16 nights with car

Hi Renee, I think your itinerary looks pretty well thought-out, and you should have a wonderful trip!

That said, I think that you will really enjoy Mull. In fact, I would consider adding an extra night to Mull and taking one away from somewhere else (I really do love Mull, lol!). Mull (and Tobermory) are wonderful places to base yourself, and there are so many things you can see and do there. And with 4 nights there, that would give you 3 full days, instead of the 2 days you would have with only 3 nights there. You could spend 1 day exploring Tobermory, 1 day on a Staffa tour, and 1 day visiting the Isle of Iona. Edit: For that matter, you could schedule the Staffa tour on the day you visit Iona, and they can pick you up from there. That's what I did. I totally forgot about that until just now.

Tobermory itself is very charming and there is a lot you can see and do there. I stayed 4 nights in one of the harbor B&Bs and parked in one of the free car lots on the harbor. It's lovely to be able to walk down through the shops and restaurants that line the harbor. Bring your camera as it's very photogenic. You can visit the Isle of Mull Cheese Shop (Sgriob-ruadh Farm), which is about a mile from the harbor. There are self-guided tours to meet the farm animals and learn about traditional cheese making. There is also a cafe and a farm shop.

Also, there is a short walk from the harbor car park along the wooded hillside to Aros Park with woodland trails, a lochan and really nice waterfalls. A walk from the other end of Main Street leads along a coastal path to the Rubha Nan Gall Lighthouse. There are amazing views out over the Sound of Mull. And another short walk up the hill towards Baliscate leads to the Baliscate Standing Stones. Nearby is the site of the Baliscate Chapel, the subject of a BBC archaeology dig.

You also might want to stop at Isle of Mull Pottery, which is just beautiful. They sell some in the shops along the harbor but the main shop is in the town up above Main St. (you will pass it if you go to Calgary).

The Tobermory Bakery is wonderful—definitely stop here for one of their delectable pastries, take-away sandwiches and coffee or tea. Their Millionaire's Shortbread is incredible! There is a shop at the end of the harbor that is farthest from the ferry terminal that sells handmade chocolate with a tea room, and along the way are some very nice gift shops - I bought half my souvenirs in Mull (and I'm picky about stuff like that). Lots of nice restaurants, too. There is also a catch-and-release aquarium that is interesting, too.

And don't miss Calgary Beach, which is about a 40 minute drive from Tobermory. It's very narrow and the single track roads run through the mountains with some switchbacks, so you will need to go slow through much of it, but it's well worth a visit to see the beautiful beach.

And of course, there is the Isle of Iona, the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland and filled with so much history. It makes for a wonderful day trip from Tobermory. You can drive to Fionnphort, then take the 10 minute ferry over to Iona, see the ruins and the history there, have some lunch, walk on the beach. It's an amazing day. And as you mentioned, taking a Staffa tour is definitely something that you should try to see the dolphins.

If it were me, I would schedule the Staffa/puffins tour for the first day I was there, because sometimes they have to cancel because of the weather and how it affects the water. That way would still give you another couple of days to reschedule if necessary.

Mardee beat me to it. We also loved Mull. Unfortunately it was too windy and the ferry was cancelled for the day we had planned for the Puffins and Iona. For that reason I'd recommend you plan your day early in your stay on Mull so if the ferry is cancelled you may have a 2nd day to try again.

Hi Renee
Adding another recommendation for Mull. It's simply lovely.

We did this extremely interesting little walk. There is/was a nice little cafe where you can grab a nice cuppa after your walk if it's chillly and there's a small art gallery.

http://www.calgaryartinnature.co.uk/
http://www.calgaryartinnature.co.uk/map.html

Depending on your route from Edinburgh to Oban you could stop at Stirling Castle or go via Glasgow and Loch Lomond with stops at Inveraray Castle and Kilchurn Castle Ruins.

If available, Barcaldine Castle is a wonderful B&B about 20 minutes outside of Oban in Benderloch.

You'll find plenty of seafood restaurants in Oban. Be sure to make dinner reservations in advance so you're not scrambling at the last minute.

Advance booking is also recommended for the Oban Distillery.

You've been given loads of information on Mull from the previous posters.

Your first priority after booking accommodations on Mull is to secure reservations for the ferry between Oban and Craignure for yourselves and your rental car.

Depending on where you're staying on Mull you'll have a couple choices of routes from Mull to Glencoe.

Parking is at a premium in St. Andrews. We found street parking near our hotel above the Greyfriars Inn and walked everywhere in town including Forgan's for a nice dinner.

Mull is a magical island - lots of great suggestions above.Walkhighlands is an excellent website for walks throughout Scotland and worth checking for each area you will be in:

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

Some walks my husband and I love on Mull: out by Glengorm Castle (4 miles north of Tobermory) to the little Dun Ara (fort).Beautiful scenery.The cafe at Glengorm itself is first class for lunch, great home made cakes too.
On Iona, don’t miss the walk out beyond the Abbey to the North End, one of Scotland’s loveliest corners IMO. White shell -sand beaches, islands, turquoise seas and the mountains of Mull.You might also manage the short little hike up Dun I, the island’s highest hill at 101m.The Well of Eternal Youth is up there too, a natural pool in the rocks.Views are gorgeous.

Knockvologan Beach is also worth the slightly longer trek - waterproof shoes/boots best.

More here from my own perspective of many, many visits to Mull if of interest:

https://annestravelsandhikes.com/2018/01/14/the-isle-of-mull-a-skye-alternative/

Definitely book that puffin trip - if weather is good then the best one is the longer day trip out to Lunga and the Treshnish Isles.The puffins are all around you, just a few feet away, in their hundreds.Absolutely wonderful experience. The shorter trip to Staffa , you will also hopefully see them but you can’t easily fit in Fingal’s Cave (a wow) AND walking out to where they nest.

Glencoe - fantastic area, great you are spending some time there instead of just rushing through.The chairlift gives fantastic views over the mountains.Glen Etive is also worth a toddle down, beautiful.The rhododendrons should be out then round the little lochan beyond Dalness.The glen does get busy (as is Glencoe of course) especially at weekends.The Visitor Centre is well worth a look - the reconstructed thatched house is very interesting and there are shorts walks there.
A hike up the Devil’s Staircase offers superb views from the off, if you are all up to some uphill slog on a good path.It’s a favourite of ours (I am late 60s/husband is 70.) The West Highland Way, going south from the ski centre, also offers an easy route amidst wonderful scenery - go as far as you feel.

More about enjoying the glen here too. - I could go on forever about this area and others you are visiting!

https://annestravelsandhikes.com/2021/02/13/the-best-of-glencoe/

Thank you for all the contributions and feedback!
Where did you stay in Tobermory?

This is where we stayed. We loved it. *cash only; at least it was in 2022. The hostess didn't have a debit machine.

https://tobermorybandb.com/

Sounds like a well thought-out itinerary!

Since you mentioned enjoying history, our group found the Historic Scotland website & app so helpful--both before the trip in the planning stage and during the trip--for planning stops at castles, ancient burial sites, cathedrals etc

Since you mentioned you love hiking, we absolutely loved hiking around Glencoe - both The Lost Valley trail and The Devil's Staircase ('just' up and back), a leg of the West Highland Way. For days when you'd like to hike, getting on the road early is super helpful, especially for finding parking.
I also highly recommend using Celtic Legend for your car rental! Their communication, the car, the service, the price - we were really pleased!
Your itinerary looks great and you'll have a wonderful time!