harrys new resturant in the craft village in Derry superb food worth a visit. Then on to Redcastle hotel spa golf and views to die for. Take the walk from Moyville to Greencastle a pleasant way to work of the calories.
Carry on through Cushendun and Cushendall with Glenarm and Glenariff on your left places to walk and linger when the sun shines.
Then to Ballycastle ferry to Ratlhlin and walks to marvel at, if not have fish and chips in Mortons you won't be disappointed or overcharged. Onward to the rope bridge and the giants causeway . If you need a break try the Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy. On the way to Derry check out Port Stewart and Harrys shack didn't stop this time went on to Harrys new resturant in the craft village in Derry superb food worth a visit. Then on to Redcastle hotel spa golf and views to die for. Take the walk from Moyville to Greencastle a pleasant way to work of the calories.
Written 23 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John P
Toronto44 contributions
Rent a car and drive the Antrim Coast road in one day. Start at Carrikfergus (£5) a classic medieval castle in full working order (1 hour visit). Drive along the coast, stop at one of the lovely little hotels for a bar lunch. Next stop Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. The walk across to a rock in the ocean is scary, nothing else to recommend it. On to the Giant's causeway (free). Bushmills distillery is 3km further. Take a tour (last tour starts at 4pm and may be full). Then to Dunluce castle for photos - a hauntingly beautiful decayed castle. Take the inland highway back to Belfast for dinner.
Written 18 May 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linerguy
United States1,010 contributions
Oct 2016 • Family
If you're deciding where to go in Northern Ireland, do yourself a favor and drive the Antrim Coast. There is so much to see, and to see most of it takes only a day (a full day, that is). We drove from Belfast, through Coleraine, and started our eastbound drive at The White Rocks. From there we hit Magheracross View, Dunluce Castle, Giant's Causway, Dunseverick Castle, Dunseverick Waterfall, Ballintoy Harbour, Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge, Kinbane Castle, and then drove down to The Dark Hedges. From there we headed back to Belfast.
One of the great things about the drive is that all the places listed above are close to one another; it's not like you spend most of your time driving. That said, it's a lovely drive and not at all treacherous.
I had to laugh at the lonely reviewer who gave the Antrim Coast a bad review because they though it was scary at night. Who drives the Antrim Coast at night and then thinks they're qualified to write a review about it? That's like reviewing a museum that you visited during a blackout.
We were in Ireland for 10 nights. While everything was did was spectacular, our drive along the Antrim Coast was definitely a highlight. HIGHLY recommended!!!
One of the great things about the drive is that all the places listed above are close to one another; it's not like you spend most of your time driving. That said, it's a lovely drive and not at all treacherous.
I had to laugh at the lonely reviewer who gave the Antrim Coast a bad review because they though it was scary at night. Who drives the Antrim Coast at night and then thinks they're qualified to write a review about it? That's like reviewing a museum that you visited during a blackout.
We were in Ireland for 10 nights. While everything was did was spectacular, our drive along the Antrim Coast was definitely a highlight. HIGHLY recommended!!!
Written 16 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carolyn K
Hamburg, Germany86 contributions
Sept 2016 • Couples
This must be one of the most exhilarating coastal motoring routes around - from just north of Larne, right around to Portrush and beyond. Big tip: for some reason, the GPS sends you inland between Cushendall and Ballycastle, meaning that you miss what is perhaps the most spectacular part: right around Torr Head. The road is very small and winding, and seems to go up and down steep hills constantly, but the views (also of Kintyre and Ailsa Craig in Scotland) are truly out of this world! Whatever you do, depart from the "official" coastal road for a little while, and take in the beauty of this, the "top right-hand corner" of Ireland!
Written 19 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Charlene L
Fort Worth, TX137 contributions
Sept 2017 • Couples
For the best access, rent a car and you can take your time as you drive this breath-taking route. We started in Belfast with our first stop at Carrickfergus Castle. I've sung the song since a child and had to see it! It is literally perched on the sea. On to the drive itself....it is just curvy and exciting enough (not as scary as California's 101 IMO). There are many picturesque scenes along the way. I only wish we had more time to hike the Waterfall trail at Glenariff Forest. It was still worth the 40 minute detour just to see the views from this park. The Giant's Causeway has lots of people, but it is well-run. Plan to spend at least 2 hours here to walk the trail and take your time by the sea. As always in the UK, dress in layers (cold walking down the trail, warm walking back up!), have rain-gear and appropriate walking shoes. It was super-windy, I was very glad to have my hat!
Written 26 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I can't find this road on google maps. How long does it take to go from Derry to the Giants Causeway using this route? Can you get lost? Hoping someone answers soon as I arrive next weekend. Thanks a million!
Written 26 June 2022
Thank you for your message, very helpful. I did post my question there as well. Will plugging in Londonderry and Giant causeway know to bring me along the coastal route? That's the route I want to take.
Thank you for the message
Written 7 July 2022
Is this the same thing as the "Causeway Coastal Route"? Or is one part of the other? They are listed here as separate attractions but reviews and photos and location make them seem very similar. Thanks!
Written 28 April 2017
Antrim Coast Road is longer following the east coast. Causeway is actually some part of it but just more near of these interesting sights & rocks towards sea.
Written 6 May 2017
I am planning to fly to Belfast and end up in Londonderry but only got 3 nights. Can you advise on best stopping points as most say it's ideal to do it in 5 days but I don't have that much time and have 2 young children too.
Written 3 August 2016
Planning spring(end of May) trip...want to do Antrim Coast Rd.(Larne up & over to Inishowen) after arrival in Dublin. Finding accommodations is proving to be difficult(sold outs). Any helpful hints would be appreciated.
Written 16 January 2016
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