10 Best Places to Visit in Scotland When Traveling with Friends

Rich in history and surrounded by stunning scenery, Scotland is a country that lives up to its hype. Most people know Scotland for the kilts, castles and single malts, but there is so much more to uncover if you take the time to research and plan.

Scotland is the perfect place for a road trip with your friends, from the capital of Edinburgh to the Isles and back to Glasgow.

It has so many beautiful areas to explore and fun things to try, so if you’re embarking on a British road trip, backpacking through Europe or going on vacation with friends for the first time, planning a trip for beginners by traveling to Scotland can feel overwhelming!

As an American traveler myself who currently lives in Europe and has visited Scotland multiple times—don’t worry, I know the feeling! That’s why I want to help make your Scottish trip as fun and stress-free as possible by sharing all my tidbits about the best places to visit in Scotland!

So here are 10 of the most stellar, somewhat lesser-known places to visit in Scotland that you need to add to your itinerary during your trip.

How Many Days Is Enough to Visit Scotland?

When you’re planning a trip to Scotland, you first have to figure out how much time you’ll need to see everything on your itinerary.

The ideal duration for your Scottish adventure depends on your interests and schedule. But one week is enough for friends exploring the country for the first time; you can venture into the Highlands for scenic drives, hikes and castle visits.

If you’re planning a backpacking trip and staying for more than a week hosteling around Scotland, you can dive deeper into Scotland's regions, from the rugged coastlines to the remote islands.

My best advice? Focus on customizing your itinerary based on what you and your friends want to do together, then fit your timeframe around these interests and travel & lodging needs, not to mention your budget.

The list I’ve compiled below covers amazing things from all over Scotland, so doing them all might take at least a few days once you factor in travel time and moving between accommodations.

If you’ve only got a couple days, that’s enough to at least visit the big cities, if you want to check out things to do in Edinburgh or things to do in Glasgow.

10 Places to Visit in Scotland to Have Fun with Friends

1. Drive and Hike through Glen Coe

If vast valleys, towering mountains and lush rivers teeming with wildlife excite you, you'll want to go to Glen Coe.

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, Glen Coe is a beautiful valley in the northwest of Scotland. It’s named after the river that runs through it, Coe, and “glen” is the modern-day version of “gleann,” which is Gaelic for “valley.” The only nearby town is Glencoe, spelt as one word.

Glen Coe is known for its epic scenery and famously as the location for the final scenes of the James Bond film Skyfall.

If you’re packing for a hiking trip to Scotland, then Glen Coe is the place to be.

You can check out the various viewpoints along the road, hike the spectacular Devil's Staircase for some jaw-dropping views or explore the Lochaber Geopark, the “Outdoor Capital of the U.K.” at the nearby Glen Nevis near Fort William.

The area has a few places to stay, including The Ballachulish Hotel in a beautiful 19th-century building or the popular MHOR 84 motel in the village of Balquhidder on the way to the Highlands from either Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Finding affordable accommodations in nearby towns and villages is relatively easy. If camping and glamping are your thing, they are also easy possibilities!

To travel to Glen Coe from either Edinburgh or Glasgow, you can drive via the A82 road in under three hours, take the longer but more scenic route via Oban along the A828 or, from Glasgow specifically, enjoy a bus ride with Citylink or a train ride with ScotRail.

2. Roam the Isle of Lewis & Harris

The Isle of Lewis & Harris is haunting yet beautiful. It looks like two islands but a thin piece of land less than a mile long near the village of Tarbert connects its two parts. Its extraordinary landscapes and mountain range make it an excellent choice for any active explorers.

As one of Scotland’s more eerie places to visit, Lewis & Harris is filled with many abandoned ruins, such as the Callanish Standing Stones (or the Calanais Standing Stones in Gaelic), a group of stone circles older than Stonehenge that baffle archaeologists to this day!

If you are looking for more luxury, in the port of Stornoway, Lews Castle is a beautiful example of Victorian architecture and is the most affordable castle to stay at in the UK.

You’ll also find Gearrannan Blackhouse Village in Lewis, a truly authentic Scottish accommodation allowing you to spend a night (or a few) in a period-restored, thatched, stone-built blackhouse.

For the wildlife lover, you can catch a glimpse of the protected and majestic gold eagle at the North Harris Eagle Observatory. This area is home to one of the highest densities of golden eagles in all of Europe.

