Why go
- Administrative centre and town in Scotland.
- Served by Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK).
History
Ayr is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. A former royal burgh, today it is the administrative centre of South Ayrshire Council, and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population of 46,182 in 2022, Ayr is the 15th largest settlement in Scotland and second largest town in Ayrshire by population. The town is contiguous with the smaller town of Prestwick to the north. Ayr submitted unsuccessful bids for city status in 2000 and 2002, and as part of the wider South Ayrshire area in 2022.
Where to stay
5 Racecourse Rd, Ayr KA7 2DG, United Kingdom · savoy5.co.uk
16 Racecourse Rd, Ayrshire, Ayr KA7 2UT, United Kingdom · savoypark.com
8 Barns Cres, Ayr KA7 2BW, United Kingdom · barns-sa.com
21 Wellington Square, Ayr KA7 1EZ, United Kingdom · hauss.co.uk
36 Miller Rd, Ayr KA7 2AY, United Kingdom · millerhouseayr.co.uk
The Knowe, Auchincruive, estate, Ayr KA6 5HS, United Kingdom · retreatattheknowe.com
36 Park Circus, Ayr KA7 2DL, United Kingdom · thetownhouseayr.co.uk
52 Racecourse Rd, Ayr KA7 2UZ, United Kingdom · chestnutshotel.com
14 Corsehill Rd, Ayr KA7 2ST, United Kingdom · abbotsfordhotel.co.uk
11 Miller Rd, Ayr KA7 2AX, United Kingdom · donnini.co.uk
66 Craigie Rd, Ayr KA8 0HA, United Kingdom · westernhousehotel.co.uk
187 Ayr Rd, Prestwick KA9 1TP, United Kingdom · carlton-prestwick.com
12 Fairfield Rd, Ayr KA7 2AS, United Kingdom · fairfieldhotel.co.uk
1 Killoch Pl, Ayr KA7 2EA, United Kingdom · ayrshireandgalloway.co.uk
Wheatpark Pl, Ayr KA8 9RT, United Kingdom · premierinn.com
1 Highfield Dr, Ayr KA8 9SH, United Kingdom · travelodge.co.uk
Dalblair Rd, Ayr KA7 1UG, United Kingdom · all.accor.com
Baird Rd, Monkton, Prestwick KA9 2SQ, United Kingdom · britanniahotels.com
Esplanade, Ayr KA7 1DT, United Kingdom
39 Prestwick Rd, Ayr KA8 8LE, United Kingdom · ayrguesthouse.com
13 Queen's Terrace, Ayr KA7 1DU, United Kingdom
Indoor
Indoor
143 Main St, Prestwick KA9 1LA, United Kingdom · deirahotel.com
23 Eglinton Terrace, Ayr KA7 1JJ, United Kingdom
Restaurants & places to go
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:30-18:00 Features: takeaway · 1 Liberator Drive, Ayr, KA8 9BF · storelocator.asda.com
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 00:00-24:00 Features: takeaway · Ayr, KA8 0JE · mcdonalds.com
Pizza, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 17 Allison Street, Ayr, KA8 8HD · dominos.co.uk
Sandwich, Bakery, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 239 High Street, Ayr, KA7 1RB · greggs.co.uk
Chicken, Fast Food · Features: takeaway, step-free access · 2 Liberator Drive, Ayr, KA8 9BF · kfc.co.uk
Indian, Restaurant · Features: takeaway, step-free access · 1A Alloway Place, Ayr, KA7 2AA · ayrindia.com
Chinese, Restaurant · Chinese restaurant · 41 S Harbour St, Ayr, KA7 2AX · lychees-ayr.co.uk
Italian, Restaurant · Italian restaurant · 72 Fort Street, Ayr, KA7 1EH · cecchinis.com
Greek, Restaurant · Features: step-free access · 8 Fullarton Street · facebook.com
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Fish And Chips fast food · 157 Whitletts Road · michaelssuperchippy.com
Thai, Restaurant · Thai restaurant · 93 New Road · athomethaiayr.co.uk
Regional, Coffee Shop, Burger, Breakfast, Restaurant · Regional/Coffee Shop restaurant · 10 Alloway Street, Ayr, KA7 1SH
Kebab, Fast Food · Kebab fast food
Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 62 Main Street, Ayr, KA8 8EF · taza-ayr.co.uk
Restaurant · Features: takeaway · 26A Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1HH · therupeeroom.com
Cafe · cafe · 32 New Bridge Street, Ayr, KA7 1JX · pandoracoffeehouse.co.uk
Ice Cream · ice cream · 98 Sandgate, Ayr, KA7 1BX · renaldosayr.co.uk
Prestwick airport hotels · manorparklodge.com
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 07:30-18:00; Su 09:00-17:30 Features: takeaway · 245 High Street, Ayr, KA7 1RB · caffenero.com
Burger, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 158-160 High Street, Ayr, KA7 1PZ · locations.burgerking.co.uk
