Bushmills is a small village on the north Antrim coast best known for one thing: the Old Bushmills Distillery, which has been producing Irish whiskey here since 1608, making it the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. The village sits a mile inland from the Giant's Causeway, which makes it an obvious stopping point on any coastal drive.
The distillery offers tours that walk you through the malting, distilling, and maturation process, finishing with a tasting of the Black Bush, Original, and single malt expressions. Beyond whiskey, the village is a compact and pleasant place with a river, a square, and the feel of a working Irish community rather than a tourist trap.
Bushmills is the natural base for exploring the Causeway Coast — the Giant's Causeway UNESCO World Heritage Site is two miles away, and Dunluce Castle, the dramatic clifftop ruin, is a few minutes' drive west. The narrow-gauge heritage railway connects the village to the Causeway visitor centre and runs seasonally through spring and summer.