St. Andrew’s House is perfectly situated to discover scenic, historic Ayrshire, Arran and the Southern Hebrides. The area has a vast, exciting heritage, history and archaeology to explore. It's also a great location for walking, cycling, sea kayaking, wind surfing, sailing and golf.

Take a ferry from Troon to visit the beautiful Isle of Arran with it’s Lagg distillery, historic castles and near Blackwaterfoot is the King's Cave, where Robert the Bruce is said to have taken shelter in the 14th century. Boat trips are also available to visit Ailsa Craig, the now uninhabited island where microgranite has long been quarried to make curling stones which are sent worldwide. The island is owned by David Kennedy, 9th Marquess of Ailsa and is leased by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds until 2050.

Ayrshire is also renowned as a golfing destination and is well served by a variety of courses.With three Open Championship courses within a short drive and many more quality links and parkland courses to choose from, St. Andrew’s House is a perfect base for a golfing holiday in Ayrshire

Alloway is best known as the birthplace of Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), Scotland's national poet. The Robert Burns Birthplace Museum houses collections relating to the life of Burns and sits adjacent to the famous Burns Cottage where he was born and spent the early years of his life.

The museum houses more than 5,000 Burns related artefacts, including original written manuscripts, letters, the pistol he carried while an exciseman and a lock of his hair.

The museum starts a journey that goes through the village, taking you from historical buildings and landmarks known to Burns. He set much of Tam O’Shanter here and you can follow in Tam’s footsteps to the atmospheric Alloway Auld Kirk and over the Brig o’ Doon.

Culzean Castle is the former home of the 10th Earl of Cassillis, David Kennedy, the chief of Clan Kennedy. The clifftop castle lies within the Culzean Castle Country Park and is open to the public.

The architect Robert Adam was commissioned to rebuild a previous structure into a fine country house and the castle was built in stages between 1777 and 1792. It contains a large drum tower with a circular saloon inside (overlooking the Firth of Clyde), a magnificent oval staircase and a suite of apartments.

In 1945, the Kennedy family gave the castle and grounds to the National Trust for Scotland with the caveat that the apartment at the top of the castle be given to General Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. Eisenhower first visited Culzean Castle in 1946 and stayed four times including once as President of the United States.

Dumfries House was designed and built between 1754 and 1759 by Scottish architects John and Robert Adam for William Dalrymple-Crichton, 5th Earl of Dumfries. The Earl chose the finest furniture from the workshop of Thomas Chippendale creating one of the most admired interiors of the Scottish Enlightenment.

In 1814, Dumfries House passed to John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute, and the property remained in the family until 2007 when, with the accumulation of large debts from death duties, it was decided that the house and contents would be auctioned separately.

A consortium led by HRH The Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) succeeded in purchasing the house and contents and saved Dumfries House and one of the most important collections of Georgian Scottish and English furniture for the nation.

Dunure Castle is located about five miles south of Ayr and stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the small harbour and village of Dunure. The site dates from the late 13th century - there are land records dating from 1256 - but the remains of the building are from the 15th and 16th century.

The Kennedys of Carrick, who once ruled over much of south west Scotland, were granted the lands in 1357 and 1563, Mary Queen of Scots, visited the castle for three days during a tour of the country.

Scenes for the TV series Outlander were filmed around the castle and harbour and be sure to visit the Harbourside, a welcoming and dog-friendly vibrant cafe, located in the heart of the village.

Enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle in Ayrshire. Go sea kayaking, kite surfing, sailing, wind surfing, fishing, play golf or get on your bike. Just grab a pair of boots or a wet suit and get outside.

The National Cycle Path, Route 7 runs across the entrance to Prestwick Holiday Park. Experienced cyclists should make use of the undulating tarmac of the Ayrshire countryside, following the route laid out by British Road Cycling in 2016.

From spectacular coastlines with miles of sandy beaches to beautiful countryside, bustling towns to sleepy villages, this stunning area provides endless opportunities for adventure or just to escape and unwind.