Area Guide
Things to do in Portrush & the Causeway Coast
Beaches, golf, castles, cliff walks and good food. This is the guide we give our own guests. Our apartments are in the centre of Portrush, so most of it is a short walk or drive from your door.
Jump to: Beaches · Harbour & Ramore Head · Golf · Causeway Coast · Family days · Food & drink · Surfing & boat trips · Events · Getting around
Times shown as “about X min away” are the ones on our apartment pages, measured from the centre of Portrush. Opening times change with the seasons, so please check the official site before you set off.
Beaches
Portrush sits on a headland with a beach on either side, and the cliffs of Whiterocks just along the coast. Even in winter, a walk on the sand is the best way to start the day.
West Strand
The town beach, also called West Bay or Mill Strand, right beside the harbour. It’s a Blue Flag beach (most recently awarded in 2024), with RNLI lifeguards in July and August from 10am to 6pm. Keep an eye out for harbour porpoises offshore. Seasonal parking charges apply from 1 April to 30 September, 8.30am to 6.30pm.
About 3 min away
East Strand
About 2.5 km (1.6 miles) of sand running east from the town towards Curran Strand and Whiterocks, popular with surfers all year round. Lifeguards in July and August, 10am to 6pm. Look for the “To the People of the Sea” sculpture, and beach access equipment from the Mae Murray Foundation.
About 4 min away
Whiterocks
White limestone cliffs, caves and arches with names like the Wishing Arch, Elephant Rock and the Lion’s Paw. There’s free parking, a boardwalk and lifeguards in July and August (10am to 6pm). The clifftop path is part of the Causeway Coast Way.
About 2 min away
Bringing a dog? From 1 June to 15 September dogs aren’t allowed on parts of all three beaches. Our guide to Portrush with your dog shows where you can go.
The harbour & Ramore Head
The harbour is the heart of Portrush: fishing boats, the lifeboat, bars and restaurants, and a headland walk with views out to the Skerries.
West Bay & Ramore Head walk
A 2.9-mile circular walk on surfaced, mostly flat paths. Start at West Strand car park, follow the promenade to the harbour, round Ramore Head and back along the East Strand promenade.
Starts about 3 min away
Portrush Coastal Zone
A free marine discovery centre on Bath Road, run by DAERA, with discovery pools and the Portrush National Nature Reserve right beside it. Open June to September, 10am to 4.30pm daily. Group visits by appointment all year (028 7082 3600).
Ramore restaurants
The Ramore Wine Bar and the Harbour Bar sit together on the harbour. The Wine Bar is a Portrush favourite, so book ahead at weekends.
About 1 min away
Golf
Three famous links courses within easy reach, and golf-friendly apartments to come home to.
Royal Portrush
Founded in 1888, with two links courses: the Dunluce and the Valley. The club has hosted The Open three times, in 1951, 2019 and 2025. Visitors can book tee times on the club website.
About 6 min away
Portstewart
Founded in 1894, with three links courses: the Strand, the Riverside and the Old. The Strand course hosted the Irish Open in 2017.
Castlerock
Known as a hidden gem of Irish links golf, with the Mussenden course and the 9-hole Bann course, a short drive west along the coast.
More about the championship: The Open at Royal Portrush.
Along the Causeway Coast
The coast road east of Portrush links some of Northern Ireland’s best-known sights. Planning a Causeway day? Read our guide to the Giant’s Causeway from Portrush.
Giant’s Causeway
Northern Ireland’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site: over 40,000 basalt columns formed about 60 million years ago. The National Trust says pre-booking is essential for the Visitor Experience, which includes parking, guided tours and the exhibition.
About 20 min away
Dunluce Castle
Clifftop castle ruins just east of Portrush. Winter opening (from 1 November) is 9am to 4pm, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. No need to book, but it may close in extreme weather.
About 12 min away
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
First put up by salmon fishermen in 1755, the bridge crosses to a small island near Ballintoy. Pre-booking is essential, and the National Trust posts weather closures on its page, so check on the day.
About 28 min away
Bushmills Distillery
The world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, dating from 1608, in Bushmills village. Book tours online in advance. Children under 8 can’t join the tour.
The Dark Hedges
An avenue of beech trees on Bregagh Road near Stranocum, planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century and famous from Game of Thrones. The road is pedestrian only; park at the Dark Hedges Estate or The Hedges Hotel (charges may apply).
About 28 min away
White Park Bay & Dunseverick
A quieter stretch of National Trust coast between the Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede: the sandy beach at White Park Bay, where you can look for fossils, and the remains of Dunseverick Castle on the cliffs.
Family days
Curry’s Fun Park
Portrush’s seaside amusement park on Eglinton Street, known for years as Barry’s. Opening days change with the season, so check before you go.
About 2 min away
Rock pools and the Coastal Zone
In summer (June to September) the Coastal Zone’s discovery pools make a great free hour, right by the Ramore Head walk.
Surf lessons
Family and kids’ lessons with Portrush Surf School, based at Portrush Yacht Club on Harbour Road.
Food & drink
A few places our guests come back to again and again. Please book ahead at weekends and in summer.
Ramore Wine Bar
On the harbour, and a Portrush institution. Book ahead at weekends.
Babushka Kitchen Cafe
Brunch and coffee in the old lifeboat station on the South Pier, looking over West Strand.
Morelli’s, Portstewart
Ice cream on Portstewart Promenade, from a family business that started there in 1927.
Surfing, boat trips & walks
Portrush Surf School
Surf and paddleboard (SUP) lessons for beginners, families and kids, from Portrush Yacht Club on Harbour Road. East Strand is the town’s year-round surf beach.
Causeway Boats
Boat trips from the North Pier in Portrush Harbour, including tours along the coast to Dunluce and the Giant’s Causeway, Rathlin puffin trips and fishing trips.
Aquaholics
A 2.5-hour trip from Portstewart to the Skerries, Dunluce Castle and the Giant’s Causeway, with a pick-up in Portrush.
Causeway Coast Way
A 31.5-mile walking route from Portstewart to Ballycastle. The Portrush to Portballintrae section (9.3 km) takes in Ramore Head, Whiterocks and Dunluce Castle.
Events
North West 200
Road racing on the Portrush–Portstewart–Coleraine circuit every May. Race week in 2027 is 10–15 May.
Atlantic Sessions
A November music festival across Portrush and Portstewart, with free music trails and ticketed headline gigs.
Getting around
Portrush has its own railway station in the middle of town, and Translink buses run along the coast, some only in summer. Check routes and times on Translink before you travel. The National Trust’s Giant’s Causeway page lists the bus services that stop there.
Portrush through the year
Spring
Road racing and coastal walks
Summer
Beaches and golf
Autumn
Quieter beaches and live music
Winter
Storm watching and cosy nights in
Stay in the middle of it all
29 self-catering apartments in central Portrush, a few minutes’ walk from the beach, the harbour and the town. Book direct for our best price.