Sighseeing from Edinburgh?

Question

I am based in Edinburgh next week with a car. I have two whole days, and two half days to fill. I would love to get out and about and see some of Scotland. I am thinking of Oban one full day. Can you recommend another lovely drive of around 2-3 hours, and two drives of around an hour? All suggestions will be considered - thank you!

Answer 1

The A9 is a pretty drive. You can take the M90 up to Perth and take the A9 from there to Aberdeen then the A92 coastal route back down to Edinburgh. I did the drive when I first moved here from the States and it's really beautiful and a great way to see the country. Stop in Stonehaven (just south of Aberdeen) and see the castle. The views are really amazing.

Answer 2

There is a steam railway about 20 miles east of Edinburgh in a place called Bo'ness and it's collection is deemed of national importance to Scotland. nearby is Linlithgow Palace where mary Queen of Scots was born and a few miles further on in Falkirk is the Falkirk wheel, the worlds only rotating boat lift.

Answer 3

Everyone else has great suggestions. I was told to go to Rosslyn Chapel when I was there, but that's more so if you were obsessed over the Da Vinci Code. I never went, so I guess you could and see if it's worth it? haha

Answer 4

It depends what you want to see, if its beaches you will see some nice ones all the way up the east coast, shopping etc you would be better with edinburgh or glasgow, Oban has the deep sea life centre but the one in South Queensferry is better. I live in glasgow and cant really say there is much I would like to see. Knockhill has the racing cars this sunday.

Answer 5

Hope you have a hotel with parking as there is no free street parking in edinburgh city centre.

For a half day you could climb Arthurs Seat, a big hill in the middle of town, it's also close to Holyrood Palace, which is a good touristy destination.

You could drive up the coast of the Forth, to Aberlady, a chocolate-box village, or further to the Sea Bird Centre, or even to North Berwick, which is supposedly very sunny, although none of Scotland has been sunny recently. That'll be about an hour.

You could go out to the Forth Road bridge and take the "Maid of the Forth " boat out to some of the islands, there's also a good restaurant near the dock for lunch.

Why not the castle? Or dynamic earth, a museum/interactive natural history place.

Answer 6

St. Andrews is about an hours drive from Edinburgh. It's a beautiful little town with a great cathedral and castle. there is also a fantastic beach. There are other really pretty towns along the East coast such as Anstruther and Elie.

Answer 7

The East Coast(2-3 hrs)Start in Edinburgh,cross the Forth Bridge(lovely views),go to Dunfermline,Fife(which used to be the capital of Scotland in ancient times), and stop at Dunfermline Abbey(Robert the Bruce lived here when he was King of Scotland) .Then go to Pittencrieff Park which is also in Dunfermline .(It has a "hothouse" with exotic plants and animals).Go to Alari's fish&chip shop in Chalmers Street,Dunfermline,the best lunch in the area.This will take 2-3 hours.

Answer 8

perthshire is one of the best kept secret in scotland.every little village is nicer than the next.they are all well kept.scone palace can be seen in less than an hours drive or glamis castle in about two hours.stirling is also such a lovely old town with its castle and its old court house etc and that is only about twenty mins away.glasgow is also a great city to visit which is only half an hour away.the safari park at blairdrummond is only about a half hour away with a further drive to callender a lovely little place.i hope you enjoy your fews days away.

Answer 9

you could pop into dynamic earth and holyrood for half day, they are right next to each other and dynamic earthn is pretty cool its about how the world started and different areas and things. plus a cool interactive spaceship thing at the end. (:

tbh, oban is a bit boring and run down but for tourists it might be interesting. i would prefer fort william with ben nevis.

there is an excellent restaurant in a tiny tiny tiny place called memus around dundee which has a lovely drive once you get out of dundee. memus is on most maps because it is on all of our 3 old maps.

loch lomond is a good drive aswell but not to go in if you get travel sick. also lock fyne is a lovely lake and inverary is a great place to stop with the jail and castle where the duke of somewhere stays. hes royalty. (:

mainly, most small roads in scotland have lovely views so any drive will be noce, except if its raining which it probably will.

have fun.

Answer 10

Have a drive to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, nice drive of about 1hr 30mins, great scenery and some nice towns on the way.