I'm looking for help planning an itinerary from June 1-June 7.. We are flying directly from Florida to Glasgow and return from Glasgow. Our flight lands very early when we arrive and we will have 6 full days and nights. (Flying out on the 7th day) Since our flights are in and out of Glasgow, I am trying to figure out the best way to start and end there. Mull is somewhat important to me because of my heritage. Would love to be able to go to Skye, but I realize I will probably need to skip it. We would like to do things in the Inverness area ( Loch Ness, Colloden, Etc), but it is not a necessity to stay in Inverness. We were also looking into glamping close by Loch Ness. I also Feel like we should see Edinburgh, but we are not too worried about spending too much time in Glasgow. Fortunately, my boyfriend has experience driving on the opposite side so he isn't as concerned about the driving part as I am. Should we take the train to certain areas and then hire a car? I wish we had more time, but I realize that we have to cut back what we want. We just want a fun adventure exploring the beautiful country. Any advice is much appreciated!
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The Isle of Mull is connected by ferry out of Oban (you probably already know that), and Oban is a half-day drive from Glasgow airport if you drive straight through. Since the Isle of Mull is your top priority you should head in that direction on your first day.
Leaving the airport, make sure to ask the rental car agent which signs to follow at the roundabouts (I think there are 2 roundabouts within the airport perimeter before you get onto the Motorway) to go to the Erskine Bridge. It is not really self-explanatory which signs to follow and you can get on the Motorway in the wrong direction, even with SatNav (GPS). Only after you get over the bridge are there highway signs for Dumbarton and Loch Lomond. You do not want the route to Port Glasgow and Greenock (wrong side of the Clyde River), nor to Helensburgh (that route does lead toward Oban, but it's a very slow secondary road).
If you had more time, I'd suggest staying in Glasgow your first day to get over jet lag before driving. You could drop your bags and then use public transportation to see some highlights of the city, and pick up your rental car the next morning. But since you have so few days and you really want to experience the Isle of Mull, make the first day a relatively short drive and stay in Inveraray where there is plenty to see (beautiful castle, historic jail, Auchindrain open-air museum, nice selection of shops selling traditional woolens). I can recommend Brambles B&B (also serves lunch), dinner at George Hotel. Inveraray is 2 hours out of Glasgow.
From Inveraray you have a choice of 2 routes to Oban, so you could take one outbound and the other on the way back.
The A819 to A85 takes you past Kilchurn Castle (a picturesque ruin on Loch Awe, best photographed from the southern side of the loch) and the Cruachan "Hollow Mountain" hydroelectric power station with a fascinating visitor centre where you can also take a tour into the mountain (nice café too).
In the other direction, the A83 along Loch Fyne to the A816 overland takes you past Kilmartin Glen, Scotland's richest prehistoric landscape. Stop in the museum to buy the small map to the stone cairns, otherwise you'll have trouble finding them as they are not well signposted. The church and adjacent churchyard have fascinating medieval carved stones. On that route, closer to Inveraray, is the aforementioned Auchindrain open-air museum as well as Argyll Adventure horseback riding (and paintball).
For the night before your return flight, Glasgow airport has a Holiday Inn and a Holiday Inn Express immediately on its campus, literally walking distance to the terminal. I've stayed at both and recommend the Holiday Inn, though the Express isn't bad.
Again, if you had more time you might want to stop somewhere like Duck Bay (southern end of Loch Lomond, hotel and restaurant with a commanding view of the loch), Luss (folksy little village on the banks of Loch Lomond with boat trips from dock) or Arrochar or Ardgarten (over the first mountain pass along Loch Long, about 1.5 hours from Glasgow airport).