NI Mumsnetters, I need your help please.

[feetheart]

My parents live in S. Down and we are visiting as usual this summer however we want to spent a few days around the N Antrim coast - show the kids the Causeway and give my parents a shorter time with us as they are beginning to struggle a bit as they get older.
Want to be in Portrush for 9.30am Saturday morning for DS and I to get our parkrun fix so need cheapish accommodation Thurs and Fri night somewhere within 30mins drive.
We are used to camping and I've never had to book accommodation at home before so need a bit of help as all I can find is hideously expensive.

All ideas considered apart from taking the tent on easyjet, thanks

There's a few campsites in Portrush with camping pods now? I'm pretty sure this one has some but I can't find anything on the website skerriesholidaypark.com/
You'd need a sleeping bag for that still though which might be a pain to carry, so there's a couple of youth hostels in Portrush too if the B&B's are expensive.

What kind of price range are you looking for?

Will you have a hire car? Because the buses around the Triangle aren't the quickest, so if you've relying on public transport, then staying in Portrush is really your only option.

Thanks for that, have looked briefly at pods but will look again, and will have a look at youth hostels, hadn't thought about them>

Not really sure about price range other than "cheap"! Certainly no more then £100 for 2 nights camping cheapskates :)

Think the Thurs/Fri night thing isn't helping

Yes we will have a hire car, hence cost of accommodation needs to be cheap :)

Premier Inn in Coleraine?

North Coast can be really expensive for what it is.

Sorry not much use to you but have a good time!

I'm not sure if this link will work, but how about this? link It's the Atlantic View which comes up as £110 for 2 nights. I put in the 14/15th August and that the child on the boooking was 13 as random guesses...

Thanks jolly. Was thinking of further inland and less touristy as knew the coast would be silly prices but struggling to know where to look - not my area :) Will check out Premier Inn.

Does anyone know if any of the University's let out rooms in holiday time?

Ah I see! In that case, yes to Coleraine, Ballymoney would be doable in 30 mins since you'd be leaving early and avoiding the worst of the traffic at the new roadworks.

No idea about the university though, sorry!

Thanks Jingly - sold out for our dates sadly but decent prices :(
All the others are bonkers - mostly £250-300 but up to £600

Feet I visited the Causeway a couple of years ago, the price for parking was extortionate, from what I remember they charged per number of people if the car, not just the vehicle! We drove up the road a bit and parked there, although I daresay they've cottoned on to that now and stopped people doing it. I can't remember if there was a charge to get into the Causeway but its a fair walk down to it and we got a bus back up which was I think was a quid each. All in all we felt mightily disappointed by the whole experience.

Thanks Monty, more useful information.

Right, moved on to youth hostels - still pricey but more our thing and [http://www.hini.org.uk/hostels/White-Park-Bay-Youth-Hostel Whitepark Bay] looks lovely and is walking distance to some of what we want to do.

University accommodation only seems to be available at Magee and isn't cheap either

Link fail, try this

Oh,White Park Bay is lovely! Just be wary if you go into the sea, the rip tide can be very strong there and mind the cows on the beach

Oh, there's this little train if you want to avoid the parking fees at the Causeway. You have to pay for the train but since they've put the Causeway carpark prices up it might be cheaper as parking is free at the Bushmills end.

Airbnb www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/5327408?guests=3&s=i4Bl

www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6316366?guests=3&s=i4Bl

Oooo, both lovely but not available for our dates :(
Off to look for more now should be working

www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Rick-s-Causeway-Coastal-Hostel/Portstewart/27279?dateFrom=2015-08-06&dateTo=2015-08-08#availability

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g551728-d1155328-Reviews-Whitepark_Bay_Youth_Hostel-Ballintoy_County_Antrim_Northern_Ireland.html

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186472-d624148-Reviews-Sheep_Island_View_Hostel_and_Conference_Center-Ballycastle_County_Antrim_Northern_Irela.html

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1393505-d3462724-Reviews-Drumaheglis_Caravan_Park_and_Marina-Ballymoney_County_Antrim_Northern_Ireland.html

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g209952-d4293839-Reviews-Portrush_Townhouse_Accommodation-Portrush_County_Antrim_Northern_Ireland.html

Very much depends on when you are going as well. The Milk Cup (26th -31st July) takes up lots of rooms with both teams and people coming to watch the matches.

The uni does let out accommodation during the summer vac, see UU summer vac letting page for info. Basically £33 per night per room, and of course only one person per room so not very cheap.

nottheOP - thank you for taking the time to link to those. Will have a properly look later and try and book something tonight.

Great help everyone, MN always comes to the rescue

have you checked cost/availability of camping pods at Drumaheglis Marina yet? That's on the River Bann just outside Coleraine .

oh I see now nottheOP linked to it