Best Day Trips from Edinburgh, Scotland
Are you looking for the best day trips from Edinburgh, Scotland?
Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities, but there’s so much beauty to discover in Scotland beyond its capital city. I’d actually recommend spending at least a week in Scotland if you can, so you have time to explore the northern reaches of the country, like the Scottish Highlands and the islands, which are not really accessible on a day trip. However, I know that not everyone has that much time to spare!
If you’re short on time, you can spend a couple of full days exploring Edinburgh, and then take one or two day trips outside the city on your other days. I’ve highlighted the best Edinburgh day trips below.
You can do some of these day trips by public transportation on your own, while others require driving. I don’t recommend renting a car in Edinburgh — driving and finding parking in the city can be a nightmare, and if you aren’t comfortable driving on the opposite side of the road, it can be challenging.
For day trips that require driving, I recommend booking a tour. Tours depart from the center of Edinburgh’s Old Town every day, and these are the easiest way to visit some of Scotland’s most beautiful destinations.
Tip: Look for tours that feature smaller groups and vehicles. I took one tour from Edinburgh that was on a giant 50-person coach bus and another one that was in a small 15-person van, and the small group tour was much better. There wasn’t even a notable price difference between the two tours either.
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Best Day Trips from Edinburgh, Scotland:
- Day trip to Loch Lomond, Stirling, and the Kelpies
- Day trip to Holy Island, Alnwick, and Bamburgh
- Day trip to St. Andrews and Fife fishing villages
Stirling
One of the best day trips from Edinburgh is to Stirling. This historic city is located just 50 minutes from Edinburgh by train, making it an easy day trip. The highlight of Stirling is its castle.
Stirling Castle sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. Dating back to the 15th century, it’s one of the largest and most historically important castles in Scotland. You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the grounds of the castle, and this is by far the top thing to do on a day trip to Stirling.
You can also spend some time exploring the historic town, which is located just below the castle.
If you’d prefer to combine a visit to Stirling with several other destinations in Scotland, I highly recommend a tour like this. I personally did this exact tour and really enjoyed it! You visit the Kelpies and Loch Lomond, before spending almost three hours in Stirling, which was a good amount of time.
Glasgow
Another great day trip from Edinburgh is Glasgow. These two cities are separated by less than an hour, but they have totally different vibes from each other. Although Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, Glasgow is actually the larger city. It’s also more modern, though it still has its own historic charm too.
Glasgow tends to be an underrated destination in Scotland, receiving less than a third of the tourists than Edinburgh. But if you like cities, Glasgow is a worthwhile day trip from Edinburgh!
There are tons of great museums in Glasgow, almost all of which are free. It’s a fun, vibrant city, and with trains running back to Edinburgh until 11:30 PM, you can even experience some of Glasgow’s nightlife.
Loch Lomond
One of the most beautiful destinations in Scotland is Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, which you can visit on a day trip from Edinburgh on your own or on an organized tour.
To visit independently, you will need to take the train to Glasgow and then transfer to Balloch, the most easily accessible town on the lake. The total travel time is just under two hours.
You can also visit on a tour. As I mentioned, I did this exact tour, which includes a stop at the Kelpies, an hour in the charming lakeside town of Balmaha, and then several hours in Stirling.
However, if you’d like to spend more time at the lake, I recommend going independently. From Balloch, you can take a boat tour on the lake or explore many nearby walking and hiking trails.
St. Andrews
St. Andrews is another one of the best day trips from Edinburgh. This seaside town north of Edinburgh is famous for several things. Golf enthusiasts will know that St. Andrews is home to the best golf courses in the world. This is one of the main draws for tourists, but there’s more to St. Andrews than golf.
It’s also a university city, home to the University of St. Andrews, which is the oldest university in Scotland, founded in 1413. The town also has many historic sites like St. Andrew’s Castle and St. Andrews Cathedral. And on a nice day, you can spend some time walking the scenic coastal path of St. Andrews.
To get to St. Andrews from Edinburgh, you take the train to Leuchars, which takes about an hour. From Leuchars, it’s a 15-minute drive to St. Andrews. You can take an Uber, taxi, or the bus.
