13 Ideas for fun family days out in Scotland

Venture on a day trip south to Dumfries & Galloway to see Scotland’s most iconic farm animal up close. Kitchen Coos & Ewes is home to a phenomenal herd of Highland cows which you can learn more about on a purpose-built trailer tour around the farm. On the Highland cow safari, you’ll discover how important these friendly faces are to the environment while seeing them up close, before finishing the tour with fresh home baking from the farmhouse. For an extra-special experience, book the Hands-On Coo Tour where you can groom some of the younger cows before heading off on a safari to see the rest of the herd.

When the sun is out in Scotland, you need to make the most of it! Pack up the kids and head to RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve in Renfrewshire. Explore woodland trails and outdoor play areas, keep an eye out for local wildlife, and let the wee ones burn off that energy with a day out in nature.

Open all year round, the reserve offers something new to see in every season, with a rich variety of birds and other wildlife calling it home. Before you leave, stop by the visitor centre and shop, or enjoy a picnic – or perhaps some coffee and cake in the café.

The nature trails are partly signposted and feature flat terrain, so pushchairs are welcome – no one needs to miss out on the adventure!

Landmark Forest Adventure Park offers outstanding thrills and spills with its unique blend of rides and family-friendly activities. Feel the high speeds of the Runaway Timber Train, or take on the dizzying heights of the Wild Water Coaster, featuring three fear-inducing raft rides over waterfalls. If you prefer to keep both feet on the ground, there’s still plenty to enjoy. Come face to face with a 20-foot-tall T-Rex at Dinosaur Kingdom, meet the park’s resident wildlife and insects in the Tropical Hot-House, or step into the world’s first Bamboozeleum – a mind-bending maze of puzzles, optical illusions, and special effects for hours of added fun. Little adventurers can get behind the wheel of their very own mini 4x4, or take control of a mini digger to scoop and deposit sand like real pros.

Loch Insh Outdoor Centre offers an array of challenging and creative outdoor activities. Varied courses and programmes are available, and the choice of fun is huge! Enjoy raft building, sailing, stand up paddle boarding, and pedalos, to name just a few. If you prefer to stay on dry land, immerse yourself in Scotland’s scenery with mountain biking, improve your aim with archery, or let the kids enjoy the play parks.

Fancy staying that wee bit longer? The outdoor centre also offers comfortable accommodation during your visit. Choose from its wide range of options, from apartments and chalets to its very own B&B.

Head to the famous shores of Loch Lomond, just 30 minutes from Glasgow, for an exciting day trip to the SEA LIFE Aquarium. Dive into this underwater world and discover the depths of the world’s oceans across the immersive themed zones. A perfect attraction to visit when the weather just isn’t ideal, you can get up close to over 1,500 creatures, big and small, including Scotland’s largest collection of sharks!

The wee ones will love getting hands-on in the rockpool experience, as well as finding out what a starfish feels like. Don’t miss the Ocean Tunnel – a 250,000-litre room where you can come face-to-face with a dazzling array of sea creatures.

With 370 hectares of country park to explore, you and the kids are in for a treat! Beecraigs Country Park, located just south of Linlithgow in West Lothian, is the perfect playground for the wee ones to explore. The park offers up miles of woodland trails which you can explore on foot, by bike, or on horseback.

The kids will love the adventure play area, and if you’ve got a budding mountain biker on your hands, there is a dedicated Skills Area where they can hone their skills, as well as mountain biking trails throughout the park. Don't forget to stop by at the visitor centre for more information, gifts, refreshments, ice-cream, and delicious food in the café whilst you’re here.

Camera Obscura is a museum dedicated to optical illusions that will simply boggle your mind. With five floors of hands-on exhibits, you may need to take a second – or even third – look at things which aren't as they first appear. From the dizzying vortex tunnel to the tricky mirror maze, this attraction is sure to add a lot of excitement to your day out in the capital. The shrinking room is a great place for photos – become a mighty giant in one corner and a pint-sized version of yourself in the other. To round it all off, head up to the rooftop for impressive views of Edinburgh’s skyline.

Discover Fife’s wildest day out at The Scottish Deer Centre. The attraction is home to 12 species of deer, along with animals such as lynx, the Scottish wildcat, the European brown bear, and many more. Its daily schedule of activities also offers the chance to meet some of the animals up close, with feeding and grooming sessions.

That’s not all! Be sure to leave time for the kids to enjoy the indoor play area and the adventure playground. Whether they're climbing or zooming down the zip line, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Home to over 40 species of animals, Auchingarrich Wildlife & Adventure Park gives visitors the chance to get up close to a range of animals in their natural habitats. There is something to see all year round – from baby chicks hatching and daily feeding sessions to the opportunity to try your hand at milking Clover the cow. Younger visitors can also have lots of fun at the indoor soft play barn. 

Thankfully, no passport is required for this next visit. Located in East Lothian, the National Museum of Flight offers a fascinating insight into the world of aviation dating back to the First World War. The centrepiece of the museum is the iconic Concorde, where you can get a taste of what a transatlantic flight was once like. Other highlights include historic aircrafts spanning decades of aviation history, displayed across the museum's hangars and airfields, as well as exhibits exploring the evolution of the in-flight experience. 

The Isle of Skye, off the west coast of Scotland, is a wonderful choice for a family break, offering plenty of day-trip opportunities to keep everyone entertained for hours. Head to the Skye Museum of Island Life to step back in time and experience what island life was really like in time gone by. From thatched-roof cottages and fascinating displays of artefacts and original tools to seeing the village smithy, the weaver’s house, and historical archives too, there’s a wealth of history to explore.