Belfast: Visit the Titanic Museum or Easy Scenic Coast & Glens of Antrim?

This is our first trip to Ireland and would love the Glens but people are saying to visit the Museum. I've seen the Maritime Museum in Halifax which has some Titan displays. I know the rates on the Museum but just asking other people their points of view.

We were having the same dilemma with our planning, plus to add to it, I have heard that it's really interesting to do a black cab tour of the city with commentary on the political history and stops to look at the murals. I have also heard that the titanic exhibition is fantastic and the country side is very iconic. We just need more time here!! So for now I have booked a short Antrim Coast drive with NCL in the morning and then at 2pm in the afternoon we have a 90 minute black cab ride through the city. I doubt we will be able to fit in the titanic exhibit though. We still debate making a change and forfeiting the coast ride or the city cab ride for the Titanic museum. Would love to hear opinions!

I hope this helps as I've been on a couple of cruises that have stopped in Belfast. The Antrim Coast road is one of the most scenic drives anywhere in the world, don't take my word for it, I'm a petrolhead and a member of several car websites & forums, and the Antrim Coast road is regularly voted as one of the world's best drives. You can see the Giants Causeway, Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge, Dunluce Castle, film locations for Game of Thrones and some truly stunning scenery.

We did a tour last year with a local taxi company, Value Cabs, with a very informative and entertaining driver. We did the coast road plus a tour of the city. It depends how long your ship is in Belfast but I don't think you could do the coast, city and Titanic museum in a day. We did the Titanic museum on a different cruise, it was excellent, combined with a walk in the city guided by my brother in law who's a regular visitor to Belfast for work so had some local knowledge.

We are due to visit Belfast in July and I have booked a tour with a company called McComb's, who were recommended to me. The tour does the Titanic museum, coastal drive to Giant's Causeway and rope bridge, and a trip around Belfast with explanation.

I am always cautious about trying to do too much in a day, but McCombs just may be a good option because I really hate to give up any of the three activities-titanic, scenic drive, brief city tour. Maybe hlperez or anyone else who has done the "do it all" tour could check in post trip and let us know how it was?

We will be there in August and have booked a private tour with Cityand Causeway tour. They will take us along the Antrim Coast road, Giants Causeway, Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge, Dunluce Castle. They are dropping us off at the Titanic at around 430, where we have pre bought our tickets. We will then get a cab back to the ship, for our 8 pm sail away. Lots in one day, but hopefully it works out ok.

I live in Belfast. Titanic Museum is great to see if you are really into the Titanic and ship building history etc. If you add fascinated by ‘The Troubles’ then do a HoHo which will take you on the murals tour. If you are like me and love landscapes then the antrim coast is beautiful. Even on a poor weather day (which is our usual lol) it’s still gorgeous! I’m 36 and have lived here all my life and never tire of how beautiful the coastline is!

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Wow! Gorgeous. But seeing your picture, I think Princess excursion should be very frustrating for a photo addict like me, because the only (short!) stop is Glenariff forest café! There's nothing I hate more when I'm on an excursion, than being trapped in a bus passing such a landscape and trying to take pictures through greenish moving windows!

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True! What about hiring a car for a day?

Antrim Coast & Giant's Causeway -- without a doubt!!!

That picture above is FABULOUS

Thanks - hope you all enjoy your visit. I am lucky to live in such a beautiful place!

If you are into scenery, take the scenic tour.

If you are into history, do the Titanic Museum. We were there last year and they did a great job with information about shipbuilding in the area, etc.

But if I had a choice, now knowing what the Titanic Museum is like, I'd do the scenic.

 

 

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What a beautiful picture, what are we looking at?

This is Dunluce Castle. The history behind it is that part of it fell into the sea during a banquet / ball. It’s very close to the Giants Causeway and Carrick-a-Reed

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I was on a HAL cruise/tour on the coast & Giant's Causeway. We were able to get out of the bus for 15 mins. or so & take photos. The ruins of Dunluce Castle were fascinating.

Thanks - hope you all enjoy your visit. I am lucky to live in such a beautiful place!

We have two days in Belfast in July. One place we would like to visit is Mount Stewart but have not been able to find any tours. Looks like we will have to take the bus and/or taxi. Do you have anything to share on Mount Stewart? Thank you.

We have two days in Belfast in July. One place we would like to visit is Mount Stewart but have not been able to find any tours. Looks like we will have to take the bus and/or taxi. Do you have anything to share on Mount Stewart? Thank you.

Mount Stewart is a lovely place. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mount-stewart

You can get the bus to Portaferry and it drops you off at the gates of Mount Stewart.

Alternatively you can hire a car?

The bus is easy enough check http://www.translink.co.uk

I took these at Temple of the Winds Mount Stewart

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This is Dunluce Castle. The history behind it is that part of it fell into the sea during a banquet / ball. It’s very close to the Giants Causeway and Carrick-a-Reed

 

 

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Thanks, that will be one of our stops. Should we take the time to enter Dunluce Castle?

We are going to attempt to do both the "scenic tour" and the Titanic, as we are in Belfast until 8PM. We booked with City and Causeway Tour. We will not be able to walk the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge due to the timing of the tickets, but we will get to walk around the area and enjoy the view. They have agreed to drop us off at the Titanic Museum around 4:30, and we will tour the museum and then get a cab for the short ride back to the ship around 7pm. It will be a long day, but I think will be well worth it!

I wouldn’t worry to much about going into Dunluce. There isn’t much more to see. There’s a great view from just by the car park wall. Ship is only about 10mins from Titanic Museum- you’ll see it. Have a super holiday!

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Ps if anyone asks a local for directions we freely give them and aren’t looking for a tip! It ‘cracks me up’ when I ask someone are they lost and they think I’m looking a tip! [emoji849][emoji23]

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I wouldn’t worry to much about going into Dunluce. There isn’t much more to see. There’s a great view from just by the car park wall. Ship is only about 10mins from Titanic Museum- you’ll see it. Have a super holiday!

 

 

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thanks so much

I am always cautious about trying to do too much in a day, but McCombs just may be a good option because I really hate to give up any of the three activities-titanic, scenic drive, brief city tour. Maybe hlperez or anyone else who has done the "do it all" tour could check in post trip and let us know how it was?

I did the McCombs tour last year that did the City Tour and Titanic museum in the morning, then Giant's Causeway in the afternoon. You only see the rope bridge from a distance.

I would have liked to spend longer in the countryside and to be able to walk around the city more, but as a first visit to Belfast, it was also nice to be able to see all the "highlights". I'm glad I left the city to see the Giant's Causeway. I did like the Titanic museum too, but people in my party were split on whether it could have been skipped or not. Personally, I would probably have opted to make several more stops in the city itself and also the countryside, to walk around. But if I had done that, I would have wondered what the museum was like!

Regardless, the tour guide was awesome and his commentary was very insightful and I do feel like we maximized our time.