The Antrim Coast – the north of Northern Ireland – is one of the most interesting and scenic coastlines in Ireland.
Portrush, at the end of the train line, is an ideal base for exploring the highlights of the Antrim Coast.
Within a few miles of town, you can visit evocative castle ruins, tour the world’s oldest whiskey distillery, catch a thrill on a bouncy rope bridge, and hike along the famous Giant’s Causeway.
Homey Portrush used to be known as “the Brighton of the North.” It first became a resort in the late 1880s, as railroads expanded to offer the new middle class a weekend by the shore.
Victorians flocked here, believing that swimming in saltwater would cure many common ailments.
While not what it was in its heyday, Portrush retains the atmosphere and architecture of a genteel seaside resort.
Its peninsula is filled with lowbrow, family-oriented amusements, fun eateries, and B&Bs. Summertime fun seekers promenade along the tiny harbor and tumble down to the sandy beaches, which extend in sweeping white crescents on either side.
Superficially, Portrush has the appearance of any small British seaside resort, but its history and large population of young people (students from nearby University of Ulster at Coleraine) give the town a little more personality.
Along the usual arcade amusements, there are nightclubs, restaurants, summer theater productions in the Town Hall, and convivial pubs that attract customers all the way from Belfast.
