7 Days in Ireland: A Family Road Trip Through Northern Ireland & Dublin

Ireland is one of those places where no amount of time ever feels like enough. It is simply lovely. But Northern Ireland, in particular, completely won us over with its rolling green hills, dramatic coastline, and pristine landscapes.

For reference, we visited at the beginning of September, and several locals told us the weather was “about to change.” We were lucky enough to enjoy beautiful weather for most of our stay, but if you’re traveling around this time of year, definitely come prepared for a little bit of everything.

Day 1: Dublin to Ballycastle

We flew into Dublin from Paris, took a short ride to the rental car facility, picked up our car, and started the approximately three-hour drive north toward the Ballycastle region of Northern Ireland. This would be our home base for four nights, and we honestly could have spent our entire trip here. We’re not big-city people, so the quiet countryside, small towns, and incredible scenery were exactly our speed.

And then there was our Airbnb. Let’s just say my entire family still talks about this place.

On the day of our arrival, I messaged our host to let her know we’d be getting in late. When we finally arrived, we opened the refrigerator to find milk waiting for us, along with these delicious little pancake-donut things. It was such a thoughtful surprise—and an absolute lifesaver the next morning when our kids woke up hungry and we realized just how far we were from town.

It was the perfect welcome to Northern Ireland.

Day 2: A Slow Day Near Ballycastle

We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, and one thing we enjoy doing when we travel is visiting a local congregation. So, we started our first full day by attending a meeting that morning.

On our way back to the Airbnb, we stopped at a local market for a few groceries before spending the rest of the day relaxing and exploring the trails right behind the property.

When we booked our stay, our host had told us that the area behind the property was connected to filming for the DreamWorks film How to Train Your Dragon. Needless to say, the scenery was pretty spectacular.

Have I mentioned how amazing this place was already?

There was something really nice about having a slower day built into the trip. No rushing from one attraction to another—just wandering, exploring, and enjoying where we were.

View of Dunseverick Castle directly out our back door

Can you spot my husband and son down on the trail?

Day 3: Giant’s Causeway + Family Photos

The next day, we headed to Giant’s Causeway. 10/10 experience.

We entered through the official visitor entrance and paid a nominal fee, which gave us access to the official walking route and an audio guide. We chose to walk the steep path all the way down to the Causeway—and, more importantly, all the way back up.

If you’re traveling with anyone who may have difficulty with the climb, there is a shuttle option, which is definitely worth considering.

The landscape here is incredible. Giant’s Causeway is one of those famous places that you wonder might be a little overhyped before you visit, but for us, it absolutely lived up to expectations. Afterward, we headed back to the Airbnb to relax and freshen up because we had family photos scheduled on the beach that evening.

We booked our session with Hannah Robinson, whom I found on Instagram, and she was an absolute gem. If you’re the type of family who loves having professional photos taken while on vacation, I highly recommend looking her up. Having photos from such a beautiful place ended up being one of my favorite souvenirs from the trip.

Truly a sight out of a mideavel fairytale book

Day 4: Dunluce Castle + Portrush

Day four took us to Dunluce Castle, one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic castle ruins.

And yes—it is absolutely worth seeing. Perched dramatically along the coastline, the castle is every bit as impressive in person as it looks in photos. Because of its location right on the water, it can also get very windy and chilly. Bring a jacket, and honestly, a hat isn’t a bad idea either.

After exploring the castle, we made our way into Portrush for lunch. And because we were in Northern Ireland, fish and chips felt like the obvious choice. We spent some time wandering around town and doing a little shopping afterward. From what we heard, Portrush is bustling during the summer months, but by early September, quite a few of the seasonal shops had already closed. Even so, we loved strolling around town and taking in the atmosphere. It was quieter, relaxed, and a perfect way to round out another day along the Northern Irish coast.

Pictures don't do this castle justice

Day 5: The Dark Hedges, Belfast + Back to Dublin

Sadly, it was time to pack up and say goodbye to our little home base near Ballycastle and start making our way back toward Dublin.

But we had a couple of stops to make first.

Our first was the Dark Hedges. We are decidedly not Game of Thrones people, but even without the fandom connection, it was neat to see such an iconic spot in person.

While we were there, we got caught in a passing rain shower. As people who live in the Southwest desert, we weren't exactly upset about it. In fact, it was kind of lovely. Give us green countryside and a little Irish rain and apparently we're very easy to please.

From there, we drove over to Belfast. There was a particular shop my daughter wanted to visit, but sadly, it was closed. We didn't end up spending much time in the city, but my husband really enjoyed getting to see Belfast. It definitely left us wishing we'd planned a little more time there.

Next trip, Belfast is getting more than a quick stop.

The dark hedges are worth checking out

Day 6: Exploring Dublin

For our final two nights, we stayed in the Temple Bar area of Dublin. Finding a hotel room that sleeps a family of five can be a challenge, but I managed to find one. I'm intentionally not linking it here because, well…I wouldn't recommend it.

It was somewhat dirty, and I could not shake the feeling that if there were a fire, we were cooked, as the youngins these days say. The location, however? Phenomenal.

Being within walking distance of Temple Bar, Dublin Castle, Trinity College, and so many other historic buildings made it incredibly easy to explore Dublin on foot. Even though we're generally not big-city people, we really enjoyed being able to walk out the door and have so much history right around us.

If you're planning a stay in Dublin, I would absolutely recommend spending some time exploring this area—even if I cannot personally recommend our particular hotel.

Our favorite—and final—stop in Dublin was the famous Church restaurant. It's quite literally an old church that has been transformed into a beautiful bar and restaurant. There was something very cool about sitting inside such a historic building while enjoying pints of Guinness and, naturally, another round of delicious fish and chips. Make reservations in advance, it gets busy! It was a pretty perfect way to end our time in Dublin.

The iconic "Church" Bar and Grill

Day 7: Goodbye, Ireland

And just like that, it was time to go home.

We packed everything up and headed to the airport for our flight back to the U.S. We found Dublin Airport relatively easy to navigate, and one of the best surprises was being able to clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection before leaving Ireland.

After a long international flight—especially with kids—being able to land in the U.S. with that part already taken care of made the trip home so much easier.

And with that, our week in Ireland came to an end.

Ireland will easily go down as one of our favorite family vacations ever. The landscapes, the people, the tiny towns, the history, the castles, the coastlines, the fish and chips, the unexpected rain showers—all of it.

If we were planning the trip again, we'd give ourselves more time. More time in Northern Ireland, more time in Belfast, more time to wander without anywhere in particular to be.

But maybe that's the thing about Ireland: no amount of time really feels like enough.