Down on the Isle of Harris lies the breathtaking Luskentyre Beach. Its white sands and crystal blue waters make it excellent for relaxing or taking a dip. During the summer it feels like a tropical vacation—except in Northern Scotland instead of the Caribbean.

And grab a lovely souvenir treasure at the famous Harris Tweed Shop during your visit, with stock ranging from scarves to coats to handbags. This unique traditional cloth is handwoven and dyed by local islanders in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland using pure virgin wool!

3. Journey across the Isle of Skye 

A visit to Scotland is incomplete without a venture to the Isle of Skye, one of the most exquisite islands in the world!

Discover spectacular cliffside coastlines, mountain ranges and ocean views on the isle. Accessible by ferry or bridge, this island has plenty of choices for sights to see and accommodations to stay in—there is something here for everyone.

From the magical Fairy Glen to the Old Man of Storr, the many unique viewpoints and natural wonders along the isle make this an essential trip for any nature lover. Go for a hike in Quiraing or take a dip in the misty fairy pools for an experience you won’t forget!

If you are interested in more historical or cultural landmarks, check out one of Skye’s most notable places, Dunvegan Castle, for its gorgeous architecture and well-manicured gardens.

If museums are your thing, enjoy the ethnographic sights at the Skye Museum of Island Life. Turn back time and learn about the ways of old Highland life hundreds of years ago. Consider purchasing a local two-day tour of Skye and its castles for the full island experience.

There are countless immersive Scottish experiences you can partake in on Skye. Swing by the Talisker Distillery or the Torabhaig Distillery to sip brews of authentic whisky (you don’t want to call it “scotch” around these parts!). You also don’t want to skip the chance to shop at Skye Skyns to grab yourself a genuine Scottish sheepskin souvenir.

Apart from these locales, another truly Scottish pastime you can witness is the Highland Games, which take place in Portree. Catch a glimpse of exemplary sportsmen tossing the caber, listen to the Scottish bagpipe bands, and bask in the fun of Scottish culture.

4. Explore Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park

Kick your feet up, relax, and enjoy the natural beauty of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first national park.

Most tourists visit the famous Loch Ness, but Loch Lomond is arguably the more remarkable of the two. Close to Glasgow, the park boasts many scenic hikes that only take a couple of hours to complete and reward you with magnificent views. Conic Hill on the eastern side of the loch is my favorite!

The Trossachs National Park is notable for being home to over 200 species of birds and over 25% of all the species of plants recorded in the U.K.! Many animals associated with Scotland reside in this area as well, including the red deer, red squirrel, Scottish wildcat, golden eagle, peregrine falcon and osprey!

Be sure to check out the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival if you’re a foodie. As one of the most unique food festivals, the Loch Lomond Food Festival offers a delicious array of traditional gourmet and artisan dishes and, of course, whisky and gin.

Loch Lomond is the place to be if you are interested in watersports! You can participate in kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, water skiing and wake surfing. There are also plenty of opportunities to tour the Loch by boat or ferry to some of its 30+ islands.

Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park is mainly an area of natural beauty, though if you explore deeper, there are some historical sites and villages too! If you’re one for a little mystery and ghosts, find the hidden and haunted ruins of Buchanan Castle while you're there.

5. Discover the Town of Oban

Oban, known as “The Gateway to the Isles,” is one of the lesser-traveled towns that is still well worth a visit. You may have heard of the Oban Single Malt Scotch, but there’s much more to this place than whisky.

Start your trip with a visit to the Oban distillery and sample some of its finest Scotch before taking a tour of Oban town.

As a charming seaside resort town, Oban has plenty to offer on your Scottish voyage. Take an excursion to McCaig's Tower, a picturesque destination for a picnic and views of the surrounding bay.

You can also visit the War and Peace Museum, go sea kayaking, embark on a “seafari” or even taste some delectable Scottish chocolate at the Oban Chocolate Company.

The town itself also boasts lots of amazing food, especially seafood—Oban is known as the “Seafood Capital of Scotland,” so don’t miss out if you love this cuisine.

6. Visit Inverness, Aberdeen and the Cairngorms

Inverness, Aberdeen and the Cairngorms are are great central locations to access some of Scotland's marvels. You can easily visit some of Scotland's wonders on a day trip from any of these bases.

Inverness, known as the “Capital of the Highlands,” is where Loch Ness drains into the ocean. While Aberdeen is known as “the Oil Capital of Europe.” Both are port industrial towns with oil rigs located just a stone's throw away from Cairngorms National Park.

