Portrush and the Antrim Coast - Ireland 2014 - page 576

Pubs
The Harbour Bar (next to the Harbour Bistro) has an old-fashioned pub downstairs and a
plush, overstuffed, dark lounge upstairs. Or try the Spring Hill Pub (17 Causeway Street,
tel. [phone]), with a friendly vibe and occasional music session nights.
Portrush Connections
Consider a £16.50 Zone 4 iLink smartcard, good for all-day train and bus use in Northern
Ireland year-round (£15 top-up for each additional day; for more on iLink cards, see here ) .
Translink has useful updated schedules and prices for both trains and buses in Northern
Ireland (tel. [phone], www.translink.co.uk ) .
From Portrush by Train to: Coleraine (hourly, 12 minutes, sparse on Sun morning),
Belfast (11/day, 5/day Sun, 2 hours, transfer in Coleraine), Dublin (7/day, 2/day Sun, 5
hours, transfer in Coleraine or Belfast).
By Bus to: Belfast (12/day, 2 hours; scenic coastal route, 2.5 hours), Dublin (4/day,
5.5 hours).
Antrim Coast
The craggy 20-mile stretch of the Antrim Coast extending eastward from Portrush to Bal-
lycastle rates second only to the tip of the Dingle Peninsula as the prettiest chunk of
coastal Ireland. From your base in Portrush, you have a varied grab bag of sightseeing
choices: the Giant's Causeway, Old Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede
Rope Bridge, and Rathlin Island.
It's easy to weave these sights together by car, but connections are patchy by public
transportation. Bus service is viable only in summer, and taxi fares are reasonable only for
the sights closest to Portrush (Dunluce Castle and the Old Bushmills Distillery). For more
on your transportation options, see “Getting Around the Antrim Coast,” earlier.