Edinburgh is a Must
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and has been since the 15th century. It is full of historic sites as well as a plethora of fine restaurants and classy pubs. Once you have driven to the most obvious first stop by car (if using the A1 from England), you had better find a good parking spot for your car. Just search for Edinburgh hotels with free parking before you start your journey since there are so many buses, trams and taxis. You will welcome the break from driving on your overnight stay in Edinburgh.
See Edinburgh Old Town and take an Underground Walking Tour of hidden underground vaults or a Murder and Mystery walking tour revealing Edinburgh’s darker side.
Edinburgh Hogmanay is a must if you are there on New Years eve as there is a huge street party attended by visitors from all over the world and reaching numbers of up to 150,000. Live bands play on stages around the capital, there is a Christmas Market and the finale is underlined by an amazing fireworks display.
Scottish Castles
Just outside Edinburgh centre is Dundas Castle in Queensferry which is a 15th century castle with a gorgeous boathouse. You can even stay in the Boathouse and explore the surrounding Scotland from there. Dundas Castle has amazing reviews and well worth a visit.
Balmoral Castle will take just over two hours by car from Dundas Castle and just an additional 20 minutes or so if you are coming from Edinburgh city itself. In June you can take part in the Balmoral Challenge which marks Armed Forces Day and includes walks through various types of challenging terrain around picturesque Balmoral.
Driving experience
Scotland boasts a number of businesses which run driving experiences all over the country. These driving experiences can take part on the many race tracks around the country or you can utilize the beautiful scenery by car in an off-road experience. This is a great opportunity for a family day out if you are visiting on holiday. Search for driving experience Scotland to find a range of companies offering great prices on a number of different driving options.
Whisky Tango, Come In!
Scottish whisky is the best in the world as was proven when Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky scooped the first place in the World Whisky Awards in 2016 with their Old Pulteney Vintage 1989. Granted that visiting the Old Pulteney Distillery is a serious trek from Edinburgh. But if you are a serious whisky connoisseur you may want to embark on the sceneic 256 mile 5 hour drive and there are enough highly rated hotels in the area (advisable if you are sampling). This could be your once in a lifetime opportunity and an experience you can brag about to your whisky buddies for the rest of your life.
If you don’t fancy the 5 hour drive to Wick then you can always get a comprehensive 300 year history of Scotch whiskey at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Cente in Edinburgh. Here you can see, smell and hear how Scotch whisky is made and it is a much easier venue to get to than Old Pulteney in Wick.
Cairngorm Mountain Railway by Car
Cairngorm Mountain Railway is in Cairngorm National Park and just a 2hr 30m drive from Edinburgh. Home to the Funnicular Railway where you can catch breathtaking views from over 3500 feet, snow sports and a beautiful Christmas Market.
