Today I brought my 3 children to visit World of Owls. There was a free of charge car park just a…read morefew metres away from the entrance which was surrounded by beautiful scenery. When we entered we were greeted very pleasantly by Mike. The entrance fee is cheap and it feels even better knowing its all for a charity that is caring for such unique animals. The birds were all so beautiful and their enclosures were clean with the volunteers hard at work when we were there. We even got to hold one of the Owls and any questions my kids had Mike answered and told us a lot of interesting facts about the birds. At the end of our visit we had a picnic at the picnic benches and the kids all had fun on the climbing frame and swings. The kids were even asking when they could come back again and we hadn't even reached the car! 100% recommended for a day out with children.

Despite the name, they also have minature donkey and Soay sheep. The petting park has Apacas…read more There's a cafe too. They have falcons, hawks, and owls from around the world... but not in the petting park. This is a bird of prey conservation education centre.

This aptly named 'Writer's Square' area of the magnificent St Anne's church courtyard was…read moretransformed for one night only in to a Mecca of arts and culture where various stalls, tents and stands were set up and all displayed their various wares, arts, skills and events all in relation to Culture Night. There were a number of interesting, fun stalls where you could get henna tattoos or get your face painted or pick up information about the various charities and events relating to Culture Night around Cathedral Quarter. There was live music playing throughout the night as well as a miniature stage show from 'Leon and the place Between' which will be debuted at the Belfast Festival at Queens. Any one who missed this night should be well prepared for next year as it seems to be growing and flourishing in to a fantastic event on the Belfast calendar. It was here I discovered the publication 'Belfast Flags of Hope' which is a fascinating and great publication by The Thomas Devlin Fund. This group was set up to commemorate the young school boy (Devlin) who was viciously murdered on his way home from the shop, one summer night, five years ago. The fund provides financial support for teens involved in creative and musical ventures. The 'Flags of Hope' idea was thought up by local artist Raymond Watson who wanted to represent the aspirations of school children in the fight for the hope of a day where sectarianism no longer exists. This scheme touched my heart as I was at school with Dev and I think it's great to see even a glimmer of good coming out of his death.

The Giants Ring is one of the sites of the LaganValley area. It's situated approximately 4 miles…read morefrom the city centre and it's a lovely area to go for a stroll/ jog. Theres a car park at the site for easy access. The main feature is the Stonehenge monument dating back to neolithic times, 2700BC which predates the Egyptian Pyramids. It's a pretty cool site and great for photos. When I arrived there was a bridal party using the stonehenge as the backdrop to their photos, definitely something different. The path around it is quite short so it won't take long to cover but if you want to extend your walk it's right beside Shawsbridge and the LaganValley towpath where you can walk all the way to Lisburn and take in the beautiful scenery and nature.

One of the many benefits that Belfast offers is the ease with which you can get out of the city,…read moreinto the countryside and in no time, less than 15 minutes I would say you could be wending your way up a little country road to a prehistoric monument - in this case the Giant's Ring. I admit to having a particular fondness for these ancient places. The Giants Ring, dated around 2,700 BC, is a burial ground with an impressive dolmen consisting of five upright stones and a capstone set in a large rampart. Originally the dolmen would have been a chambered grave covered with a cairn of stones and earth. It's completely unspoilt, wild and windswept and a great place to clear the cobwebs. It does not really take long to visit, nor is there a great deal of effort required but it's just right for quick, refreshing walkabout.

Moored in the Lagan is The Belfast Barge, quiet and unassuming it doesn't blow its own trumpet but…read moreit really should. There are 3 elements to the Belfast Barge which was news to me when I visited last week. Much more than just a boat The Belfast Barge is a successful restaurant, a museum and an events venue. Next week they are hosting a comedy night in their events venue, which will be very cosy. The museum is full of maritime facts and history depicting Northern Irekand's ship building and boating heritage. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. The restaurant is fully licensed and acts as a café bar during the day and at night live music and cabaret dominate the barge, the boat will literally be rocking!

