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Practicalities
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Ayr is the nearest large town to
Glasgow Prestwick airport
(
), which lies three miles north and has regular transport to Ayr and Glasgow. Ayr
train
station is ten minutes' walk southeast of the town centre; the
bus
station is in the centre at the foot of Sandgate; nearby is the
tourist office
, at 22 Sandgate (July & Aug Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Oct-June Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; tel 01292/290300), which can help with
accommodation
. Of the numerous choices on Queen's Terrace, head for
Craggallan
(tel 01292/264998,
; A?40-50), a friendly little guest house with a dining table that converts into a billiards table, or opt for the
Horizon Hotel
(tel 01292/264384,
; A?60-70), a purpose-built modern hotel nearby on the seafront. The best-value luxury option is the
Savoy Park Hotel
(tel 01292/266112,
; A?70-90), a splendid red sandstone Scots Baronial building on 16 Racecourse Rd. Ayr's SYHA
hostel
(tel 01292/262322,
; March-Oct) also occupies a Scots Baronial mansion, at 5 Craigweil Rd off Racecourse Road. Campers should head for the
Heads of Ayr
caravan and
campsite
(tel 01292/442269; March-Nov), three miles south of town along the A719.
Arguably the town's best
restaurant
is
Fouters
, 2a Academy St, a cellar bistro off Sandgate (tel 01292/261391,
; closed Sun & Mon). For filling and inexpensive Scottish staples, try the
Stables
coffee house, tucked away in the Queen's Court Centre, on the corner of Sandgate and Newmarket Street. The
Rupee Room
, a popular, eye-catching Indian restaurant, on the eastern side of Wellington Square; the same family also run the snackier and even more designer
Pakora Bar
, 56-58 Sandgate. A mixed crowd packs out the
West Kirk
, a
pub
in a converted church on Sandgate, but the most historic pub in town is the thatched
Tam o' Shanter
, on the High Street, whose ancient walls sport quotes from Robert Burns. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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United Kingdom,
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