Strathaven is an ideal base for exploring the nearby places of interest.

Calderglen Country Park is situated on the outskirts of East Kilbride and has nature trails, an ornamental garden and conservatory, a children's zoo, a play area, a cafe and a visitor centre complete with audio-visual room, souvenir shop and the 'Hidden Worlds' wildlife experience.

The James Hamilton Park is also in East Kilbride and has a loch and bird sanctuary. The facilities include bumper boats, canoeing, play areas, kayaking and windsurfing.

A few miles from Hamilton is the 500 acre Chatlerhault Country Park with superb views, a visitor centre, café and adventure play area.

Strathclyde Country Park rests between Hamilton and Motherwell and provides facilities for boating and watersports as well as playparks and loch-side walks.

Loudon Castle Theme Park is located in Galston, Ayrshire, is set in 500acres of parkland with a castle as a backdrop. It offers theme park rides and live shows to cater for all ages.

M & D's Theme Park can be found in Strathclyde Country Park and hosts rides and attractions, an indoor family complex, and 'Amazonia', an indoor tropical rainforest.

Craignethan Castle in Lanarkshire was built in 1530 and provided a shelter for Mary Queen of Scots in 1568 when she was fleeing from Loch Leven. Local rumour has it that she lost her ring somewhere near a group of trees in the grounds. The ring was never found despite the searching of many generations of local children. Craignethan Castle is thought to be the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott's 'Tillietudlem Castle' in his book 'Old Mortality'.

Bothwell Castle is a medieval castle built above the River Clyde. Building began in the late 13th Century, but the original plans never saw completion, due to repeated invasions, and it took until the 15th Century for the design of today's castle to be realised.

Lanark was the location for the first meeting of the Scots Parliament in 978, and several hundred years later was the residence of William Wallace of 'Braveheart' fame. A monument marks the spot where his house is reputed to have stood. It is also believed that he was married in St Kentigern's church in Lanark.

A short distance from the main shopping area of the town is New Lanark, a village built in 1785 by David Dale on the banks of the River Clyde. The management of the cotton mills were later taken over by his son-in-law, Robert Owen, whose ideas in social welfare, education, and co-operative shopping led to New Lanark being a successful experiment resulting in a social revolution. New Lanark has been carefully restored into a thriving village with varied attractions for the visitor.