You can also visit St. Andrews on a tour. This tour looks like it would be a great option because it includes several hours in St. Andrews, as well as stops at a couple of smaller fishing villages in Fife.
Northumberland
While all of the other day trips on this list are destinations in Scotland, this one actually takes you to another country: England! Although they are both part of the UK, Scotland and England have many differences. Northumberland is the northernmost county in England before you cross into Scotland.
And it’s a beautiful destination that makes a great day trip from Edinburgh! The largest city in Northumberland is Newcastle upon Tyne, which you can reach in 1.5 hours by train from Edinburgh.
But I highly recommend taking a tour to Northumberland so you can experience the beauty of smaller towns and more remote destinations. This is the tour I did, and it included stops at the incredible Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the town of Alnwick, and the town of Bamburgh, all in Northumberland.
I really loved these destinations and getting to visit a part of England I’d never been to before. If you want to get out of Scotland for the day and see something different, I highly recommend this tour.
Linlithgow
Linlithgow is another one of the best day trips in Scotland that you can take from Edinburgh. It’s also a really easy day trip, being just 25 minutes from Edinburgh by train. This historic town is known for Linlithgow Palace, which was an important royal residence and the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.
If you’re a fan of the TV series Outlander, it was also a filming location for the show. Speaking of Outlander, you can visit other filming locations aside from Linlithgow on a tour like this one.
You’ll have plenty of free time in Linlithgow, but you’ll also have time to visit Culross and Blackness Castle and make some short stops in Falkland and Midhope Castle, more filming locations.
Falkirk
Another good day trip from Edinburgh is the town of Falkirk. This is a quick day trip, taking just 30 minutes to get to Falkirk from Edinburgh by train. What is there to do on a visit to Falkirk?
By far the most popular attraction in town is the Kelpies, a massive outdoor sculpture of what appears to be two horse heads, but are actually the heads of two mythological kelpies. There are also some nice waterfront walking paths along the River Carron that you can get to from the Kelpies sculpture.
The Kelpies are worth a visit, but I honestly don’t think you need to dedicate a full trip just to see them. Many tours from Edinburgh include a short stop to walk around and photograph the Kelpies, such as this tour I did, which also included longer stops in Loch Lomond and Stirling.
North Berwick
If you’re looking for another easy day trip from Edinburgh, North Berwick is a good choice. This seaside town is just over 30 minutes by train from Edinburgh, making it easily accessible. It’s the perfect place to go if you want to get out of the city and enjoy the beach, especially on a warm summer day.
North Berwick is a picturesque town with plenty of places to eat and shop. It also has a nice beach to walk along — you can swim in the water if you’re brave enough, although it’s usually quite cold!
From the center of town, you can walk along the scenic coast for miles. If you’re up for a long walk (about an hour and 15 minutes), you can walk to the ruins of Tantallon Castle and see Bass Rock.
Scottish Highlands
Finally, it’s possible to visit the Scottish Highlands on a day trip, but just know that you’re in for a LONG travel day and you’ll spend more time driving than you will sightseeing. I really recommend spending at least several days in the Scottish Highlands, which make up the northwestern part of the country.
However, if you’re short on time and you really want to visit the Scottish Highlands, there are several day trips that will give you a taste of the region. I personally did this day trip, which includes scenic driving through the Highlands and stops in Callander, Pitlochry, and the main highlight: Loch Ness.
Another option is this tour, which includes the same stops but replaces Loch Ness with the Glenfinnan Aqueduct, where the Jacobite Steam Train (AKA Hogwarts Express) passes through.
With these tours, you’re looking at a 12+ hour day with many hours spent driving because of the distances covered. For that reason, a day trip to the Scottish Highlands isn’t my top recommendation. I’d choose somewhere that is closer to Edinburgh and save the Highlands for when you have more time.
Best Day Trips from Edinburgh, Scotland
These are the best day trips from Edinburgh, Scotland.
I love Edinburgh, and I think you can spend so much time in the city without getting bored, but it’s also worth taking at least one day trip outside of Edinburgh to explore more of Scotland (or England.)
Enjoy your trip to Scotland!
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