54.596423 -5.929466

Description

Information on attractions, accommodation, activities and events.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Ards Visitor Information Centre is closed to the public until further notice. 

Ards Visitor Information Centre lies within the town and should be your first stop to visit. The Centre will provide you with information on where to stay, local events and where to eat during your visit to the Ards Peninsula and Strangford Lough region.

Situated beside the bus station and within a short walk of the town centre and the main shopping areas, the Centre can provide you with local and national tourist information, accommodation booking service, fax and photocopying service as well as an extensive range of souvenirs.

Staff can help you plan your day out, short break or holiday in the area and offer information and advice for the next leg of your journey with information on every county in Northern Ireland.

Buy tickets for many local events including Experience Ards and North Down Tours -  http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ardsandnorthdown

Newtownards, locally known as ‘Ards’, is a large town that lies at the northern tip of Strangford Lough.  The Lough is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, of Special Scientific Interest and Northern Ireland’s first Marine Nature Reserve.

In 1605, Hugh Montgomery was granted the lands around Ards and set about rebuilding what was then known as Newtown.  Official records show that the town was established in 1606.

Montgomery built a residence in the ruins of the Old Priory, the tower of which remains. The Priory is currently not open to the public because of ongoing conservation work.

Newtownards became a market town, with the Market House in Conway Square constructed in 1770. The market still operates each Saturday on a weekly basis.

The town of Newtownards is overlooked by Scrabo Tower, which is one of the dominant features of the area. The tower is 41 metres high, and was built in 1857 as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry.

Newtownards located in Co Down achieved a place in the prestigious Sustainable Destinations Top 100 awards.  In 2019, County Down was selected as the only destination in the UK/Ireland to win a spot in the prestigious Sustainable Destinations Top 100!  Not only has the country achieved a place in the top100, but it has also achieved a GOLD Award!
  • 31 Regent Street
  • Belfast
  • Antrim
  • BT23 4AD

Top Reasons To Visit

  • Excellent local knowledge
  • Great range of free literature
  • Staff will help make the most of your time in the area
  • Unique hand-crafted gifts
  • Excellent selection of souvenirs

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Sat, 07 Dec 2024, 2:00pm

Goldilocks! She’s off to seek her fortune but soon finds that it is not as easy as she thought.

Find Out More

You might also like

  • North Down Visitor Information Centre
    North Down Visitor Information Centre
    Information Services

    North Down Visitor Information Centre

    30.08 KM

    Bangor's Tourist Information Centre offers a high quality service including free information, accommodation reservations, bureau de change and…

    Find Out More
  • Visit EastSide
    Visit EastSide
    Information Services

    Visit EastSide

    4.26 KM

    Explore East Belfast's industrial heritage, the streets where Titanic shipyard workers lived and the childhood neighbourhood of famous…

    Find Out More
  • Belfast One
    Belfast One
    See & Do

    Belfast One

    0.22 KM

    Located at the heart of Belfast City Centre, Belfast One is your one stop destination whether your visiting…

    Find Out More
  • Maritime Belfast Trust
    Maritime Belfast Trust
    Information Services

    Maritime Belfast Trust

    2.61 KM

    Maritime Belfast Trust works to preserve and promote Belfast’s rich maritime heritage for the enjoyment of current and…

    Find Out More
  • EastSide Visitor Centre
    EastSide Visitor Centre
    Information Services

    EastSide Visitor Centre

    4.09 KM

    Packed full of information on EastSide's key attractions, famous faces and places. Come in and relax with a…

    Find Out More
  • Skainos Centre
    Skainos Centre
    Information Services

    Skainos Centre

    3.16 KM

    The Skainos Project is an urban regeneration project in inner East Belfast, providing shared space for community transformation…

    Find Out More
  • Belfast Metropolitan College
    Belfast Metropolitan College
    Information Services

    Belfast Metropolitan College

    2.53 KM

    Belfast Metropolitan College is the largest further and Higher Education College in Northern Ireland and one of the…

    Find Out More
  • Hillsborough Visitor Information Centre
    Hillsborough Visitor Information Centre
    Information Services

    Hillsborough Visitor Information Centre

    22.89 KM

    Hillsborough Tourist Information Centre provides first class information service for visitors

    Find Out More
Ask Us
Ask Us

We're here to help, so if you can't find the info you're after, or you just want to ask a really odd question, then we're here for you.

Ask A Question

Ask a Question

"*" indicates required fields

Start
Choose a date
End
Choose a date
Back To Top
In order to display distances relevant to you, we'd like to be able to use your GPS location. Privacy Policy
In order to display distances relevant to your current position, we'd need to be able to use your GPS location. To find out more about how we use your location, please read our Privacy Policy
You have previously denied access to your GPS location. In order to allow access to your location, you need to update your site settings through your browser settings to allow this site access to your location.

To find out more about how we use your location, please read our Privacy Policy
Your settings have been updated. They will take effect next time you refresh the page.
By default, all distances on the site are calculated from Belfast City Centre. You can choose a different starting point here, or specify your own.

If you select a location more than 15km from the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, your location will be set to Belfast City Centre.

Open 'Ask a Question' window Close 'Ask a Question' window

Ask a Question

X

"*" indicates required fields

Hide this tool

Open 'Sign up for Newsletter' window Close 'Sign up for Newsletter' window

Visit Belfast Newsletter

X

Sign up to the Visit Belfast newsletter and receive inspiring ideas, events and offers which showcase the best of Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Sign-Up

Hide this tool