Things to do in Belfast

Belfast is a cool city definitely worth a visit. I previously heard it was ‘dirty’ and I never had a huge desire to go. But this visit definitely changed my mind! We stayed for a few nights while traveling in-between Ireland and Wales.

Trip date: August 2022

Explore the Vibrant Alleys

There are plenty of colorful, instagram worthy alleys in Belfast. The first one we stumbled upon was Commercial Court, which was probably my favorite because it led us to a cool pub. The alleys off of Ann Street were all unique and neat, especially the one with the Jailhouse Pub.

I love finding artistic streets in any city we visit!

Visit Titanic’s Birthplace

If you visit Belfast, this museum is a MUST! It was incredible being in the actual location where the Titanic was built and launched. I have visited the Titanic museum in Gatlinburg, TN, but this museum was on a whole different level! So if you think ‘nahhh I’ve already been to a Titanic Museum, I don’t need to see this one,’ think again!

Fun fact: the museum building is the size of the actual iceberg that sent Titanic to its’ demise.

Our ticket also included admission to the SS Nomadic, which was Titanic’s tender ship. It was neat being able to walk around and explore the ship at our leisure. This is the last remaining White Star Line vessel.

Have a Drink at the Duke of York

An alley lined with flowers and umbrellas led us to this stumble-upon-find. The pub was full of Guinness memorabilia, trinkets and other nostalgic goodies. Upstairs had a saloon bar, but was currently closed. We were at the Duke of York in the early afternoon and were one of the only customers. It seems like a place that gets very busy in the evening (but we never went at night, so don’t take my word on that). I liked being there during the day so we could explore all of the trinkets around. This is definitely a spot you need to grab a pint at!

Indulge at Taboo Donuts

You know we always love to find a donut spot! Taboo had lots of unique flavors to choose from. The donuts were a bit on the dry side, but I loved all of the topping options. We had the honeycomb and roche ferrero donuts. Loved the honeycomb!

Find the Dirty Onion

With both indoor and outdoor seating, the Dirty Onion is a great place to enjoy an afternoon drink. We shared a buffalo chicken sandwich at Yard Bird, which is a ‘hidden’ restaurant above the Dity Onion. It isn’t really hidden, but for a first-timer, it was a little hard to find. The menu offered delicious meat choices… even a whole rotisserie chicken!

Walk Along the River

Get close and discover the history of Belfast in the ceramic tiles of the blue salmon sculpture, pictured below. Walk just a bit further and check out the fish lamp posts on the Queen’s Bridge.

See a Movie at the Odeon Theater

Victoria Shopping Center is a multi-level outdoor shopping center full of stores and eateries, with the Odeon movie theater on the top level.
Greg actually stayed home this day and I explored the city on my own. I made it to the Odeon Theater just in time to catch the 11am showing of Jurassic World. Sometimes you just need a movie day!

Tour Giant’s Causeway & Areas Outside of Belfast

If in Belfast for a few days, we highly suggest taking a tour to the Giant’s Causeway (or renting a car and driving yourself). The Giant’s Causeway is considered the 8th wonder of the world, per our guide. We really enjoyed this tour! Not only did we see the Giant’s Causeway (which was the main goal of the tour), but our guide let us stop at a few spots along the way, such as Game of Throne filming locations and a quick look at the famous rope bridge. Unfortunately, tickets are required in advance for the rope bridge and was not included on this specific tour.