A unique performance space. I have seen comedy performances and gigs here. It's holds a lot of…read morepeople and worth going to if you get a chance #Comedy #Music

Lovely walk to do on a nice day, it is right by the sea and makes for an enjoyable little bit of…read moreexercise! Loads of parking available in the car parks, it is for the most part, a flat, well paved route, which can be done by anyone, until the actual ascent starts. It's a lot of steep steps. I had my wee dog with me and began to feel a bit sorry for her and carried her the rest of the way. The views were beautiful!

Most amazing place I have ever stayed. Full kitchen. Wash for clothes. Very private. Close to a…read morepub and walking path. Im planning my next trip as we speak!

In all honesty I'm not overly impressed with Pottinger's Entry. Certainly it has historical…read morerelevance and there's always a busker hollering, but I would never direct a tourist or friend here. Pottinger's Entry ultimately is just another Belfast street with nothing exceptional to make it worthwhile of a visit. It's also often filled with smelly bins which are off-putting but I guess bins must go somewhere for collection. What's great is that it's home to Grapevine Cafe, Morning Star pub and some other independent shops and eateries which are very, very good. However the strength lies with these businesses alone and has nothing to do with their location. Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend Pottinger's Entry itself as a place to make a beeline for as I personally think it lacks any distinctive features, art or ambience. A lot of the other Belfast entries have greater character - this is nothing special.

Having wandered through Belfast's many alleyways and entries on a daily basis I thought it was…read moreabout time I put my feelings toward them on Yelp. I'll start with the freshly renovated Pottinger's Entry. This is one of Belfast's five oldest streets and boasts used to be home to The Newsletter and a few other newspapers making it comparable with London's Fleet street. The 'entry' is now a convenient cut through leading to local businesses. You can often find an acoustic guitar-wielding busker belting out the tunes in Pottinger's Entry. Cutting through here will give you an insight in to what old Belfast was like especially if there is folk music bouncing off the bricks - you'll feel like your walk has been given its very own soundtrack. Banners hang at the entrance and exit of Pottinger's Entry saying, "The Entries - the close knit passageways where Belfast was born and bred" This sums up the importance of these wee snickets in Belfast's current architectural make up.

Carnmoney Hill (Named from the Irish - Carn Monaidh, meaning 'cairn of the bog) is a beautiful…read morewoodland area which offers a range of walking routes. In 1996 it was declared a Local Nature Reserve. There are over 57,000 native trees planted here, which mean this one of the largest native woodland creation projects in Northern Ireland. On offer is an array of nature; flowers, birds, insects, wildlife, ponds, there's also a children's play area and an old Victorian well. You can choose to follow one of three paths, the red being the longest and the blue is the shortest. The paths lead you to areas either wooded or clear, hilly or flat, gentle or tough going. Choose between a gentle stroll around the foot of Carnmoney Hill; a lower woodland walk (red - lasting about half an hour: this option is better for the less able) or you can try the hilltop walk (blue - takes one hour plus) go on be a daredevil and climb to the top, take in the gorgeous scenic views on offer covering the whole of Belfast, if you're lucky on a clear day you can see even as far as The Mournes. It's a great walk for taking the dog out, also very popular with mountain bikers. The climb can be steep so watch your footing, wear proper boots. Carnmoney Hill is a hugely recognisable landmark around the area. Once you've been up to the top, when you see it from afar you can think, oh wow, I've been all the way up to the top of that. Go me! For a bit of folklore, it's said the wife of Henry Joy McCracken hid out here after her husband was tried for treason and hanged in Cornmarket in 1798. If you listen carefully on a misty evening you can hear the cries of her ghost!

Took my two daughters on a wee trek here and must say we thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a bit…read moredemanding for an 8 and 4 year old but my girls loved it- we had a picnic and plenty of water!! Some interesting sites and ruins and great views.....and it's free!!!!

