Portrush, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

The small seaside resort town of Portrush (“Port Rois” in Old Irish) sits quietly on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Set on a peninsula that juts into the Atlantic, Portrush boasts stunning beaches, including East Strand, West Strand, and White Rocks, each awarded “Blue Flag” status for their pristine waters. During medieval times, Portrush was a strategic landing place for the castle and settlement at Dunluce, and today its Old Town pays homage to its historic past. Portrush is the gateway to Giant’s Causeway, a geologic wonder of interlocking basalt columns jutting from the sea at the foot of dramatic cliffs.