Further along the harbour road from the maritime museum, make sure to drop into this wonderful pub. It's the oldest in Irvine (built in 1597, licensed in 1754), serves tasty bar meals and has bucket loads of character.
Ship Inn
Southern Scotland
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.93 MILES
Glasgow Cathedral has a rare timelessness. The dark, imposing interior conjures up medieval might and can send a shiver down the spine. It's a shining…
-
17.98 MILES
The Scottish National Trust's flagship property, magnificent Culzean (kull-ane) is one of the most impressive of Scotland's stately homes. On approach the…
23.16 MILES
This visually impressive modern museum at Glasgow Harbour owes its striking curved forms to late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. A transport museum…
24 MILES
Attached to the Hunterian Art Gallery, this is a reconstruction of the first home that Charles Rennie Mackintosh bought with his wife, noted designer…
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
23.74 MILES
A magnificent sandstone building, this grand Victorian cathedral of culture is a fascinating and unusual museum, with a bewildering variety of exhibits…
19.38 MILES
Paisley Abbey is well worth the short trip from Glasgow. This majestic Gothic building was founded in 1163 by Walter Fitzalan, first high steward of…
23.13 MILES
This brilliant science museum will keep the kids entertained for hours (that's middle-aged kids, too!). It brings science and technology alive through…
24.3 MILES
In 2018, Charles Rennie Mackintosh's greatest building was gearing up for reopening after a devastating 2014 fire when, unbelievably, another blaze…
Nearby Southern Scotland attractions
0.37 MILES
Boat lovers should check out Irvine's Scottish Maritime Museum. In the massive Linthouse Engine Shop – an old hangar with a cast-iron framework – is an…
4.08 MILES
Dundonald Castle commands impressive views and, in its main hall, has one of the finest barrel-vaulted ceilings preserved in Scotland. It was the first…
8.19 MILES
In Kilmarnock, a 15-minute walk from bus and train stations, this castle, restored in the 20th century, has a virtually windowless keep (dating from 1350)…
10.15 MILES
Several of Burns' poems are set here in Ayr; in Twa Brigs, Ayr's old and new bridges argue with one another. The Auld Brig was built in 1491 and spans the…
10.16 MILES
This is the only remnant of the church that hosted a parliament in 1315, the year after the celebrated victory at the battle of Bannockburn. John Knox’…
10.28 MILES
Robert Burns was baptised in the Auld Kirk. The atmospheric cemetery here overlooks the river and is good for a stroll, offering an escape from the bustle…
12.59 MILES
Near the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum are the ruins of the kirk, the setting for part of Burns' verse tale 'Tam o' Shanter'. Burns' father, William, is…
8. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
12.64 MILES
This impressive museum has collected a solid range of Burns memorabilia, including manuscripts and possessions of the poet, like the pistols he packed for…