13 things to do in Ayr

Steps from Craig Tara

Is there anything cuter than a baby goat? Meet these enchanting animals, and many more at the family-friendly Heads of Ayr Farm Park. Located a short walk west of our Craig Tara Holiday Park, the park features farm animals galore plus llamas, lemurs, otters, tapirs, caiman, scorpions, and other exotic creatures.  

There are numerous kids’ events throughout the year, award-winning food on site, and educational events including daily keeper talks. If it rains, there’s an indoor play barn; if the weather’s fine, excess energy can be spent in the frontier fort, water cannon shooting range, or indoor petting zoo.

5 minutes from Craig Tara

Built in 1879, this recently restored B-listed glasshouse is set in beautifully ornamental gardens and houses an array of palms, ferns, orchids and rare blooms. A varied program of events takes place in this tranquil attraction including plant sales and live folk music on Sundays. 

There’s a bee observation hive, where you can watch the colony at work making honey, and a tank of carnivorous plants that catch insects with sticky residue and cunning bell-shaped traps. 

The conservatory is situated at Belleisle Park, at the south of the city, only two miles east of Craig Tara Holiday Park.

6 minutes from Craig Tara

No trip to Ayr would be complete without a visit to the birthplace of the author of Auld Lang Syne, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose and To a Mouse. Robert Burns had a modest upbringing, and his childhood cottage home can be found in the village of Alloway, by a loop of the river Doon just south of Ayr and a little over two miles from us at Craig Tara. 

As well as the modest cottage where the poet lived, the accompanying museum boasts over 5000 artefacts either belonging to or relating to Burns, including handwritten manuscripts. There’s a beautifully maintained monument and garden, the picturesque Brig ‘o Doon, and the Poet’s Path, which links cottage and museum with statues and inscriptions from Burns works.  

This is one of the best literary museums in the world and includes a tearoom and other facilities for the whole family.

8 minutes from Craig Tara

Here’s something unique to Ayr, and famous to locals – Ayr’s “electric brae.” A Brae is a slope or hillside, and what makes the stretch of the A719 five miles south of Craig Tara a must-visit is a remarkable optical illusion.  

Find a safe place to stop your car, facing downhill and take the handbrake off. Your car will seem to roll… uphill! It’s an example of what’s known as a “gravity hill,” where the lay of the land seems to clash with the effects of gravity.

8 minutes from Craig Tara

Another popular outdoor attraction is Ayr’s Rozelle Park. Not only does it feature 90 acres of picturesque park and woodland, but there’s a Georgian mansion, courtyard, tearoom and art gallery on site. The Maclaurin Art Gallery holds works by an eclectic collection of local and international modern artists, displayed in four rooms, and hosts travelling exhibitions too. 

The park and woods are full of wildlife, sculptures and a story trail to amuse the kids. There is plenty of room on the lawns for picnics and exercising your pet. And the tearoom is a must, offering home baking and tasty soups of the day.

10 minutes from Craig Tara

Ayr’s Gaiety Theatre has survived two fires and two world wars and is still going strong after 121 years. Once host to the variety shows of the 1920s to 1950s, the 500-seater venue now features an eclectic array of shows including pantomime, theatre, musicals, gigs, dance, and kids’ shows. Local community groups perform here, and tribute bands reinvigorate classic rock of the 1960s and 70s. 

There are matinees and evening shows, and the café in the theatre foyer is highly recommended as a breakfast venue, as well as for tasty and good value pre-show meals.

10 minutes from Craig Tara

For something a bit more energetic, this city-centre sports facility operated by South Ayrshire Council has three pools including a 25m six-lane pool, a diving pool and a shallow teaching pool. There’s also a sauna for relaxation after your swim. 

There’s also a fully equipped gym offering more than 90 different classes every week, plus a wide array of cardio and weight training equipment. There are also spaces for badminton, squash and indoor football.  

Court hires and swim sessions are all very reasonably priced, with family tickets available. Find the Citadel adjacent to the mouth of the River Ayr by the harbour.

11 minutes from Craig Tara

Within easy reach of Ayr’s golden sands, the seafront play park is an elaborate adventure playground with spiral slides, climbable towers, slides, and rides. It’s well designed, safe, and scenic, with a view out over the Firth of Clyde to Arran. 

The seafront esplanade is alongside, offering walks south along the beach or north to Ayr’s harbour. Pirate Pete’s is nearby too, offering laser quest, mini golf and adventure play under one roof (great for days when the weather isn’t ideal). It’s reasonably priced and there’s a coffee shop for parents to watch over the little ones.

12 minutes from Craig Tara

Seaside towns are well-known for their family-friendly theme parks and Ayr is no exception. Pirate Pete’s has a range of indoor activities to turn those disappointingly damp beach days into fun-filled experiences. There’s a soft play area, giant bumpy slides, Laser Quest, mini golf, and a US-styled diner at which to replace some of those burned calories. 

Housed in Ayr Pavilion, there are seasonal rides, amusements, and lots of pirate-themed artwork. It’s a fun, loud and colourful environment and the kids will love it. Dogs are better off on the nearby beach, however, where they can stroll to their heart’s content.

21 minutes from Craig Tara

A short drive south of Haven’s Craig Tara Holiday Park is one of Scotland’s most celebrated castles, set in exquisite gardens with a fantastic view of the Firth. One of the National Trust for Scotland’s most popular attractions, the castle is renowned for its splendour and scale, and dates to the late 18th century. 

Used as a location in film and TV shows, the Robert Adam-designed castle has an extraordinary interior too, with 10 large rooms open to the public.  

The seaside country park offers plenty to do too, with woods, beaches, a walled garden and several play parks. There’s a home farm kitchen and shop, a cafe, and even a second-hand bookshop on site.

24 minutes from Craig Tara

Another child-friendly option is a visit to those odd, woolly animals, the Hannahston Alpacas. Situated in Drongan, ten miles east of Craig Tara and a couple of miles from Ayr, the Hannahston Farm is a great place to introduce your little ones to these amusing, placid South American relatives of the llama. 

Farmer Angela is on hand to answer any question you can throw at her as your little ones pet the baby alpacas and learn how to walk them, as well as discovering the many uses of alpaca fur. Look out for “bad boy” alpaca named after Scottish celebrity Lewis Capaldi.

25 minutes from Craig Tara

Steam train fans of all ages will find much to enjoy at this volunteer-run narrow-gauge railway, which runs on selected dates in the summer (check the website for up-to-date information). Once an industrial railway, the site includes historic rolling stock and a railway museum. Situated 25 minutes’ drive southeast from Craig Tara Holiday Park at Dunaskin Bridge, the railway track is a little over a mile long and runs through lush and scenic countryside.  

There’s a signal box café and gift shop for souvenirs, plus several country walks nearby, such as the tumbling Dalcairney Falls which are a ten-minute drive away.

25 minutes from Craig Tara

Another important stop on the Robert Burns tour is the Bachelors’ Club, a National Trust restored social venue where the poet and his friends danced, debated, and recited their poetry. The 17th-century building is a thatched and whitewashed two-storey club giving fascinating insights into male camaraderie during the era. 

The custodians are friendly and well-informed, but make sure you check opening times before you visit.