History and modern clash here in the Cathedral Quarter which is in the shadow of Belfast's Saint…read moreAnne's Cathedral. I spent most of my time along Hill Street but there's more. The narrow cobblestone alleyways are lined with classic pubs, fashionable bars and a spectrum of restaurants for different tastes and budgets. Many of the walls here are covered with street art, either sanctioned or unsanctioned. This makes for a colorful (colourful?) tour as you stumble from one drinking establishment to the next. Thankfully, my hotel was not too far away from Hill Street so I didn't have to stumble too far after enjoying drinks in the Dirty Onion and the Dark Horse the Garrick bar and the Duke of York. Lots of traditional Irish music, some whiskey, some Guinness and more. Don't miss the Yardbird which smelled amazing with their rotisserie chicken cooking. [Review 1994 of 2024 - 896 in United Kingdom - 23016 overall]

It has become a trend of modern times to quarter off cities into distinct areas. A technique to…read moreimprove the tourist experience and enhance city environments for locals. Some commentators criticise this, pointing to gentrification as a side effect of such urban planning. However, Belfast as a city emerging from decades of turmoil due to The Troubles, needed urban improvement more than any other UK city. The Cathedral Quarter has given Belfast an area to be proud of and I personally think it's brilliant. With cobbled streets, the continental feel of St Anne's Square, street art, The MAC, Black Box, Oh Yeah Music Centre, Belfast Print Workshop, Duke of York, 2Taps, Coppi, The Merchant and many more pubs, restaurants, independent shops and galleries the Cathedral Quarter brings a long awaited vibrancy to Belfast. It's my favourite area in Belfast to hang out and relax with friends and family. An area buzzing with people, music and culture which makes me proud of my city. Also don't miss it on Culture Night which is an event occurring annually in September. On this one night, the best night of the year for Culture Vultures, Cathedral Quarter abounds with live art, music, performance, dance, fire, colour and entertainment that will make you glad to be alive. You would be a fool to miss it - and bring the kids as it's family friendly up until 9pm.

Designed in the 1830s by Charles Lanyon and built in the 1840s by Richard Turner who was also…read morebuilder of Kew Gardens Great Palm House, unfortunately the compact Botanic Gardens Palm House is now in a state of elegant decay and could use some loving restoration. It's a warm cosy space to walk around and is lovely on a cold autumn or winter day. Located near Queen's University, Ulster Museum and the recently renovated Tropical Ravine, if you are in the area you should make a point of seeing this beautiful Victorian structure, filled with tropical plants and flowers.

I love The Palm House in Botanic Gardens, it's just such a random thing to have in the middle of…read morethe student land of Belfast. Open on blistering hot days and in the middle of winter you can be transported away to somewhere tropical just by going in through those ancient glass doors! There are exotic plants and flowers a plenty and the condensation literally drips from the ceiling. I'm not sure of the history of the place really but I know it has been there since 1839 and that it is one of the only examples of this type of architecture left anywhere. I've always wondered why they don't clear a little area and put in some deckchairs and a small bar it would be like having a drink in the rain forest.

Mesmerisingly beautiful forest park located in South Belfast which is less cultivated and more…read morenatural in style. Really comes into its own during autumn when leaves turn golden. There are numerous trails to follow whether your walking, running or just aimlessly wandering. The air is filled with birdsong and sounds of running water from the Lagan River; I never listen to music or podcasts when walking through Belvoir as the sounds of nature are so relaxing. This is fast becoming one of my favourite locations in Belfast.

Let me start by clarifying the name of this forest park. Despite the spelling, its name is…read morepronounced 'Beaver'. Yes, it's odd I know. So, anyhoo, it's got an odd name, what else can I tell you about Belvoir? Well, it's a beautiful green space close to the centre of Belfast and in my experience, one that not that many people know about. Obviously, there is plenty of space taken over by lush green trees and shrubs which is ideal for kids and dogs. I think dogs are meant to be kept on leads but not everyone sticks to that and as long as the dogs behave, no-one gets too bent out of shape. There's also a river running through the forest park which dogs can splash about in although I don't let the kids go in it as I have a little bit of a rat phobia. Squirrels are everywhere, so take some nuts and they will come quite close to you to eat them. Cultured types will also be interested in the historical aspects of the forest like the 12th century motte. More simple types like me will just enjoy the fresh air, the greenery and the squirrels.