New Year, New Me – New Year Resolutions

Wrap up and head out for a walk in the stunning parklands, hills and estates in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. From forest parks full of wildlife to seaside strolls and stately homes’ gardens, discover the beauty of our landscapes in the winter while burning off some festive calories!

Get those running shoes on and get outside this year! The Belfast City Marathon starts on 05 May and the Belfast City Half Marathon returns to the city on 22 September 2024. Running for a good cause close to your heart will get you motivated to get fit. You can even get a relay team sorted and enjoy the team effort when you finally cross the finish line. 

Not interesting in road running? What about a 5K or 10K challenge on a muddy obstacle course? Jungle NI is hosting their 5th Rampage Run on 04 and 05 May, where you can tackle gut-busting obstacles and lashings of mud followed by an after party and camping. Many of previous years gut busting obstacles will see a return this year, including the infamous Giant Water Slide, the challenging Sleive Gallion, the refreshing Placid Ponds, the Insane-A-Frame and many other favourites. Jungle NI will also add a few new surprises to this year’s obstacle line-up, with more than 50 obstacles planned for 2024!

Getting fit doesn’t have to boring! Get outdoors and enjoy an urban adventure trying something new! If you have a taste for adventure and relish a challenge, or just like fresh air and fantastic scenery – Belfast has it all! Enjoy city tours, water sports, family activities and more.

It’s never too late to try your hand at a new sport! Learn from Colin Glen’s resident pro golfer, Peter Martin who can guide you through the basics using some of golf’s latest video technology. Lessons are available for all ages and abilities, sold singly or in a 5 lesson pack, and are a great way to keep fit.

Experience the thrill of catching a wave indoors on Northern Ireland’s first ever indoor surf simulator – Surf Belfast at Andersonstown Indoor Aqua Park. Designed for a variety of age groups and skill levels, Surf Belfast has four different performance settings to ensure that the ride can be enjoyed by just about everyone.

Discover Belfast city in a whole new way while staying healthy, having fun and being more eco-friendly! Belfast Bike Tours run from the Titanic Quarter to the Big Fish, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast City Hall and Botanic Gardens; or join Belfast City Bike Tours to visit 30 points of interest on an easy paced tour. For those looking for a little bit more adventure, try the bike trails and jump parks at Barnett Demesne.

Walking tours are the perfect way to see Belfast and learn more about the city while reducing your impact on the environment. Take a free guided tour with Belfast Free Walking Tours, discover our maritime heritage on the self-guided Titanic Trail or get a taste of the local cuisine with Taste and Tour. If you are into music why not try the Belfast Traditional Music Trail.

Buying from local businesses is a great way to support the economy and be more environmentally conscious, given that they often have a small carbon footprint and source their stock from local producers. Belfast city centre is home to some fantastic independent retailers where you can buy everything from buttons to canvas paintings. Visit Born & Bred for local art and St George’s Market for food and drink.

Belfast’s culinary scene boasts a vibrant range vegetarian-friendly restaurants. Whether you’re a vegan or simply trying to cut down on your meat intake, browse our guide to the city’s top eateries for vegetarians.

Organisations like the National Trust and RSPB protect the environment, support wildlife and make sure that our natural landscapes continue to flourish. Support their cause by donating, becoming a member or simply by visiting their attractions. The National Trust’s Giant’s Causeway, Castle Ward and Mount Stewart, and RSPB’s Window on Wildlife offer brilliant days out that give back to a good cause.

The Cookery School at Waterman House in Belfast Cathedral Quarter is a purpose built interactive kitchen and is perfect location for sharing a passion for produce and cooking. Their interactive cookery classes range from the day-to-day cooking of one pot wonders, to firm favourites of Curry from around the world to fun classes such as Sushi and Cocktails.

Bakehouse NI is a small, homely cookery school set in the countryside near the village of Bellaghy, offering classes in baking, cake decorating and foraging. Their forage and bake classes allow you have the opportunity to forage in the local countryside for seasonal fruit, flowers and herbs such as sloes, blackberries, elderflowers or wild garlic and make wonderful sweet and savoury bakes and treats with your seasonal delights.

Belfast Print Workshop print studio located in the Cathedral Quarter Est.1977 welcoming artists in the practice and promotion of printmaking for over 45 years. Belfast Print Workshop (BPW) operates as an atelier studio and gallery– providing high quality printmaking facilities and an ambitious programme of opportunities and training for artists and members of the public.

Crescent Arts Centre offers an exciting programme of courses for all ages and abilities. From music, drama and dance to visual art, creative writing, languages and wellbeing, you’ll find courses in things you didn’t even know you could learn! You can take a one-day class or enrol in courses running for up to 12 weeks. There’s even children and family-friendly courses for little ones too.

Pottery decorating is a creative, fun activity that suits all ages and abilities, an activity where the piece you create will remind you of your visit for years to come!  The perfect family outing, you’ll be amazed how Eden Pottery’s handmade sponges make pottery decorating easy and fun, they show you how, and help is always on hand. You can also get creative at a ‘Pizza and Pottery Night’ at Loaf Pottery, Crawfordsburn. Sturdy Ceramics at the historic Conway Mill also provides a creative learning space in West Belfast.

Take a photography class with Belfast Exposed to learn everything from basic skills to capturing landscapes, printing negatives and using Photoshop. Belfast Exposed is an independent, non-profit organisation and registered charity that aims to enrich people’s lives through the power of photography.

Make a new year’s resolution to read more! Belfast’s shopping district is home to plenty of bookstores where you can pick up new and classic fiction and non-fiction books. Find books by local authors and books about Northern Ireland’s political history in the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre. Or visit the Linen Hall Library, Belfast’s oldest library housed in a Victorian building, for a huge range of literature.

Here are the top fun things to do for free. From museums to parks, discover the best of Belfast and beyond without having to spend a penny!

You don’t have to break the bank to have a great time in Belfast! See our list of 10 things to do in the city for £10 or less, including visitor attractions and entertainment.

Find hotel offers, restaurant deals and money off top visitor attractions with these unmissable offers in Belfast – all you need to plan a cheap city break!