How to Plan a Trip to Scotland

Traveling overseas can feel overwhelming.  We promise, you can do it.

Scotland is an incredible travel destination.  With beautiful landscapes and wonderful culture, the people and sites make visiting more than worthwhile.  This unique country of the British Isles has something for everyone.  You just have to make the choice to go.

First, get your ticket and fly into Edinburgh.  Look around.  Flights are cheaper in some airports compared to others.  We find flights are much cheaper out of Toronto or Chicago.  Saving money on flights can help provide more funding for later adventure.  Click HERE to get your international travel gear!  (We are Amazon Affliates so we will make a small amount of compensation if you click our link and support us!)

Don't drive when you first get there.  If you're headed to the Highlands you'll want a car at some point.  But a car is not necessary within the local areas.  Hope on the bus to the city center of Edinburgh.  This walkable town will provide you everything you need.  Spend a couple of days, get your steps in, see the castle, and enjoy getting to know the capital of the Scots.

Once you're ready to move on from Edinburgh, hop on the train.  You can stay local and visit towns like Stirling.  We recommend taking the train north to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.  You can return to Stirling later in your trip if interested.  The Highlands are worth the visit.

Inverness is well worth a day or so to visit.  Take the bus out to Culloden Battlefield.  This trip takes about half the day to explore and experience the history of Scotlands legacy with the British Empire.  Explore Inverness by walking the streets and visiting it's unique business' and churches.  The river Ness runs through town, providing incredible pictures with Inverness Castle in the background.

Here's where renting a car becomes worth it.  Head out to Inverness airport by train and pick up a car to head north or  west into the Highlands.  Each direction provides a vastly different experience.  Head north and experience the coastal culture of Scotland.  The sun shines and the ocean calls.  Head west, and the moodiness of the Highlands envelopes you.  The weather broods and the oceans mulls over the battles both lost and won among the clans of the Highlands.  

Head North:

The coastal landscapes ebb and flow as you drive north.  Preserved castles and ruins dot the landscape, providing plenty of places to spot and visit along the way.  Make your way to the Northernmost point and watch the sunet over the Orkney Islands.  If you have time, take the ferry across to Kirkwell and visit the land of viking hertigage mixed with English and Scottish history.  

Head East:

Head into the Highlands towards the Isle of Skye.  Watch the clouds roll over you and pull you into the silent songs of Scotland that live in her hills.  Bagpipes and clans make up the land that was fought over for centeries.  Cross over onto the Isle of Skye and step back into the land before time.  The ancient mountains and the tumbling surrounding sea provide endless hours of hiking and discovery.  Search for ruins of towns before the clearing, and dinosaur prints far before our time.  Fairy tales will allow your mind to imagine a world far beyond what we can understand.  

From here you can drive back to Inverness and take the train to return to the city.  If you would rather not drive into major towns, staying north is always best.  However, if you'd like to explore, head southwest to visit Glencoe and a famous bridge along the way.  

We did all of this is two different trips to Scotland.  It would take about a month to roughly see the sites we saw, and we drove to be able to have access to see more.  You can get around by train to some places, but you will not be able to access places like Skye with the train.  

Follow along as we give you plenty of places to stop and see as you make you way across the land of the Scots.

Visit Scotland: Loch Ness