Portstewart sits a few minutes down the coast from Portrush and has a quieter, more genteel feel — a Victorian-era seaside town that’s kept both its heritage and its appeal. Harbour, promenade, championship golf, and a two-mile Blue Flag beach.
The Promenade and Crescent
The Promenade is the heart of the town. Portstewart Crescent, just off it, was recently refurbished and has a boating lake, paddling pools, a paddle board area, a bandstand, shops, and cafes, plus Europe’s first musical fountain — 33 water jets in three rows, pulsing to music.
Morelli’s, on the Promenade, has served ice cream since the early 1900s and is a genuine local institution — open daily 9am–10pm, hot food until 8pm. For nightlife, the Anchor Complex (Aura Nightclub, Anchor Bistro, Anchor Bar) is the main hub, along with Havana Night Club and Shenanigans.
The Flowerfield Arts Centre — Northern Ireland’s first purpose-built arts centre, set in a Victorian mansion built in 1855 — runs exhibitions and craft courses (dyeing, jewellery making, calligraphy, weaving) year-round.
O’Hara Castle and the cliff path
Built in 1834, O’Hara Castle is now Dominican College, and makes a striking backdrop over the dunes from the Promenade. The cliff path from the college out to Portstewart Strand is part of the Causeway Coast Way, with views across the River Bann estuary to Donegal, Lough Foyle, and Scotland on a clear day — from here the Way continues on to the Giant’s Causeway. Portstewart Golf Club’s old course, laid out along the shore in 1894, sits between here and Royal Portrush.
Portstewart Strand
A two-mile Blue Flag beach run by the National Trust, bounded by the River Bann estuary to the west and Portstewart Golf Club to the east — one of Northern Ireland’s most visited beaches and an important conservation site for the dunes. Good for swimming, paddleboarding, surfing, and fishing; surf lessons and equipment hire are available seasonally.
Car access goes right onto the beach — useful with kids, though there’s a charge in high season (free for National Trust members). During the North West 200 motorcycle race, public roads nearby close and become part of the racing circuit.
Staying in Portstewart
A genuine alternative base to Portrush, with hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, and glamping options, many within walking distance of the beach and promenade.
