Five great Scottish family holiday destinations

Shark diving at Deep Sea World, Fife. Picture: Andrew O'Brien

Scotland has plenty to offer for you and the children when looking for a memorable holiday experience. Here’s a selection of popular Scottish holiday destination ideas, suitable for the whole family.

Survey the royal grounds at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire

The Royal family’s official Scottish residence since 1848 and a stunning piece of Baronial architecture in its own right. In terms of other royal properties, there’s a wealth of access available to the general public, including tours of the grounds, vegetable gardens, audio visual exhibitions and the largest room in the castle: the historic Ballroom. The perfect choice for those looking to tie in history to their family adventures.

Quiraing walk across the Isle Of Skye. Picture: Getty

Come face to face with sharks at Deep Sea World, Fife

Located under the Forth Rail Bridge, Scotland’s national aquarium plays host to a plethora of deep sea creatures including tropical fish, piranhas, amphibians and, of course, sharks. There’s plenty to learn for little ones - from the vibrant colours of the Amazon exhibit to local species in the Rocky Shores collection. For thrillseekers, Deep Sea World also offers the chance to take the plunge with sharks, letting you get up close and personal with sand tiger sharks and thornback stingrays.

Catch the wildlife at Five Sisters Zoo, West Calder

For animal lovers, West Calder’s Five Sisters Zoo is a chance to walk and talk like the animals. The ethos behind the animal sanctuary is all about supporting the animal’s welfare as well as educating children in a fun way about various different species. There are over 170 kinds of animals, birds and reptiles from across the world, including rehomed grizzly bears. There are plans for a lion’s den in the next few months.

Roam ancient walkways at Quiraing, Isle Of Skye

If natural history is more your thing, then the Quiraing walk across the Isle Of Skye is a must. The northernmost summit of the Trotternish peninsula has been shaped by an ancient history of landslips, creating some of the most stunning scenery in the whole of Britain. A well-taken trail through those rocky cliff faces mean that families can ramble in relative safety.

Learn something new at Dundee Science Centre, Dundee

Hoping to encourage the next Professor Brian Cox? You could do a lot worse than to visit the Dundee Science Centre, taking the stuffiness classroom atmosphere out of learning experience and replacing it with a number of hands-on exhibitions. If you’re planning a visit soon, then the Dundee Science Festival is taking place from October 31st to November 15th complete with a “super heroes v monsters” family fun day.