Belfast has plenty to offer for families on fun-filled days out, here are just a few things you could be enjoying when in and around the city.
City Sightseeing Hop-On / Hop-Off Tour
Jump on board with a Hop-On Hop-Off ticket and see Belfast in the very best way possible! Our tour operates seven days per week and tickets are valid for 24 hours for one-day pass holders or 48 hours if you purchase the two-day ticket option. If you do not Hop-on / Hop-off, the tour lasts approx 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Belfast City Sightseeing tour is the ONLY open top tour in Belfast which is 4* rated by the NITB (Northern Ireland Tourist Board) and is the ONLY World Host accredited tour for excellence in customer service.
Tours depart from High Street in Belfast city centre, but you can join the tour from any stop along the route. We are the only operator to offer a multi-lingual service available in six languages including, English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Mandarin.
For more information, you can call our booking office on +44 (0)28 9024 0411 or ask at your hotel reception.
A great way to get around the city with your family!
Aunt Sandras Chocolate Workshop
A treat for all the senses! Visit Aunt Sandras Chocolate Workshop for an unforgettable chocolate filled candy making experience.
Watch candy being handmade through a viewing window exactly how it’s been made since 1953. Candy shows are a popular choice for the kids to enjoy a show filled with laughs and great fun. Think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a Belfast twist!
There is excellent coffee on site so chill out for an hour in the newly refurbished cafe while snacking on some homemade treats.
Don’t forget to purchase some of Aunt Sandra’s world-famous candy or chocolate to take home!
Belfast Zoo
Belfast Zoo is situated on the northeastern slope of Cavehill, overlooking Belfast’s Antrim Road, resulting in a uniquely tranquil environment for the animals that the zoo is frequently praised for. With over 120 species and spanning a 55-acre site, Belfast Zoo is jam-packed with exotic and awe-provoking animals, the majority of which are facing increasing danger in their habitats.
Staff are energetic, passionate and aim to educate visitors on all animals and make your experience as memorable as possible.
Winter Opening Hours (01 October – 31 March)
- 10:00am to 4:00pm daily, last admission is 2.30pm
- Animal houses close at 3.30pm
- The Zoovenir shop closes at 4:00pm
Summer Opening Hours (01 April – 30 September)
- 10:00am to 6:00pm daily, last admission is 5.00pm
- Animal houses close at 6.00pm
- The Zoovenir shop closes at 6:00pm
For more information check out the Belfast Zoo website.
W5 Belfast
Ireland’s Award Winning Science & Discovery Centre!
Always a hit with both kids and adults W5 has over 250 amazing interactive exhibits in four incredible exhibition areas to explore and enjoy.
W5 also presents a changing programme of large and small scale temporary exhibitions and events. If you are visiting between 13th – 28th April you can take part in the W5 LEGO Trains Big Build Challenge where you can show off your Lego building skills and unleash your creativity to build anything from tracks and trains to buildings and bridges! Don’t worry if you are out of this timeframe though as W5 has something for everyone all year round. There is also a permanent LEGO® Zone on the ground floor!
The Wee Tram
Take a tram ride through Titanic’s shipyard in the carriages inspired by the tramcars that used to pass through it! A live guide will bring the tour to life with great humoured craic, great stories and extensive knowledge of the shipyard and surrounding areas. There is illustrated material and video on screens in each tram carriage, and you can even get into character by wearing your very own yardman’s cap!
The Tram has hop-on-hop-off stops at:
- Titanic Belfast and Titanic Hotel
- SS Nomadic
- Titanic Slipways
- HMS Caroline
- Titanic’s Dock and Pump House
- Vertigo Indoor Skydiving
Streamvale Open Farm
Animal lovers, this is the place for you! Create lasting memories with your kids while letting them take part in cuddling puppies, rabbits, baby chicks and lots more. Children have the opportunity to bottle feed baby lambs and goats and enjoy a pony ride.
Streamvale has both outdoor and indoor play areas with plenty of fun activities and toys for kids. Enjoy tractor and barrel rides, pedal go-carts and even a climbing course!
You will learn the everyday running of a farm with everything from watching cows being milked to witnessing how sheepdogs are trained to steer cattle into and out of grazing fields. Finish the day off with some homemade ice cream, made from the very cows milk at Streamsvale Farm! Yum!
Suitable for ages: Babies and Toddlers (0-3) and Young Children (4-8)
Website: https://streamvale.com/
Telephone:+44 (0)28 9048 3244
Ulster Folk & Transport Museum
Step back in time to experience 100 years of Northern Irish history and immerse yourself in a story of two halves that are guaranteed to please the whole family.
After a short drive from Belfast city centre, you arrive at the Cultra Estate which is a stone throw away from the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. The beautiful grounds covering 170 acres consist of a well-kept landscape, breathtaking in any weather.
Both the Folk and the Transport areas have fantastic tea rooms, serving wholesome meals to warm the insides on a cold day and are somewhere to relax and take the weight off to enjoy a cuppa and a biscuit. There are many picnic areas to gather the family around and enjoy your home packed lunch. These are spotted around the estate, at both museums and are highlighted on the complimentary map provided with your tickets on arrival. I recommend keeping the map safe as it’s handy to plan your next move. You don’t want to miss out on anything. Don’t forget to pop into the souvenir shops!
The folk museum consists of many buildings which were dismantled in their original location and rebuilt at the museum, not that you would know, the attention to detail is amazing!
Pre-book your admission tickets online for entry to the Ulster Folk Museum or both the Ulster Folk and Ulster Transport Museum and save time when you arrive.
(Pre-booked tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.)
Belfast Mystery Treasure Trail
There are a few treasure trails available to take part in throughout Belfast and surrounding areas, but this one is one of the best!
Get into character Sherlock style and embark on a murder mystery treasure trail!
Ideal for all age groups this self-guided murder mystery trial around Belfast is a great way to explore parts of the city that would usually be slightly off the beaten track. The 2-mile ‘loop’ takes around 1.5 hours to complete on foot and with a text message service in case you get stuck, the trail is a fun-filled few hours for kids and adults alike.
Solve the mission to be entered into a monthly draw where the winner receives £100!
For more details click here.
National Football Stadium Tour
Barcelona may have the Nou Camp, but we have Windsor Park! Go on the greens!
Relive the atmosphere of matchday and gain insights into the Northern Ireland Football teams over the years both on and off the pitch.
If you or any of your family are football fans, then a trip to Windsor Park is not to be missed. The tour will leave you with an understanding of the passion Northern Irish people have for their team and the beautiful game itself.
Tickets can be purchased from the Irish Tour Tickets shop.
We can be contacted by email at info@citysightseeingbelfast.com or through our tour office on +44 (0)28 90 321321. We look forward to seeing you soon!
