Accessible guide to Northern Ireland

The Giant’s Causeway is one of the most well-known visitor attractions in Northern Ireland. Situated on the far north coast, this iconic site is a natural wonder. Showcasing Mother Nature at her finest, the site is made up of 40,000 basalt columns, formed approximately 60 million years ago. Though the ground can be uneven, the National Trust has a shuttle service – an electric buggy – to help those with mobility requirements navigate the site more easily. There are also all-terrain wheelchairs and scooters to borrow (subject to availability), accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility at the visitor centre. See the full access statement for more details.

Enjoy the sea breeze at one of five notable accessible beaches in Northern Ireland. Portrush (East Strand), Portstewart Strand, Benone Strand, Cranfield Beach and Groomsport Bay, are all inclusive beaches in Northern Ireland in conjunction with the Mae Murray Foundation. Visitors can borrow a wide range of beach-friendly equipment, including wheelchair walkway matting, beach crutches, beach walkers, small floating chairs, beach wheelchairs and more. Each site has suitable access, accessible parking, disabled toilets and adult-sized changing facilities including a hoist. Membership to use the equipment is free, simply sign up in advance. Look out for events and activities, such as fun days, surf days or litter picking, also arranged by the Mae Murray Foundation.

Home to wild flowers, meadows, forests, open water and more, Oxford Island makes for an idyllic day out in nature. Along with bird watching hides, the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Kinnego Marina and Kinnego Bushcraft Centre, you’ll find a range of Access for All walking trails to enjoy. Designed for all abilities, there are two play parks for children along the way, as well as footpaths branching off to explore other areas of the nature reserve. Mobility scooters can be borrowed free of charge, ask at the reception.

If you’re wild about animals, a visit to Belfast Zoo will tick the box. On arrival, there are accessible parking bays close to the main visitor centre, and visitors with accessibility requirements can skip the entrance queue if needed. Inside, the route is a one way system and mobility scooters or wheelchairs are available to hire for free. A free audio tour of the zoo is available by mobile phone app and induction loops are available in the Visitor Centre, as well as a SignVideo with BSL in real-time. The zoo recognises the JAM (Just a Minute) card, Autism Alert Card and National Autism Card, so visitors can skip to the front of lines at busy times. Look out for accessible events throughout the year, including Quiet Hours and a Sensory Day. Assistance dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead, and there are accessible toilets and a Changing Places toilet on site.

A sensory experience for all, discover local and international marine life at Exploris Aquarium & Seal Sanctuary. Located on the shores of Strangford Lough in Portaferry, around one hour from Belfast, the seal sanctuary is also a rescue centre rehabilitating seal pups before releasing them back into the wild. The Ocean Tank at the aquarium is the largest feature and is home to rescued sea turtles, sharks, rays, and other creatures from the deep. Staff have disability awareness and equality training and assistance dogs are welcome, there is level access at the entrance and paved paths throughout, some with slight slopes. The reception area has a hearing assistance system and there are accessible toilets.

With accessible parking on arrival, Gosford Forest Park has something for everyone from treks to natural playgrounds, wildlife spotting, and play parks with an ability swing for children using wheelchairs. All Out Trekking shines as an inclusive activity for all with the battery-powered all-terrain buggies suitable for everyone. For a gentle pace try the Terrain Hopper, which takes you through botanical gardens and various walking trails. Thrill seekers will love the Quadrix option as you race down mountain bike trails. There are accessible toilets at the visitor centre and assistance dogs are welcome.

Fancy shooting down the same slopes as Special Olympics gold winners? With sit-skis, hoists and expert qualified instructors, Ski Ability NI offers classes to all. Sessions are structured to be challenging but not stressful and skiers leave with a real sense of satisfaction and achievement. There are accessible toilets and changing facilities, and look out for the Footgolf at the golf range, with easy access slopes throughout the course.

Open to tourists Monday to Saturday, Belfast Cathedral sits in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Known locally as St Anne’s Cathedral, the building has stood proud since 1904 and welcomes all visitors. Inside, there are ramps throughout for ease of access and assistance dogs are welcome. Take a self-guided tour of the building with audio guides available in eight different languages, or book a guided tour to uncover the history within its walls. Tours are open to all and can be adapted to suit any requirements.

