In August 2024, I took a mommy me trip with my youngest daughter (7 months old) to Canada, UK and Spain — with Scotland being the main stop of the trip!
We first travelled as our family of four to the USA for my brother’s wedding and then I planned the European stopover to be an extended 2.5 week trip, while my husband and oldest daughter flew back directly home to Zambia. Two of my closest friends, who I know from completely separate times in my life and from different continents, both moved to Scotland to pursue further education, both with a cat and fiancé. Since they have been living there, I have been thinking of how to get to Scotland to see them!
I have loved traveling with our kids at all stages of 0-2 years so far, but have found it by far the easiest when they are under 1, and especially under 6 months! If interested in hearing more about traveling with babies and toddlers - read my post with family travel tips here.
My first solo trip ever was actually to the UK! A trip to London for a few days before meeting friends in Ireland. But I had never been to Scotland, so I thought, why not take advantage of exploring it while already there with friends, anyway!? We mostly stayed between Edinburgh and Dundee and then I ventured up north to the highlands on a mommy daughter only trip. We also enjoyed some day trips around Glasgow, Stirling and Aberdeenshire.
All in all, we ended up going to all 7 major cities in Scotland! We also did a fair amount of things outside of the cities in nature, but not as much on the more touristic spots of the west coast and isles. So if you’re interested in traveling around Scotland with babies/children or just want to hear more about our experience, I hope this travel guide will be helpful to you.
First off, is it Family friendly?
Yes and no, not really, but kind of! I would not recommend the UK if you are looking for somewhere specifically to be extra baby and kid friendly. However, if you are here with kids, it’s pretty manageable to find family friendly things! Train and bus travel is great, kids under 5 are normally free. Only some places have changing tables but most eating places have high chairs. Good amount of free museums and parks. People are usually friendly and will compliment babies, but not as helpful or high value part of the culture as compared to most parts of Africa and Asia. Rules are rigid so if you’re looking for flexibility which is ideal in finding a family friendly place, this isn’t it! Babies and children are sometimes allowed into pubs before 10pm that serve food but we found more often NOT - depends on the licensing of each individual place so always call ahead or have alternate options. Most tours that include driving or any machinery (such as whiskey distilleries) do not allow children under 12, 8 or 5, and no babies. All in all, the UK and Scotland gives a mixed experience when it comes to being family friendly, sort of similar to the USA in that way.
Recommended time to travel
Summer! July and August. But still, be prepared with layers, warm clothing and closed toe shoes even if it is summer because it will likely be chilly most days, especially when the sun isn’t out. But the goodness with going in summer is that you have the most chance of sunshine and warmer temperatures and less rainy and cloudy weather. And it’s still green! We were very fortunate to have sun at least for a moment every day and only light rain some of the time.
Recommended about of time
This just depends on how much you want to do! For what we did, 10 days allowed for some slower days in Edinburgh, which was quite lovely considering I was catching up with friends.
Transportation
Places around the country are pretty close and easy to get to for the most part. Having a car makes it convenient to get to more places outside of cities. The train system Scotrail between the major cities was excellent. For better rates, it’s a good idea to book in advance, but not needed. The bus system worked alright and has a simple tap and go system but had a lot of delays.
Accommodation
I was fortunate to stay with friends on this trip! If booking accommodation, I definitely recommend doing so in advance, especially in the summer. We managed to book our accommodation in Inverness just the day before but there were not as many options and prices were quite high for what was still available.
Budget travel
As always, this is at the top of my priority considering how much I love to travel but the challenge of living somewhere with very low salaries. Transportation costs are fair and I was fortunate with accommodation most nights. Food is on the pricier side, around $20+ meals and drinks from $10-15 on average. Even street food is at least around $10-15 typically. So we did a mix of eating out and also some cooking from home. In 10 days, I spent roughly $300 on transportation, $150 on activities and $300 on food, for 1 adult (and a 7 month old baby).
I’ve included our 10 day Scotland itinerary with each day in more detail below. I hope you find this helpful and I know I have enjoyed putting it all in one place with a few photos for memories of this special trip together. I also included our bonus mama and me trip to London for the day! All places recommended to go are in bold so you can easily create your list for Scotland and each place is correct using google maps location.
