The Ultimate Scotland Road Trip
Updated: 7 hours ago
I was raised by two people who loved to travel. Back when I was a child, my family would go on the most spontaneous road trips every other weekend. I may not remember too much of those trips, but it’s safe to say the travel bug has certainly made its way down a generation.
Scotland is a gorgeous, gorgeous country. Its mountains, villages and national parks bring to it a sense of charm and mystique like no other - it’s no wonder that so many fantasy movies and series have found their ideal setting here. When I moved to Edinburgh, I was excited to unveil everything the country had to offer. Then, when my family visited me in the fall of 2022, I was determined to plan an epic road trip covering both the highlights and some lesser-known gems. Hours of research, a comfortable rented van (read more about renting a car here) and some pleasantly unexpected detours led to a family-friendly, 8-day road trip across Scotland that I continue to swear by.
If renting a car is not your cup of tea, Scotland offers great public transport options - consider taking a bus or train (Trainline).
Day 1: Edinburgh – Falkirk – Stirling – Glasgow
After battling the morning laziness that comes with the cold weather (it can’t possibly be just me), having breakfast and loading our luggage into our van, we set off from Edinburgh by 10 am. The weather gods felt generous and blessed us with a fair bit of sunshine as we drove to our first stop – the Kelpies. Located in Helix Park, the Kelpies are giant sculptures (the largest equine sculptures in the world!) that have become iconic in the landscape of the region. After spending just under an hour here, you can go on to the nearby Falkirk wheel, where a 60-minute tour takes you through the sky to join the Union Canal above.
We then moved on to the little city of Stirling, where we explored Stirling Castle (you’ll quickly realise how much of Scotland is castles and mountains). We’d brought packed lunch (the most efficient way to keep the trip under budget), but there is also a café in the castle where you can have wraps and soup (with vegetarian options too!). If you arrive early enough, there may also be some time for you to visit Wallace monument for great views of the city. The final stretch of the day’s journey was onwards to Glasgow, where we checked into our cosy little AirBnB (highly recommend – perfect for a family of 4) and relaxed in the evening with some freshly baked scones.
Top tip – If you need to park your car at Helix Park, the first parking lot has free parking while the second one is paid.
Day 2 – Glasgow
Glasgow has in culture what Edinburgh does in history. In everywhere I’ve travelled, I haven’t seen as beautiful a juxtaposition of historical and modern as in Glasgow. We started our day in the lively Buchanan Street, with its shops galore and street musicians every few metres. The Ivy is a famous restaurant on the street, pricey but highly recommended, in case you are looking for a place to grab some food. After lunch, we went to Glasgow City Chambers for their free tour at 2.30 pm (try to get there by 2pm to ensure you get a place). A short walk from the Chambers is the Lighthouse, which is Scotland’s Centre for Design and Architecture. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a quick drive away, and if you see just one museum in Glasgow, you can’t go wrong with this one. We returned to our AirBnB early in the evening to get some rest before a longer journey the next day.
Day 3 – Glasgow – Drymen
Quaint, little villages across the country give you a quintessential Scottish experience. I’ve always dreamt of Hallmark towns and Scottish villages are probably about as close as you can get to that charming, small-town vibe. We decided to set up base camp in a village near Loch Lomond to explore the magnificent lake. We left Glasgow fairly early in the morning to allow time for a couple stops before our next destination. The Glengoyne distillery offers a distillery tour and tasting of local whiskies in a lodge overlooking a waterfall and glen. After the tour, you can also stroll up to the waterfall for a calm, serene experience. We then drove onwards for our final stop for the day, Drymen. This was the only destination in the trip where we stayed in a hotel rather than an AirBnB, and it was a great decision. The Winnock Hotel was the heart of the village, surrounded by shops and pubs. Their family room was more comfortable than we’d imagined, and their Scottish breakfast only sweetened the deal. We checked in early in the evening and then took a stroll through the village, exploring the many local shops and cafés. During our short stay, we were lucky enough to see Piping on the Square – a popular local event that takes place on Thursday evenings in July and August in the courtyard just outside the hotel. If your trip coincides with these dates, this is a spectacle worth watching. Alternatively, you could spend your evening in the nearby town of Balmaha, which is one of the major viewpoints for Loch Lomond.
