Ireland road trip with kids

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So having saved up a while I am now ready to start planning a road trip. Going to get a ferry and defo want to visit the titanic museum in Belfast- ds7 is obsessed in a extreme way.
Defo got giants causeway on the list. Il spend a week there and don't mind lots of miles. Any ideas for exciting things to do places to go. Northern or Southern Ireland. Kids are 7 and 12. Thanks for any ideas.

I thought they were closed to traffic now? Do the coaches still get close to them? That’s a shame.

The Ulster Museum in Belfast is brilliant for kids - and free! It's in the Botanic Gardens which is nice for a picnic on a good day.

We went to the Dark Hedges 3 weeks ago. There are signs to say that they are closed to traffic, but no physical barriers on the road. We walked though.

Just don’t call it “Southern Ireland”. Please. Just don’t.

It’s the Republic. It’s not a region of Ireland. It’s an independent country.

Anyway, have a brilliant time.

Not for kids but the touring Game of Thrones exhibition is in Belfast by the Titanic at the moment and it's awesome.

The Ulster American Folk Park in county Tyrone has a replica ship (emmigration) and stories and buildings reflecting the era of the famine and you go on the boat and to 'America' very interesting.

"Just don’t call it “Southern Ireland”. Please. Just don’t.

It’s the Republic. It’s not a region of Ireland. It’s an independent country. "

And please don't refer to a Northern Ireland holiday as an "Ireland trip". Northern Ireland is part of the UK. Calling it "Ireland" or "the north" will cause offence in the areas you are planning to visit.

To be fair, “Northern Ireland” is the official name, and it is located on the island of Ireland. “Southern Ireland” is not.

I’ve never been aware of Northern Irish people being offended by “The North”. Half my relatives are from there and they call it “The North” all the time.

OP, I'd just stick to NI. I don't think you realise how much driving is involved in touring an entire island.

I mean people are recommending you teleport magically, Game of Thrones style, all over North South East and West. Omg NO. Don't even think about it.

Just stick to NI. If you want, ditch the car in Belfast and take the train to Dublin for a day trip and go back again at the end of the day. But don't underestimate the amount of driving. In ROI especially, it's far bigger than people think and we find tourists underestimate it a lot and literally wear themselves out trying to get from A to B cos it looked close on the map!

Connor Pass is wonderful. DH drove us over there many years ago (12,000 foot drop on one side!!)
He kept gazing around as he drove remarking on the beautiful scenery. I was on the drop side so sat white-faced clutching on the roof handle telling him to look at the road and not the view....
Not sure if Funghi the dolphin is still in Dingle Harbour or not..

Just to say the crossing doesn't have to be 8 hours, that is the standard slow ferry crossing from Liverpool.
We always always do either Holyhead Dublin (2 1/2 hour crossing) -the drive up to Belfast is about 2 hours and good roads.
or cainryan - Belfast (2 hour crossing).

I agree with widget re: crossing times.

We did Liverpool to Belfast, because Liverpool is only about 1.5 hours away and Cairnryan is 5 hours away with no stops! So totally travel time not that different, and the DC spent the bulk of the time on the ferry and able to walk around rather than in the back of the car. And DS also really wanted to go to Liverpool! We particularly wanted to visit NI, and there was so much uncertainty around Brexit/the Irish border at the time we booked, we thought the trio would be much more certain if we sailed into NI rather than ROI.

@PaddyF0dder "I’ve never been aware of Northern Irish people being offended by “The North”. Half my relatives are from there and they call it “The North” all the time."

Are your relatives nationalists? "The north" is short for "the north of Ireland". This name is only used by people who do not recognise Northern Ireland as part of the UK. If I were the OP I'd avoid any of these names or stick to the official ones. There's a similar problem with Londonderry/Derry.

99% of people in the north don’t give a shite what you call it, IME.
I’m a nurse and meet new people every day, and I call it ‘down south’ and ‘up north’ and I sometimes call it Derry and sometimes Londonderry, and everyone loves me!
I also have plenty of relatives from down south and England who visit and they have never had a bit of aggro for anything.
Don’t be put off OP, NI is fab!

I think the semantics of what people call a place is off putting to potential tourists. Northern Ireland is beautiful, the people are friendly and welcoming.
I would agree with sticking to the North of the Island but just Northern Ireland if you don't want to be bothered with currency changes.
The Titantic museum is good but the Folk and Transport museum is great.