Belfast trip with 5 year old

[poppetandmog]

Hi, looking for some recommendations please. We are off to Belfast in a couple of weeks for the weekend with our 5 year old. We have been to Belfast as a couple many times so have done all the usual touristy stuff - titanic, city hall, crumlin jail, bus tour etc. looking for anything that's family friendly. We are mainly going to see how our son copes on a plane as he has additional needs and it's a short flight. So we don't mind too much if the entertainment is generic - decent play parks, soft plays etc as we have done all the historic attractions before. Thanks!

Following. (Also interested in areas to visit outside Belfast / across Northern Ireland more generally)

W5 kids museum, Ulster museum, Vertigo?

W5 is great but I'd recommend early in the day. Out of Belfast, folk and transport museum (get the train to Cultra). Great play park at Stormont, also loads of parkland to run around in. Pickie park in Bangor. Lisburn leisure centre seems to be the best one for water slides etc, if you're into that

W5, and Andersontown leisure centre has a great kids water play area. That would probably be enough. St George’s Market on Sunday would be good and if the weathers decent you could go to Botanic Gardens and let him play.

Will you have a car? If so Ulster museum (don't forget tropical ravine and palm house) if it's wet, ditto Lisburn leisure centre for swimming. If it's dry I'd second Stormont play park, or Lady Dixon or Colin Glen (if he's into the Gruffalo this will be good). Colin Glen also have a new alpine roller coaster thing and zip lines, be sure to book though. Streamvale Open Farm is just outside Belfast and you could really make a day of it if the weather is good. Aside from animals they have tractor rides, playparks, and a milking parlour.

W5 an absolute must. Go early and plan to stay at least 3-4 hours. You can bring a packed lunch or buy food in the cafe. If you haven’t been to the Ulster Museum it’s great for dinosaurs and stuff like that, and has interactive rooms and craft activities. The Pickie Park in Bangor is great fun for little ones, with a play park (it has a little water park too so bring a change of clothes), a miniature lake with pedal swans and the really fun Disco Ducks, and a nice walk around the marina. Belfast Castle is worth exploring. They have a cat garden with (if I remember correctly) 7 different ‘cats’ as sculptures, mosaics, etc. so it’s fun trying to find them - a few are really tricky). The Botanic Gardens at the Ulster Museum is beautiful and has a few interesting hothouses including one full of massive carp. I think the season is over but the ice hockey matches at the SCC arena are fantastic to watch, and the crowds are family friendly and great fun.

As others have suggested - Ulster museum is fabulous! Kids loved it. And Mo Mowlam's park at Stormont is great. W5 was also a hit.

Should also add, Carrickfergus Castle, just down the road, is a full on Norman Fort. It costs about a fiver to get in, and if it was in somewhere like Hampshire it would be run by the National Trust, sexed up to within an inch of its life, and it would cost you £28 to get in plus an extra £8 for parking. There is also the brilliant Pirate Park across the road (swings, zip wire, climbing apparatus, etc.), PLUS a Maud’s Ice-cream parlour serving the best ice-cream you’ll ever taste - all with views across the Lagan.

Thanks so much everyone. Thinking W5 would be ideal but lots of great ideas. Is the zoo any good?

If you've been to larger zoos such as Chester, London or Edinburgh then no, I'd not head to the zoo.

Zoo is very hilly and not really worth the climb!

Hi everyone. Just to say that we are just back from Belfast and spent most of Saturday at W5. Thank you so much for this recommendation. We all loved it!

That’s great- glad you had a good time @poppetandmog the weather was good for your trip at least.