Top Edinburgh Day Trips

Head into the Edinburgh countryside with one of these highly rated day trips, according to past guests:

• Loch Ness and Highlands Day Tour Including Cruise From Edinburgh
• Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Glencoe and Pitlochry Tour
• Loch Ness and the Scottish Highlands With Lunch From Edinburgh
• Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and Glencoe Day Trip From Edinburgh
• St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour From Edinburgh

Yes, Edinburgh day trips are worth it: There’s tons to see outside of Scotland’s capital, while many of the most scenic destinations are hard to reach by public transportation. Many tours bundle several stops with something for everyone, whether you want to sample spirits at countryside distilleries, visit Outlander film locations, shop for the perfect souvenir, or try to spot the Loch Ness monster or the Harry Potter steam train.

Yes, you can do a day trip to the Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh. Most preplanned itineraries are long day tours, but include an amazing array of dramatic landscapes with soaring mountains, glistening lochs, and deep valleys. This popular tour includes Cairngorms National Park, Loch Ness, and Glencoe.

Yes, you can do a day trip to Loch Ness from Edinburgh without a tour—but you’d need to hire a car, as it’s at least an 11-hour round trip by public transportation, and a fiddly journey at that. If you don’t drive, or if you’d rather leave the driving to someone else, many Loch Ness day tours include other key stops, such as visits to the villages of Glencoe and Pitlochry. [Some also feature a Loch Ness cruise].(/tours/Edinburgh/Loch-Ness-Glencoe-and-the-Highlands-Small-Group-Day-Trip-from-Edinburgh/d739-225005)

Yes, St. Andrews is worth a day trip from Edinburgh. This historic coastal town is home to the world’s oldest golf course, dating back to the 16th century. You’ll want to wander around the University of St. Andrews campus, where the Prince and Princess of Wales first met as students, and see the medieval remains of St. Andrews Cathedral.

Plan to spend at least three days in Edinburgh. That will give you time to visit the most iconic landmarks and allow for a day trip outside the city, as well. A few don’t-miss sights in the capital include Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and Arthur’s Seat. Popular day trips include Loch Ness with the Scottish Highlands and Loch Lomond with Stirling Castle.

The best day trips from Edinburgh by train include Glasgow, Scotland’s second city, Stirling Castle, one of the country’s most important castles, and North Berwick, a seaside town offering beaches and fresh seafood. All of these take less than an hour to reach. You can also explore historic St. Andrews by catching the train to Leuchars and taking a 15-minute bus ride.

Edinburgh day trip prices vary depending on duration and inclusions. If you’re looking for high-quality experiences on the lower end of the price range, these are the best tours to book now: 

• Whisky and Tales: Whisky, History and Storytelling
• Original Harry Potter Locations Tour in Edinburgh: Guided Tour
• Old Town Walking Tour History and Tales in Edinburgh
• The World Famous Underground Ghost Tour
• City Sightseeing Edinburgh Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

Assuming it’s your first visit to Edinburgh and you want to spend a day exploring the city, that leaves time for two day trips. A Scottish Highlands tour is a must if you’re not headed further north: this one checks off Loch Ness, Glencoe, and Pitlochry, with options to visit a whisky distillery and/or take a Loch Ness cruise. Highlands tours generally last at least 12 hours, so pick a closer destination for your second day trip: Glasgow, Stirling, and St. Andrews are all good choices.

Loch Ness alone is roughly an 8-hour round trip from Edinburgh, so trips that cover other Highland destinations en route usually take at least 12 hours and can take longer. Note that you spend a lot of that time in transit, soaking up the views as you drive through beautiful areas such as Cairngorms National Park.

The best time to book Edinburgh day trips is during the shoulder seasons: late spring and early summer (May–June), and early fall (September–October). These times typically offer mild weather, fewer crowds, and the Scottish scenery at its best. Summer delivers long daylight hours and warmer temperatures but is the busiest season, so book tours in advance. Winter trips can be special, but be sure to pack warm layers.

Stirling Castle is about a 40-mile (64-kilometer) drive from Edinburgh, or a little over an hour’s journey by road or rail—and, yes, it’s very much worth visiting. Perched on a crag, with a history dating back to at least the 12th century, it’s architecturally spectacular and jam-packed with fascinating stories.

Edinburgh’s top attractions include Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, St. Giles’ Cathedral, and the hike up Arthur’s Seat. But you’d be remiss not to discover Scotch whisky, brave a ghost tour, and check out some of the city’s world-class museums, such as the National Museum of Scotland.