Activities & Attractions in County Down

Things to do in County Down

The very geography of County Down offers variety in itself. There’s the Mourne mountains sweeping down to the sea. There’s Strangford Lough, the largest lough of its kind in Britain and Ireland. The Ards Peninsula has a sea-bitten flavour all of its own. Head inland, into Bronte Country, and everything changes as rock and sand quickly give way to farmland and woods.

It’s no surprise then that there’s also a wide variety of things to do and see in County Down.

Family fun never grows old here

Start with one of Northern Ireland’s most popular, fun-filled attractions. The Let’s Go Hydro Aqua Park just outside Belfast is packed with all kinds of activities, from open water swimming to waterslides, cable water sports, aqua rugby, tubing, wakeboarding and paddle-boarding. They’ve on-site glamping facilities, meaning you can make a weekend of it too.

Clearsky Adventure Centre at Old Castle Ward on the shores of Strangford Lough is another place where the sky’s the limit when it comes to things to do. Set amidst the remains of a medieval fortress, where scenes from both Vikings and Game of Thrones® were filmed, you’ll find yourself spoiled for choice. Axe throwing or archery? Cycling or coasteering? Sea safari or star-gazing from a glamping pod? You couldn’t make it all up and, fortunately, you don’t have to because it’s all there waiting for you.

The jewel in the crown – Hillsborough Castle

(Access is only available to the gardens and café during the winter. The Castle reopens in the spring).

Hillsborough Castle is one of the official Royal Palaces and is well worth visiting. It was built in Georgian style and splendour by Wills Hill and is beautifully set in 100 acres of well-tended parkland and gardens. A guided tour of the castle will trace the history of the palace as you move from one opulent room to another, including the magnificent State Rooms, the Red Room and Throne Room. Outside, you’re able to wander the grounds, discovering the restored Walled Garden, Lost Garden and a myriad of winding avenues, paths and lawns. After all that, head for the on-site cafe and gift shop, which are almost reasons to visit in themselves.

From a palace to a castle

Castle Ward, facing Strangford Lough, also offers another face to the world. It was in fact built in two contrasting styles. Why? Because the couple who built it, Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor, and his wife, Ann, simply couldn’t agree on the style and décor - and we’re not talking white or magnolia paint here! To compromise, the half of the castle facing the lough is built and decorated in an elaborate Gothic style, while the half facing inland is in a classical Palladian style. If that alone gives you a taste for the place, just wait until you get there. Apart from the house itself, there’s a stable yard which featured heavily in Game of Thrones®, plus cycling, walking, archery, horse-riding and acres of immaculately planted and tended grounds to explore.

Grand indoors to great outdoors – Mournes, Newcastle and more

After all that grandeur, get out and clear your head in the Mourne Mountains, which are perfect for hiking, criss-crossed as they are with countless walking trails and conveniently-placed car parks. Many of the accessible trails and paths will at some point lead you down into Silent Valley or up the slopes of Slieve Donard, or both. Either way, the Mournes make for a breath-taking outdoors experience. Even stepping off a trail to admire the panoramic views across the glittering Irish sea feels like an event in itself. Look out for the Cooley peninsula to the south, the Isle of Man to the north-east, with Mount Snowdon in Wales visible through binoculars on the clearest of days.

It’s a short hop from here to the popular seaside town of Newcastle, with its long silver strand, Royal County Down championship golf course, iconic Slieve Donard hotel and the usual seaside attractions for kids of all ages.

Another option worth exploring is the water, and there’s a lot of it to go around in these parts. Strangford Lough is both immense and intimate at the same time, with harbours, villages, marinas, slipways and quays dotted along its coastline. It’s a great place to take a kayak out for a few hours exploring the many islands, with hire shops and instructors always nearby.

Refuel, revive and imbibe as you explore

County Down plays host to a number of microbreweries, and if craft beer, local gins or homemade wines are of interest, we recommend you add a few of the following to your itinerary.

Shortcross Gin Distillery in Downpatrick, and the Echlinville Distillery out on the Ards peninsula are but a few of the brewers and distillers leading the way in our burgeoning craft drink revival. Each is worth a visit to take in the setting, learn about the perfection of the process, sample the wonderful products, and even take a souvenir - or a bottle - home with you too.

