Our School Summer Holiday plans & living in Northern Ireland

Living here in the gorgeous green lands of Northern Ireland, the kids have just broken off for their school summer holidays. HUZZAH! I hear other Northern Irish parents cry! And I hear you! No more uniforms to iron, no more packed lunches to try and be creative with and the best part? No more alarms & school run rushes! Now, you might be thinking, “But our kids don’t finish for another 4-weeks yet!” and there lies the difference in our fair lands. Northern Ireland kids finish in the final week of June, whereas the kids on the mainland, don’t finish until late July – correct me if I’m wrong! But yes, the children here do get a slightly longer school summer holiday than those in England.

School Summer Holiday Planning!

Now, last summer, as we all know, was a bust! We couldn’t go anywhere, literally! Besides having picnics in our front gardens and going for a 1hr daily walk with our family for exercise. Thinking back to last summer is just crazy, isn’t it? However, this year, even though restrictions are lifting left, right & centre! We still have zero plans to travel anywhere abroad, I mean, why would you? There are just far too many rules, restrictions, requirements, extra expenses and more! And after tallying it all up, it just isn’t worth it in my opinion. No judgement for those going abroad, I truly hope you have an amazing time!

However, we plan to just travel Northern Ireland {& the South of Ireland} a little. Have a few staycations and a good few day trips squished in there too! So, I thought it would be fun to share a list of our plans in a hope that it will inspire you to add it to your Summer Holiday plans if you are a Northern Ireland resident, such as ourselves!

Places to visit over the Summer with your family!

Northern Ireland is so vibrant with fun places to visit, all with an array of things to get up to! Whether it is a family walk and a picnic {bring the doggies!}, body boarding on one of our many Blue Flag beaches, just going for ice cream in Carnlough – which has to be a Maud’s Ice-cream because nothing else measures up! A Pooh Bear Medium Cone for me, please! Whatever your wishes or desires for the school summer holidays, I hope this list gives you some inspiration.

*Ideas in red are what we hope to squeeze in and in blue, are things we have done already! 

• Let’s Go Hydro – Fun Inflatable Waterpark with the option to stay over in their accommodation. Check out their website.
• Tollymore Forest – Picnic with Family & Walk the doggies.
• Newcastle – Beach walks, Amusement arcades, Fun Fair and enjoy a Cronut topped with ice cream from Box Street!
• Greenhill YMCA Recreational Centre – Stay over and enjoy Newcastle for longer! Our Greenhill YMCA staycation review.
• Minnowburn – Forest walks & Nature Playpark. This is a National Trust site. Link to our day in Minnowburn.
• Airtastic NI – Stores in Craigavon, Bangor and now Newtownabbey. Check out their website.
• Lost City Golf – In Cityside, Yorkgate. Play 2 fun courses and maybe go for food & mocktails after in their Tiki Bar & Restaurant. Lost City Adventure Golf Review.
• Visit W5 Centre – Who, What, Where, Why & When! A fun science discovery centre for all the family. W5 Website {reopening in Autumn 2021}
• VR City – Love VR gaming? Check out VR City inside Cityside at Yorkgate. Check out their website.
• River Farset – A river is hidden beneath the city of Belfast. Based in Custom House Square. Great for a summers day!
• Belfast Zoo – A great family day out, with an amazing play park and places to eat, too! Or bring a picnic! Belfast Zoo Website. Prebooking Essential!
• Carrickfergus Castle – Such a fun afternoon out and you can play in the Marina park after, or even on the beach!

School Summer Holiday ideas!

