Itinerary help for family of 4 on first trip to Scotland. Fitting it all in 2 weeks.

First question: are you renting a car, or planning to rely on public transport? Scotland has a robust network of bus routes as well as pretty good railroads, but it still takes more time to get here & there by bus or train than in a rental car. With a family of 4, you'll probably save $ renting a car instead of buying tickets for 4 people.

Second, I see the Highland Games falls right in the middle of your trip, so you actually have to return to Glasgow twice. You couldn't adjust your time frame to arrive in Glasgow around 5/12 or depart for home around 5/16, could you? And/or fly into Glasgow and out of Edinburgh?

The places you want to visit are scattered hither & yon. I'm guessing the Isle of Muck is your top priority, given the family connection. It will take you, realistically, 2 days from Glasgow to get there. I trust you've researched the availability of ferry connections and the very limited (if any) availability of food etc. for sale on the island.

If you stick with your existing travel dates and go to Muck first (including the Mallaig region which could nicely include Fort William), then return to Gourock/Glasgow for the Highland Games, you'll have another week to head up to Inverness to see Culloden, then work your way south along the A9. Note that Blair Castle is right along the A9 and advertises kids' activities. Seeing Ardverikie House, the Highland Folk Museum, and Sterling Castle would not leave you many days in Edinburgh, so you'd want to set your Edinburgh priorities realizing you can't see everything. You could make Stirling an overnight on your way back to Glasgow, after Edinburgh.

Traveling with young kids, realize the importance of preparing for rain. It rains often in Scotland and you can't let that interfere with your enjoyment when you are only in X destination for a certain amount of time. Some advance conversations with the kids and maybe inventing some games about rain might be helpful.

Another note: if you're driving, make sure of navigation to & from Gourock ahead of time. The roundabouts & highway signs along the Clyde are not self-explanatory (IMHO) and it's scary to think you may be on the wrong side of the river since there are only so many crossings.

As far as I am aware you cannot "see" Ardverikie. It is not open to the public although there are holiday cottages to let on the estate.

The only way to see it is to drive along the other side of Loch Laggan (the A86) and view it from across the water. I seem to remember it was a couple of miles along the loch before we saw Ardverikie. We were continuing along to the church of St Margaret's at Roy Bridge and when we'd been there we turned around and drove back the way we came.

If you are going to be in the area then I recommend a quick visit to Ruthven Barracks if you have time

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/kingussie/ruthvenbarracks/

Thanks for the responses so far. To answer your questions, we are defiantly renting a car. We really wanted to do the Highland games because it falls on my son's birthday-but it is not a deal breaker if it makes the rest of the itinerary not work. I prefer county to city, so fewer days in Edinburgh is ok. We are from Seattle area on an island with a ferry, so we are well versed in planning around ferry schedules (I'm typing this as I ride on one after missing the previous one, grr). Lastly my kids spend six months of their life in rain boots, so Scotland will feel like home with all the rain.

I have contacted Adverikie House, and they recommended a 4x4 tour that crosses the estate and goes to the Castle. I think we may try this, as we have been binging on Monarch of the Glenn in preparation for our trip.

Thanks for the tips so far, I look forward to more responses.

A 4x4 trip on Ardverikie Estate would be a nice thing to do. Your original post did not make this clear.

If it's Monarch of The Glen Country which interests you then you do need to visit Ruthven Barracks and St Margaret's Church which I mentioned. Both were used as filming locations. Also you might want to take a trip on the Strathspey Steam Railway in Aviemore because this was another filming location. Broomhill Station still has the sign for Glenbogle.

https://www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk/

Ah, right -- I should have noted that you're from Seattle. Kids will feel right at home with rain and wearing rain gear!