Ireland's only fully walled city, a world-famous coast and the wild Sperrins behind — the North West is one of NI's great days out. Here are the fifteen best in County Derry~Londonderry.
Three corners to explore — the historic Walled City of Derry itself (the walls, the bridge, the murals and the museums), the north coast from Mussenden Temple to seven-mile Benone Strand, and the green Roe Valley and Sperrins inland. Pick a corner and build a day.
Every entry has a full guide. Tap through any place below for our complete guide with prices, opening times, parking and the local know-how — and it's all on the free map.
A city built for walking — Derry's 400-year-old walls take about an hour to circle on foot, and almost everything in the city — the Guildhall, the Bogside, the Tower Museum, the Peace Bridge — is a short stroll from them. Park once and explore.
Rainy-day proof — the Tower Museum, the Guildhall and Riverwatch Aquarium keep the weather out, so a wet North West day is easily saved.
Two names, one warm welcome — you'll see both Derry and Londonderry on the signs; locals mostly say Derry. Either way, it's one of the friendliest cities you'll visit.
1
The Derry Walls
Derry city · Free
Ireland's only completely walled city, and one of the finest sets of ramparts in Europe — a mile of 17th-century walls, up to nine metres high, that you can stroll right around in about an hour, cannon and all. Look down into the Bogside, out over the Foyle and across to the Guildhall, and let this free walk be your introduction to the whole city. There are steps and gates at intervals, but buggies manage most of the circuit.
~1 hour walkFree · the whole city belowA few steps & gates — a guided tour adds the stories
Just below the walls, the Bogside's gable-end murals — the People's Gallery — tell the powerful story of Derry's civil-rights era in a dozen giant paintings you can walk between for free. The nearby Museum of Free Derry, and Free Derry Corner itself, put the history into moving, honest context. A thought-provoking and important stop, and one older children in particular take a great deal from.
1–2 hoursMurals free · museum ticketedWeighty subject matter — best for older children
The graceful, S-shaped footbridge that sweeps across the River Foyle, opened in 2011 to link the two traditional sides of the city — and it's since become the emblem of a new Derry. Stroll across for lovely river views, from the walled city on one bank to the Ebrington Square events space and old barracks on the other. Free, buggy-friendly and beautifully lit after dark.
20–40 minsFree · riverside strollLoveliest at dusk when the lights come on
A small round temple standing alone on the cliff edge, 120 feet above the longest beach view in the country — said to be one of the most photographed spots in Ireland, and never more so than in summer-evening light. Behind it sits the roofless shell of Downhill House, which you can wander freely, and a restored walled garden. The grounds are open dawn to dusk and walking them is free; parking is charged.
1–2 hoursGrounds free · NT members park freeUnfenced cliff by the temple — keep children close
Right on the walls, this award-winning museum tells the story of Derry from its origins to the present in a genuinely gripping way, and holds a remarkable treasure — artefacts from La Trinidad Valencera, a ship of the Spanish Armada wrecked off the Donegal coast in 1588. Climb to the top of the tower for a cracking view over the walls and the Foyle. A brilliant, all-weather introduction to the city.
1–2 hoursTicketed · indoor · Armada treasureClosed some weekdays off-season — check hours first
Derry's magnificent neo-Gothic civic building, all clock tower and turrets, standing between the walls and the river — and free to go inside. Its great hall glows with one of the finest collections of stained glass in Ireland, telling the city's story pane by pane, and there's a friendly exhibition on the city's history. A short, lovely, free stop, and beautiful when it's floodlit at night.
30–60 minsFree · stained glass · indoorSometimes closed for events — a quick check saves a wasted trip
Seven miles of golden Blue Flag sand stretching away beneath the great green wall of Binevenagh — one of the finest beaches in Ireland, and big enough that it never feels busy. You can drive on and park right on the sand, there's a splash pool and play park in season, and the swimming is lifeguarded in summer. Bucket-and-spade heaven, with room to fly a kite for miles.
Half a dayFree · drive on the sandSwim between the summer flags · keep off the soft dune sand when driving
A beautiful wooded river gorge just south of Limavady, where the River Roe tumbles between rocky banks past the relics of the old linen industry — weirs, watermills and the country's first domestic hydro-electric power station. Riverside and woodland trails (a couple with a bit of drama over the gorge), a visitor centre and café, and plenty of space to roam. Free and lovely in every season.
