Glasgow, Scotland, is the biggest city in Scotland, has a major airport, and is the perfect place to base your trip to the rest of the country! Korri and I recently spent just over a week in Scotland, spending most of our time near Glasgow with Korri’s family. From there, we were able to take multiple day trips to various parts of Scotland—all without schlepping our stuff with us and constantly checking into and out of hotels.

It made me realize (again) just how much I love and appreciate staying in ONE place and exploring from there, especially now that I’m older and less inclined to hop around. While I would recommend spending more time (multiple nights) in some of these places if you can swing it, there’s no shame in having a “home base” and taking lots of day trips! (That’s how I spent my week in Vienna 8 years ago, and it’s still one of my favorite trips.)

Located on the western side of Scotland, there are countless spots to explore via day trips just outside of Glasgow as well as plenty of places up to three hours away if you’re feeling ambitious! Below, I rounded up 12 day trips from Glasgow to consider, including the day trips we took ourselves (and some I’d like to do next time)!

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12 Best Day Trips from Glasgow

Stirling

Stirling is a darling town about a 40 minute drive or 35 minute train ride from Glasgow. It’s easily accessible by train, though the trek to the castle is up a big hill, so be prepared for that or hire a car to take you up.

You can’t go to Stirling and not visit the Stirling Castle. You can easily kill a couple of hours exploring this huge castle and the castle grounds! I recommend booking a proper tour of the castle with a guide, but it’s still fun to explore on your own.

Other things to do during a day in Stirling include:

Stirling Old Town Jail (tours, escape rooms)
Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum
King’s Knot and Queen’s Knot
Wallace Monument
Stirling Old Bridge
Shop at the Thistles Shopping Centre

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is a popular vacation destination for locals! This lake is the perfect place for a day trip if you enjoy outdoor activities. It’s located northwest of Glasgow and part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Balloch is the closest town near the lake and national park (about 35-40 minutes from Glasgow by car or 50 minutes by train).

Here are some spots worth considering and things worth doing in and around Loch Lomond:

Walk or cycle through the national park
Maid of the Loch
Balloch Steam Slipway
Balloch Castle and Country Park
Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre
Cruise with Sweeney Cruise Co.
Golfing
Eglinton Castle

The Falkirk Wheel

The Falkirk Wheel is a quick 30-minute drive from Glasgow and features the world’s only rotating boat lift that connects boats between the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal. There are so many other fun, family-friendly outdoor things to do besides watching the wheel go around that make the Falkirk Wheel a perfect day trip!

You can book a 60-minute-long boat ride, tour the wheel, paddle board, canoe, ride bikes, play mini golf, splash around in the splash zone, and so much more.

Inverary

Inverary is a gorgeous coastal town northwest of Glasgow past Loch Lomond. The total drive time from Glasgow to Inverary is just under an hour and a half. You’ll drive over the Rest and Be Thankful Pass—stop here to take a photo of the view! And don’t be surprised if it’s cloudy and sprinkles on you during this drive.

As you enter Inverary, you’ll cross a small bridge, and from the bridge you can see the Inverary Castle in the distance! You can drive directly to the castle or park closer to the city “center” and walk 15 minutes to the castle. The center of Inverary is super cute and tiny with only one main street.

Inverary Castle is stunning! Purchase a ticket to walk around the garden outside and/or explore inside. There’s also a tea room and gift shop. If you’re hungry, head back to town and grab a fish and chips meal at Fyne Fish and Chips (get the haddock if you’re not sure; a large is enough to share).

Finish your day in Inverary by walking down to the water front and pier to check out the view of Loch Fyne, a sea loch (it’s connected to the ocean). Then, swing by the Inverary Jail and Escape Room for a bit of fun!

Perth

Perth is located about an hour northeast of Glasgow and is a city you’d drive through on your way to Dundee or Arbroath (more on those below). There are a ton of golf courses in and around Perth! Here are a bunch of places that I’d recommend checking out during your day trip:

Perth Museum
Perth Art Gallery
The Black Watch Castle and Museum
Branklyn Garden
Huntingtower Castle
Scone Palace
Kinnoull Hill Tower

Edinburgh

A day trip to Edinburgh is an obvious option from Glasgow because it’s easily accessible via public transport, and it’s definitely not one to be missed! While I do recommend staying at least three nights in this beautiful city, the train ride from Glasgow is just under an hour (about an hour by car), making it an easy choice for a day trip or two.

