Capital of Northern Ireland, shopping, zoo, leisure centres, museums, clubs, pubs
Belfast Lough Coast Towns
Bangor - sea fishing, promenade, marina, discos and café bars.
Crawfordsburn - beach, coastal path, country park,
Cultra - Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Helen's Bay - sandy beach, coastal path
Holywood - coastal path to Bangor, small beach
Ards Peninsula
Donaghadee - harbour, sea fishing, lighthouse, beach, prehistoric rath, boat trips to Copeland Islands
Portaferry - Exploris aquarium, car ferry to Strangford
Greyabbey - Mountstewart House and gardens, Cistercian abbey
Strangford Lough West Shore
Comber - Castle Espie wildfowl reserve
Killyleagh - Sailing centre, Killyleagh castle
Strangford - pretty loughside village named by the Vikings who sailed their longboats into the narrows, Castle Ward house and gardens, Audley's Castle, car ferry to Portaferry
Mournes Coast
Dundrum - castle, megalithic dolmen at Slidderyford, Murlough Bay Nature reserve and beach
Greencastle - Norman castle
Hilltown - Goward dolmen and Drumena Cashel ring fort
Kilkeel - fishing village, beach, Mourne Mountains, dolmen
Newcastle - Mourne Mountains, Tollymore Forest Park at Bryansford, beach, amusements, beach, heated open air pool, Donard Cave, Silent Valley and Ben Crom reservoir walks
Rostrevor - beach, Slievemartin mountain, Fairy Glen
Warrenpoint - seaside resort with promenade, beach, discos, raves in the Carlingford Bay Hotel, boat trips on Carlingford Lough, Rathturret ringfort, Burren dolmen, Mourne Mountains
Inland Towns and Villages
Banbridge - Lisnagade ring fort
Castlewellan - Forest Park, Legananny Dolmen
Comber - Castle Espie wildfowl centre, Mahee Island ruined fifth century Nendrum monastery
Downpatrick - St Patrick's grave and museum
Dundonald - Ice rink, Kempe Stone dolmen
Hillsborough - Hillsborough castle gardens and lake walk, 17th century fort
Loughinisland - ruins of three ancient churches on lake island
Newry - Border town on main Belfast to Dublin road, Catholic Cathedral
Newtownards - Somme heritage centre, Scrabo tower, Ulster Flying Club, lessons and pleasure flights
Saintfield - Rowallane Gardens
Seaforde - Tropical Butterfly House, gardens and maze
Beaches
Ballyholme - Sandy strand, rafts to swim out to
****
Crawfordsburn - popular sandy beach, sea pollution
***
Donaghadee - small sandy strand
***
Helens Bay - popular, set in pretty bay
***
Newcastle - popular, backed by amusements
***
Murlough Bay Nature Reserve - long sandy beach, backed by sand dunes
*****
Tyrella Beach (Dundrum bay) - popular long sand and shingle beach, backed by dunes, can sometimes suffer from litter
****
Rostrevor - sandy beach on Carlingford Lough, backed by the Mournes
***
Warrenpoint - shingley beach and promenade
**
Geography -
County Down is set in the heart of the Mourne mountains. It boasts a mixure stunning shorelines, beaches and beautiful green hills.
The Ards Peninsula curves around Strangford Lough creating a protected area which attracts large numbers of seabirds and seals.
