Things To Do
Ballynoe Stone Circle
Ancient Irish stone circle. Make sure to bring some oats to offer at the hawthorne tree and ribbons to make wishes. Entry is free. Just park along the side of the road and follow the marked path. You will need to car to get there.
Newgrange
This exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic Period, around 3100 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. This is a really cool day trip! Be sure to book tickets in advance to be granted access inside the chamber. Also highly recommend checking out The Hill of Tara, which is located approximately thirty minutes from Newgrange. The Hill of Tara is the inauguration site of Ireland's High Kings and political center for thousands of years. This site also features burial chambers and The Stone of Destiny. If you like big rocks with swirls on them, you don't want to miss this!
Castlewellan Forest Park
Beautiful local park with a walking path around the lake and a peace maze. Castle overlooks the lake with stunning Arboretum Gardens directly behind. Excellent mountain biking trails. Bikes can be hired from Bike Mourne on the main street in Castlewellan. https://www.bikemourne.com/castlewellan-mountain-bike-hire/
Murlough National Nature Reserve and Beach
A really beautiful beach.
Tollymore Forest Park
Book a Game of Thrones walking tour, or just walk the beautiful trails yourself. Extremely cool playground for kids, sometimes the cafe is open.