Places to visit

Irvine Bay has a rich history and culture with plenty of opportunity for getting out to explore it for yourself.

The town centres themeselves are great places to start you discovery of the Irvine Bay area. The five main towns of Irvine, Kilwinning, Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan all have current regeneration projects taking place in their town centres. If you've been before, we think you'll notice a difference!

As well as the historic and culture places mentioned below, this area of North Ayshire is famed for its beaches as well as the excellent food and drink.

Historic sites

Kilwinning Abbey was once one of Scotland's most impressive Abbeys and dates from the 12th Century.

Ardrossan Castle located on a hill above the town was captured by William Wallace from the English during the Scottish Wars of Independence. It is currently unsafe to explore.

Museums

A number of local museums tell the history of the area, from shipbuilding to Robert Burns.

The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine is the ideal place to find out about maritime history in Scotland, and learn about the people
that built and sailed Scottish ships around the world. The collection of floating vessels, including Spartan, Scotland’s last Scottish-built puffer, the harbour tug Garnock, and Carola, a steam yacht
built in 1898.

The Vennel Local and Family History Centre in Irvine has collections relating to Ayrshire and Scotland including books, pamphlets, directories, maps, postcards, photographs, newspapers and an extensive archive collection. There is also an extensive genealogy section for those wishing to trace their Ayrshire ancestry

Explore the life of Robert Burns by visiting the Vennel Gallery and Heckling Shed in Irvine, which houses many rare Burns manuscripts.