How long for a proper Scotland road trip?
The million dollar question ‘how many days to we need to see the best of Scotland with kids?’. The first thing you’ve got to realise is that it take longer than you think. It not just because the Scots love to chat, or that you might get stuck with the locals in a pub somewhere off the beaten track but that some of the roads are single carriageway and twist and turn through wonderful scenic mountainsides. Distances can be deceptive.
Ideally fourteen days would give you enough time to visit the must-sees in Scotland and also allow you to explore Edinburgh properly and to incorporate the northern Highlands and Glasgow. Only seven days means that we would probably omit the Isle of Skye; so to find the right balance lets opt for a 10 day road trip for your first visit to Scotland and then you can come back and explore the rest, and fill in the gaps with many more whisky distilleries.
Best time to visit Scotland?
In Scotland you can easily experience four seasons in one day. The weather is very temperamental, so as long as you dress in layers you should be ok. A very popular saying there is ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices!’. Over a 7 day period you should expect at least half of them to be wet.
You can easily fall in love with Scotland any time of the year. Spring and Autumn can be pleasant, and some say the best times to visit Scotland as there are less tourists and the weather is decent (6°C-15°C / 43°F-59°F). Spring sees everything coming back to life and Autumn sees the incredible different colours on the landscape. The best time to visit the Scottish Highlands is from June to August, summer temperatures are best that far north. But don’t expect anything above 17°C / 63°F on average for the summer months. However, summer sees the arrival of tourists in their droves.
How to get around
If you are taking our advice and following our recommended 10 day Scottish itinerary then its best to rent a car. Having access to a car gives you flexibility and the freedom to come and go as you please, not to be restricted to train and bus timetables and allows to you get off the beaten track (and to stay that little bit longer at the pub with the impromptu musical interlude!). If you decide to stay in cities like Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow then a car is not required and you can choose to take train journeys to each city instead.
What does the classic Scotland itinerary look like?
Although Scotland can be explored equally well in a loop west to east, we are going to present the east to west option. But feel free to flip this around if you want to get to the Isle of Skye as soon as possible. This itinerary covers all the famous places that come to mind when you think of Scotland.
We are presuming that you are arriving in Edinburgh early on day one and departing late on day ten, giving you full days.
Day 1 – Edinburgh
Day 2 – Edinburgh
Day 3 – Cairngorms via Pitlochry
Day 4 – Pitlochry
Day 5 – Inverness
Day 6 – Inverness
Day 7 – Isle of Skye
Day 8 – Isle of Skye
Day 9 – Loch Lomond and the Trossachs via Glencoe
Day 10 – Loch Lomond to Edinburgh or Glasgow
Lets break each of these down and look at things to see and do, as well as the best hotels in each location.
Edinburgh
Things to see in Edinburgh
While in Edinburgh there is a lot to do for families and for kids thankfully. Top of the must-see lists are: Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace, National Gallery. Greyfriars Kirkyard, Dean Villa, Arthurs Seat and Camera Obscura.
Things to do in Edinburgh for kids
- Spend half a day touring Edinburgh and the Castle with a local
- Take the Harry Potter Magical Guided Walking Tour
- Visit Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions
- Take an evening Ghost Tour in Edinburgh’s Old Town
Best Hotels in Edinburgh
- The Caledonian, Waldorf Astoria
- The Balmoral
- The Scotsman
- The Glasshouse
- The Witchery by the Castle
- Cheval The Edinburgh Grand
Cairngorms (and Pitlochry)
Things to see in the Cairngorms
What makes the Cairngorms so unique is that, not only is there lots of wide, wild, open space but there are also some amazing attractions to visit – Pitlochry Dam and Salmon Ladder, Edradour Distillery, House of Bruar, Blair Castle and Gardens, Highland Chocolatier, Atholl Palace.
Things to do in and around the Cairngorms for kids
- Visit Stirling Castle on the way
- Experience the thrill of White Water Rafting
- Take part in the Reindeer Run in Aviemore
- Watch Leault Sheepdogs at work in Kingussie
- Take a hike or bike in the Cairngorm Mountains
- Visit the Highland Wildlife Park
Best Hotels in the Cairngorms area
- Visit Stirling Castle on the way
- Gleneagles (its on the way!)
- Fonab Castle
- Killiehuntly
- The Old Manse of Blair
- Saorse 1875 (vegan option)
- Killicrankie House Hotel
Inverness
Things to see in Inverness
The scope of things to see and do in the Highland capital of Inverness will amaze and delight. From the Bronze Age to the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 this part of the world is raw and wild. While in the city itself you should visit Inverness Castle and Inverness Cathedral and if you are heading out put the following on your list – Culloden battlefield, Loch Ness, Caledonian Canal, Urquhart Castle, Fort William, Fort Augustine, Clava Cairn.
Things to do in and around Inverness for kids
- Visit the Loch Ness Monster
- Take a Boat Cruise on Loch Ness
- Ride on the Hogwarts Express (Jacobite Steam Train)
- Visit Urquhart Castle
Best Hotels in and around Inverness
- Rocpool Reserve Hotel
- Culloden House Hotel
- Glen Mohr Hotel
- Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel
- Kingsmills Hotel
Isle of Skye
Things to see in and around the Isle of Skye
The drive into the Isle of Skye is incredible. This is a mystical, magical part of the world filled with culture, history, myths, legends and fairy stories. In this area you will find lots of activities such as hiking, biking, rock climbing, water sports and incredible encounters with wildlife, such as puffins, red deer and dolphins. Things to see include Eilean Donan Castle, Portree, Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, Kilt Rock, Invergarry Castle, Dunvegan Castle, the Fairy Pools, Lochalsh and the Sleat Peninsula.
Things to do in and around the Isle of Skye for kids
- Visit Eilean Donan Castle on the way to the Isle of Skye
- Go to the Skye Highland Games (1st week of August)
- Swim in the Fairly Pools
- Walk up the Old Man of Storr
- Explore Dunvegan Castle
- Eat ice cream or fish & chips in Portree
Best Hotels in the Isle of Skye area
On the Isle
- Kinloch Lodge
- Cuillin Hills Hotel
- Greshornish House Hotel
- The Three Chimneys
- Skeabost House Hotel
- Duisdale House Hotel
On the mainland
- Isle of Eriska
- Inverlochy
- Glencoe House
- Glenfinnan House
- Corriegour Lodge
- Arisaig House
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
Things to see in and around Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is part of the Trossachs National Park. Famous for a reason, the scenery is stunning. From the Arrochar Alps to Ben Lomond to the Falls of Dochart, its all picture postcard perfect. Must sees in this area include – the Three Sisters in Glencoe, Falls of Falloch, the village of Luss, and a pint (Like Rob Roy MacGregor did) at to the Drovers Inn (1705).
Things to do in and around Loch Lomond for kids
- Take a paddleboard out on Loch Lomond in Luss
- Hire a kayak for a few hours
- Take a cruise of Loch Lomond
- Visit Stirling Castle (if you didn’t do it at the beginning of your vacation)
Best Hotels in the Loch Lomond area
- Cameron House
- Lodge on Loch Lomond
Being Scottish I believe we are in the best position to speak about, to advise you and help you to plan a memorable vacation to Scotland. We hope this itinerary example give you a better idea of where to go in Scotland but if you need more then let us help you by taking advantage of our vacation consulting or itinerary development services. Working to your budget we’ll discuss the best locations, present you with the best family accommodations, family focused tours/excursion/activities and work out the logistics for you.
So if you are planning a vacation to Scotland soon and you need some help then just drop us a line and we’ll set up a time to call you and let you know how we might help.