From Belfast to the Giant's Causeway: How to spend a family break in Northern Ireland 

Except these aren’t action heroes from a movie set. It’s my four kids — and I’m about to send them into a wind tunnel to experience an indoor skydive.

The youngest looks at me and I swear I see a tear in her eye as she watches the child in front of her hover horizontally in the air, cheeks bellowing in the intense wind.

Back in my thrill-seeking 20s, I booked into a skydive in New Zealand without really giving it a second thought. The intensity of the free fall has never left me.

So when we planned four days in Belfast this summer, I thought it would be fun to let my children experience a taste of it too, courtesy of Let’s Go Vertigo, the only indoor sky diving facility in Ireland.

The adrenaline and nerves give way to exhilaration as, one by one, we step inside the wind tunnel and float in the air. As we emerge, the flood of relief brings laughter as we dissect our shared experience. Family bonding doesn’t come better than this.

Let’s Go Vertigo is just one of many memorable activities for action-seeking families in Northern Ireland.

With a similar name, but a very different activity, the nearby Let’s Go Hydro is a water park like no other. Divided into two sections, we begin with the inflatable slides. Suitable for ages seven and up, there’s something for everyone from giant unicorns to towering daredevil jumps. The kids lap it up.

We break for lunch at Lakeside Lounge, Let’s Go Hydro’s excellent new restaurant. The tempura broccoli is the best we’ve tasted; the pizza is perfection.

Sated and smiling, our party splits in two, half heading to the water lagoon for more water adventures: kayaking, paddle boarding, pedalos, pier jumps, and even wakeboarding.

The other half visits the brand-new spa, where its heated pool, hot tubs, and sauna are an unexpected oasis of calm.

Let’s Go Hydro also has accommodation with glamping huts, stargazing domes with clear ceilings, and even Viking tents. 

We spot barbecue pods as we amble past kids trying their hand at archery. Outside of peak season (the water park closes mid-October, reopening in April), there are Halloween, Christmas and Easter-themed events.

This month it plays host to a Pumpkin Patch Scarefest with fireworks on Halloween night. There’s even a drive-in cinema (it’ll be showing spooky Halloween movies later this month - see letsgohydro.com for details). Innovative and creative, with a dedicated team, this is a top-class destination.

We are tempted to stick around for the screening of Jaws — you watch the movie on a giant screen floating in the water on an inflatable — but we are Belfast-bound.

We check in to the centrally located Hilton. Staff member Christine, whose personal touch enhances our top-notch breakfast every morning, is one of the many stand-out people we encounter on our trip. We may have lined up some of the region’s top tourist attractions, but there’s no denying the fact that the locals are one of its finest assets. All across Belfast, we are struck by the friendly banter and genuine enthusiasm from everyone we meet on our tourist trail.

“You guys in Cork realised the power of Titanic before us,” smiles the ticket attendant after hearing our accents at the Titanic Experience.

The self-guided tour offers a fascinating view, not just at the building of the ill-fated Titanic, and the disaster that befell it, but also as an insight into the social history of the time. A short mini theme ride takes us through a shipbuilder’s life; past a screen that lists the names of those who died, with a searchable database of everyone on board; and downstairs to a glass floor, underneath which lies a moving image of the wrecked ship below the sea.

The museum is a poignant and respectful tribute, its striking external design already iconic.

Close by is where we try our indoor skydive, calming ourselves afterwards at the W5 Science and Discovery Centre. Inspiring curious minds, this interactive space seeks to answer the Who, What, Where, When and Why of life through exhibitions and experiments. We lap up the interactive displays and shows.

A little detour to the city for some shopping at the Victoria Quarter proves fun before dinner at Fish City. Beginning life as a small fish and chip shop, the owners moved to Belfast and created what would become the number one winner in the UK Fish and Chip Shop awards. No small feat. Sustainably focused, with an education steer (they bring schools to the fish markets and invite them back for lunch after) this is a model every restaurant should follow. Our hungry gang devours an exceptional sharing platter, including tempura prawns and cheesecake for dessert.

Day three and we return to the car to complete the tourist favourites of Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Giant’s Causeway. 

Rejuvenated by blue skies and fresh air, we are in relaxed, easy spirits as we make our way to the Monet exhibition back in Belfast.

Recreating his famous water lilies, plus his home and studio, the virtual reality (VR) experience brings to life his art through floor-to-ceiling live and moving recreations of his paintings. We all sit entranced for 45 minutes, in deckchairs, mesmerised by the immersive beauty.

After walking through this VR world of Monet’s paintings, we try our hand at colouring in the master Impressionist’s famous masterpieces. It’s an enjoyable way to end a fun family experience.

For our last evening, we dine at Home, a Michelin Bib winner. The food is outstanding here, a simple burger elevated to new heights, the chocolate tart unforgettable.

On our final morning, I drive the kids through Shankhill Road and the Falls Road, stopping at the murals and explaining Belfast’s troubled history. Their young minds marvel at what this city has been through and how upbeat and resilient its people are.

Last stop on our Northern Ireland four-day whirlwind tour is the Game of Thrones studio tour. The younger kids have never seen the show, of course, but this tour is suitable for everyone. It’s a fascinating and fun look behind the screens on a TV production. They lap up the costume designs, try out the special effects, see the set building and storyboarding, while us older fans pore over the real sets and designs.

The green screen photo options prove the best fun of all—posing on The Iron Throne and running from the Night King takes our holiday to a fantasy realm.

90 percent of Game of Thrones was filmed in Northern Ireland, and it’s a relief to know someone had the forethought to retain the costumes and sets for this special visitor experience.

Our final stop on the road back to Cork? The new look Emerald Park for some rollercoaster fun. Us daredevils end our holiday as it began.

• Vickie Maye was a guest of Tourism Northern Ireland