The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Giant’s Causeway on Ireland’s Causeway coast is the second busiest attraction in Ireland, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin being number one. At peak season the site can be very busy. With a little bit of knowledge, it is easy to have a fantastic experience without meeting too many other visitors. It is worth noting that the stones themselves are not usually too busy to explore, although you might find getting a photograph with no one else in the background a near impossible task. The busier part of the site is at the road and in the car park.
Tip one: Avoid peak hours.
It is the most obvious thing to do. Visit the site between 9.00 and 11.00 a.m. or wait until after 4.00 p.m. Parking at the site, accessing the visitor centre, the guided tours, the shuttle bus to the Stones, the walk down to the Stones, all of these are much easier outside of peak hours. Even on the busiest days at the Giant’s Causeway, if you time your visit well, you can easily dodge the crowds. There are lots of other things to do nearby. Have an ice-cream at Morelli’s in Portstewart, visit the beautiful Dunluce Castle ruin, cross the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge or visit the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery.
Tip two: Use the park and ride from Bushmills.
Use the park and ride service from Bushmills. If you can’t avoid peak hours in peak season then it is much easier to park in Bushmills and take the bus from the car park in the town than to get access to the site directly. The car park is opposite the lovely Bushmills Inn.
Tip three: Walk the stunning coast.
Put your boots on and walk this breathtaking coast. We suggest that you either book one of our guided tours or that you walk independently. You can park at Portballintrae or Dunseverick Castle ruin. The walk in from Dunseverick is among the most beautiful cliff paths in Europe. You can park and use the local bus service back to your car or book our full day tour from Belfast or our half day tour. The coast paths from both directions are remarkably free of crowds even on really busy causeway days.
Tip four: Do a coach tour from Belfast.
Sit back, relax and enjoy a beautiful day tour without having to worry about any of the logistics. See the Antrim coast, cross the Carrick-A-Rede ropebridge and visit the Giant’s Causeway. The coach tours are pre-booked so you don’t need to worry about availability of things like bridge tickets etc. We highly recommend Irish Tour Tickets, our coach partner. Irish Tour tickets provide Causeway and Game of Thrones tour throughout the year.
Tip five: Visit off season
This is another obvious tip but one to pay attention to. The busiest days at the causeway will likely be on a Saturday afternoon on bank holiday weekend in July or August, or on a Cruise ship day. If you are able to, travel out of high season altogether, or aim to visit, mid-week out of peak season.