Top Accessible Things To Do

Titanic Belfast is the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience and the city’s most popular attraction.  

There is a bus stop within 150m, and the nearest train halt, Titanic Quarter, is a 15-minute walk away. This is not suitable for people with reduced mobility as it involves steps and a footbridge. There is an underground car park with spacious accessible parking spaces. There is also a dedicated Value Cabs pick-up, drop-off and freephone service. Wheelchair accessible taxis are limited, and booking in advance is advised.  

Titanic Belfast has produced an access guide and a sensory guide. They can also provide ear defenders, blackout tents, VIP wristbands and wheelchairs. Mobility scooters can also be borrowed by Shopmobility Belfast members.  

The tour is self-guided, and the multimedia guide includes BSL and audio description. Printed, Braille and large print guides and transcripts can also be provided.   

There are onsite cafes, a gift shop, accessible toilets and a Changing Places.  

The Ulster Museum is home to rich collections of art, history and natural sciences all set within the beautiful surroundings of Belfast’s Botanic Gardens.  

Botanic Station is the nearest railway station, a 10-minute walk away. There are also bus stops within 150m of the museum. Parking is on-street, and there are four accessible parking spaces at the Stranmillis Road side of the building.  

The museum is free. Exhibits are well labelled, and there are touch displays and audio stations. 

It is a large building over multiple floors, connected by stairs, lifts, ramps and stair lifts. Mobility scooters are welcome, and there are wheelchairs available for loan. There are a few areas that are not accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. Maps describe access to each area, and staff can help you plan your route.  

There are an accessible and inclusive toilet on the ground floor, a gift shop and coffee shop.   

More information can be found on AccessAble.  

The Crumlin Road Gaol is a nineteenth-century listed jail that has witnessed murderers, suffragettes, loyalist and republican prisoners, executions, escapes, hunger strikes and riots. 

There is a bus stop within 150m of the entrance, and free parking with six disabled bays.  

The site includes a number of historic buildings, which are largely accessible for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility. A lift to the C-Wing basement can be operated by staff, and only narrow manual wheelchairs can enter due to the width of the cell doors. The gaol has two manual wheelchairs which can be reserved in advance.  

The one area which is not accessible is the underground tunnel between the gaol and the courthouse. However, they have installed a video outside the tunnel so that all visitors can experience what lies beneath.  

The tour is self-guided. Video guides, which include BSL translation, are available for d/Deaf customers free of charge.  

They offer free carers tickets.  

There are accessible toilets throughout, including in the restaurant.  

The gaol has produced its own access guide, and further information is available on AccessAble.  

Belfast Zoo, which is home to more than 120 species of animal, is located on Cave Hill. This means some of the paths are steep. The zoo map highlights steeper areas of the zoo, which can help you plan your visit.  

The zoomobile is an accessible buggy that can carry wheelchair and non-wheelchair users. Visitors can choose to have either a two-hour tour or to be dropped off at the top to the zoo to make their own way back down. Both must be booked in advance.  

Visitors can also rent manual wheelchairs. Mobility scooter users are welcome, and they should make sure their vehicle is suitable for the terrain.  

The zoo was recently awarded Autism NI’s Impact Award, and disabled visitors can use the “fast track” route through the Zoovenir Shop if there is a queue. Carers can get free entry.  

There are accessible toilets at four locations including the cafes, and a Changing Places at the visitor centre.  

The zoo has a large car park with disabled parking bays near the entrance of the visitor centre. Bus routes for the Antrim Road and Bellevue run past the zoo, and there is a bus stop at the entrance to the grounds. There is then a 500m uphill walk to the visitor centre.  

The zoo has its own access guide, and a visual guide that walks you through the sights and sounds you can expect on your visit is available by email. Further information is available on AccessAble.  

The zoo also has regular quiet hours and an annual sensory day.  

W5 is an award-winning science and discovery centre for children and their families. Carers can get free tickets.  

W5 is located in the middle of the Odyssey Pavilion. Glider, Metro and Airport Express bus services all stop outside the Pavilion. There is also a taxi rank at the entrance, and disabled parking bays are available in car parks to the front and rear. The nearest train stop is Titanic Quarter, a 15-minute walk away. This is not suitable for people with reduced mobility as it involves steps and a footbridge. 

Some exhibitions include strobe lighting and strong magnets, which staff at the ticket desk can turn off. There is a quiet room, and visitors can borrow ear defenders.  

Visitors can borrow a wheelchair from reception.  

There is tactile and Braille signage for some exhibitions.  

There are accessible toilets on all levels of W5 including at the coffee shop, and there is Changing Places on the ground floor.  

W5 has its own access guide, and you can find more information on AccessAble.  

City Hall is one of Belfast’s most iconic buildings. There is a self-guided visitor exhibition and guided daily tours.   

Located at the city centre, it is best reached by bus, taxi or on foot. The nearest train station is Lanyon Place, and your rail ticket gives you a free ride in to the centre on any purple Glider or pink Metro bus service from outside the station.  

The grounds include a cenotaph, Titanic Memorial Garden, sculptures and statues. There is a cobbled path around lawns with access to the main entrance on the Donegall Square North side of the building via steps or a ramp.  