Inverness and Aberdeen can act as a compass to help you discover Scotland's natural beauty. I recommend visiting the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd, a free-roaming herd since 1952. They are tame towards humans, so feel free to get an up-close look at these enchanting creatures.

Inverness is a great spot to tour some of Scotland's award-winning distilleries and knock back a good drink. It's also a short trip from historical sites like Clava Cairns, Culloden Moor, Fort George and Castle Leod.

Around Aberdeen, you can visit one of the 260+ fascinating castles, such as Dunnottar Castle, Balmoral Castle (known for its royal connections) and Craigievar Castle (which is thought to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s fairy-tale castles).

Aberdeen is also home to the largest number of whisky distilleries in all of Scotland and is well-known for its seafood cuisine, so get ready to fill up in this region!

7. Traverse through Stirling Castle

The entrance to the Highlands and the historical "key" to controlling Scotland, Stirling Castle is something every traveler must visit.

With some of the richest history of any castle in Scotland and one of the most well-preserved Renaissance buildings in the U.K., Stirling Castle delivers when it comes to immersive experiences and storytelling. It is a symbol of Scottish independence and national pride and housed numerous members of Scottish royalty in the past.

Not interested in the historical side of tourism? Stirling Castle also offers spectacular views of Scotland's Highland and Lowland regions. Sitting on the border of the two, it boasts some of the nicest surrounding gardens and lands to stroll in.

Stirling Castle is equally close to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, making it an incredibly accessible visit. For a full-day adventure, pair this attraction with a tour of Loch Lomond and the Kelpies!

8. Explore the Highlands on the Hogwarts Express

The Hogwarts Express, formally known as the Jacobite Train, is a fun Scotland destination sure to be the holy grail for Harry Potter fans.

Sit back and enjoy the 2-hour, 41-mile route, which begins at the famous Fort William and ends in Mallaig.

Plan an entire day at this attraction since 2 hours is only one-way, making the journey well over 5 hours with a long stop in Mallaig. During the ride, take advantage of the catering service which offers some magical Harry Potter-inspired treats.

The steam train is made famous for its role as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter film franchise and provides an unforgettable scenic ride. You can spot familiar areas along the ride, such as the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Dumbledore’s Grave.

But if trains aren't really your thing, you can enjoy the experience by following the route in a vehicle. The drive is equally appealing and offers the option to stop and take in the views or snap some Instagram-worthy photos.

While you’re at it, you can grab some pictures with the iconic train itself, but don't miss out on exploring the surrounding areas—they are just as fantastic! It may well create some of your best vacation shots and memories.

9. Go Check out St. Andrews

With its medieval history, sparkling beaches and family-friendly vibes, the charming seaside town of St. Andrews undoubtedly deserves a spot on your itinerary. St. Andrews is widely known as the world’s “Home of Golf,” making it the perfect destination for golf lovers!

You’ll find many beautiful historical areas in St. Andrews, most notably the must-see medieval cathedral ruins, the picturesque castle ruins overlooking the North Sea, and the renowned University of St. Andrews, the first university founded in Scotland and the third oldest English-speaking university in the world. 

If historical ventures aren’t your thing, try a stroll along the stunning seaside or one of the many golf courses, which remain open to the public and boast stellar scenery. 

Thanks to the large student population of St. Andrews, you also have myriad options for pub-hopping. Take a tour of St Andrews and its nearby fishing villages for a complete experience of the kingdom of Fife. 

10. Voyage to the Orkney Isles in the North

If you are interested in 5,000+-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Sites, looming cliffside landscapes, and unforgettable wildlife excursions, look no further than the Orkney Isles. 

Composed of 70 individual islands, the Orkneys are an incredible, off-the-beaten-path place to visit. Located in the far north of Scotland, the Orkneys are, in fact, closer to the Arctic Circle than to London! So you’ll want to bundle up even in the summer, as the weather can be a bit chilly.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it features Neolithic sites such as the nine surviving Neolithic houses in the Skara Brae Prehistoric Village.

You can also explore the enormous ceremonial site at the Ring of Brodgar or the Broch of Gurness, the remains of a settlement from the Iron Age. The Orkney Isles encompasses a large area of archaeological grandeur for you to explore.

As far as wildlife goes, the Orkneys do not disappoint. Home to 15% of the world’s seal population and many dolphin, whale and seabird species, there’s plenty to discover! And if your idea of a good time is getting out in nature, you’ll find several scenic walking trails all over the region, perfect for savoring the gorgeous views.