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Visiting Northern Ireland but unsure what to do while you’re there? Well, you won’t be stuck for long, there are so many fun activities on offer.
There are so many in fact that Discover Northern Ireland has created an interactive activity planner to point you in the right direction when it comes to planning your next Giant Adventure.
Here are 14 of our favourite activities on offer in Northern Ireland right now!
1. E-Foiling, Strangford Lough, Co Down
Want to try the new craze that’s been gracing your newsfeed for the past year? Head over to Strangford Lough Activity Centre and book yourself in for E-Foiling. Surprisingly lessons don’t even require any prior experience, just a little bit of balance and some water confidence as you’ll be gliding along 80cm above the peaceful waters of Strangford Lough.
More Info: Strangford Lough Activity Centre
2. Mountain Biking, Rostrevor and Castlewellan, Co Down
Castlewellan is just 30 minutes up the road from Rostrevor and also offers a wide range of trails, with a glorious blue route around the lake for those with less/no mountain biking experience. Bike Mourne offers 3-hour, fully guided, fun introduction sessions – so even if you have never mountain biked before, you too can experience the awesome singletrack at the Castlewellan MTB Trail Centre.
3. Indoor Skydiving, Belfast, Co Antrim
Ireland’s only indoor skydiving centre is located in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. And it’s probably the most fun you are ever going to have! We Are Vertigo has pumped £1.5 million into the state-of-the-art facility which has been developed using the world’s leading Aerodium tunnel technology. Indoor skydiving sessions start at £36.
We Are Vertigo is also home to the world’s largest indoor inflatable park, a high ropes course and Ninja masterclass so there is plenty to keep you entertained on a rainy day.
More info: We are Vertigo
4. Let’s Go Hydro Aqua Park, Belfast, Co Antrim
This inflatable obstacle course is so much fun you will never want to leave. You will slide, wobble, leap and faceplant your way from one challenge to the next watching your buddies splash into the water as you go! Session last 50 minutes. There is also a lido (outdoor swimming area), kneeboarding, wakeboarding and tubing available 0n site.
More info: Aquapark
5. Bushcraft, Finnebrogue Woods, Co Down
We’ve all gone on a walk in the woods or a stroll around a lake, but how about learning to navigate, forage and build your own shelter under the watchful eye of a trained bushman? Rob Hill, your bushcraft guide, has grown up in the Black Forest in Germany and led many expeditions around the world where they have lived off the land. Now he resides in Finnebrogue Woods passing on his wealth of knowledge to those passionate enough to take on his bushcraft courses.
More Info: Finnebrogue Woods
6. Wild Cooking, Finnebrogue Woods, Co Down
Immerse yourself in nature with a wild cooking course with chef Dan Carling of Finnebrogue Woods. With three mouthwatering course options to choose from you’re bound to find the perfect one for you. Our personal favourite is the “Gourmet Wild Food and Foraging Experience”. Where not only do you get to cook your own food in the wilderness with Dan, you also get a chance to gather it as well with bushman Rob Hill.
More Info: Finnebrogue Woods
7. Causeway Coast Kayaking, Ballintoy Harbour, Co Antrim
While the Causeway Cause is breathtaking from land, you get a whole different perspective from the sea. Causeway Coast Kayaking offers tours that depart from Ballintoy Harbour taking in Elephant Rock and Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. It is a fantastic day out that offers unrivalled views of this stunning coastline. You can choose the length of the tour to suit your group with Causeway Coast Kayaking offering anything from a one-hour to five-hour jaunt.
More Info: Causeway Coast Kayaking Tours
8. Coasteering, Ballintoy Harbour, Co Antrim
Coasteering is about the most amount of fun that you can have. Jumping off cliffs into the water, whizzing down natural water slides and swimming from spot to spot through the crashing Atlantic is guaranteed to release your inner child. And it’s a great way to explore the Causeway coastline too. Bobby from Coasteering NI offers a really great trip, departing from Ballintoy Harbour.
More info: Coasteering NI
9. Surfing, Antrim Coast, Co Antrim
The north Antrim coast is blessed with some awesome surf. From Portballintrae right along to Downhill beach beyond Portstewart, the coastline has a total of seven good surfing beaches to choose from. White Rocks just on the outskirts of Portrush is a particular favourite of ours while the West Beach in Portrush is probably the most popular with beginners, thanks to its consistency and convenience. There is a handy car park overlooking the beach that is also next door to the train station. Best of all, Alive Surf School offers hot showers for afters.
More info: Alive Surf School
10. Horseriding, Downhill Beach, Co Antrim
What better way to spend an afternoon than trotting and cantering down a beach in the shadow of Mussenden Temple? We certainly can’t think of any! Crindle Stables offers horse riding lessons along stunning Downhill Beach and it really is an experience to remember. Those with little or no horse riding experience should not be put off as Crindle Stables will ease you in gently in the safety of their riding centre before bringing you down to the beach.
More Info: Crindle Stables
11. Longboarding Tour, Co Derry
We’ve all experienced walking and bike tours of cities but have any of you ever taken part in a longboarding tour? Well neither had we, but cruising around lovely Derry on these super-cool longboard skateboards was more thrilling than we could ever have expected. Sporting helmets and padding in all the right places, we spent two fun-filled hours learning how to ride and exploring this fabulous city with guide Lorcan from Far and Wild. We can’t think of a cooler way to explore the Peace Bridge and the historic city walls.
More Info: Far and Wild
12. SUP in Derry City, Co Derry
If you’ve already gone over the Peace Bridge on longboards or even on foot, why not consider going under this stunning landmark on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP)? Far and Wild offers watery SUP city tours in the evenings which will give you a completely new perspective on this amazing suspension bridge with its striking curves.
More Info: Far and Wild
13. Hovercrafting, Limitless Adventure Centre, Co Derry
This has to be one of the quirkiest activities we’ve ever come across and we loved every second of it. Hovercrafting is similar to driving a quad bike except for the fact you’re driving a big inflatable bag powered by a motorised fan that can drive over land and water. So… maybe not really like driving a quad bike! But it’s certainly more fun. Limitless Adventure Centre will take you out on three different courses to teach you how to drive these fantastic machines and by the last course you’ll be a master, drifting into corners like you’ve been doing it your whole life.
More Info: Limitless Adventure Centre
14. Foodie Bike Tours, Derry City, Co Derry
More Info: Far and Wild
