Short trip to Belfast - looking for suggestions

[dancerdog]

I'm going on a short trip to Belfast Fri - Sun with my husband and 22 year old son.

We have planned the Titanic, the St George Market, the bus tour, botanic gardens.

Does anyone have any suggestions of other things to do? Not the Game of Thrones tour though, I would like to do it, but it would take up the entire Saturday, so not an option for now.

Museums, exhibitions, quirky stuff to see do? All I can seem to find is the Titanic and GOT stuff!

There seems to be a cocktail bar in a high rooftop building - is it quite central?

And any good live music pubs?

Thanks!

The crumlin road gaol is definitely worth visiting. Very interesting tour

Don't forget Ulster Museum in Botanic Gardens. What time are you going back on Sunday? - I went on a street art walking tour last year but it only runs on a Sunday 12-2pm.

The rooftop bar is on top of Bullitt Hotel - its called Tetto.
Drinks : (most of them will have some kind of a band/music)
Muriels
The Harp Bar
Duke of York
Dirty Onion
Maddens
Whites Tavern
The Crown
The Perch
The Tipsy Bird
Kelly's Cellars
Common Market (covered street food market/bar)
The National
Ulster Sports Club
Northern Whig
The Spaniard
They're all city centre

Ulster Museum is right next to the botanic and has some good stuff.

This weekend? Go to see Stiff Little Fingers and guests at Custom House Square… going to be brill atmosphere! The Perch or Bullitt rooftop bars lovely and central.

If you're going to Botanic Gardens you might as well go to the Ulster Museum as it's just beside/in it. . Queen's Film Theatre (QFT) is a stone's throw away- it has indie, film festival type films on.

Student-but-nice pubs The Botanic Inn and The Eglantine Inn - The Bot and The Eg- are also nearby, just over the road from each other. Google tells me the Eg has recently been bought and refurbished- I don't know if it's reopened yet. There are quite a few little cafes up the Stranmillis Road, same with Botanic Avenue.

None of the above are particularly amazing or unique but a nice area to pooch around for an afternoon.

Kelly’sCellars, Fibber Magees great for music, The Crown a must see

Black taxi tour of political murals, brilliant!

maggie mays facing ulster museum is great

And I’d say the hop on hop off bus tour is good in Belfast

I visited Belfast last year. The walking tour was a highlight, took about 3 hours but was excellent.
It was the Belfast Troubles tour-walls and Bridges.

There's loads of great pubs, loved the crown

Crumlin gaol. Fantastic day out.

I loved fibber mcgees. Such a great time in there.

We also hired a car and drove to giants causeway. Wonderful stuff. Come back via the coast road it's stunning.

Titanic experience was incredible.

Argh, just typed out a long response, and lost it.

So, yes to Crumlin Rd Gaol, sounds good.

Cleebope2 Yes husband noticed the STF gig. he's kind of angling for it - what kind of audience would it be do you think? I'm a bit wary of being in amongst young bouncy people in crowds. (That makes me sound very old...). We'll see.

Great list of pubs and good to know good cafe areas too.

Mural tour sounds interesting.

Fantastic suggestions all round, thank you all.

We enjoyed the hop on hop off bus tour and found it the easiest way to get around really. It was a good way to see some of the murals, gates etc too.
We also really enjoyed the Titanic Dry Dock, as much as the Titanic Experience to be honest so would definitely recommend that.
We did a town hall tour and a Stormont which were good if you're into politics. Enjoyed a nice meal and pint in The Crown pub which has individual booths and is opposite the most bombed hotel in Europe.

I'm a bit wary of being in amongst young bouncy people in crowds.
Seeing as SLF were big in the early 8O's I think they'll be mainly ageing folk in the mosh pit!

Go for a black cab tour instead of the bus. The bus can be hit or miss depending on the guide!
There are boat trips you can take up the Lagan, which runs alongside Botanic Gardens. If you are going to Botanic Gardens the Lagan Meadows is a stones throw away and is a lovely walk along the river. Cutters Wharf is a nice pub down there too.
You can hire bikes in the city centre and cycle around, that might be an option.
No trip to Belfast is complete without trying a proper Ulster Fry... Oh and proper Tayto Crisps. Enjoy your stay!

Young bouncy people at The Stiffs… not happening! I’m going and I’m 52 and I will be one of the youngest. But plenty there for your DS to enjoy too. Just go!

This

And the stained glass windows (which commemorate various key events past and present) in city hall are lovely (it is free and in the centre)

When you've done Titanic, go across to the Titanic Hotel Drawing Office No 2 bar, it's lovely, you can feel yourself stepping back in time with the staff uniforms. The high glazed curved roof is stunning. Have a cuppa and a scone, the presentation is really nice. There used to be a free exhibition in the Drawing Office on the other side of the hotel entrance (same high glazed curved roof) but I don't know if it's still there.

I know Cleebope2, I worry about crushes and rowdy people!
I was at a Del Amitri concert last week, I was looking at all these 'old' people and remembered I was right bang on trend for the demographic. I'm 61.

Is Bruce Foxton still playing with them? - The Jam was my thing back in the day, still is.

Of course the Ulster fry, the lads will hoover that up.

I see more good suggestions, thanks again!

Not the Game of Thrones tour though, I would like to do it, but it would take up the entire Saturday

If you're interested in other GoT stuff, there's the Glass of Thrones Trail in the city centre
https://visitbelfast.com/article/glass-of-thrones-trail-map/

There's also one of the carved doors in the The Dark Horse cafe... it's in a decorated alley in the Cathedral Quarter, opposite the Duke of York Bar that is also worth a visit

That's a good shout AriannasGuitarCase as we are staying near to the Titanic area, so can easily cover that.

implantsandaDyson Impressive list of pubs!

In order I would

Go on a walking or taxi tour of the murals

Crumlin Road

St George’s (there’s no difference really between and Ulster fry and a full English but there’s a place in the middle where they stick the whole thing in a bap thing)

Titanic experience - it’s not great but it’s unique

Hillsborough castle gardens are quite nice

I’d go to the gig one night (it’ll be very multigenerational and jolly) and then music in a pub another night - Kelly’s cellars, fine of york, John Hewitt, mchughs, fibber mcgee. Kelly’s does Irish stew type stuff, mchughs has a restaurant. Other pubs -
bittles, the sunflower, maddens, crown salon (sunflower does pizza)

The merchant is ok for cocktails. The high bar will be grand central I think.

Food - basic - Bunson burger, smash burger

breakfast - Maggie mays, causeway, harlem

bakery - bakeri, bread and banjo

middle - Mourne seafood bar, nu Delhi,
Holohans, darceys, southside social,

posh - water mill, ox, epic

Basically walk a lot and eat and drink a lot. It’s a nice city but it’s quiet. There aren’t many big experiences, but lots of great pubs and people.