Ballyholme Beach and the coastal walk to Groomsport give you real sea air on a good day, while Pickie Funpark turns the waterfront into a proper family afternoon.
When the weather closes in, Tropical World Bangor, Adventure World soft play, and Airtastic Entertainment Centre Bangor keep things moving. North Down Museum is free, easy to enjoy, and central — a solid Plan B for any age.
The best days out near Bangor
Helen's Bay Golf Club
Tropical World Bangor
Bangor Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex
North Down Museum
Omniplex Cinema Bangor
Adventure World Bangor
Ward Park Playground
The Puzzle Tree Escape Rooms
Bloomfield Shopping Centre
Airtastic Bowling (Bangor)
Airtastic Adventure Golf (Bangor)
Airtastic Entertainment Centre Bangor
Bangor Golf Club
Bangor Bay Boat Tours
Pickie Funpark
The Court House
Bangor Seafront to Groomsport
Tactical Airsoft Bangor
Skipping Stone Beach
Sudor Sauna
Pickie Golf
Hillmount Bangor
Eddie Irvine Sports Bangor
Ballyholme Yacht Club
Brompton Beach (Bangor)
Stricklands Glen
Kingsland Pitch & Putt
Ballyholme Beach
North Down Sub Aqua Club
Carnalea Golf Club
Clandeboye Golf Club
Clandeboye Estate
Ireland Offroad Experience
Helen's Tower
Treetop Spa at The Old Inn
Thunder Park
Crawfordsburn Beach
Cockle Row Cottages
NI Scout Centre, Crawfordsburn (climbing wall)
Crawfordsburn Country Park
Crawfordsburn Country Park Adventure Zone
The Ark Open Farm
Gransha Equestrian Centre
HotBox Sea Sauna — Groomsport
Crawfordsburn Activity Centre (Scouts NI)
Somme Museum
Helen's Bay to Bangor Cycle Path (NCN 93)
Blackwood Golf Centre
What's on near Bangor
- 1JulPond dippingCastle Espie
- 1JulExhibition by Diarmuid Delargy RUA REArtisAnn Gallery
- 3JulVision — Comber LibraryComber Library
- 4JulDragonfly crafts with Boom StudiosCastle Espie
- 5JulCourtyard sessionsCastle Espie
- 6JulNature Through Our Eyes Alphabetography — Holywood LibraryHolywood Library
Days out in Bangor — your questions
What are the best days out in Bangor?
Top picks include Pickie Funpark for a classic outdoor day, Tropical World Bangor for exotic animals, and the Bangor Seafront to Groomsport coastal walk for a free stretch of sea air. North Down Museum is worth an hour on any trip, and Clandeboye Estate is ideal for a quieter afternoon.
What free things are there to do in Bangor?
There are 15 free options near Bangor. Ballyholme Beach and the Bangor Seafront to Groomsport walk are both free and great on a sunny day. North Down Museum is free to enter. Ward Park Playground is a good free stop for families, and Crawfordsburn Country Park is just a short drive away.
Where can you go on a rainy day near Bangor?
Airtastic Entertainment Centre Bangor is a large indoor activity venue with plenty to keep kids busy. Adventure World Bangor is soft play for younger children. The Puzzle Tree Escape Rooms works well for older children and adults. North Down Museum is free, calm, and dry — a good first option on any budget.
What's good for young children near Bangor?
Tropical World Bangor is one of the best picks — indoor animals and a tropical setting that young children love. Ward Park Playground is a free outdoor play park. Adventure World Bangor has soft play for toddlers. Pickie Funpark is a classic outdoor option for a longer family afternoon.
More about Bangor
Bangor's story goes back a very long way. Bangor Abbey, founded around 558 by Saint Comgall, grew into one of the great centres of learning in early medieval Europe. Its monks, like Columbanus, carried Christianity out to Switzerland, France and Italy, and the town was one of only four Irish places marked on the medieval Hereford Mappa Mundi.
In Victorian times the railway from Belfast, opened in 1865, turned Bangor into a fashionable seaside resort, and that holiday spirit is still going strong. The marina is one of the largest in Ireland and flies a Blue Flag, and Pickie Fun Park on the seafront has its maritime mini-golf, splash pads and the little Pickie Puffer train.