Pizza, Fast Food · Pizza fast food · 159 Whitletts Road · order.loyaltyplant.com
Sandwich, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 12 Carrick Street, Ayr, KA7 1NS · restaurants.subway.com
Indian, Restaurant · Features: takeaway · 1A Alloway Place, Ayr, KA7 2AA · ayrindia.com
Chinese, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th 16:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 16:00-23:00; Su 16:00-22:00 Features: delivery · 23 South Harbour Street, Ayr, KA7 1JA
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-23:00 Features: takeaway · 100-102 Sandgate, Ayr, KA7 1BX
Kebab, Fast Food · Kebab fast food · 56 Alloway Street, Ayr, KA7 1SH
Fast Food · fast food · 40 Carrick Street, Ayr, KA7 1NS · hotwoknoodlebar-ka7.co.uk
Restaurant · restaurant · 8 Dunure Road, Ayr, KA7 4HR · balgarthpines.co.uk
Cafe · cafe · stagedoorcafe.co.uk
Ice Cream · ice cream · 94 Sandgate, Ayr, KA7 1BX
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Features: outdoor seating, takeaway · 14 Liberator Drive, Ayr, KA8 9BF · costa.co.uk
Pizza, Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Pizza/Fish And Chips fast food · 5 Burns Statue Square, Ayr, KA7 1SU
Sandwich, Coffee Shop, Ice Cream, Cake, Tea, Soup, Bakery, Cafe · Features: outdoor seating · facebook.com
Indian, Arab, Restaurant · Indian/Arab restaurant · 47 Burns Statue Square, Ayr, KA7 1SZ · thecoconutbunch.com
Chinese, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 131 Main Street, Ayr
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 16:00-23:00
Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-14:30 Features: takeaway · 2 Prestwick Road, Ayr, KA8 8LA
Restaurant · restaurant · 67-69 Sandgate, Ayr, KA7 1BZ · thetreehouse-ayr.co.uk
Cafe · cafe · 32 Newmarket Street · narture.co.uk
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Features: takeaway, step-free access · 125 Ayr Road, Prestwick, KA9 1TW · starbucks.com
Pizza, Coffee Shop, Burger, Fast Food · Pizza/Coffee Shop fast food · 36 Alloway Street, Ayr, KA7 1SH
Sandwich, Fast Food · Sandwich fast food · 10 Galloway Avenue, Ayr
Indian, Fast Food · Features: delivery · 26 Smith Street, Ayr, KA7 1TF
Chinese, Fast Food · Chinese fast food · 163 Whitletts Road, Ayr, KA8 0JQ
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 91 Main Street, Ayr, KA8 8BU
103 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) 3.4 mi to the centre
Prestwick, South Ayrshire, SCT, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 1 airline (Ryanair) · direct flights to 21 destinations incl. Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Carcassonne, Dublin… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Edinburgh (62 mi) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 21 direct destinations
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 21 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Carcassonne, Dublin, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Kerkyra/corfu, Londonderry, Malaga, Malta, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Reus, Riga, Rome, Tenerife, Warsaw, Wroclaw
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
New Grimmet Farm Airstrip 7 mi to the centre
Maybole, South Ayrshire, SCT, GB
Kilkerran UL 11 mi to the centre
Kilkerran (Ayrshire), SCT, GB
Getting there by ferry
Troon Ferry Terminal
Ferry terminal · 6.3 mi from the centre · Caledonian MacBrayne
Troon - Brodick
Ferry route · Caledonian MacBrayne
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: PIK has direct flights to 21 destinations on 1 airline (incl. Alicante, Arrecife, Barcelona, Carcassonne, Dublin…). By water: 1 ferry terminal within 12 mi (nearest: Troon Ferry Terminal, 6.3 mi); routes include Troon - Brodick.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Ayr, Scotland. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
Broker, marketplace · Operator network worldwide · Online charter marketplace, part of Directional Aviation; instant quotes.
Marketplace · Operator network · Transparent on-demand jet charter marketplace showing the operator and tail.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.