The Highs of a Scottish Highlands Family Vacation

Gather up your favourite folk and head to the rugged northern glens of the United Kingdom for a dreamy Scottish Highlands escape. Mysterious legends, such as the one surrounding the Loch Ness Monster, will have everyone enthralled.

What to See and Do in the Scottish Highlands with Kids

Where Are the Scottish Highlands?

Although you might feel cut off from the rest of the world when you look out onto the purple-and-green palette that makes up the rolling countryside of the Glens, the Scottish Highlands are not as remote as you might think. You can take a train up from London, or the area’s gateway airport, Inverness, is just a 90-minute flight from the capital. Depending on which part of the Highlands you want to concentrate on, Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and even Edinburgh airports can also be good starting points. It’s easy to incorporate this region into a wider UK trip too.

Few British families are comfortable with long road trips. It typically takes 11 hours to do the 570-odd miles by car, but if you take the scenic route and travel over a few days, it’s a lovely way of really getting to know and enjoy the British Isles.

Providing there hasn’t been a heavy snowfall, once you’re in the Scottish Highlands, it is possible to get around by pubic transport. There are bus and train services linking towns and villages, but the bus services in particular may not be as frequent as you might like. 

With kids in tow and just a couple of days to explore, I would stick to the southern Highlands and wouldn’t venture too far north of the City of Inverness. If you think of the UK as taking the shape of a horse rearing up on its hind legs, Inverness is just about at the horse’s neck. And the Highlands reach right across the whole head and down to its shoulders.

Scottish Highlands Attractions

Glenshee

Glenshee is Gaelic for “Glen of the Fairies,” so look out for tiny winged creatures when you’re there, but the Glen, about a hundred miles southeast of Inverness, is most famous for being the UK’s largest skiing and snowboarding resort. From December to April, depending on snowfall, the whole family can learn to ski at the Glenshee Ski Centre. If you visit outside the ski season, you can board the summer chairlift and enjoy panoramic views of Cairngorms National Park or go hill walking or mountain biking and it’s also a popular spot for geocaching.

Fort William

In the far west of the Highlands, Fort William sits at the foot of Ben Nevis, the largest mountain in the British Isles. There are several treks you can take around the mountain, and you can attempt the summit, but it’s not for the fainthearted (it’s the highest peak in the UK). The whole area around Fort William is stunning; explore it by foot, mountain bike, a boat trip around a local loch or even from a whitewater raft.

Loch Ness

If you’ve made the effort to venture farther into Scotland than the country’s most popular tourist cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, you can’t go home without taking the kids up to Loch Ness, a few miles outside of Inverness, to see if they can spot the Loch Ness Monster, which is up there in the legend stakes with the Yeti and crop circles.

Scotland is dotted with lochs, or lakes, and Loch Ness is famous for being home to its namesake amphibious dinosaur-like creature. However grounded you think you are, standing on the banks of Loch Ness behind your kids, humouring them to look out for Nessie, you will also find yourself scanning those eerily calm waters for a glimpse of the mythical beast.

Highland Games

If you’re in the Highlands between May and September, you may be able to catch some of the Highland Games, which date back as far as the 11th century. Tug o’ war, welly-boot throwing, shot put and tossing the caber are just some of the competitions you can watch and sometimes participate in. The games often run alongside traditional Highland dance displays, craft markets and pet shows.

The games at the Braemar Gathering are a few miles from the Royal Family’s Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle, and the monarch is often known to attend. So if you hope to glimpse King Charles, that’s the one to head for.

Balmoral Castle

Talking of which, a trip to Balmoral Castle is a must-do. Tucked away in Cairngorms National Park, the grounds and parts of the castle are open to the public on certain days during the winter and throughout the spring and summer up until mid-August. Check the website for dates. You can also book a wildlife safari through the grounds.

Highland Folk Museum

At the Highland Folk Museum, you can step back in time to really get a feel of what life was like in the Scottish Highlands from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Wander in and out of the dozens of historic buildings, including an old schoolhouse and a fully stocked sweet shop, and talk to costumed staff who will give you a sense of the history. It’s only open in the spring and summer; check the website for opening times.

Where to Stay in the Scottish Highlands

Several of our favorite luxury properties in Scotland are located within or near the Scottish Highlands. One standout pick is Gleneagles, among Britain’s great resort hotels, which sits in the rolling countryside of Perthshire. With a vast list of activities that range from golf and falconry to off-road driving, horseback riding and archery, there’s enough to fill several days without ever leaving the estate. CB Travel Advisors can help you choose the perfect home base for your exploration of this world-class scenery — get in touch for more information.

Relevant Links:

Browse all family-friendly accommodations and activities in Scotland on Ciao Bambino

72 hours in Edinburgh with kids

Our favorite luxury hotels in Scotland with kids

Best things to do in Glasgow with kids

Adventures with Gaelic flavor on Scotland’s Hebrides Islands

Photos © VisitScotland except where noted.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.