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GIANT adventures await at the land of legends! Explore the 40,000-year-old hexagonal basalt columns and immerse yourself in a landscape that's shaped by nature, and steeped in beauty, history and myth.
Discover the Giant’s Causeway
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, the Giant's Causeway reveals a quieter, more enchanting beauty...
This autumn, take a GIANT step into the magic of Northern Ireland's iconic World Heritage Site and uncover the stories behind this globally recognised geological wonder.
Begin your adventure at the award-winning Visitor Centre, where interactive exhibitions, an immersive interpretation area, and audio guides in 11 international languages bring the Giant's Causeway to life. Journey through 60 million years of rich history, explore the fascinating geology of the Causeway Coast and discover the legendary tales that have inspired generations of visitors.
Delve deeper and embark on a journey of discovery with our award-winning, expert storytelling team. Find out how the world-famous hexagonal basalt stones were formed, and hear the legendary tale of the Irish Giant, Finn McCool and his rival, Scottish Giant, Benandonner. Then, follow in the footsteps of Giants as you make your way to the iconic basalt columns themselves, surrounded by crashing waves and dramatic coastal views that create an unforgettable autumn backdrop.
Nowhere else on earth can you witness such a unique formation of rocks from the Paleogene period that have formed in this way, so don’t forget your camera! After all, the Giant’s Causeway has previously been named the most Instagrammed place in Ireland - the perfect backdrop for your unforgettable autumn memories!
For the best rates, pre-book your Visitor Experience tickets in advance. Pre-booking helps us prepare for your arrival and spread visitor numbers more evenly throughout the day, improving everyone’s experience.
National Trust Members and Neighbour Pass Holders enjoy free access, although pre-booking is strongly encouraged for all visitors to avoid disappointment.
Halloween at the Giant's Causeway
Where Halloween begins...
Join us at the Giant's Causeway from Wednesday 28 - Saturday 31 October, jam-packed with myths, legends and spooktacular activities! From GIANT tales and Irish folklore, to ancient Samhain traditions, discover where the story of Halloween comes to life.
All will be revealed soon...
Six must-see sites at the Giant's Causeway
Whilst exploring the World Heritage Site, keep your eyes peeled for these six not-to-be-missed highlights.
The Grand Causeway is the largest of 3 outcrops which make up the Giant's Causeway. These collections of curious columns contributed to the Causeway being designated Northern Ireland's first World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.
In Port Noffer, you'll find a small path leading towards the sea. This takes you to what is perhaps the bay's most famous feature - the Giant's Boot. Apparently lost by Finn as he fled from the wrath of Scottish giant, Benandonner, the boot is reputed to be a size 93.5.
An essential stop on any visit, the Wishing Chair is a natural throne formed perfectly arranged set of columns. Some years ago, only ladies were permitted to sit in the Wishing Chair. Today, it's open to everyone. In fact, it has been sat on so often, its basalt stones are shiny, smooth and very comfortable!
Experience a bird's-eye view of the Giant's Causeway with the clifftop trails. With dramatic coastal views, it's a unique way to see the World Heritage Site and explore the stunning North Coast of Ireland.
Portnaboe's most famous resident is Finn McCool's Camel. Once a living and lively beast, the camel was turned to stones and forlornly lies along the bottom of the cliffs. Apparently, he was the only steed capable of carrying Finn home across long distances. The Camel is actually a basalt dyke, formed from cooling lava which has pushed its way through other layers of rock.
Officially opened in July 2012, the Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre was the result of an international architecture competition. Dublin-based architects, 'Heneghan Peng' won the £18.5 million commission to design the building and now, it's won many prestigious awards for design innovation and sustainability.
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Autumn nature sightings | Nature Engagement Officer, Dr Cliff Henry -
As the lovely, long summer days slowly drift into autumn, the frantic activity of all of our wildlife over the last few months starts to slow, as breeding activity settles into winter preparation.
Most adult insects wouldn't survive the coming storms and cold weather, and must sit out the shorter winter days, hibernating in sheltered crevices. Other species spend the winter as eggs, larvae, or tucked up in pupal cases.
However, there are some hardy individuals that can still be spotted if you keep an eye out! Big, hairy caterpillars of the fox moth often make an appearence in the autumn months, hanging onto grass stems, soaking up the last few rays of heat from the fading sun.
As autumn begins, we bid a fond farewell to the last of the swallows, sand martins and warblers as they begin their marathon journey to warmer climates where there is still plenty of insects for them to feed on. It might not always feel warm for us, but for birds like geese, that have spent the summer in northern countries, our landscape is full of fresh grass for them to nibble on.
A real treat from early October are family groups of Whooper swans flying in formation and gracefully gliding past the Giant's Causeway, having made the ardous flight all the way from Greenland. They have a very distinctive honk that they use to communicate, so very often you will hear them before you see them! Occasionally, larger flocks of geese also pass by.
Another real treat is to watch combined flocks of goldfinches and linnets 'dance' around the clifftop paths and fields before finally settling down to feast on the profusion of wildflower seedheads. Occasionally, they're also joined by rare twite finches that breed around here. The Causeway Coast is a stronghold for twite, but there are probably less than 50 breeding pairs left in Northern Ireland...
As summer fades into autumn, the lush green tones of the landscape melt away as autumnal yellow, brown and golden hues take over. Changeable autumn weather adds another dimension of interest to an already amazing landscape. From crisp, frosty mornings over the grassy fields, to howling storms whipping up, and thunderous waves crashing into shore, everyday is different, but still uniquely magical.
For those eager to learn more, we have a special Birds of the Causeway worksheet available to collect from the Visitor Information Desk within the Visitor Centre - a handy guide to identifying some of our most common autumn birds!
With books for children, together with ones on wellness and fitness, novels, autobiographies and everything in between, the Giant’s Causeway Book Nook, located in the Café area of the Visitor Centre, is the perfect place to find a hidden treasure. Every donation you make goes directly back into aiding our conservational work to help protect this special place for generations to come.
If you’ve got any unwanted books that you’d like to donate for others to fall in love with, we’ll take them! Just drop them off at the Visitor Welcome area, located at the main entrance of the Visitor Centre. Novels and books for children and young adults would all be hugely appreciated to help inspire the next generation of readers.
Share your GIANT memories with us…
We love seeing pictures of your visit to the Giant’s Causeway. When posting on social media, tag us for the chance to feature on our page!
At the Giant’s Causeway, we want everyone to feel welcome and equal, whilst embracing the beauty of nature.
We’re proud to offer sensory bags, which contain a selection of items designed specifically for visitors with sensory needs, including ear defenders, an emotion fan, various fidget items and a cuddly toy. These are available to loan from the Visitor Information Desk within the Visitor Centre.
Find out more about our accessibility options here.
Book your visit
Please note: To avail of the best rates, it's strongly recommended that you pre-book your Giant's Causeway Visitor Experience tickets in advance of your visit.
Fuel your GIANT adventure in the Visitor Centre Café, and explore handcrafted collections by local artisans in our Retail area, perfect for finding a unique keepsake to take home!
Dogs are welcome at Giant’s Causeway. We know dogs are part of the family, so they can join you on every step of the Visitor Experience – whether that’s exploring the world-famous coast, browsing the exhibition, grabbing a coffee, or joining a guided tour.
Almost 60 million years in the making and counting, discover the history of this universally important site & find out how the world-famous stones were formed.
