Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
© VisitScotland / Allan Myles

Family holidays in Scotland

Create unforgettable family memories with a holiday in Scotland. Our team has handpicked some of the best spots to explore, including Cullen in Moray Speyside, West Lothian and Ardgartan in Argyll. Each destination offers its own unique mix of scenic landscapes and plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained.

Top holiday picks from staff

Wishing you were here? Turn your dream holiday to Scotland into reality. To help you get started, some of our staff are here to give you their top recommendations of their favourite places that have been given the family seal of approval.

Cullen harbour

Cullen calling: Helen's guide to Moray Speyside's coastal gem

To truly experience Cullen, who better to recommend a place than a local? Meet Helen, who lives in this charming coastal town. She works in our Legal team here at VisitScotland and in her spare time can often be found enjoying scenic walks, visiting fantastic attractions and digging into foodie delights with her family. Find out what makes Cullen so special to Helen.

Crabbing on the beach in Cullen

Beach day

Borrow free buckets and spades at the beach toy library!

The smallest harbour beach is ideal for younger children – my kids are big fans of “crabbing” and love exploring the rockpools (to the east of the sandy beach) in the hope of finding hermit crabs and special shells.

If you’re brave enough to handle the cold sea temperatures, you can also go ‘dooking’ (swimming).

I would highly suggest booking a surfing lesson with Blue Coast where you can also hire surf and paddle gear too. There’s a fab beach sauna with both public and private sessions available to book for anyone aged 16+. To help fuel your energy levels, make sure to grab a delicious luxury hot chocolate at Coffee at the Kings which is always a hit with the kids!

For a bite to eat, there are mobile vans selling seafood and hot drinks down at the beach – delicious luxury hot chocolate is always a hit with the kids! If the weather is good, you can get delicious fish and chips from Lindas to eat at the beach – they cater well for vegans too. Fancy some dessert? Grab a famous homemade Cullen ice cream.

Bow Fiddle Rock, Portknockie

Coastal walk

The coastal viaduct has been newly resurfaced with new access ramps – great for kids on bikes/scooters, pushchairs and wheelchairs. If you carry on along the viaduct to the next village, Portknockie, you can see the stunning Bow Fiddle Rock.

There are lots of family friendly walks nearby and a big play park and football pitch at Logie Park.

In summer, you can see dolphins and sometimes minke whale. The fun doesn’t stop in winter though as you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights! The best vantage points include Cullen beach, the Three Kings sea stacks and Cullen Harbour. Since living here, I can’t believe how used I’ve become to seeing these things right on my doorstep!

A bowl of Cullen Skink soup

A foodie paradise

I enjoy a walk up and down Cullen’s high street and will usually grab a coffee from BEINN Coffee & Books or bowl of award-winning Cullen Skink from Lily’s Kitchen Café. It’s great value for money and they’ve just recently won the Cullen Skink World Championships in 2026.

Try out some of the town’s best local produce at The Yellow Deli Cullen, where you'll find a yummy selection of deli goods, ideal for those staying in self-catering accommodation.

For a cosy sit-down family meal, the Cullen Bay Hotel is very kid-friendly with a great view over the bay and a play park out the back. It’s a nice walk there under or over the viaduct too.

Sunset at Cullen beach

Cool shops

Add to Basket – open 7 days week, it’s a great place for buying homeware bits and gifts for special occasions.
Wyrd & Whimsy Scotland – open Friday to Monday, my wee girl loves going in here for shiny crystals!
Cullen Antiques Centre – a great shop for one-of-a-kind items you won’t find anywhere else.
Keeva Fashion & Gifts – this friendly and welcoming shop offers a lovely mix of ladies' fashion, gifts and cards.

Discover passes and offers in Scotland

Find a great range of passes and offers to help you and your family make the most of your adventures across Scotland.

ScotRail Kids for a Quid

Up to 4 children for £1 with one paying adult on most routes.

Kids Pass

Find about more about family offers available through Kids Pass.

Passes & offers for holidays, attractions & travel in Scotland

Find great value while in Scotland and take advantage of various offers, passes, discounts and deals.

My Scottish Pass

Explore cities like Glasgow and the Highlands with passes designed by locals who know everything there is to see and do.

Jill's top picks for family-friendly fun in West Lothian

Next up is Jill, She works in our Corporate Governance and Performance team and is here to shine a spotlight on all the wonders of West Lothian. Find out why she thinks this region is the perfect place.

Beecraigs Country Park

Family-friendly attractions galore

Beecraigs Country Park has lots of great things for kids including walks, a great playpark, Cockleroy Hill, a caravan site, picnic areas, a café and visitor centre. If you’re travelling by car, there are lots of parking spaces available and it's situated within easy access of both the M9 (via Lithlithgow) and M8 (via Bathgate).

