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Scotland / Ireland with 2 kids (Round 2)

Hello,

Apologies for my previous post. I hadn’t done enough research. Hopefully this one is better.
I have booked tickets going from Texas to Edinburgh on July 20 (arriving on July 21) and departing from Dublin back to Texas on Aug 3. We have 2 children (2 and 6). Focus is on minimizing hotel movements (not eliminate them). We have 12 days. I came up with an itinerary for 14 days. So I need feedback on what to take out and overall ideas/recommendations. What can I knock out sooner or remove so I’m not one day short? Thanks!!!

Hotel: Edinburgh

July 20: Flight

July 21: Arrive in Edinburgh late morning. Get to the hotel at noon. Rest and explore the city.

July 22 - 23:
Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, and the Royal Yacht Britannia
Royal Mile / Old Town
Get a rental car end of day 23rd

Hotel: Inverness

July 24:
Stop 1: Dunkeld Cathedral,
Stop 2: Queen/s View
Stop 3: Blair Castle & Gardens
Stop 4: Highland Folk Museum
Inverness (245 miles/5h 15 min total drive)

July 25
Cawdor Castle (13 miles, 20 min each way
Explore Inverness
Loch Ness
Urquhart Castle
Eilean Donan Castle

Hotel: Portree

July 26:
Stop 1: Loch Ness (30 min)
Boat Tour: Loch Ness by Jacobite
Stop 2: Urquhart Castle (Nearby)
Stop 3: Eilean Donan Castle (1h 11min)
Portree (1 hr)

July 27:
Explore Portree
Dunvegan Castle & Gardens (30 min)
Optional: Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls (30 min)
Skye - drive on ferry to get to Isle of Skye
Fairy Pools
Spend the evening in Isle of Skye

Hotel: Glasgow

July 28:
Drive to Glasgow (6 hrs). En Route:
Glencoe Mountains
Inveraray Castle
Town of Luss

July 29:
Explore Glasgow

Hotel: Galway

July 30
Return car
Flight to Galway
Rental car in Galway

Aug 1
Stop 1: Ring of Kerry
Stop 2: Brendan Farris – an Irish border collie trainer
Stop 3: Muckross House

Hotel: Killarney

Aug 2
Stop 1: Kilkenny Castle
Stop 2: Blarney Castle

Hotel: Dublin

Aug 3: Explore Dublin

Aug 3: Flight back

Posted by
4 posts

Hello Wesleys, I appreciate all your feedback. Definitely wasn’t aware of the Galway airport - this helps a lot!!!

Posted by
417 posts

I wouldn't go to Ireland at all on this trip. Stay the extra days in Scotland. I would add The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, which I think are near-ish to Stirling Castle, which I have not been to but I know it's popular. With kids so young, I would add in a lot more downtime for playgrounds and beaches.
Re: Kilkenny Castle, even the 6-year-old will be bored with that, let alone the 2-year-old.