Tour from Dublin to Giants Causeway

Marie · Guru

Tour from Dublin to Giants Causeway

tony2phones · Guru

My general recommendation for folk wanting to do the Antrim Coast and Glens is to do the area from a Belfast base. Generally saying get off the plane in Dublin and catch the bus to Belfast on arrival. http://www.belfastphototours.co.uk/tours/ do some excellent tours.

Most folk though do the tours from Dublin and there are a multitude to chose from, most set out at breakfast and return just before bed time. Personally I prefer not to spend 80% of a trip polishing a seat and tours from Dublin use 4 hours of the day just on the Dublin Belfast legs so are a minimum of 9 hours depart to return.

I can give you the tide times for the Antrim coast http://www.tides4fishing.com/uk/northern-ireland/portrush but I cant forecast the weather. If you are in Belfast there are wet day options, from Dublin wait until you know the weather before you book, it can be wet and more importantly, windy up along there in September.

Michele Erdvig · Host

I've not personally done a tour from Dublin to the GC. I always stay in the area. However, there are many tours that do day trips. As Tony mentioned it lasts all day and into the evening but might be worth it to you. See links below to tours:

http://www.giants-causeway-tours.com/

http://www.giantscausewaytours.ie/

http://www.paddywagontours.com/GIANTS-CAUSEWAY-Day-Tour-From-DUBLIN

http://www.kennedycarr.com/day-tours/giants-causeway/

http://www.railtoursireland.com/train-tour/TheGiants-Causeway/dc10/

Hope you find the right one. Would love to hear back after your trip as to which one you chose and how it went.

Marie · Guru

Thanks Tony and Michele for the advice! I have to go from Dublin and I don't mind the long day. I will be alone for the tour and have several days in Dublin prior to departure for home. I do not anticipate staying in N. Ireland and having Belfast as a base any time in the future, as my family is in Donegal (Creevy) and my friends are in Dublin. Since GC is on the East coast, I figured it made sense to go from Dublin. I will check out the links you provided and will surely write a detailed report upon return.

Marie

Marie · Guru

Hello Tony and thank you for the information. I will definitely not book the tour from here but will wait until I am there and will watch the weather - I imagine the rope bridge would be harrowing on a really windy day!

tony2phones · Guru

Seems that with The Antrim Coast between the family and Dublin you could easily break the run over and down with a night in Portrush?

Marie · Guru

Tony,

That's worth a thought....my plan was to take the rail to Galway, but maybe I can do it differently on the way back to Dublin.

Thanks,

Marie

Marie · Guru

A question for the Dublin "leg" of the trip....I am now thinking of taking Tony's advice and heading up to Portrush or similar as an overnight to see some of the sights around the Causeway, Bushmills, etc. Do you know of Causeway tours from there? We will not have a car on that side. Transportation to Portrush from Dublin?

Thanks!!!!

Marie

tony2phones · Guru

You can get to the Causeway by bus from Portrush, think is the 402? goes via Bushmills. probably better than the car as you can walk in without having to pay for carparks and the visitors centre.

Dublin to Portrush is change in Belfast by train or bus then train to Portrush.

If you go onto the TA Northern Ireland forum and send a message to Poinaire she lives in Portstuart and will steer you right.

Michele Erdvig · Host

With all the logistics involved probably the easiest way to do it is:

1. Day trip from Dublin
2. Train from Dublin to Belfast, tour, overnight in Belfast, return to Dublin next day

An alternative is Gallagher's Buses from Donegal to Belfast