Gateway to the National Park
Dunoon came to prominence in the 19th century when paddle steamers offered easy access to visitors from Glasgow. Today the Waverley, the last ocean going paddle steamer, still cruises to Dunoon and Rothesay out of Glasgow, but visitors and commuters can also take advantage of the excellent transport connections with Glasgow by boat and bus, rail or car.

Dunoon, the second largest town in Argyll and Bute, has two ferry services operating from Gourock (25 miles south of Glasgow) and is only an hour from Glasgow airport.

Dunoon is the main settlement and shopping centre for the Cowal peninsula., and was for many years home to US navy personnel. Since the closure of the Holy Loch base in the 1990s, the town has seen something of a rebirth. Advances in information and communications technology have seen new employment opportunities in call centres, database management and related industries now firmly established. Also in Dunoon is the factory, Dunoon Ceramics which exports porcelain throughout the world.

The Riverside Health and Swim leisure complex offers swimming, a fitness suite, steam room and a relaxing café selling delicious and healthy food, whilst only 5 miles to the north of the town, the Benmore Botanical Gardens is recognised as one of the premier gardens in Scotland.