That’s just a whistle-stop tour of some of the highlights of this varied and vibrant county. Hopefully you’ll have found plenty of inspiration above, with more below – so get planning and away you go!

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, we strongly advise checking in advance before you travel to your intended destination to ensure its open and book tickets if applicable.

Plan your trip

Stay
What's On
Things to Do
Food & Drink
Shopping

Things to Do Search

Type:

Area:

Or type a Location:

Keyword:

What's On Search

Dates

Start Date:

End Date:

Any date in the future

Type:

Area:

Or type a Location:

Keyword:

Food & Drink Search

Type:

Area:

Or type a Location:

Keyword:

Shopping Search

Type:

Area:

Or type a Location:

Keyword:

Number of results: 337

, currently showing 201 to 220.

Sort By A-Z Lowest A-Z Highest

The Echlinville Distillery

Kircubbin

Address

62 Gransha Road, Kircubbin, County Down, BT22 1AJ

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4273 8597

info@echlinville.com

Price
Price £23.00 Per Ticket

Type

Type:

Distillery

Discover how Echlinville Distillery captures the flavour, colour and mouthfeel of their spirits, before settling down to relax and enjoy them in the bar.

Price
Price £23.00 Per Ticket

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Bright Castle Golf Course

Downpatrick

Address

14 Coniamstown Road, Bright, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 8LU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4484 1319

brightcastlegolfclub@btconnect.com

Type

Type:

Parkland Golf Course

Bright Castle Golf Club is a 18 hole parkland course located in County Down with stunning views of the Mourne Mountains and nearby Bright Castle.

More Info
Facilities

Catering
- Restaurant on site
Bike Mourne

Address

Various Locations, Castlewellan/Rostrevor/Newcastle, County Down

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4377 0714

hello@bikemourne.com

Type

Type:

Cycling and Mountain Biking

Experience the Mournes by bike on road, track and trail with the guided and self-guided bike and electric bike tours or do it yourself with bike and electric bike hire. Explore the majestic mountains, dramatic coasts, stunning landscapes,…

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wi-fi available
Kiltonga Nature Reserve

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Lakeland walk with wildfowl

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Castlewellan Peace Maze

Castlewellan

Address

Castlewellan Forest Park, Forest Park View, Castlewellan, County Down, BT31 9BU

Telephone
+44 (0) 330 137 4046

castlewellanpark@nmandd.org

Type

Type:

Maze

Castlewellan Peace Maze, is one of the world's largest permanent hedge mazes representing the path to a peaceful future for Northern Ireland.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Tripadvisor Traveller Rating
1316 reviews
We Are Vertigo

Newtownbreda

Address

Cedarhurst Road, Newtownbreda Factory Estate, Newtownbreda, County Antrim, BT8 7RH

Telephone
+44 (0) 87 0066 1522

info@wearevertigo.com

Type

Type:

Indoor Play Area

With inflatable floors, inflatable doors, inflatable walls, inflatable falls you are invited to bounce, ski, play and climb. at We are Vertigo. Explore The Mechanical sweeper, The Travelator, The Inflatable Ninja Area, The High Slides, The Wipeout…

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Mourne Mountain Walk

Newcastle

Address

Newcastle Visitor Information Centre, 10-14 Central Promenade, Newcastle, County Down, BT33 0AA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4372 2222

newcastle.vic@downdc.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Walking Holiday

A popular approach to the Mournes. The woods fade away and a granite gravel path runs almost to the great Mourne wall. Look back down the glen to appreciate the elegant sweep of the bay.

More Info
Derry Churches

Portaferry

Address

11 Cloughey Road, Portaferry, County Down, BT22 1NG

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9082 3207

scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Churches & Sacred Sites

These ruined churches are situated one and a half miles north east of Portaferry on the Tullymally Road, east of the A2 to Cloughey and are signposted from Portaferry.

Price
Free

More Info
Donaghaguy Reservoir

Newry

Address

Newry Visitor Information Centre, Bagenal's Castle, Newry, County Down, BT34 2BY

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 3031 3170

newryvic@newryandmourne.gov.uk

Type

Type:

Coarse Fishing

This 1.25 acre trout factory is situated on the outskirts of Warrenpoint. It is a shallow spring fed reservoir stocked monthly with Rainbow and Brown Trout (1.5-8Ib).

