National Trust - Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre — Attraction in Ireland

The Giants Causeway itself was absolutely beautiful which is why I’ve given 3 stars but the Visitors Center and the staff were a massive disappointment, they may be dog friendly but they’re certainly not child friendly! Basically I paid nearly £35 for car parking and a long walk!

After reading many reviews I felt confident to bring 3 kids and 2 dogs for a visit, after paying for the 4pm guided tour I had to dash out to put the ticket on my car and when we got back in we waited at the designated point for a few minutes by then it was only 4:01, there was no way we’d have missed it…..was there? I had even asked the desk next to where we were queueing if we were queuing in the right place and they said yes, at no stage did they tell us that the last tour was at 4pm, 15 minutes later I asked another guide who told me we had been called on speaker and that they couldn’t wait for us, they wouldn’t provide another guide and offered earphones as an alternative, which wasn’t the experience that we’d paid for.

I asked could we at least catch the bus down with the kids, she asked was I a National Trust member, which I wasn’t so she said we couldn’t catch the bus. I was quite disappointed and annoyed as I couldn’t recall this being mentioned anywhere on the reviews I’d read or on their website, so I asked two other members of staff outside who said the same thing, I told them I’ve 3 kids with Autism and asked was there any way we could catch the bus and they too said no, not unless you’re a National Trust Member.

The walk was approximately a mile (felt longer with kids) and along the way we met two guides who I asked again in the hopes they’d have something more positive to say but they too said no not unless we were National Trust Members, to be honest I found all the staff members quite dismissive and uncaring the only people we found nice were the car park attendants and the lady at the desk taking my money, who I’d told I was looking forward to having a browse around the centre and for the kids to have a snack after we get back but unfortunately she failed to inform me that the place and all facilities would be closed by the time we'd...

The landscape itself is absolutely stunning and worth seeing, but unfortunately the organized experience was a huge disappointment. The price is excessive and unjustified: £18 per person, £72 for four people, just for an audio guide that doesn’t offer anything special – only basic information you can easily find online, told in a slightly more narrative way, but nothing that justifies such a high cost. If you arrive without booking or at the “wrong” time, you don’t even get a real guide – only a phone to hold to your ear.

The biggest disappointment, however, was discovering that the bus is not included in the ticket, even though at the entrance it was clearly written “free bus.” In reality, we still had to pay £1 per person. After having already spent so much, this felt like a scam and left us with a very bitter impression.

Another major issue: access to the café and souvenir shop is restricted exclusively to ticket holders, and as soon as closing time arrives (around 6pm), everything shuts down, including all toilets. There are absolutely no public restrooms available anywhere nearby, which is completely unacceptable for a place that attracts tourists from all over the world and charges so much for admission.

The parking situation was equally frustrating. Not only is the car park not supervised, but after 6pm it is literally locked with chains, leaving cars trapped inside. This is not just inconvenient and frustrating but also careless, as it puts visitors in a very uncomfortable situation if they return a bit later.

In the end, the whole experience felt like it was organized only to make visitors spend as much money as possible without offering real value in return. The only small positives were the kindness of the staff and the fact that we didn’t have to park too far away – but those details do not make up for all the negatives.

In conclusion: a beautiful natural site, but overpriced, poorly managed, and very disappointing. Such a shame, because with more transparency and services included it could easily become an unforgettable visit. As it stands now, I cannot...

I remember a time when you didn't have to pay to visit the Giants Causeway. Granted that was before there was a Visitors Centre, but no, I'm not happy with the high charge now for non UK Heritage Trust members ! I had to pay almost £30 for my family of 5 to get access to the Centre, carpark and an unnecessary guided tour of the short coast! Parking is an issue, the area gets pretty crowded and to be fair you should use the 3 well located carparks, or face the wrath of the traffic warden! Once you've paid, you can wander around the gift shop, get fed at the eatery and explore the section housing the artifacts. Big and little kids are entertained at large screened area which plays up to the mythical story behind the oddly shapped sea rocks. There are several guides to walk you down the short coastal path. They'll point out features of interest, via your own borrowed headset. These are a good idea, as it can be hard to hear someone against the roar of the water. But really, what is being pointed out is very obvious. The coast itself is a rugged beauty! The famous stones can be climbed, with care, and are great for photo shoots. Be prepared to scramble through the crowds, especially in the summer months. For the fit, there is a straight forward cliff face to climb, which leads back to the Centre. For those who feel too tired, there are busses ready to ferry the 5 minute return for £1. There were lengthy queues for these busses, the day I visited and honestly for me, it was quicker to walk! That day, I was blessed to enjoy the stunning scenery in the blissful summer's sunshine. It would have been nice to see more seating along the route, just to relax a while and soak up the beautiful vista from different vantage points. Despite the entrance charge, my visit to the Giants Causeway was a breathtaking way to spend the day, exploring Northern Ireland. I just wish I could have found that wishing chair! Apparently, you have to wriggle your bum, while seated for all your dreams to come true. Maybe the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill took it away that day,...