Around the village you will still see some classic examples of architectural heritage, the Old Coastguard Station built in 1874 sits elegantly on the hill overlooking the bay, on the other side is Seaport Lodge, known locally as Leslie's Castle, it was built in the 1770s by the Leslie family as a bathing lodge. The beautiful thatched cottages overlooking the harbour are the last remaining example of the style of the cottage that once surrounded the wee bay. The present Bayview Hotel stands on the site of an older Bayview Hotel which had a small building on the end known as the Watch House, this was the original customs/coastguard building before the new station being built in 1874. The Bayview and Beach Hotel (now gone) were very popular holiday locations before the advent of packages holidays to the continent.

It is a beautiful location to spend some time, both the Ulster Way and the International Appalachian Trail pass through the village. The horseshoe bay and harbour are the perfect set. The scholar and author C.S. Lewis had a great love and affinity for the north coast having spent his childhood holiday at Castlerock. On one of his many visits back to the north coast he stayed here in Portballintrae. Places like Dunluce Castle, the Mermaids Cave and the Causeway along with Downhill snd Catlerock became the inspiration for the location he would describe in his writings. Similarly to the recent sightings in Strangford Lough, on occasions, the black and white Orcas have been seen passing off the coast here.