Day 1 - Arrive in Edinburgh
We arrived in the early morning and took the tram into the city from the airport, it was easy to buy tickets right there. We then spent most of the morning and early afternoon catching up and relaxing at my friend’s home in Edinburgh. Once we were ready and the rain slowed down, we ventured out into the beautiful, starting with a walk on the royal mile and around the University of Edinburgh!
For dinner, we went to a food truck “spuds” for loaded fries which we took as a picnic in meadows park, and even had sunshine! Street food options are everywhere during Fringe (and other) festivals in August. Edinburgh is known as the most haunted city in Europe! They have lots of interesting tour options that showcase this as well as general walking tours and other specific tours such as harry potter or the underground vaults. We opted for the ghost walking tour booked on talkative and you choose the amount to pay at the end. It was a fun tour!
Day 2 - St. Andrews of Fife
We had a slow morning and then met our friend in Fife to explore St. Andrew’s. To get there, we took the train from Edinburgh to Leuchers and bus from Leuchers to St. Andrew’s. After our day of exploring St. Andrew’s we took the bus directly to Dundee. As we walked towards the University, we browsed through an adorable little secondhand bookstore and along the cobblestone lanes. St. Andrew’s University is beautiful and takes up a lot of the main town center. It is the 3rd oldest university in the English speaking world, after Cambridge and Oxford, since 1579. We walked around seeing the remains of the castle, cathedral and other significant religious history and sites.
We enjoyed a light lunch at a quaint and iconic Scottish cafe in St. Andrew’s called Northpoint cafe. The food and coffee menu looked great but I opted for a local brew paired with a lemon poppyseed slice of cake. Did you know St. Andrew’s is the birthplace of golf!? It is known for its golf course, which is the oldest in the world, dating back to 1552. West sands beach was beautiful! But even in August, it is still very cold and wet. Kids were fully clothed in wind breakers playing in the sand and we didn’t see anyone swimming in the water. After walking in and out of many of the beautiful buildings, we stopped at Jannetta’s gelateria for Fife strawberry gelato. It was such a fun girls day trip from Edinburgh to St. Andrew’s to Dundee to kick off exploring Fife and the east coast of Scotland!
Day 3 - Aberdeenshire: East Coast Day Trip
We began the morning by picking up the rental car and breakfast in Dundee and then on to our first stop —Dunnottar Castle. The way the sun was glistening on the emerald cliffs, with clear waters on the shore and the deep dark sea expanding beyond, history before our eyes, fields of wildflowers, sounds of waves, seagulls, laughter of friends, coos and babbles from our sweet baby. This castle was breathtaking and came highly recommended. It is also a picturesque view of dramatic Scottish cliffs so if you wish to only choose one stop from this day trip, this would be the one! It is free to enter the grounds to view the castle, but to enter inside has a small fee and will take some time. After working up an appetite, we drove to Marshall’s Farm Shop to browse all the amazing farm fresh goodies, kids play and a delicious and very filling Scottish farmhouse lunch. This is a great place to buy gifts and souvenirs, too! We made two more stops to see the Bullers of Buchan and Newberg seal beach (cold but we dipped our feet in!) and then drove along the Aberdeen coastal path and around the city.
Day 4 - Stirling & Dundee
Our morning started by going up to Dundee Law for a panoramic view over the city and beyond. Day trip driving over to Stirling to see the Stirling Castle! (entrance fee $26 and includes guided tours). We would have loved to stay and see more of the cute little city but we just didn’t plan enough time for it. I would highly recommend this, it seems to be rated one of the best castles in Scotland to visit. Along with the way it has been maintained, it also has incredible views over the city and out into the country side all the way towards Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. There are interactive exhibits and much to do here! After arriving back to Dundee, we walked over for a lovely dinner and cocktails at a nearby Turkish restaurant.
Day 5 - Inverness
It was time to explore the highlands and I did this solo with my daughter! We took an early morning train, with a stopover in Perth for coffee & breakfast, and arrived in Inverness by noon. We walked around to get a sense of the town, popped in and out of shops and other interesting spots. I absolutely loved the whole vibe and small city feel of Inverness and the lifestyle in the highlands. Lunch at Victoria food market - highland pulled meats - the stuffed pork and apple slaw burger/sandwich was absolutely delicious! (The next day I had the bao buns from the same food market at a different stall, they were alright but I wouldn’t recommend them.)
