Portrush West Strand is a popular resort beach stretching between West Strand Road and the South Pier of Portrush Harbour - close to the town centre and amusements, giving it a lively, holiday atmosphere year-round.
Blue Flag and Natural Heritage
West Strand holds Blue Flag certification. A lifeguard service operates daily from 1 July to 30 September, 11am-7pm. The beach is also protected under ASSI designation for its buried peat deposits and ancient sands - the fossilised remains of alder and birch trees that grew here roughly 9,000-7,000 years ago, sometimes visible at the northern end during low tide.
Activities
Diving, surfing, swimming, kite surfing, paddleboarding, and windsurfing are all popular here, alongside horse riding, walking, cycling, and jogging.
Getting Around
Walking from the harbour to the rocks takes in the lively Portrush town atmosphere, past Barry’s Amusements, with the raised Promenade offering easy step access to the sand. The parkland entrance is via Eglinton Street, under the railway bridge off the Portstewart Road (A2).
Facilities
Parking: free parking is available directly behind the beach, through the black stone railway arch, with designated disabled spaces.
Toilets: public toilets are at the town-centre end of the Promenade, next to Babushka Café and the Lifeboat Centre, including disabled toilets and baby changing.
Food: cafés and kiosks are dotted along the beach, more concentrated toward the town centre.
Dogs: welcome on the beach, with restrictions during summer (1 June-15 September) - keep dogs on a lead when busy, and clean up after them.
Nearby
The Portrush Coastal Zone, a short walk away via the central shopping piazza, is a marine and coastal heritage centre with exhibits on harbour porpoises, local sea cliffs, and the same buried peat deposits and ancient sands found beneath the beach itself.
Getting There
Near Portrush train station, with frequent services to Coleraine connecting to Belfast, Derry, and Dublin, plus a daily bus service.
Frequently Asked Questions
West Strand or East Strand - what’s the difference? West Strand is the town-centre beach, right by the harbour and Barry’s Amusements, with the liveliest holiday atmosphere. East Strand, on the other side of Ramore Head, is longer, quieter, and backed by dunes rather than a promenade - better suited to a longer walk than an afternoon by the amusements. Both are Blue Flag beaches and both allow dogs, with the same seasonal (1 June-15 September) restrictions.
Is West Strand also called Mill Strand? Yes - “West Strand,” “West Bay,” and “Mill Strand” all refer to the same beach.
Is parking free at West Strand? Yes, the car park directly behind the beach, reached through the black stone railway arch, is free, with designated disabled spaces.
