The Best Beaches in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has a genuinely underrated coastline: seven-mile strands you can drive on, surf beaches with a mountain backdrop, and small bays on the Ards Peninsula that almost nobody outside the province has heard of.
Published 18 August 2026
The coast splits into three characters. The north, Antrim and Londonderry, is the big surf-and-strand coast, and where most visitors go. The east, down the Ards Peninsula and into Strangford Lough, is quieter, shallower and better for families. And the south, in County Down, gives you sand with the Mournes standing behind it, which is the single best view from a beach anywhere in Ireland.
The north coast
| Beach | Where | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Benone Strand | Limavady | Seven miles of sand, Blue Flag, and you can drive on it |
| Portstewart Strand | Portstewart | Two miles of dune-backed sand, National Trust, car access |
| Whiterocks | Portrush | Limestone cliffs, caves and arches; surf |
| White Park Bay | Ballintoy | Wide, wild, steep path down, not a swimming beach |
| Ballycastle | Ballycastle | Town beach with the harbour and Rathlin ferry |
| Downhill Strand | Castlerock | Mussenden Temple on the cliff above it |
Benone is the outlier: seven miles of Blue Flag sand with vehicle access, backed by Binevenagh. Portstewart Strand is the more manageable version of the same idea and sits at the start of the Causeway Coast Way. Whiterocks is where the surf schools are.
Where to stay on the north coast
49 sites within ten miles of the coast between Portstewart and Ballycastle.
See all 49 sites (43 more not shown here).
County Down: sand with the Mournes behind it
Murlough is the pick, a National Trust dune reserve near Dundrum with a boardwalk through the dunes and Slieve Donard filling the skyline. Tyrella and Cranfield further south are the family beaches, both with the same mountain backdrop.
- Murlough Bay, Dundrum: dunes, boardwalk, the best Mourne view from sea level.
- Tyrella: Blue Flag, lifeguarded in season, shallow and gentle.
- Cranfield: sheltered family sand at the mouth of Carlingford Lough.
All three are within reach of the Mourne bases covered in the Tollymore and Castlewellan guides, which makes a beach-and-forest weekend straightforward.
The Ards Peninsula and Strangford
The east coast is the quiet one. Ballywalter, Millisle and Kearney give you small, sheltered strands with a fraction of the traffic of the north coast, and the peninsula road makes an easy day’s pottering. Inside Strangford Lough the water is sheltered rather than sandy, better for paddling, birds and seals than for a beach day.
Dogs on Northern Irish beaches
Seasonal restrictions apply at the busier Blue Flag beaches, typically between Easter and the end of September, and usually only on the lifeguarded section rather than the whole strand. The wilder beaches, White Park Bay and the Ards coves among them, tend to be unrestricted year-round. Check the council signage at the access point, as the rules are set locally.
Of the 201 sites we list across Northern Ireland, the dog-friendly ones are gathered at dog-friendly glamping in Northern Ireland.
Common questions
- What is the biggest beach in Northern Ireland?
- Benone Strand near Limavady, around seven miles of Blue Flag sand, with vehicle access onto the beach itself.
- Which Northern Ireland beach has the best view?
- Murlough near Dundrum, where the dunes look straight across to Slieve Donard and the northern Mournes.
- Can you swim at White Park Bay?
- It is not advised. The currents are strong and it is unlifeguarded. Treat it as a walking beach.
- Are dogs allowed on beaches in Northern Ireland?
- Many of the busier Blue Flag beaches restrict dogs between Easter and the end of September, usually only on the lifeguarded stretch. Wilder beaches are generally unrestricted. Rules are set by the local council, so check the signs.
Keep reading
- Northern IrelandThe Causeway Coastal Route: Driving It in StagesHow to drive the Causeway Coastal Route between Belfast and Derry, the stages, the stops worth stopping for, how long to give it, and the glamping sites along the way.
- Northern IrelandWalks in Northern Ireland: The Mournes, the Causeway and the GlensThe best walking in Northern Ireland by region, the Mourne Wall and Slieve Donard, the Causeway Coast Way, the Glens of Antrim and the forest parks, with stays near each.
- Northern IrelandThings to Do in Northern IrelandA practical guide to Northern Ireland by region, the Causeway Coast, the Mournes, the Glens of Antrim, Strangford and the cities, with where to stay in each.
- Northern IrelandCastlewellan Forest Park: The Lake, the Peace Maze and the WalksWhat to do at Castlewellan Forest Park in County Down, the lakeside circuit, the Peace Maze, the arboretum and the mountain-bike network, plus glamping within ten miles.