Leakey’s Book Shop was absolutely enchanting, perfect for a rainy day! Old High St Stephen’s Church and graveyard had the best views of the river, bridge and town with hills and mountains behind. Abertarff House (closed on Monday, Tuesday open 10-16hrs).We took a peaceful walk along the river ness walk towards the botanical gardens and small islands. Uile Bheist Distillery and Brewery was planned for the evening but sadly we were not allowed to go on their tour as children must be 12 years old (due to safety issues). All ages were welcome into the bar area for a drink at this establishment and it is a beautiful location! A low key dinner indoors at my airbnb before heading out to the famous Loch Ness the next morning.
Day 6 - Inverness - Drumnadrochit - Loch Ness
Day trip to Loch Ness & Urquhart castle. We left and checked out at 8:45am, took the 9:07 bus 919 to Fort William, but stopped at the Drumnadrochit post office, which is the name of the small town on Loch Ness. The bus was very late by about 30 minutes but it is a short and beautiful drive along the loch getting us into Drumnadrochit with plenty of time for a full Scottish breakfast and latte before our boat tour! Ness Deli was lovely with high chairs and friendly staff and their baked goods looked delicious, too!
Loch Ness Boat cruise at 11:00am (1 adult ticket, kids under 1 free, booked online on Lochness centre website). We arrived at 10:45am and waited until 11am to have our tickets scanned and hop in a van for a 5 minute drive from the Lochness visitors centre to the boat. (I kept baby on me in the baby carrier throughout.) This was a spectacular experience! It rained about half the time but then the sun came out. This is perfect for a good view of the Urquhart Castle or you can also go and tour it. On the boat, there are beautiful views of hills and mountains in the distance, expansive water and the captain who is also the tour guide was great! Space is limited to about 12 passengers per hour. They have thick blankets on board to still enjoy the experience despite very likely being wet and cold.
My favourite meal of all in Scotland was most definitely in Fiddlers Highland restaurant. I had their smoked salmon and prawn salad. In house smoked salmon and cheeses and on draught local brews - I had the Hoppy Ness IPA. The town is easy to walk around and full of lots of cute shops as well as the Loch Ness Museum and Visitor’s Centre. The small gin distillery, Great Glen, was good enough to take some home! The bus to get back to Inverness was very delayed and the bus stop was filled to overcapacity. Luckily, I was let onto a private coach that passed by and had some extra room so that I didn’t have to wait as long - plan plenty extra time with bus transportation in Scotland, especially small towns!
Upon my arrival in Inverness, we checked out the public library and even scored some baby books that they were giving away! We shopped at TK Maxx and a few other stores before grabbing dinner and then getting on the direct train back to Edinburgh, leaving at 6:52pm and arriving Waverly at 10:15pm. $85 round trip train (Train to Inverness £37.50 / $48 and Inverness to Edi £28.30 / $37)
Day 7 - Edinburgh
A morning to sleep in and then we went for the 10am yoga studio full body weights workout class and I was able to bring my daughter, who loved it! She practiced different yoga positions, watched us all as her eyes lit up, played with my water bottle and holder, and tried to crawl for the weights — she found a way in her own style of movement! We continued with a relaxed day, midday naps instead of the underground vaults tour because their website said no babies allowed.
Scottish National Museum - beautiful building, perfect for a rainy day! No entrance fee, good size but pretty small in comparison to notable museums. Just 3 stories in one building and very open between floors. There was less information and exhibits on Scotland than I had expected and hoped, it was much more general with exhibitions such as astronomy, space, African animals, life of native Americans, etc.
Fringe! And all the festivals of August are a must. We went to 5 mistakes that changed history show. The festivals are another reason to visit (or maybe not) Edinburgh in August! We stopped by a little coffee stand for Bailey’s chai latte while walking around the book festival and seeing other festivals as well as all the food stands.
Victoria Street which is the inspiration for Diagon Alley, is fun to walk around and pop in and out of the shops and pubs. (All the pubs we tried, did not allow us in for a drink from the rain because we had a baby with us.) Whether you are a Harry Potter fanatic or not, it is very worthwhile and a lovely walk along the cobblstone lane and cute spots.
Cold Town House for dinner. Delicious pizza, various levels to choose from, great view of the castle! Babies allowed until 10pm. We went later on at night to hear the Tattoo (traditional military band show) which was in the stadium right nearby.
Day 8 - Edinburgh
Another slow morning to sleep in, see more of Edi and also Lieth!
