Our favourite Ayrshire beaches

We know that glimpses of the sun can feel pretty rare around here but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a day at the beach anyway. Even when it’s a bit cold and windy you can wrap up warm and enjoy a walk or a game of football with the kids. Plus it means that you can reward yourself with a slap up lunch and a drink when you need to come inside to warm up!

Ayrshire has 65 miles of coastline to explore so we could spend all day telling you about the beaches. Luckily we have lots of favourites that aren’t too far away, plus one or two where it’s worth travelling a bit further.

Seamill Beach
This lovely beach runs all the way from just north of Ardrossan to the West Kilbride golf course. It’s a great place for a family day out building sandcastles or just a walk with the dog. As you may already know, the village of Seamill also has one of our favourite places to eat, the Seamill Hydro Hotel. There are lots of places to choose from for a warming cup of coffee too.

Saltcoats
If you’re looking for a great family day out, Saltcoats is the perfect beach. It’s a lovely wide beach with fine sand so there’s plenty of space for the kids to run around and enjoy themselves. If you want to get off the beach the promenade lets you stretch your legs and takes you along to the harbour which has children’s rides outside as well as an indoor play area, cinema and somewhere to have a rest and a bite to eat.

Largs
We know, you’ve probably had enough of us going on about Largs, but the beach is worth a mention. It’s mainly shingle so best for those days when you want to get active and play a few games. There’s also plenty to do when you’ve had enough of the beach so you can make it part of a family day out.

Classic beaches
For a classic beach holiday, we’d be hard pressed to choose between Irvine, Troon and Prestwick. They all have lovely sand and grassland alongside entertainment for the kids. Irvine Beach is very easy to get to with masses of car parking and it’s only half a mile from the train station if you don’t feel like driving. The Ship Inn in Irvine comes highly recommended if you want a pub meal while you’re there.

Further afield
If you fancy travelling a bit further, we reckon that Ayr beach is the best in Scotland. The main beach, grassland and promenade are always packed when it gets hot – sometimes it’s even hotter than Spain, so keep your fingers crossed for this summer! If you need some extra entertainment for the kids there’s also Pirate Pete’s play area which has indoor and outdoor sections.

If you’ve ventured out for a day exploring around Culzean Castle, there are two great beaches to visit too. Maidens beach runs south of the castle and the village itself has a harbour as well as Wildings Hotel which is great for meals. You might also spot the local riding school trekking along the beach whilst you’re there. Croy beach is on the other side of the castle and has some beautiful views. It gets busier the closer you are to the castle. There aren’t any shops around this beach so take a picnic – if you’re really well prepared, portable barbecues are a popular choice too.
Have we missed your favourite spot? Let us know in the comments and here’s to a great summer!