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Planning help - Belfast and Dublin

My husband is attending a film festival in Belfast next month, and I'm joining him with our two daughters (3 & 7).

6/11 - arrive Dublin and head to Belfast

6/12 - 6/16 - Festival in Belfast (have hotel through festival)

6/17 - 6/20 - On our own. We're thinking of staying in Portstewart or Portballintrae - not sure if we should do b&b or hotel (Bayview hotel is booked, unfortunately). Planning to head back to Dublin the night before our flight. Need to figure out if we should take the train or bus from Dublin to Belfast. We're also planning to rent a car from Belfast for our time on the coast and need to figure out if it makes sense and is a possibility to drive to Dublin with it or if we'd need to return it to Belfast.

6/20 - Dublin

6/21 - return to Los Angeles from Dublin

My husband and I have been to Ireland a few times (north and south), so there's not really anything we're set on needing to see. We mostly want our girls to have fun. We're trying to decide if we should spend one or two nights in Dublin. Any insight is appreciated!

Posted by
2980 posts

Renting a car in the North and dropping it in the Republic would indeed trigger a pretty hefty one-way international drop charge - best avoided by taking the bus or train between Belfast and Dublin.
There are a number of kid friendly activities in Dublin to keep the little ones diverted. Dublinia, the Natural History Museum (with the "bog man"), and the Viking Splash tour come immediately to mind. Just google "Dublin for kids" for a host of other ideas. You can easily fill up a couple of days.

Posted by
9221 posts

Train to and back from Belfast. Very easy and suspect the little ones will love a train ride.

While in Belfast kids will enjoy Streamville Open Farm and Aunt Sandy’s Candy store. You shouldn’t miss the Titanic Museum.

Posted by
82 posts

We just did the trip from Belfast to Dublin....with the kids I also would recommend the train. It is reasonable and has catering on board regardless of class of service. Saw some kids really enjoying themselves and they had plenty of room to stretch out...tables to put their stuff on etc... Train leaves from Belfast City center (Lanyon Place) and puts you into Dublin Connolly Station which gives easy access to everything.

Belfast was terrific...it was our first time there. Not sure if it was for just the time were there but there was an open market at City Hall with lots of food and drink...easy to get around with lots of good sights to see...

Enjoy!