​Glasgow is an arty city. There is a buzz of creative energy that flows through the streets. Whereas you can feel the history oozeing from the ancient bricks and cobbled lanes of Edinburgh’s Old Town, in Glasgow it's all about the creativity. The Glasgow Mural Trail is a brilliant example of the innovative and hip vibe of the city. Cleverly located around the city centre these stunning colourful Glasgow Murals help fill up empty and dull spaces, show off the talent of local artists and help to tell the tale of Glasgow. It’s pretty easy to see the murals for yourself, most are located within walking distance of Buchanan Bus Station, Glasgow Central Train Station and Queen Street Train Station. I’ve found an easier way though, a lazy option. I hop on the City Sightseeing Bus.

Leaving from George Square every 15 minutes the open top bus winds its way around the city, with stops at all of the main attractions like Glasgow Cathedral, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery And Museum and Merchant City. I always grab a seat on the top deck so I can take photos without a window reflection and I always stick in the earphones (even though I could probably tell you every story, I’ve heard it so much) and listen to the mesmerising tones of Scottish historian Neil Oliver. I quite enjoy being a tourist for a while and the stops are so handy, especially, in this case, if you want to see some Glasgow graffiti. The fact you can hop off wherever you like and get back on once you're done having a nosy around is perfect. 

Updated September 2018
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The past few years have seen the city of Dundee on Scotland's east coast have a bit of a renaissance, so much so that's it has recently been named one of the top 5 hottest cities in the world! The city has a real buzz at the moment and with the massive redesign of the waterfront and the completion of the long awaited V+A Museum this city is thriving, exciting and inspiring. There is so much things to do in Dundee with kids, especially as it's a city known for it's talented video game creators and comic book designers, which lead to Dundee being named as a UNESCO City of Design. 

Where else could you shoot out a nose like a bogey, move a ping pong ball with your mind or turn yourself into a gorilla? This place is packed with experiments you can try out in a fun exciting way so the kids are still learning but they don’t quite realise it. We learned about morse code, the solar system, dinosaurs, played games with robots, sat on a hover craft and tried out some optical illusions.
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Adults £8.25
Children £6.25
Children 0-3 Free
Greenmarket, Dundee, DD1 4QB

This park in Dundee has been around for as long as I can remember and I have fond memories of playing here as a child so I was excitied to be returning with mine. Lemurs, bears, otters and meerkats are amongst the animals here and there is also wolves, tortoises, peacocks, goats and a whole load more. You could easily stay here for the full day if you explore the park just outside. A slow paced, spread out kind of place you can stop for picnic, or just sit for a bit and not feel rushed or hurried.
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Adults £5.50
Children £4.40
Childen 0-3 Free
Camperdown Country Park, Coupar Angus Road, Dundee, DD2 4TF

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I love the village of Culross. Outlander was filmed there but even if it wasn't I’d still be raving about it. Situated on the coast of the Firth of Forth in Fife it’s a village that whips you back to the 17th century like a time machine. It’s cobbled lanes, colourful rustic houses and mustard yellow palace could easily be mistaken for set on a movie. The houses are painted in an array of pastel yellows, pinks, oranges and blues and many have quirky details such as timber frames, wooden staircases and brightly coloured flower boxes. The cobbled lanes lead up from the hub of the village, winding up hill to gems such as the Market Cross and the Abbey. Like Falkland it’s easy to see why the location scouts for Outlander picked this location. The National Trust for Scotland has painstakingly restored the village to how it looked in the 17th and 18th century and the results are outstanding and of course this means the team didn’t have to change much at all. 

A luxury wooden wigwam, tucked away unseen along a winding farm track lined with daffodils and spring blooms, on a pretty woodland estate in the heart of Fife. Sounds pretty heavenly doesn’t it? When I was invited along to try out the new wigwams on Montrave Estate I jumped at the chance. Having stayed in a few of these wigwams in other areas of Scotland I knew it would be a fab two days. Glamping in Fife is exactly the kind of wee break that I love.  

It’s a dream for many people to see Puffins up close. The comical, stocky little birds with their colourful beaks and brightly coloured feet adorn postcards and calendars in homes and gift shops across the country. They are popular birds, but they aren’t easy to see and people often come to Scotland hoping to see them and leave disappointed. That’s why it’s important to do a little forward planning. The Isle of May boat trips, which leave from Anstruther in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, are the perfect way to see puffins in Scotland, and not only see, but see up close. 

Updated from February 2015
Having a teenager myself I know how impossible it is to get them to even lift their heads up from their phones and computers. What they need is to get out and get some fresh air and exercise. Easier said than done you might say. Well yes, I don’t recommend taking them anywhere without a phone signal (what a disaster that would be – queue Kevin and Perry style huffing and puffing), at least not for any longer than a couple of days. But if you are looking for things to do with kids in Scotland I have come up with some ideas. Through a lot of experimenting I have come up with the following list of things of activities you can try out with your little bundles of joys, and you never know, you might even get a glimpse of that smile you haven’t seen since they were 11.
Remember, any activity you do has to be cool! Even though they might surprise themselves and actually enjoy themselves, what they are really thinking is how cool would this photo be on Instagram, or how cool will my pals think I am when I tell them what I’ve been doing (also good bargaining tools – think how good the photos would be on your instagram son).