If you only have a day to spend in Edinburgh, I recommend checking out Edinburgh Castle (book a castle tour ahead of time), walking the Royal Mile, and enjoying afternoon tea. It doesn’t sound like much but I promise you can kill many hours this way!

Other options if you have more time in Edinburgh:

Enjoy a whiskey tasting
Learn history in an underground cave tour
Shop local retailers
Visit Leith

Dundee

Dundee is a larger city on the east side of Scotland and sits on the River Tay. Located an hour and a half from Glasgow, you’ll drive through it on your way to Arbroath (more on that day trip location below), but it’s worth a stop in its own right. Spend your day in “the city of discovery” by checking out some of these highlights!

Discovery Point
Dundee Waterfront Gardens
The McManus (art gallery and museum)
Dundee Museum of Transport
Verdant Works Museum
Broughty Castle Museum

St. Andrews

St. Andrews, located an hour and a half from Glasgow, is THE home of golf! You can’t visit and not see the Old Course, the famous golf course along the coast. Snap a photo of yourself on the famous Swilcan Bridge at the 18th hole (when no golfers are teeing off on the hole, of course).

Walk through St. Andrews to see all the golf shops (and stop inside if golf is your fancy) and visit the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral, what used to be Scotland’s largest church. There’s another eerie cemetery on the cathedral grounds! (Note that the last entry is 4:45 pm.)

Head north from the cathedral towards the water to find St. Andrews Castle ruins. You’ll see the most gorgeous view of the coastline! Like the cathedral, the last entry is 4:45 pm. Walk back towards the golf course along the coast and through the University of St. Andrews! This is one of the most beautiful settings for a college campus I’ve ever seen.

Looking for a spot to eat? We enjoyed some small bites at Central Bar.

Arbroath

Arbroath is a cute coastal town along the North Sea, just under two hours from Glasgow by car. While there, I recommend walking through the marina and out to the East Pier for a view of the sea.

Then, drive or walk through town to the Arbroath Abbey. Only the ruins and the cemetery remain of this 12th-century abbey, and while we were there, the ruins were in the process of being restored, so you may not be able to get up close to them. The cemetery was cool yet creepy, and there’s a small museum with a wealth of information.

Here are more ideas for things to do to make the most of your day trip to Arbroath:

Hiking at Arbroath Cliffs
Signal Tower Museum
Enjoy fresh local seafood

Glenfinnan Viaduct

Glenfinnan Viaduct is a lengthy 3-hour drive from Glasgow and best known for the spectacular stone bridge where the Jacobite steam train transits. This is a popular tourist destination because it’s a Harry Potter film location, and you can even take a ride on the steam train! The closest major city to the Glenfinnan Viaduct is Fort Williams.

Because it’s so far away, you might want to consider booking a bus tour to Glenfinnan Viaduct from Glasgow with a local tour company. Here are a couple of options:

Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands

If you want to pack a LOT into a day trip from Glasgow, sign up for a 12-hour day tour to Loch Ness, Glencoe, and the Highlands with a local tour company. They take care of all the logistics so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the pretty scenery! This is the easiest way to see a large chunk of Scotland if you’re short on time.

Here are some tour companies offering these day tours:

Isle of Arran

Want a day trip from Glasgow that’s off the beaten path? Head to Isle of Arran! This is a beautiful isle southwest of Glasgow. The longest part of the trip is the hour and a half Ardrossan to Brodick ferry ride between the mainland and island (for a total travel time of just under 2.5 hours).

Once in Brodick, check out the Brodick Castle, Garden, and Country Park, visit the Arran Heritage Museum, and grab sweet treats from the Arran Chocolate Factory.

If you have your car, drive on the road around and through the middle of the Isle of Arran to take in the spectacular views and check out more places, like the King’s Caves!