Days Out NI
Play Park Ballycastle

Ballycastle Seafront Playpark

Free seafront playground and sandpit, with the beach and Rathlin Island right there

1 photo
Open dailyOpen daily, daylight hours
FreeNo charge
BallycastlePlay Park
Get directions
An hourHow long
Toddlers to around 9Best for
FreeEntry
FreeParking
OutdoorsSetting

Ballycastle Seafront Playpark — Free seafront playground and sandpit, with the beach and Rathlin Island right there.

  • What's there: Children's play area, sandpit, sandy beach, marina and promenade alongside.
  • Best for: Toddlers to around 9 or 10.
  • Cost: Free.
  • Parking: Free parking on the seafront.
  • Toilets: Public toilets are on the seafront; check locally for seasonal opening.
  • Dogs: Dogs welcome on the seafront; seasonal dog restrictions can apply on the beach in summer.
Plan your visit

A playground, a sandpit, and a beach all in one stop

The seafront play area has the swings and climbing kit younger children want, and there's a sandpit built in, so toddlers have somewhere to dig without heading onto the sand. When they tire of the equipment the beach is right there, sandy and a good 1.2km long, ideal for buckets, paddling and beachcombing. There are no lifeguards, so keep little ones close at the water's edge. Best for toddlers up to about nine or ten.

Free Sandpit Children's play area Sandy beach beside it Marina and boats Free parking
Good to know before you go:

Ballycastle's seafront hosts events through the year, from summer fun days to the famous Ould Lammas Fair in late August, plus seasonal happenings around the marina. Worth checking what's on before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🧥LayersOutdoor play — a coat or spare jumper covers every kind of weather.
  • 💧Water & snacksKeeps the energy up between climbs and runs about.
  • 🧻Wipes & hand gelFor sandy, muddy, ice-cream-covered hands.
  • 🛴Scooter or ballLots of flat path and green space to burn off more energy.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free
Opening
Open daily, daylight hours
Best for ages
Toddlers to around 9 or 10
What's there
Children's play area, sandpit, sandy beach, marina and promenade alongside
Toilets
Public toilets are on the seafront; check locally for seasonal opening
Parking
Free parking on the seafront
Dogs
Dogs welcome on the seafront; seasonal dog restrictions can apply on the beach in summer
Accessibility
Flat promenade and seafront, buggy-friendly; beach access is over sand
How long to allow
An hour for the play area, half a day with the beach and town
Address
Ballycastle Seafront, Bayview Road, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim BT54
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Free
Is there parking?
Free parking on the seafront
Are there toilets?
Public toilets are on the seafront; check locally for seasonal opening
What ages is it best for?
Toddlers to around 9 or 10
Can we bring the dog?
Dogs welcome on the seafront; seasonal dog restrictions can apply on the beach in summer
Getting there

Ballycastle Seafront Playpark is at Ballycastle Seafront, Bayview Road, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim BT54. Free parking on the seafront. Tap below for turn-by-turn directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About the seafront

Ballycastle's harbour has long been the town's link to the sea. The marina sits in the inner basin of the harbour, a 74-berth Blue Flag facility that shelters visiting boats and serves as the departure point for the ferry to Rathlin Island, six miles offshore.

The seafront itself runs from the harbour along a sandy beach toward the dunes at the western end, where a short boardwalk leads through to a viewing platform. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council looks after the front, and a wider leisure development on Quay Road, including a new accessible play park, is due to add to the family facilities here.