Hi friends!
My husband and I are taking our two young children to Scotland for spring break (April 6-11). I'm looking for any unique recommendations or absolute must-see attractions so we can focus our time. We are renting a car to drive to Glencoe and Isle of Skye.
- Day 1 is fully devoted to Edinburgh old town
- Day 2 we will drive to Glencoe, explore around there and stay overnight
- Day 3-4 is in Isle of Skye
- Day 5 is driving back to Edinburgh through Inverness and Cairngorms National Park.
Three of us are vegetarian, so I'm also open to any restaurant recommendations that have good vegetarian options (need not be a 100% vegetarian restaurant). I also welcome suggestions for easy trails/hikes through the highlands to scenic viewpoints or spots where there's a chance to see wildlife.
Thanks!
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Hi friends!
My husband and I are taking our two young children to Scotland for spring break (April 6-11). I'm looking for any unique recommendations or absolute must-see attractions so we can focus our time. We are renting a car to drive to Glencoe and Isle of Skye.
- Day 1 is fully devoted to Edinburgh old town
- Day 2 we will drive to Glencoe, explore around there and stay overnight
- Day 3-4 is in Isle of Skye
- Day 5 is driving back to Edinburgh
Three of us are vegetarian, so I'm also open to any restaurant recommendations that have good vegetarian options (need not be a 100% vegetarian restaurant). I also welcome suggestions for easy trails/hikes through the highlands to scenic viewpoints or spots where there's a chance to see wildlife.
I can't wait to explore the Scottish Highlands with my little ones! Thanks!
Oh my goodness we will be there some of the same days! April 8-12 with our 12 year old daughter. There's a good vegan restaurant in Fort William (close to Glencoe) - The Wildcat.
You'll be spoiled for choice in Edinburgh - I remember having vegetarian haggis there 25 years ago and it was actually delcious lol. Kids might like an afternoon tea experience there. There are many - we are going to The Dome. They have a kids tea for only $10 and a vegetarian and vegan option.
We are ordering and picking up packed lunches at the Isle of Skye Baking Co in Portree and for our day doing a few short hikes - Old Man of Storr (2.4 miles but significant elevation change) and part of the Quirang.
Plan for a brief stop along the shore of Loch Ness so the littles can look for Nessie. The visitor center is a hard pass but Urquart castle is very cool.
Do you have a Historic Scotland family Explorer Pass? It was £80.00 but gets you into Edinburgh castle and MANY other sites. Might be financially worth it. Also allows you to make reservations in advance without financially committing to the tickets in case your flight is delayed.
I have many other tips but running out of time LOL. Message me with questions and have an amazing trip! Scotland is pure magic.
HI Leah-- thanks for the recommendations. Wildcat looks great for a breakfast or lunch!
I already received a message from the guesthouse in Fort William suggesting we make reservations for dinner, as it can get busy this time of year.
Ian gave me your email address. If there is a chance for us to meet up, that would be cool, but I completely understand family travel and schedules.
We are taking a walking tour of Edinburgh on Monday, April 7 morning. Then Edinburgh Castle (I didn't get the pass since the castles we want to visit were not listed on the site, but I did book our tickets in advance to enter around 1 p.m.). I booked us a late have lunch at Dishoom and dinner at David Bann. In between, of course sightseeing through Edinburgh and sunset at either Calton Hill or Arthur's Seat (whichever one we don't do for sunrise).
We've decided to skip Inverness to give us a more leisurely drive between Isle of Skye and Edinburgh on the last day, in case we lose time earlier in the trip.
I'll message you via email!
Amritha
Yay that would be great Amritha - I will look for your email!
I just messaged you via travel massive.
What a coincidence!
I’ll be there 2 weeks later with my wife and 2 boys (ages 3 and 7) and also looking at doing something similar. So also looking for tips and extra ideas.
We will start with a few days in Edinburgh, then 2 nights in Pitlochry, the Fort William via Loch Ness and ending with 1 night in Stirling.
Really looking forward to good tips on nature hikes (no more than 5km), cool castles and anything else that the kids would love.
We’ll be in our own car that we’re driving from the Netherlands using the ferry to Newcastle upon Tyne.
Wow! The trip you have planned sounds amazing. Yes, it looks like this is the season to go, for sure! I thought it was shoulder season, but still pretty popular I suppose.
I will keep you posted on Fort William after we visit and any activities we enjoy with the kids, since ours are around the same age (3 and 6). In terms of hikes, we don't have any major, long ones planned. My 3-year-old will not walk for long, but most trails I have planned in Isle of Skye. (Ben Nevis from Fort William will be out of the question with the littles).
I went ahead and ordered a hiking backpack (Kelty Journey PerfctFit) to attempt a few trails, but we'll have to see how it goes when we get there. My little one is quite heavy. I want to be hands free and I just know he will ask to be carried. I am currently targeting trails through the Fairy Pools, Old Man of Storr and Quiraing (though that is 6.8 km and will probably be strenuous with a kid on my back).
Hi, I have been there many years ago. I recommend you to do a roadtrip on Minibus for the highlands and Isle of Sky and Loch Ness. www.haggisadventures.com/2-10-day-tours/3-day-wild-skye-loch-ness-hunter
Thank you Susana! Ah, for now we have rented a car given we have the little ones and want to be able to control our itinerary. Yes to Isle of Skye!!!
Becareful roads are dangerous, tiny with no good visibility sometimes. Thats why tourists are going in minibuses. Go slowly driving. Have a nice trip. www.imaginealba.com/single-post/don-t-panic-tips-for-driving-in-the-highlands-and-islands-of-scotland
got it! thank you so much for the tips!
Your welcome!. have also thick fog in the mornings, be safe. Beatutiful landscapes and nice people. Enjoy it.
www.loganair.co.uk/discover-scotland/orkney-inter-isles/
Also check out Loganair - Scotland's airline with some fun short trips and more. They also offer the shortest flight in the world with the Loganair Westray to Papa Westray route. Flights on the route are scheduled for one and a half minutes, and actual flying time is closer to one minute. The record for the fastest flight is 53 seconds. Enjoy Scotland!
ah yes! i had heard about that one. so cool! Thank you for the information!
This already looks like a fantastic holiday recipe!