Johnnie Walker Princes Street Rooftop Bar is a swanky bar with incredible views, especially of the castle and also the sea and city. It wasn’t crowded during the week in the late afternoon, so reservations were optional with more time for good service, friendly people and relaxed atmosphere.They have high chairs and my 7 month old was so happy the whole time so I kept ordering more and staying longer lol! A whole month of traveling with babies, hardly any breathing room, what else was I supposed to do? I was totally savoring the calm, hands free moments of tranquility with such wonderful tastes and aesthetics.
Dean Village is nearby princes street and was a very cute fairytale looking neighbourhood to walk around in. It is pretty touristy and doesn’t really have anything particular to do except for just go to see the architecture. We stopped in the cemetery and a park nearby, but otherwise just walked through and saw people’s homes haha. There were a lot of other people there taking photos and I also ran into a tour group.
Lieth is part of Edinburgh that is on the sea and definitely worth going to, it’s near enough for a long walk or a bus/tram ride over. There are canals and some cute restaurants and places to go, but otherwise didn’t seem too lively. We enjoyed a lovely little restaurant and lively bar on the canal and I loved the local game burger!
Day 9 - Glasgow
For our second to last day in Scotland, we decided to take a day trip by train over to Glasgow, here’s what we did!
🚂 1 hour direct train ride from Edinburgh
☕️ coffee & scones at St. George’s church cafe
🚶 2 hour walking tour which was fantastic
🌳 Glasgow green known as Europe’s first public park
⛪️ Necropolis and the cathedral
<3 Chicken tikka masala at Shish Mahal Restaurant where it was created for the first time ever by chef Ali - absolutely delicious!
🏙️ another park, walking through the University of Glasgow with its gorgeous historic buildings and a walk down the cutest Ashton lane - highly recommend and stop here for food or a movie!
🖥️ back home in Edi to be cozy inside because Scotland’s summer feels like autumn which feels like winter when you’ve come directly from summer 😂
Day 10 - Edinburgh - Last day in Scotland!
Brunch at The Blackbird (Friends went to puppy yoga before, but babies weren’t allowed!) Holyrood distillery (one of the only distilleries I could find that allowed babies to join the tour). It was an affordable price and came with different tasting options. Very informative and interesting! Walk through meadows park (where we picnicked the first day) and you might just see a silent disco party and teams playing quidditch, like we did! (Yes, quidditch has become a real sport, called quadball.) It was also nice to walk around holyrood park - we chose to look up at Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat, but definitely could spend some time hiking up if you so wish! Fun fact about the famous Arthur’s seat that we learned on the tour: the name is said to have actually comes from a Gaelic phrase “Ard-na Said” meaning “Height of the Arrows” referring to archers shooting from the hilltop. The way it sounds in the accent eventually came out in English as “Arthur’s Seat!”
Light dinner and drinks at The Broughton — a Michelin star restaurant!
Calton Hill was a short walk up and it sure felt like we saved the best for last with this one!
It was hard to say goodbye after such an amazing and full 10 days all over the beautiful countryside with such dear friends! Before meeting up with family in the Basque Country, Spain…my 7 month old and I had one more adventure on our own in the big city!
📍London for the day 🇬🇧
We started our morning hanging out in Parliament square and St James park while it was silent before the summer crowds came out. We went to the sunday morning church service at Westminster Abbey and then walked all along the River Thames up to a food market - stopping lots of places along the way, including a book sale under south bank bridge. We hung out at the Borough food market for awhile, enjoying the live music and eats. Tipped the musician instead of buying dessert, and pondered how gluttonous we all tend to be as everyone sat with their desserts and plates of food, kids danced and sang along, but in 30+minutes I only saw 1 person go up to give the artist some appreciation.
A lovely iced coffee and refuel at the grind coffee shop and then the London and tower bridges. Planned to take a boat back on the river towards Victoria station but it was booked full for the next few hours (when the ladies in front of me asked for a refund because of how long they’d been waiting I knew that was my queue to hop on the tube). A quick walk by Buckingham Palace and we went back to collect our bags and head to the airport. We arrived at the airport early (what a fantastic express train from the center) so I treated myself to a lounge. Mainly just sipped on aperol spritz until I got asked if I was going to Italy lol and had a light dinner in a comfy space for my 7 month old to nap!
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