Situated on the east side of the island of Arran in North Ayrshire, and facing onto the Firth of Clyde, Brodick is the main port of entry for travellers to and from the mainland at Ardrossan. There are also seasonal ferries to Rothesay on the Island of Bute. Visitor began to arrive in large numbers after an elegant iron pier was built here in 1872. However, it was not until 1933 that electric power arrived.
Today, the village benefits from a library, a primary school and a high School, a tourist information centre and numerous hotels and guest houses catering for visitors. Nearby are the Arran Heritage Museum and Brodick Castle (13th-century), a seat of the Dukes of Hamilton, which is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
The village was once known as Invercloy.