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Slieve Donard Tour - Mountain Ways Ireland

Newcastle

Address

Slieve Donard, Newcastle, County Down, BT33 0GR

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 3057 0220

info@mountainwaysireland.com

Type

Type:

Guided Tour

This is the one that everybody wants to do.Let Mountain ways Ireland guide you, 853 m up to the roof of Ulster.For the first part we trace cascading river pools and channels through a fragrant pine forest.
The Mountain rises beyond!

More Info
Newry Leisure Centre

Newry

Address

Newry Leisure Centre, 60 Cecil Street, Newry, County Down, BT35 6AU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 3031 3190

poolreception@nmandd.org

Type

Type:

Sport/Leisure Centre

Newry Leisure Centre is a new multi-million pound complex located in the city centre and is Northern Ireland’s latest state of the art leisure complex in the heart of Newry City.

More Info
Kinedale Donkeys

Ballynahinch

Address

38 Chestnut Road, Ballynahinch, County Down, BT24 8JQ

Telephone
+44 (0) 73 9354 8583

info@kinedaledonkeys.co.uk

Price
Price £17.00 to £45.00 Activity

Type

Type:

Nature and Wildlife

Join Robert and his 25 therapy-trained donkeys for wellness and heritage experiences. You are welcomed to his family's farm in Ballynahinch, in the heart of County Down. Take a breather with Goat Meditation or explore the rolling "drumlins" with a…

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times

Price
Price £17.00 to £45.00 Activity

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Dogs accepted by arrangement
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
- Parking (free)
Facilities

Establishment Features
- Wifi
Helen's Bay to Whitespots

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

Woodland corridor

More Info
Granite Trail (Bogie Line & Drinneevar Loop)

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

The Granite Trail to Thomas’s Mountain is just over 1,100 metres

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Newry Cathedral of St Patrick and St Colman

Newry

Address

38 Hill Street, Newry, County Down, BT34 1AT

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 3026 2586

office@newrycathedralparish.org

Price
Free

Type

Type:

Cathedral

This is undoubtedly the most commanding building in Newry and is arguably the most important work executed by Newry's greatest native architect, Thomas Duff. Built in 1829 of local granite at a cost of £8,000, it was the first Catholic Cathedral.

Price
Free

More Info
Lyons Karting

Royal Hillsborough

Address

112 Comber Road, Ballyhomra, Royal Hillsborough, County Down, BT26 6NA

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 9266 3213

lkteambuilding@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Motor Sports and Karting

A fantastic, professionally run, fast flowing go-karting circuit in Northern Ireland. Five minutes from Lisburn and five minutes from Royal Hillsborough village.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking
Legends of Lecale Peninsula

Downpatrick

Address

9 Crossmore Road, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 7TA

Telephone
+44 (0) 7835 441 933

duane@lecalepeninsula.com

Type

Type:

Sightseeing

Storyteller Duane Fitzsimons’ tours of the Home of Saint Patrick are filled with amazing legends, artefacts, and folklore.

More Info
Ultimate SUP NI

Donaghadee

Address

114 Killaughey Road, Donaghadee, County Down, BT21 0BE

Telephone
+44 (0) 7717 777 995

ultimatesupni@gmail.com

Type

Type:

Canoeing

Ultimate SUP NI provides efoiling lessons and experiences along side its very popular Paddle Boarding (SUP) school.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- On site parking
- Parking (free)
Fairy Glen - linear walk

Address

Co Down

Type

Type:

Walking & Hiking

The Fairy Glen in Rostrevor provides a pleasant venue for a short stroll. From the centre of Rostrevor village, go down Bridge Street. The Fairy Glen is on the left immediately after the bridge beside the entrance to Kilbroney Park.

More Info
Facilities

Provider Preferences
- Free (parking charges may apply)
Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit

Kircubbin

Address

130 Rubane Road, Kircubbin, County Down, BT22 1AU

Telephone
+44 (0) 28 4277 1325

info@kirkistown.com

Type

Type:

Motor Sports and Karting

Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit offers the opportunity of a lifetime, to have a driving experience in a Formula Ford Single Seater Racing Car.

More Info
Facilities

Parking & Transport
- On site parking