A limited number of wheelchairs and scooters can be borrowed from the reception desk just inside the main entrance. Induction loops are available at different locations in the building, including in the visitor exhibition, at reception and in the café. Exhibition audio headsets are compatible with hearing aids. There are BSL, ISL and International sign language video guides to the exhibition.   

There are accessible toilets and a Changing Places on the ground floor.  

The Bobbin Café is managed by Loaf Catering and Cafes, which provide training and work for people with a learning disability, Autism or Asperger’s. 

You can find out more information on AccessAble.  

St George’s is a thriving, historic market near the city centre. It opens Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  

There is on-street car parking, and market customers can get special discount for nearby car parks, which can get very busy during opening hours. There are bus stops within 150m, and Lanyon Place Railway Station is five minutes away on foot up a gradual hill.  

There is lots of bustle, sights, sounds and smells to be enjoyed in the market. It operates a quiet hour each morning, when music is turned off and other noise reduced.  

Twice daily walking tours, where you can learn all about the history of the market and talk to traders, can be booked through Visit Belfast.  

Two accessible toilets are located near two entrances.  

Further information can be found on AccessAble.  

Belfast Castle sits at the foot of Cave Hill and is one of the most iconic locations from which to view the stunning skyline of Belfast.  

Built in 1862 on a site occupied since the twelfth century, the castle has been adapted to improve accessibility. There is a lift to the basement-level Cavehill Visitor Centre and gardens, which are wheelchair accessible. Parts of the building are not accessible on motorised scooters. There are accessible toilets on two floors.  

There are a number of free car parks on site including one at the castle which has disabled bays. York Street train station is three miles (5km) away. The nearest bus stop is just over half a mile (1km) away. The route to the castle is paved and uphill.  

Staff are training in Autism awareness and are progressing towards becoming Autism NI Impact Champions. 

Belfast Castle and Estate has a brief access guide, and you can also find out more on AccessAble.  

CS Lewis Square is a level-access public space celebrating the Belfast-born author of the Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis. You can touch and interact with seven bronze sculptures from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is a great sensory experience.  

The nearest railway stops are at Titanic Quarter Halt and Lanyon Place Station. Titanic Quarter Halt is not suitable for people with reduced mobility as it involves steps and a footbridge. There are frequent buses that stop within 150m of the square, and it is less than five minutes by taxi from the Value Cabs taxi rank at Lanyon.   

The square is beside the EastSide Visitor Centre, where there are interactive information screens, interpretative panels and a wall map. A number of self-guided trails start and finish from EastSide Visitor Centre, whether you want to follow in the footsteps of George Best and find out what inspired some of Van Morrison’s most famous songs. 

The visitor centre includes a coffee shop with accessible toilets. Disabled parking bays are also available on street and in the nearby Connswater Shopping Centre.  

With spectacular panoramic views over Belfast, Divis and the Black Mountain is home to heath and bog, rich biodiversity and archaeological remains. On a clear day there are views of Strangford Lough, Scotland and Donegal. 

The mountain is best accessed by car. There are two car parks with disabled parking bays. The upper car park, behind the Barn Café, is closest to the start of the walking trails. This is also the location of accessible toilets and a Changing Places. Car parks can get particularly busy at peak times.  

Access to the mountain is free, and there is a choice of three waymarked routes. The Lough Trail is a wheelchair accessible, circular route. It slopes gently for one mile (1.5km)  over compacted gravel.  

The other routes are described as moderate to challenging covering between 2.8 and 4 miles (4.5 and 6.4km) over a mixture of boardwalk, gravel, heath and bog. There may also be stiles across a river. Suitable clothing must be worn.   

The National Trust and Walk NI have detailed guides and route descriptions. 

A tour from the comfort of one of Belfast’s iconic black taxis,  such as Taxi Tours Belfast or Taxi Trax, is a popular way to explore the city and beyond. Tours include political, mural, sightseeing and history tours. Outside Belfast, popular attractions include the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and the Game of Thrones studio tour.  

All black taxis are wheelchair friendly. Other taxi firms, such as Value Cabs can also provide tours in wheelchair accessible vehicles.  

Tours are available over a few hours or several days.  

Popular walking tours include history, politics, murals, art, food and drink. Most are wheelchair friendly, although terrain can vary across the city, and they can accommodate different requests, but it is best to check with the provider in advance.  

DC Tours run self-guided, sightseeing and history tours from the city centre following flat, step-free routes, although some areas may be cobbled.   

Street art walking tours take place in the Cathedral Quarter, which includes cobbled areas, and they are happy to accommodate special requests.  

In West Belfast, Coiste Irish Political Tours are delivered by former political prisoners who share their personal experiences of the British/Irish conflict.  

The hour-long Titanic Discovery Tour takes explores the slipways and heritage around the Titanic Belfast visitor centre. You will be provided with a roaming headset. There is also a self-guided Titanic Trail following a detailed, downloadable map to discover key Titanic and maritime heritage attractions. Routes are generally flat and paved with some cobbled areas.  

[BSL/ISL tour information to be added if publicly available.