Hilltop Holiday Park

The Hilltop Holiday Park does a good job of combining nature and convenience, and it's a good choice for travelers who want to "rough it" a bit while not straying too far from civilization. The reception area, with a light-wood check-in desk, white-tile floor, and a small convenience store, is not unlike what would be found in a hotel. Along with other "out" buildings, it's housed in a beige, rectangular structure by a sizable parking lot. Paved roads weave among the cabins, geodomes, and caravans amid the grass fields. The Sea Salt Cafe, with its blond-wood interior, serves light fare and provides a common gathering space for guests.

Hilltop Holiday Park sits on a slope near the edge of Portrush, a small town with about 6,000 inhabitants. The center of town is about a seven-minute drive away. While the campground is surrounded by farmland and countryside, a supermarket is within a five-minute drive. The beaches are one of Portrush's main attractions, and the East Strand is a five-minute drive from the campground. The Royal Portrush Golf Club, which hosted the British Open in 1951, is seven minutes away by car. Dunluce Castle -- a well-preserved relic of medieval architecture -- dates back to 1500, and is about a 10-minute drive away. For family fun, there's Barry's Amusements, the biggest amusement park in Northern Ireland; it's a five-minute drive from the campground. Belfast City Airport is a 75-minute drive from the campground, or a two-hour train trip. Portrush train station is a five-minute drive away.

Lodging at the Hilltop Holiday Park varies, although the cabins and geodomes offer similar amenities. There are about 400 caravans and 40 touring pitches, and guests can bring their own motorbuses or tents. The cabins resemble tall wooden tents and can fit four adults, or two adults and three children. Also included are heaters, power sockets, and picnic tables. The geodomes have similar features, with multisided, semicircle roofs, with skylights. Bathrooms and showers for guests not in the Luxury Caravans are in a separate area. The Luxury Caravans are like stationary mobile homes -- they have their own bathrooms with showers, full kitchens, and can sleep up to eight adults in three bedrooms.

The Hilltop Holiday Park packs plenty of amenities for a campground. The on-site Sea Salt Cafe serves sandwiches, sweets, and coffee, and a children's playground offers swings, slides, and multicolored climbing equipment. There's a laundry facility, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the campground.