This Georgian town features tearooms, craft shops, a historic castle, and a forest park, but it’s also ideal for exploring the wider Counties Down and Armagh. Strangford Lough and Lough Neagh are both within 30-minute drives, while Belfast is also closeby. A short drive from town, campers will find lakeside holiday parks and campsites.
Spend time ambling around old-style craft shops or tearooms; visit the 1797 Hillsborough Castle for a tour; or stroll the forest at Hillsborough Fort. For a peaceful camping spot with countryside and lake views, look for caravan parks near Lough Aghery lake, a short drive from town.
Hillsborough is close to Belfast, a city known for sightseeing and shopping. Visit the Titanic Quarter and Cathedral Quarter, hit St. George’s Market, then make your way out of the city for an outdoor adventure.
Travel southeast to explore the nature around Strangford Lough. If exploring the Ards Peninsula, take the ferry across the Narrows from Strangford to Portaferry, and drive around the top and back. Great camping options exist along the beaches on the east coast around Ballyferris Point.
The best time for camping is between May and September, and the busiest weekends tend to be around Easter, the 12 July holiday, and other school holidays. Weather can be unpredictable at any time, but some area holiday parks close down for winter.