Day 4 – Loch Lomond
The world knows this iconic lake by the song The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond, but to Bollywood buffs, the site will only ever be remembered as the setting for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s Tum Paas Aaye. Setting off early after a delicious Scottish breakfast, we decided to drive around the loch, exploring different destinations along its banks. Our first stop was the Falls of Falloch – a short walk takes you to this serene waterfall, with the path down the steps offering a more scenic route. Next, we drove to Tarbet Isle. Here, you could take a ferry ride to explore a few of the many islands in the region or do the Tarbet Isle walk through the woods.
Stop #3 was our favourite on the trip – the historical conservation village of Luss. The village has cottage houses, cobbled streets, a pretty beach and even a faerie trail! This is also the perfect place to stop for lunch, with The Village Rest providing delicious food at a very good price (the best food I’ve had in Scotland!). After taking a leisurely stroll through the village, you can head on to Balloch, another popular viewpoint for Loch Lomond, with a range of activities like TreeZone (an aerial adventure park) or the Birds of Prey centre. We then came back to Drymen for dinner and some much-needed rest.
Day 5 – Drymen – Glenfinnan – Skye
We checked out of our hotel early and prepared for one of the longest journeys of the trip. The first stop on the journey was the Glenfinnan Viaduct – an iconic destination famous as the Hogwarts Express bridge from Harry Potter. A short hike from the parking lot takes you to one of the many viewpoints, and if you time your visit correctly (timetable here), you can even see the Jacobite steam train cross the bridge. Be prepared to come about 30 minutes in advance as the viewpoints tend to get notoriously busy. We then continued on to Mallaig, where we boarded the ferry to Armadale for the next leg of our journey – the Isle of Skye. After disembarking the ferry, we drove to Broadford, where we checked into our AirBnB for the night.
Some advice – if you feel the journey is too long to cover in a stretch, Fort William is a good place for a pit stop. Also, the schedule for the Jacobite is subject to change, so be prepared for the possibility that you may miss the train! Finally, accommodation in the Isle of Skye tends to be expensive and books out far in advance so bear that in mind as you make your bookings.
Day 6 – Skye – Inverness
Isle of Skye is a stunning destination that is a true heaven for hikers. However, since this was a relaxed, family-friendly trip, we only stayed here for a night. We left extra early to cover some unmissable highlights before heading on another long journey to Inverness. The first stop was Fairy Pools, a series of rock pools and waterfalls, located at about a 2km walk from the parking lot. The pools were incredible, and just about made the struggle against the swarm of midges worth it. After a tiring walk back, we drove on to see the Old Man of Storr and Kilt Rock, without hiking up either of them. We then returned to Portree for lunch (we had veggie haggis and loved it!) and explored some local stores in the city, before setting off for Inverness. The drive is long and passes through some beautiful farms where you may just be able to spot some Highland cows. Reaching Inverness in the evening, you can choose to put your feet up or take a stroll around the city.
Pro tip: if you're going to the Isle of Skye in the summer, you will see lots of midges. Make sure you put on insect repellent and try to wear a face net if possible.
Day 7 – Loch Ness
On one of those rare days when we could afford a late morning, we drove down to Loch Ness. A 30 minute drive took us to Urquhart Castle by the banks of the lake. We spent the morning exploring the castle and had our packed lunch on the lakeside benches in the castle grounds. After lunch, heading back towards Inverness, we stopped near the Loch Ness visitor centre to look at the souvenirs. Here, you can also book one of many Loch Ness cruises and try to look for Nessie, the famous Loch Ness monster. Right next to the visitor centre, the local Great Glen distillery boasts some delicious gin and also offers free tasting.
The evening is best reserved for a walk around Inverness. As a family of geeks, we spent hours in Leaky’s bookshop, a marvellous second-hand bookshop that looks like it’s straight out of a Harry Potter book. We watched the sunset from the Greig St Bridge before heading back to our AirBnB for dinner.
Day 8 – Inverness – St Andrews – Edinburgh
Before embarking on the final leg of our journey, we decided to spend the morning shopping at the TK Maxx in Inverness. Finally heading back to Edinburgh, it is very easy to add a stopover in the golf paradise of St Andrews (highly recommended if you are a fan of beaches and water bodies). Or if you're a Game of Thrones fan, a slight detour will take you to the Doune Castle, which should be familiar from the early episodes of season 1. If you’re (understandably) tired of all the travelling, you might want to head on straight to Edinburgh, passing the iconic Queensferry bridge on the Firth of Forth.
This 8-day itinerary is busy, but it is extremely rewarding. We saw spectacular views, took things at our own pace and enjoyed some of the best that Scotland has to offer. Feel free to tweak this itinerary as you please, but at the end of it all, I really hope you fall in love with Scotland much like we did.
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