Traveling in Scotland with kids
It was a Scot, John Muir, who created the worldwide movement of National Parks. He had a love of wild places from when he was a child. It is in his blood and he went on to donate it to the world.![]()
If it's water parks and children's clubs you want, go on a Club Med. If getting muddy while mountain biking down remote trails, fishing off quiet islands and canoeing all the way to Loch Ness is your thing, go for Scotland. Get them dancing at a ceili or prancing at the Edinburgh Festival for Scottish cultural extravaganzas. But all in all, just get them out there and let them go a bit feral and wild. You won’t find that on the timetable at Club Med.
Our Scotland family Vacations
Hebrides cruise, The Sounds of Mull, Luing, Shuna and Jura
Cruise the Sounds of the Hebrides: Mull, Luing, Jura, Shuna
From
£960 to £1650
7 days
ex flights
Inner Hebrides Wildlife Cruise
A great introduction to the breath-taking Scottish Highlands
From
£800 to £1375
6 days
ex flights
Outer Hebrides and Shiant Isles cruise, Scotland
A magical cruise wandering through the Outer Hebrides
From
£2700 to £2750
11 days
ex flights
Skye and the Small Isles sailing vacation
Sail Scotland's Small Isles and visit spectacular Skye
From
£1280 to £2200
9 days
ex flights
Isle of Mull and Small Isles explorer
An extraordinary voyage exploring Mull & the Small Isles.
From
£1120 to £2040
8 days
ex flights
Scotland family cruises vacations
Join a unique small ship cruise in Scotland
From
£660 to £3600
6 days
ex flights
Mull circumnavigation cruise, Scotland
Staffa, Iona and Ross of Mull from our small cruise ships
From
£990 to £2000
7 days
ex flights
Family cruise vacation in Scotland
Short Break, Family Cruise Exploring the West of Scotland
From
£6010 to £7285
4 days
ex flights
Scotland private charter sailing vacations
Private Charter a small ship around the Scottish Islands
From
£7188 to £16410
7 days
ex flights
Family wildlife and activity vacation in Scotland
Tailor-made wildlife and active vacation in Perthshire
From
£399
7 days
ex flights
Wildlife tour of St Kilda and the Shiants, Scotland
Cruise the Outer Hebrides & St Kilda with a wildlife guide
From
£1750 to £2805
11 days
ex flights
Lewis and Harris Outer Hebrides cruise, Scotland
A cruise to the Outer Hebrides, the edge of the Atlantic.
From
£2750
11 days
ex flights
Scotland cruise, private charter
Private Charter a mini cruise ship in the Scottish Hebrides
From
£10330 to £14520
4 days
ex flights
Activities for families in Scotland
Mountain biking
At CairnGorm Mountain you can hire mountain bikes, have a bit of skills training, put your bikes on the funicular train which brings you up to the summit, and cycle all the way back down. And then hear that old familiar cry of 'Again, again, again!'. There are lots of other trails around to enjoy as well when you are there, but this one is CairnGorm cool.
Canoe down the Caledonian Canal
With plenty of places to rent an open canoe, this is wonderful paddling. Although you can't canoe through the locks, you have to engage in 'portage' or carrying the boats around the locks. There are also campsites (and pubs) along the way for the more ambitious. Definitely one for midge nets at dusk though.Do the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Usually associated with one man Hamlets and smutty stand up, the Festival is actually very child friendly. There are shows aimed at children of all ages, as well as streets full of entertainers, buskers and general madness. Book accommodation well in advance as it gets pricey. And come down from the madness with a few days in the countryside for a truly heady mix of Scotland.
Our top Scotland family Vacation
Hebrides cruise, The Sounds of Mull, Luing, Shuna and Jura
Cruise the Sounds of the Hebrides: Mull, Luing, Jura, Shuna
From
£960 to £1650
7 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 27 Apr, 25 Aug, 2 Oct, 5 Oct
2021: 20 Apr, 29 Jun, 20 Aug, 22 Sep, 23 Sep, 7 Oct, 8 Oct, 9 Oct
2020: 27 Apr, 25 Aug, 2 Oct, 5 Oct
2021: 20 Apr, 29 Jun, 20 Aug, 22 Sep, 23 Sep, 7 Oct, 8 Oct, 9 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Scotland or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Tips for families
Andrew Bateman, Director of one of our suppliers, Scot Mountain Vacations:
"The weather can be more of an issue with a young family. Try to remain flexible as to where you go. Generally the weather is a lot better in the East Highlands and the Cairngorms National Park, where there are also a lot of family activities."
"The weather can be more of an issue with a young family. Try to remain flexible as to where you go. Generally the weather is a lot better in the East Highlands and the Cairngorms National Park, where there are also a lot of family activities."
Robert Kidd, Director at one of suppliers McKinlay Kidd:
“Scotland has always been a superb place for a family vacation but you need the right approach, and not worry about the weather and having lots of attractions.“
“Scotland has always been a superb place for a family vacation but you need the right approach, and not worry about the weather and having lots of attractions.“
Tim Stenton, wildlife photographer and author Moray Firth Dolphins:
“Along with a few other places in the world like South Africa and Western Australia, the Moray Firth, is an excellent place to watch cetaceans from the land. Other than the impacts of getting to the locations, land based will always have a lower environmental footprint - both in terms of CO2 emissions and impact on the animals than boat based watching. It is also cheaper, more suitable for younger children with no risk of being seasick.“
“Along with a few other places in the world like South Africa and Western Australia, the Moray Firth, is an excellent place to watch cetaceans from the land. Other than the impacts of getting to the locations, land based will always have a lower environmental footprint - both in terms of CO2 emissions and impact on the animals than boat based watching. It is also cheaper, more suitable for younger children with no risk of being seasick.“
More about Scotland
The best time to go to Scotland is, for many people, when wildlife come out to play, with deer on the highlands, whale watching in the summer, seabirds throughout the year and, less wild but equally heart stopping, lambs in spring.
This Scotland travel guide takes the lid off that clichéd tin of shortbread and looks under that tartan kilt. Revealing a naked, natural Scotland. One where food is world class, and about so much more than haggis. And a country that is packed with wildlife, wild places, mountainous and marine magnificence.
Unlike many countries, when working out where to go in Scotland, you may first want to decide how you want to go.
Scotland small ship cruising vacations take you out onto the country’s most spectacular nautical nirvanas.
Pack your waterproofs, bring your binoculars and pile on the sun cream – wildlife vacations in Scotland prise you out of the office and fling you into the great outdoors.
Forget Braveheart – the Highlands are wild at heart. This is the northwest half of the country, where peat bogs swoop up into lochs and mountains.
Orkney and Shetland Islands vacations set out for two of the most northerly outposts in Britain.
Vacations to the Cairngorms open the doors to the biggest national park in the UK.
You can go your own way on Scotland self drive vacations with a little hands-off help from a self-drive vacation expert.
One of the best bits of Scotland travel advice is to look beyond the tourist trail.
Scotland has many qualities but one of its finest is giving freedom to roam the countryside.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Krisjanis Mezulis] [Intro: gajtalbot]
[Mountain biking: Phil and Pam Gradwell]
[Do the Edinburgh Fringe Festival : ian_woodhead1]
[Tim Stenton quote: Shirehorse]
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