Are you trying to discover the best things to do with kids in County Antrim? Cushendun is a picturesque coastal conservation village and beach activity category where families can step back in time, explore historic architecture, and play on the shore. Curated by the National Trust, the village features Cornish-style cottages and a stunning bay where the River Dun meets the sea.

Prices start from £0.00 for everyone, as walking through this historic seaside village and accessing the public beach is completely free. There are no general entry fees or hidden tickets required to enjoy the coastal views or village paths.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that blends old-world charm with beautiful ocean scenery, this coastal gem is a fantastic choice. It provides children with an active, outdoor educational day out where they can discover unique local heritage and rugged sea environments.

Key Features

• Educational Day Out: Children can learn about unique architecture designed by Clough Williams-Ellis and explore the maritime history of the Glens of Antrim.
• Interactive Exhibits: The village landscape acts as a live historical playground where kids can trace old harbor routes and search out geological formations.
• Sensory Play Elements: Listening to the waves hit the harbor wall, feeling the cool ocean breeze on the stone bridge, and walking on the dark sands provides brilliant sensory feedback.

Detailed Highlights

• The Cornish-Style Cottages: A row of beautiful, white-washed buildings designed to look like a traditional village from southwest England. Kids will love looking at the unusual tiny windows and unique slate roofs that look straight out of a storybook.
• The Cushendun Caves: Famous natural rock tunnels formed over millions of years of coastal erosion right by the water's edge. Children will feel like true explorers venturing into the dark stone passages and listening to the echoes of the sea.
• The River Dun Stone Bridge: A historic bridge crossing the local river right before it flows into the sea. Youngsters can enjoy watching ducks paddle underneath or playing a traditional game of Pooh sticks from the stone walls.
• The Sandy Shoreline: A sheltered crescent beach that is ideal for building castles, collecting smooth sea pebbles, and taking walks along the waves. It offers a great open space for classic outdoor family games.
• The Old Harbour Quayside: The stone harbor pier where local boats once landed their catches. Kids can watch small fishing boats bobbing in the water and imagine what it was like to be a sea captain hundreds of years ago.

Detailed Inventory & Beyond the Main Attraction

• The Clough Williams-Ellis Square Cottages
• The Maud Cottages Architectural Row
• The Glenmona House Historic Demesne
• The Natural Sea-Eroded Cushendun Caves
• The River Dun Estuary and Stone Bridge
• The Historic Cushendun Harbour Pier
• The Johann the Goat Bronze Sculpture