Castle · 10:00–13:00 (3h)
Stirling Castle
Book online; under-7s go free. Lunch in Stirling old town afterwards.
An indoor and outdoor castle in Stirling, aimed at ages 0–12.
- Accessibility
- Parking
Photo: John McPake

Stirling
Stirling Castle · Photo: John McPake
Day one is Stirling's big history double: the royal palace and great hall of Stirling Castle, then the climb up the Wallace Monument for views across the Forth valley. Day two heads north-west to Blair Drummond Safari Park, with a stop at Doune Castle on the way home.
Castle · 10:00–13:00 (3h)
Book online; under-7s go free. Lunch in Stirling old town afterwards.
An indoor and outdoor castle in Stirling, aimed at ages 0–12.
Photo: John McPake
Museum · 14:00–16:00 (2h)
246 narrow steps to the top - fine for confident walkers, not buggies.
An indoor and outdoor museum in Stirling, aimed at ages 4 and up.
Photo: nationalwallacemonument.com
Wildlife · 10:00–14:15 (4h15m)
Book ahead online; drive the safari section first, then the walk-round areas and play park.
An outdoor wildlife park in Stirling.
Photo: blairdrummond.com
Castle · 14:30–15:15 (45m)
Quick look round the courtyard and great hall before last entry.
An outdoor castle in Doune, aimed at ages 0–12.
Photo: Godot13
Aviemore
A base in Aviemore puts the best of the Cairngorms within half an hour. Ride a steam train and walk round a castle loch on day one, see polar bears and a 1700s township on day two, and meet free-ranging reindeer before a beach afternoon at Loch Morlich on day three.
Strathspey Railway → Loch an Eilein → Highland Wildlife Park → Highland Folk Museum + 2 more
ScotlandEdinburgh city centre
Spend the morning in the free National Museum of Scotland, where skeletons, space kit and a whole floor of science and technology galleries keep curious kids busy. After lunch, walk downhill to Dynamic Earth for a journey through the planet's history under one roof, with no need to step outside for long.
National Museum of Scotland → Dynamic Earth
ScotlandNorth Berwick
The Scottish Seabird Centre on North Berwick harbour has live cameras trained on the islands offshore, so children can zoom in on gannets and seals. After lunch in its café, drive a few minutes east to Tantallon Castle, a huge red-stone ruin on the cliffs facing the Bass Rock.
Scottish Seabird Centre → Seabird Cafe at the Scottish Seabird Centre → Tantallon Castle