Find out about this famous ship in the very place where it was designed, constructed and launched, at Titanic Belfast. This multi-sensory museum is accessible to all, with some restrictions on the Shipyard ride that can accommodate one standard wheelchair at a time. Visitors with autism can get a VIP wristband to indicate to staff if they might require assistance with queues, crowds, noisier areas etc. Ear defenders and black out tents are also available to borrow. The space is JAM (Just a Minute) card friendly, with other facilities including a multimedia guide with BSL, accessible toilets, hand rail extensions, contrasting floor textures, voice indication at the front-of-house lifts, hearing loop systems for audio areas within the museum and more. Assistance dogs are welcome and there are wheelchairs to borrow when booked in advance.

Antrim Castle and Clotworthy House combine hundreds of years of history inside and out. The house has level access throughout with lifts to the first floors. There are accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility, and the garden paths are accessible to all visitors. The garden has been preserved over generations and is a living museum in its own right. Most paths are wide enough for people using wheelchairs and are mostly concrete or gravel surfaces. Staff receive disability awareness and equality training and are happy to help with requirements.

Discover Belfast’s history and explore the historic Belfast City Hall. Guided tours will take visitors on a behind the scenes trip to locations not often seen by the public. Led by an expert guide, tours are free and are accessible to all visitors. There are lifts to all floors, wheelchairs and mobility scooters to borrow, accessible toilets, hearing loops are available and exhibition audio headsets are compatible with hearing aids. Assistance dogs are welcome.

From the make-up to costumes, set design and more, enter the fictional world of Westeros and get behind the scenes at the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. Some areas of the tour are quite noisy so there are noise cancelling headphones to borrow. The tour is all on one level and fully accessible to wheelchair and mobility scooter users; there are a small number of wheelchairs to borrow on site. The Studio Tour app has speech to text options, there are accessible toilets and changing facilities, and staff also recognise both the Sunflower lanyard and JAM (Just a Minute) card for people who might have hidden accessibility needs. Trained assistance dogs are welcome.

From stage classics to new shows for every age, the Grand Opera House welcomes all visitors. With automated entrance doors, there is step-free access to the stalls with nine wheelchair-friendly spaces in that area and a further two on the Upper Circle. Inside the auditorium visitors can connect to the hearing loop system. Many performances are available with BSL, captions or audio-described features, there are also relaxed performances. Accessible toilets are located throughout and a social story is available for guests to familiarise themselves with the location prior to arriving. Join the free Access for All Scheme to help the team tailor their offering to suit your support requirements.

Set within the Green Flag award-winning Belfast Botanic Gardens is the Ulster Museum. This cultural hub holds art collections, exhibitions, live music events, movie screenings and more. With well-being at its core, look out for Wellbeing Wednesdays and Slow Art Sundays, for a more tranquil pace and mindful look around the collections. Recommended times to visit for when the museum is generally quieter are between 10am and 11am. The majority of the building is accessible to wheelchair users, there are manual and a couple of battery operated wheelchairs to borrow. Assistance dogs are welcome on leads and there are digital tours available via mobile phone app.

The ideal place for curious minds, W5 is an interactive museum answering the who, what, why, where and when for a range of different topics. Set over four floors, youngsters learn through the science of play. The space is accessible to all with facilities including a quiet room, accessible lifts and toilets throughout including an adult-sized changing room with hoist (guests need to bring their own sling). The lecture theatre has spaces for people using wheelchairs and there is a hearing loop for visitors with hearing devices. The JAM (Just a Minute) card is recognised throughout, ear defenders can be borrowed, assistance dogs are welcome and there are accessible parking spaces.

A trip to the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium will transport visitors on a journey out of this world. The observatory is home to two powerful telescopes and the Armagh museum is accessible to all with wide spaces, lifts and ramps throughout. The Digital Theatre has “Relaxed” or “Chilled” shows for visitors with sensory requirements, these include lower volumes, smaller audience sizes, freedom to move around and more. Guests can also head to the Sensory Room for interactive stations and toys. There is a Changing Places toilet on site.

With music, dance, drama, workshops and more, the Strule Arts Centre is an award-winning contemporary arts venue in Omagh for performances, lectures or art shows. The theatre has spaces for people using wheelchairs, an infrared hearing system, and assistance dogs are welcome. The building is accessible with lifts to all floors, high visibility and braille signage throughout, accessible toilets and Changing Places facilities.

Hosting international music acts, sporting events and comedy shows, the SSE Arena in Belfast is an inclusive venue for all. The arena has accessible viewing platforms, a hearing loop within the Arena bowl, interpretations of performances via BSL or ISL, and audio descriptions are available on request. Visitors can borrow sensory bags, with ear defenders, fidget toys, cue cards and more, and assistance dogs are welcome. Other facilities include accessible lifts and toilets, a Changing Places facility and wheelchair spaces in the arena.