Polkemmet Country Park is another lovely addition to your West Lothian bucket list. You’ll find everything from family-friendly play areas, tennis courts, and even a 9-hole golf course and 15-bay floodlit driving range, perfect for play after sunset. It’s also home to one of the park’s biggest attractions, the lovely Scottish Owl Centre where you’ll get the chance to meet a wide variety of owls and birds of prey, a must for all animal lovers.

If that’s not enough animal action, be sure to head to Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder. Just an hour’s drive from Edinburgh or Glasgow, you’ll see a huge variety of animals from around the world. Think big cats, monkeys, meerkats, crocodiles and much more.

Linlithgow Palace

Keep your eyes peeled for exciting events

This is simply just a taster of what you can expect in West Lothian. Be sure to check out Linlithgow Palace where they host special events throughout the year, including the Linlithgow Scotch Hop. Held every summer in the courtyard or Great Hall of Linlithgow Palace, it’s a great place to get your dancing shoes on. Don’t worry if you don’t know any of the dances, a caller will be on hand to guide you through the dance, making it perfect for beginners.

Plan a family holiday to Scotland

Get ready to start planning your family holiday with these fantastic break ideas.

Great staycations in Scotland

Home is where the heart is. Find great staycation ideas across Scotland for the whole family.

Short & weekend breaks in Scotland

A short break in Scotland will stay with you for a lifetime.

Countryside breaks in Scotland

Escape to the Scottish countryside for fresh air and peaceful surroundings.

Wellness retreats in Scotland

Slow down and refresh your mind, body and spirit in Scotland.

Four days of spring in Argyll with Emily and Abigail

Last but by no means least we have Emily singing her praises about her time in Argyll. She is our SEO & Content Executive here at VisitScotland and decided to head to Scotland’s west coast with her friend Abigail (Senior Product Owner) to see what all the fuss was about. Here is her recap on why families should book a trip to sunny Argyll.

Emily in Ardgartan

The perfect retreat

After a busy festive period, I was thinking ahead to warmer days and in the mood to book a short getaway in late spring. In January 2024, my friend Abigail and I booked a lodge stay at the end of May with Forest Holidays who were based at Ardgartan in Argyll.

We stayed at the Golden Oak cabin which was the perfect base to explore the area’s outdoor pursuits, especially as we were in the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The accommodation was in pristine condition and had a spacious living room, two bedrooms (one double and twin room) and featured a fully integrated kitchen. This was great for us as we decided to bring our own food to cook our meals throughout the day. Another great addition was of course the hot tub which we used daily, especially as we lucked out with the weather during most of our stay.

All of Forest Holidays cabins sleep up to six guests, with the Silver Birch cabin based on the shore of Loch Long, and offer accessible accommodation for wheelchair users too.

A sunny day at Loch Long

Endless Argyll adventures

With four days to explore Argyll, this meant that we could take our time without having to cram everything in all at once. Here are just some of the highlights from our trip:

A walk along Ardgartan Forest – as you can see from the pics, this was one of our sunniest days. We took a leisurely stroll along the gravel path and made sure to factor in lots of pit stops for photographs of the gorgeous lochside views of Loch Long. As we visited just before the height of summer, it wasn't too busy, but it was popular amongst dog walkers and cyclists too

Fairy door at Ardgartan Forest

Magical fairy trails – Ardgartan is home to lots of whimsical features with fairy doors hidden amongst the ancient trees. If you’re staying at Forest Holidays, be sure to pick up a trail map at reception for your fairy door hunting quest. It’s a great way to keep young children entertained and a chance to explore nature.

Outdoor pursuits for all ages – Loch Long is a prime location for lots of activities on water and on dry land. For families, you can hire bikes and catch a glimpse of the Arrochar Alps when pedalling on two wheels or make a splash by hiring a canoe. Top tip, you must be 18 or over to hire a canoe and must provide photo ID with you.

Glenshellish Burn

Walking trail along Loch Eck – we checked out the walking trail along Glenshellish burn toward Glenbranter and saw lots of cool carvings enroute. We probably would recommend this one for older children as there's a few bridges to cross over waterfalls but it's a light incline on a set path. It's roughly a two hour walk there and back, so perfect for an early morning/afternoon walk. For parking, we parked just outside Glenshellish.

Tree sculpture along Glenshellish Burn

Overall verdict

It’s a big thumbs up for us! Argyll is a fantastic place if you’re thinking of planning a staycation in Scotland with lots of great walks outside your doorstep and offers a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities from guided woodland walks to axe throwing and pottery painting. Our advice would be to bring good trainers or sturdy walking boots and waterproofs; the Scottish weather can be so unpredictable at times but that’s all part of the holiday fun.

Great attractions and events

Discover Scotland’s most popular attractions. From fascinating museums and galleries to magnificent castles and exciting family events, there are so many options to choose from.

Other things you might like

Things to do

Harry Potter Book & Filming Locations in Scotland

Join our Newsletter Clan

Get Scotland inspiration direct to your inbox. Don't miss the inside track from our Scotland experts on exciting trip ideas, unique attractions and hidden gems loved by locals.

Get the Scotland newsletter