Must see sites

All of the "must see" sites are well covered in any decent guide book. And "must see" tends to be a little personal depending on personal preferences. For example -- museums tend to high on most must see lists but if you don't like museums then no point in putting it on your list. Others are hots for castles and battle sites. So what do YOU want to see and do. Probably should start with guidebooks and travel DVDs from your local library.

You cannot go to all of those places in just four days and actually have time to get out of the car and see some sights. Just the drive from Edinburgh to Inverness will take up half of one day. Edinburgh and Glasgow are both big cities with lots to see so you really can’t do them justice in just one day. If you use Edinburgh as a base you can take the train to Glasgow which only takes an hour, then from Edinburgh you can take a guided day trip to see some other parts of the country without the worry of driving. By staying in Edinburgh you will also be able to see more of the city and take some walking tours in the evening. If your interest is really the smaller towns then I would suggest just using either Edinburgh or Glasgow to fly in and out of, and just head for the hills as soon as you arrive. I would still try to keep your area of focus small, though, such as just the southwest or southeast. You will actually see more doing it this way as it will cut down the time you spend in the car. Take a look at the Secret Scotland web site for some sample tour ideas.

It is very true that you need to consider what is "Must See" for you. What others are interested in may just not be that important to you. I am the person described in the previous post who is more likely to enjoy being out and about in the country rather than being jostled on the Royal Mile by thousands of others.

I've spent a few days in Edinburgh with a side trip to Saint Andrews, an afternoon in Glasgow, an overnight in Stirling, 2 nights at Loch Lomond and three days in Oban. The days at Loch Lomond were a definite "miss." I would rather have had more time in either Glasgow or Oban. We didn't attempt anything further afield because we knew we simply didn't have time on this trip. I think narrowing your focus might be to your advantage. Sometimes you have to save something for another trip.

We had an afternoon free in Glasgow between train changes. We took the hop on hop off bus for a general overview and then treated ourselves to Afternoon Tea at the Willow Tearoom. We did see a few places on the hop on hop off tour that we would have enjoyed being able to stop at. On the list for next time.....

Oban was a wonderful place to visit. Enough "city" that restaurants and accommodations were easily available. Enough "country" that a short ferry ride could take you to some of the most interesting places. We did do the West Coast Tours Three Island Tour which I would highly suggest for someone wanting to see the islands (and Puffins!) in a short period of time. Another day we explored the surrounding area by bus.

One Hint for Oban: Don't go to the aquarium. The brochure describes it as "Scotland's Premier Sea Life aquarium" I need that publicist! What we really found was an older facility with a few tanks, a river otter imported from the US, and several interactive exhibits for children. I've been to some great aquariums, this was not one of them.

I enjoyed Stirling Castle much more than Edinburgh Castle, but this is simply a matter of personal preference. The crowds were less at Stirling and it was quite easy to join a free tour with a guide. Falkirk Wheel near Stirling is also an interesting spot if you are interested in canals, science or technology.

Whatever you choose to do, remember that you are simply not going to be able to do it all and if you try to do so, you may end up not enjoying your trip quite as much. It is always good to have something on the list so you need to come back :)

You have to climb to the top of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh

Maybe you would be happier taking one of the many organized Rabbie's tours. Just look them up online for what they offer. That way, you can get several sites per day.

You can easily spend 2-3 days in Edinburgh without a car and save some money. A car would be a hassle in Edinburgh. For 5 days, maybe just consider Edinburgh and Stirling and use a train.

Thanks for the tips! I like the off the beaten path suggestions so this is good.
We've found a few different 5 day self driving tours itineraries that we are using as inspiration and we are making lists of the must sees vs what can be left to another time :)