East Kilbride destination guide

Established back in 1947 as one of Scotland’s New Towns, modern day East Kilbride has grown into a prosperous, cosmopolitan town – in fact one of Scotland’s largest. Situated around 7 miles from Glasgow City Centre and around 3 miles from Hampden Park, home of Scottish Football, East Kilbride is a superb alternative to the buzz of Glasgow for a short break in Scotland. There are plenty of things to in and around East Kilbride; from outdoor pursuits such as cycling, walking and golf to sightseeing, theme park visits and of course shopping in one of Scotland’s premier indoor malls! You’ll never need to leave; East Kilbride really has it all.

Things to do in and around East Kilbride
There are lots of things to see and do in East Kilbride; visit the East Kilbride Shopping Centre, one of Scotland’s largest indoor malls with over 250 stores, stroll the cobbled streets of the attractive old village or there’s Calderglen Country Park with its nature walks and children’s adventure playground. There’s also golf, ten pin bowling, a multi screen cinema, an ice rink for you to enjoy as well as the impressive Dollan Aqua Centre. For something a little different you could take in the sights, smells and sounds of a 1950s working farm, complete with dairy cows and sheep at the National Museum of Rural Life or explore Hunter House, the 18th century home of two famous medical pioneers, John and William Hunter. Scotland’s largest theme park, M&D’s, with over 40 rides and attractions including ‘Amazonia’, Scotland’s only indoor rainforest attraction is definitely worth a visit too. If you are looking for Hampden Park hotels East Kilbride is a good place to base yourself if you are attending a concert at Hampden Park, taking a tour of the Scottish Football Museum or watching one of Glasgow’s football teams do ‘battle’ on the pitch. James Hamilton Heritage Park in East Kilbride and Strathclyde Country Park in neighbouring Hamilton, are perfect for family picnics, nature walks or indeed some watersports, with the larger Strathclyde Country Park having a wider choice. Thanks to East Kilbride’s close proximity to Glasgow city centre, the list of activities and must sees are endless. Spend the afternoon at the fascinating Kelvingrove Art Gallery, one of the UK’s most visited attractions, the Glasgow Science Centre with its array of interactive exhibits and the 127m Glasgow Tower for unrivalled views of the city or maybe take advantage of some of Glasgow’s great shopping! With its easy connections to the main motorway network East Kilbride is well placed to explore Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and further afield.

Evenings out in East Kilbride
Evenings can be as relaxed or as lively as you wish in East Kilbride with something to suit all tastes. There are a number of bars around the main centre of the town, as well as in the quaint original village. Around the town you’ll also find ten pin bowling venues, a cinema and a number of restaurants ranging from family friendly eateries such as Brewers Fayre and soon Frankie & Benny’s to fine dining in the likes of Peter’s Seafood Restaurant and the new French Mediterranean La Bonne Auberge Bistro, East Kilbride Village Theatre offers an alternative evening out, showcasing the best in talent from the local area and beyond. Of course with East Kilbride’s close proximity to Glasgow, the opportunities for an evening out are endless.

Shopping in East Kilbride
Among its list of attractions East Kilbride can boast that it has one of the largest indoor shopping malls in Europe – the East Kilbride Shopping Centre. Just watch while that wallet takes a pounding in one of over 250 stores, including big names such as Debenhams, Next, Marks & Spencer & Zara! East Kilbride Village, the original heart of the town, offers a different style of shopping with a range of independent boutiques and stores. Glasgow, second only to London in terms of its acclaim as a retail paradise, is around 7 miles from East Kilbride, making this an ideal location for a shopping break in Scotland.

Football & concerts in East Kilbride
East Kilbride’s close proximity to Hampden Park Glasgow (3 miles), the Carling Academy (5 miles) as well as the SECC and Clyde Auditorium makes it the ideal location to enjoy the many concerts in Glasgow on offer each year. Concerts at Hampden Park have included the likes of George Michael, Rod Stewart and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers in 2007. The SECC and Clyde Auditorium are renowned venues and attract further international musicians to hold concerts in Glasgow.

East Kilbride is well placed for fans attending EURO 2008 qualifiers at Hampden Park or indeed domestic matches at Celtic Park (Celtic Football Club) or Ibrox (Rangers Football Club).

Fascinating fact
East Kilbride was home to John & William Hunter two 18th century medical professionals who found fame and fortune, their reward for discoveries that still affect modern surgery and anatomy today!