1. Canoeing or Kayaking
There are canoe hire shops almost anywhere near a stretch of water. 90% of Scots live within 10 miles of a canoeing site so it should be easy to find somewhere. Get them in a wetsuit or buoyancy jacket and out into the water, especially somewhere stunning (photos!). It’s surprisingly easy if it’s a nice calm day and they should be pleased they managed to do it successfully. This was a good one for us and now we do it quite regularly. Elie Watersports in Fife hire out canoes and wetsuits, or you can have a go on a banana boat or paddle boat, or have a lesson windsurfing or sailing. NaeLimits near Grandtully in Perthshire also has loads of activities water based and land based from the easy to the build up one’s courage type of activity like cliff jumping and canyoning(!) For kayaking you could try Splash Rafting, as well as kayaking they could try river bugging, canyoning, abseiling and loads of other activities. Kayaking £50 for a half day including all equipment and wetsuit. 
Splash Rafting,
Dunkeld Road,
Aberfeldy,
PH15 2AQ

The beautiful Isle of Mull lies just off the west coast of Scotland and is the second largest island in the Inner Hebrides. It's easy to fall in love with this island, you only need to get on the Oban to Mull ferry and gaze at the jagged peaks of the mountains of Mull to fall head over heels. The friendly locals, the delicious food and the whole relaxed and peaceful vibe will have you returning as often as possible.

In this article you will discover
-How to get to Oban
- All about the Oban ferry terminal
- How to catch the ferry to Mull
- Mull accommodation
- Mull restaurants and cafes
- Things to do on the Isle of Mull

Are you planning to visit Aviemore and the Cairngorms on your trip to Scotland? There is more to the area than skiing you know, although the skiing is pretty fantastic I admit. If you are looking for things to do near Aviemore and the surrounding Cairngorm National Park then look no further. This extensive list will help you plan all your adventures and give you plenty of choices to add to your Scottish Travel Itinerary.
The Cairngorms is home to four out of five of the UK’s highest mountains. It’s also the UK’s largest national park. During the summer months the area is a mecca for outdoor sports with 1750 square miles to explore. Whether you prefer a hike, a cycle, horse riding or canoeing anything is possible in this stunning part of the Scottish Highlands. If you are still looking to book accommodation Aviemore is the ideal town to base yourself in. At the foot of the famous Cairngorm mountain itself, surrounded by mystical lochs (60 of them!), ancient forests and breathtaking scenery it’s a town containing everything you need. There are independent shops, a supermarket, lovely little cafes and a massive range of accommodation of all types. 
I’ve put this blog into my Perthshire section as the road I take to get there goes through Perthshire (the A9) but the Cairngorms are so huge the boundaries actually stretch into Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus and the Highlands. 

​Skiing 
The most obvious activity to do in the Cairngorm Mountain Range is of course skiing and here there are over 30km of ski runs on the Cairngorm mountain to keep you busy. If you prefer to snowboard there is a snowboarding fun park too. You can hire equipment, take a class at the ski school or go cross country in the forest below. 
The Cairngorms Mountain Range isn’t the only ski centre in the Cairngorms, there is also Glenshee which is home to one of the most challenging black runs available - The Tiger or The Lecht which is brilliant for beginners and families with lots of nursery slopes and lots of jumps and runs for skiers and snowboarders. 

Rothiemurchus
Sir David Attenburgh once said Rothiemurchus was one of the glories of wild Scotland and his is definitely an opinion I’d trust. It’s a place where you could easily spend the day, if not longer, exploring. If you are looking for things to do in Aviemore and have the whole day this one is for you. Beautiful scenery, walks, wildlife and a massive range of activities such as Segway, archery, pony trekking and fishing. The jewel in the crown of Rothiemurchus is the incredible Loch An Eilein. Take a leisurely walk around the Loch and take in the Highland Castle on the island. Look out for an abundance of wildlife such as Ospreys, Otters, Roe deer and Pine Martins. You can take a photography tour or head to the hides with Speyside Wildlife for a close up look. ​

​Loch Morlich Watersports Centre
Surrounded by the Northern Cairngorms this beautiful loch is home to Loch Morlich Watersports. The team offer sailing lessons for individuals and families as well as windsurfing, kayaking and canoeing. You can also try your hand at the latest craze, Paddleboarding. I have never tried this but it’s on my bucket list, it looks amazing! If you are confident out on the water you can just hire the equipment and go solo or you can have a guided mountain bike trial if you fancy getting out of the water and exploring the Glenmore Forest Park. 

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​Loch Insh Outdoor Centre
This centre is ideal for active families who are looking for a few days holiday without the need to go anywhere else. You can stay in one of their gorgeous chalets and spend your days learning everything from Watersports like paddleboarding and kayaking to land based sports like mountain biking, archery or even skiing or snowboarding on their dry ski slope. You can learn how to build rafts, have a leisurely afternoon in a pedalos exploring the loch or take a river trip in a canoe. A quick lesson is offered before certain sports like the paddleboarding and windsurfing but you are then free to enjoy the sports on your own.