Best Beaches in Antrim & the Causeway Coast
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best beaches in Antrim & the Causeway Coast are The Strand Portstewart Beach, Portrush Whiterocks Beach, Cushendall Beach, Downhill Beach, Castlerock Beach, Whitepark Bay, Mill Strand Portrush Beach and Carnlough Beach.
The Causeway Coast is one of the great scenic drives of these islands, and its beaches are every bit as memorable as the celebrated basalt columns that give the route its name. Stretching along the north coast of County Antrim and into neighbouring Derry, this shore mixes long golden strands with dramatic cliffs, caves and headlands.
At Portstewart and Whiterocks the sand runs for miles beneath ancient dunes, while Downhill and Castlerock sweep out below the clifftop landmark of Mussenden Temple. White Park Bay curves in a pale arc between two headlands, and Carnlough and Cushendall bring the softer charm of the Glens of Antrim.
Some of these beaches are Blue Flag favourites with lifeguards, surf and full facilities, while others are quieter spots best for a walk, a paddle or a long view across to Scotland. There is history at every turn, from Dunluce Castle to a harbour that stood in for Braavos in Game of Thrones.
Whether you come to surf, swim or simply take in the scenery, this coast rarely disappoints. Here are eight of the best beaches to seek out in Antrim & the Causeway Coast.
The Strand Portstewart Beach
Photo: Kenneth Allen via Geograph.org.uk
The Strand Portstewart Beach is a two-mile beach of golden sand backed by a great dune system just west of Portstewart, cared for by the National Trust. It is one of the beaches where cars can be driven and parked on the firm sand, and behind it the ancient dunes, protected for their wildlife, are threaded with waymarked trails toward the mouth of the River Bann.
A Blue Flag beach, it is popular for walking, bathing and surfing, with a visitor centre, toilets and marked activity zones, and grassy dunes rich in orchids and butterflies. Seek it out for a classic Causeway Coast day of sand and surf.
Portrush Whiterocks Beach
Photo: Kenneth Allen via Geograph.org.uk
Portrush Whiterocks Beach is a long golden-sand beach running east from Portrush toward the ruins of Dunluce Castle. Behind it rise the white limestone cliffs that give it its name, worn by the sea into caves, arches and stacks, among them the Wishing Arch and a formation known as Elephant Rock.
Backed by large dunes and protected for its wildlife, it is used for surfing, swimming, kayaking and walking, with parking, toilets and seasonal lifeguards. The cliffs and caves can be explored on foot at low tide toward the eastern end.
Seek it out for the combination of broad sands and sculpted white cliffs.
Cushendall Beach
Photo: Mike Faherty via Geograph.org.uk
Cushendall Beach curves along the edge of its village in the Glens of Antrim on the north-east coast. A river runs out at its southern end, with a golf course on the ground behind and the hill of Lurigethan rising over the village.
The shore mixes sand with shingle and rock, making it more a place for a stroll and a view than a long bathe. On a clear day the outlook reaches across the sea to the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland.
Seek it out for the glens scenery and that far Scottish horizon.
Downhill Beach
Photo: Colin Pyle via Geograph.org.uk
Downhill Beach is a long sandy strand on the County Derry coast, below the cliffs of the Downhill estate. High above one end stands the little round Mussenden Temple, perched right at the cliff edge as part of the National Trust's Downhill Demesne.
The railway line to Derry runs along the back of the beach, and wide sand stretches out beneath the cliffs toward Castlerock. It is a dramatic setting, with the temple crowning the view.
Seek it out for the sweep of sand beneath one of the coast's most photographed landmarks.
Castlerock Beach
Photo: Kenneth Allen via Geograph.org.uk
Castlerock Beach is a long sandy strand backed by dunes on the County Derry coast, running between the sea cliffs of Downhill and the mouth of the River Bann. A boardwalk crosses the dunes to the sand, and a golf course spreads across the ground behind.
The Mussenden Temple and the ruins of Downhill stand on the clifftops less than a mile to the west, and the beach faces open sea with the Bann estuary at its eastern end. Seek it out for wide dune-backed sands within easy reach of the Downhill landmarks.
Whitepark Bay
Photo: Joseph Mischyshyn via Geograph.org.uk
Whitepark Bay is a wide arc of pale sand between two headlands on the north Antrim coast, between Ballintoy and Bushmills on the Causeway Coastal Route. High dunes with grazing cattle back the beach, and chalk cliffs full of fossils rise behind.
It has been in the care of the National Trust since 1938, with a car park and youth hostel above and access down steps and slopes. Strong rip currents run offshore, so it is better admired and walked than swum.
Seek it out for its sweeping curve of sand, dunes and fossil-rich cliffs.
Mill Strand Portrush Beach
Photo: Linda Bailey via Geograph.org.uk
Mill Strand Portrush Beach, also known as the West Strand, is a curving golden-sand town beach on the west side of the Portrush peninsula. It runs from rocks at one end round to the South Pier of Portrush harbour, with a long promenade and grassy picnic area behind, close to the railway station, the amusements and the main street.
Steps and a ramp lead down to the sand. The beach holds a Blue Flag, with seasonal lifeguards in summer, and it is one of three beaches at Portrush, alongside the East Strand and Whiterocks.
Seek it out for an easy, well-served beach right beside the town.
Carnlough Beach
Photo: David Dixon via Geograph.org.uk
Carnlough Beach curves along a wide bay below the village of Carnlough in the Glens of Antrim. A small stone harbour built in the 1850s to ship out limestone still sits at one end, now used by pleasure and fishing boats.
A white limestone bridge carries an old mineral-tramway track over the main street, once the route that brought stone down from the hills. The harbour's sea steps stood in for Braavos in Game of Thrones.
Seek it out for the harbour, the glens setting and a touch of screen history.
FAQs
Which Causeway Coast beaches have lifeguards?
Portstewart Strand, Whiterocks and Mill Strand all have seasonal lifeguards in summer and hold Blue Flag status. They are the best bets for a supervised swim or surf, with toilets, parking and marked activity zones.
Can you drive on the beach at Portstewart?
Yes. Portstewart Strand is one of the beaches where cars can be driven and parked on the firm sand, cared for by the National Trust. Behind it, waymarked trails thread through the protected dunes toward the mouth of the River Bann.
Where can I see Game of Thrones filming locations on this coast?
Carnlough is the place to go, where the harbour's sea steps stood in for Braavos in the series. The village also makes a scenic stop in the Glens of Antrim, with its old limestone harbour and tramway bridge.
Conclusion
The Causeway Coast packs an extraordinary variety of beaches into a short stretch of shore. There are Blue Flag strands with lifeguards and surf at Portstewart, Whiterocks and Mill Strand, wide dune-backed sands at Downhill and Castlerock, and quieter, more scenic corners in the Glens of Antrim at Cushendall and Carnlough.
White Park Bay adds a sweep of pale sand between chalk headlands. Along the way you pass castles, cliffs, fossils and film locations, all within an easy drive of one another.
Check tides and currents before swimming, as some of these beaches have strong offshore pulls, and pack a coat for the Atlantic wind. Whether you want to surf, stroll or simply soak up the scenery, these are the best beaches to seek out in Antrim & the Causeway Coast.