1–3 hoursFree · river gorge · caféRiverbank drops in places — keep little ones on the paths
High on the Bishop's Road along the Binevenagh escarpment, this is one of the great views in Ireland — out across Lough Foyle to Donegal, the Magilligan spit and the open Atlantic — with the striking sculpture of Manannán Mac Lir, the Celtic sea god, gazing out to sea. It's a short walk from the car park to the viewpoint, there's a picnic spot, and it's pure drama on a clear day. Free.
30–60 minsFree · epic views · sculptureThe Bishop's Road is high & exposed — mind the weather
A pretty woodland park on the Burntollet River a few miles east of the city, and home to Ness Wood's tumbling falls — the highest waterfall in Northern Ireland. Well-made trails loop through the gorge and woods to the falls (spectacular after rain), with a picnic area and easy shorter walks for little legs. Free, green and a lovely lungful of fresh air within easy reach of Derry.
1–2 hoursFree · NI's highest waterfallSteps & slippy rocks near the falls — sensible footwear
The far tip of a great triangular sand spit where Lough Foyle meets the Atlantic, guarded by a squat Martello tower built to watch for Napoleon. Enormous dunes, a wild beach, seals and seabirds, and the little car ferry that skips across the narrows to Greencastle in Donegal in minutes. A wonderfully remote, blowy, away-from-it-all corner at the very edge of the county.
1–3 hoursFree · beach, tower & ferryStrong currents at the point — not a swimming beach
A pretty 17th-century "plantation" manor near Moneymore, cared for by the National Trust — whitewashed and welcoming, with a walled garden, a renowned costume collection and beech woodland walks. It's also famous as one of Ireland's most haunted houses, with a resident-ghost tale that older children love. Gentle, characterful and a good-value family day in the south of the county.
1–2 hoursNT members free · house & gardensHouse opening is seasonal & limited — check before you go
A small, free-to-enter aquarium and visitor centre on the edge of the city, run by the Loughs Agency, where children can meet the fish of the Foyle and its rivers — salmon, eels, trout and more — and learn how the great river system works. Compact, hands-on and completely free, it's the perfect little rainy-hour stop to pair with a walk on the walls or across the Peace Bridge.
About an hourFree · indoor · rainy-day proofOpen weekdays mainly — check hours before a weekend visit
On the western shore of Lough Neagh, Ballyronan is a quiet marina, a little sandy beach and a wooded amenity area — a gentle spot for a paddle, a picnic and a potter about the boats, with a play park and easy lakeside walks. A relaxed, free family half-day in the south-east of the county, well off the tourist trail and all the nicer for it.
1–2 hoursFree · lough beach & marinaOpen water & a working marina — watch little ones near the edge
Tucked in the foothills of the Sperrins near Feeny, this friendly family farm packs a lot into a morning — farm animals to meet and feed, indoor and outdoor play, go-karts and plenty of room to run — a proper little day out for younger children in the green heart of the county. Great value, all-ages, and a handy stop if you're exploring the Sperrins or the Glenshane road.
2–3 hoursPaid · farm animals & playOpening days vary out of season — check before you set off
What are the best things to do in County Derry~Londonderry?
The North West's highlights are the historic Derry Walls, the Peace Bridge, the Bogside murals, the Tower Museum and Guildhall in Derry, plus Mussenden Temple, Benone Strand, the Roe Valley and the Gortmore viewpoint.
What can you do for free in County Derry?
Walking the Derry Walls, the Peace Bridge, the Bogside murals, the Guildhall, Benone Strand, the Roe Valley and Ness country parks, and the Gortmore viewpoint are all free.
What is there to do in Derry on a rainy day?
The Tower Museum, the Guildhall and Riverwatch Aquarium in the city all keep you dry, with plenty to see under the roofs of the Walled City.
What are the best family days out in County Derry?
Benone Strand, Roe Valley Country Park, Ness Wood's waterfall, Riverwatch Aquarium and Sperrin Fun Farm are all great with children.
Make a day of it
Three ready-made North West days
The Walled City: circle the walls in the morning, the Bogside murals and Tower Museum after lunch, then across the Peace Bridge as the lights come on.
The coast: Mussenden Temple for the big view, a picnic and the sea god at Gortmore, then miles of sand at Benone.
Green & wild: the waterfall at Ness Wood, the river gorge and mills of the Roe Valley, and the animals at Sperrin Fun Farm for the little ones.
Keep exploring
Every place in this list — and about 2,000 more across Northern Ireland — is on our free map, with full guides, live events and what's-on near you.