• Blackhead Path in Whitehead – Family walks along the beautiful coastline. Maybe even reach the lighthouse!
• Giants Causeway – Check out the history and infamous columns and finish it with lunch in The Causeway Hotel. Our Giants Causeway Bus Tour Experience.
• Ulster Museum – Right here in the heart of Belfast, free to enter and fun for all the family. Check out the Ulster Museum Website.
• Botanic Gardens – A beautiful place in the centre of Belfast. Flowers, Horticulture & enjoy a picnic with the family!
• Castlerock – Enjoy time on the stunning blue flag beach & maybe go for a walk up to the Downhill Demsense. 11 Things to do in Castlerock.
• Downhill Demense & Hezlett House – Go for a walk through the Black Glen to see the glorious Downhill Demense.
• Mussenden Temple – Whilst visiting Downhill, walk over the Mussenden Temple. The views are 100% worth it.
• Ulster-American Folk Park – Based in Cultra, this makes for a really fun family day out! Check out their website.
• C.S Lewis Square – Based on the wonderous books from Mr Lewis, you could find characters throughout his books in this park.
• Pirate Adventure Golf – Based on the grounds on Dundonald Ice Bowl! Great fun for a day out!
• Dundonald Ice Bowl – Rainy day? The Dundonald Ice Bowl have you covered! The Ice Bowl Website!
• Armagh Planetarium – One of our firm family favourites! Beautiful walks surrounding the planetarium for after your visit, too! Armagh Planetarium Website.
• Exploris in Portaferry – Our own little Sea Life centre on the coast of Portaferry! Exploris NI Website.

Summer Holiday Ideas continued…

• Ballycastle Strand & Beach – Beautiful day for play parks, family walks and enjoy a chippy in Morton’s! Highly recommend!
• Rathlin Island – Get the Ferry over to Rathlin and enjoy the most beautiful scenery, great local artists and good food. Helpful post when visiting Rathlin Island.
• RSPB Westlight Seabird Centre – A Must-visit attraction when visiting Rathlin Island. Our RSPB Westlight Seabird Centre experience.
• Dublin Zoo – Another firm family favourite for my gang! A full day needs to be planned for Dublin Zoo, for sure!
• Book a hotel! – Why not stay for a while in Dublin! Check out the Phoenix Park Hotel. Just 5mins from Dublin Zoo!
• Have a staycation! – Book Coolfin Cottage in Ballycastle for a beautiful staycation not a 10minute walk from the beach! Our Coolfin Cottage Review!
• Portrush – Spend the day, hang out in the arcades or take a ride on the big wheel!
• Visit Prison Island – A new attraction in Belfast and is a lot like the Crystal Maze! Perfect fun for the family!
• Cavehill Adventure Park – Based on the grounds of Belfast Castle and a small fee for each child to get in. This is a great day out.
• Galgorm Castle fairy Trail – A beautiful activity for a summers day! Places to eat & drink too once you’re done looking for fairies!
• HMS Caroline – Board one very famous ship which is docked in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast. Our HMS Caroline Experience.
• Streamvale Open Farm – A fun family day out, for kids and adults alike! Places to eat & drink on-site, too!
• Carnfunnock Country Park – A really fun day out with plenty to keep the kids entertained!
• Whiterocks Beach in Portrush – Another stunning beach to tick off your list! Build sandcastles & enjoy an ice cream!
• Marble Arch Caves – This is a cool attraction in Enniskillen! Fancy a little cave exploration?

Even more ideas!

• Castlewellan Forest Park – Perfect place for a walk with the family!
• Bangor Marina – We love Bangor as a family! Places to eat, drink & enjoy the seaside banter!
• Montalto Estate – This is a stunning place to visit with the family, with a huge nature built park for the kids to enjoy.
• Street Art Walk around Belfast – There is so much amazing street art in little streets & alleys in Belfast City to enjoy.
• Belfast Castle – Enjoy a drink and a wee bun on the grounds of Belfast Castle and maybe even find all the cats in the secret cat garden.
• Lady Dixon Park – A beautiful parkland just outside Belfast City! Take the kids, bring the doggies and enjoy.
• World of Owls – A fun place to visit with keen wildlife fans in the family!
• Cathedral Quarter Park – A small but colourful & fun place for the kids to run off some steam!
• St.Georges Market – Go for a wander around many amazing local stalls and sample some amazing food!

That’s quite the school summer holiday list, huh! I do hope it gives you a little inspiration of what to get up to over the school summer holidays! I can’t wait to start turning all of our red destinations blue! Making memories, laughing together, enjoying good {and bad} weather and just embracing a summer that we can actually get out over! This is huge and it is all very, very exciting.

I hope you have the most amazing summer! Enjoy every single day and I cannot wait to see your summer photos over on Instagram! You can follow my Super Busy Mum Instagram Feed by clicking this link!

I would love to know what your school summer holiday plans are! Leave me a comment below!!

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