The 15 best day trips in and near Edinburgh
Why would you come to Edinburgh to get out of Edinburgh, you may ask? The city is endlessly fascinating with more than you could explore in a month of Sundays. But perhaps you are tired of pounding pavements, busy crowds or ticking off 'must-see' sights? Or has curiosity about other parts of Scotland crept in, leaving you wondering what you're missing outside Auld Reekie?
Happily it's easy to reset, recharge and refresh by heading out of town for a day. You'll find historic houses and pretty villages; woodland walks, surfing and mountain-biking; beaches, gardens – even two city alternatives. After all, variety is the spice of life.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best day trips in Edinburgh. Find out more below, and see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants and cafes, nightlife, pubs and bars, shopping, things to do and things to do for free.
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Best for history
Abbotsford
The first romance novel superstar, Sir Walter Scott more or less invented tourism in Scotland. A hopeless romantic and obsessive collector, he built his fantasy of Scottish Baronial architecture on the banks of the Tweed, furnishing it accordingly extravagantly and nearly bankrupting himself in the process. Planning a family or group visit to Abbotsford, his extraordinary country house and estate? Consider booking the private Scott-Hope wing: after-hours you'll have the glorious walled garden to yourselves. And do arrive by Borders Railway – Scott would approve.
Contact: scottsabbotsford.com
Area: Tweedbank
How to get there: take the train from Waverley Station to Tweedbank Station (59 minutes), walk (20 minutes) to the house. Note: Abbotsford minibus operates in the summer.
Dunkeld
For a small place, Dunkeld delivers a lot: from a cathedral dating from 1318 (you can still attend services and bells are still rung) to a Great British Bake Off contestant's bakery. National Trust cottages and tempting shops are a draw, as is the Taybank Hotel's riverside pub. It's surely the prettiest town in the Highlands, but don't miss a walk in the nearby Hermitage, the Duke of Atholl's pleasure ground – all dramatic waterfalls and fabulous follies.
Contact: visitscotland.com
Area: Perthshire
How to get there: by car, driving time is around one hour and 15 minutes; by rail from Waverley Station to Dunkeld Station (1 hour and 40 minutes).
Culross
You won't have pretty Culross (pronounced 'Coo-rus') to yourself, thanks to Outlander fans. But come early or stay late to enjoy the well-preserved 16th-century village, all steep cobbled streets of white-harled houses and red pan-tile roofs. Don't miss the painted wooden ceilings in the Palace (and the hidden garden) or the Red Lion Inn with its equally colourful painted ceiling. And do consider taking in Dunfermline Abbey and Palace on your way.
Contact: nts.org.uk/visit/places/culross
Area: Dunfermline, Fife
How to get there: driving time is around 50 minutes. Or, take the train from Waverley Station to Dunfermline Station, then take bus 8A from Dunfermline Bus Station (a total journey of 1 hour and 45 minutes).
Newhailes
This Palladian gem is uniquely interesting – and controversial. Rather than restored or recreated, it has been kept exactly as it was when given to the National Trust in 1997, right down to the candlewick bedspreads and cowboy lampshade. You'll get a good lunch or tea in the Stables café before perusing the second-hand bookshop or rewarding children with an adventure playground visit and ice cream in The Dairy.
Contact: nts.org.uk/visit/places/newhailes
Area: Musselburgh
How to get there: by car, driving time is around 30 minutes; by rail from Waverley Station to Newcraighall Station the journey is around 12 minutes, followed by a 20-minute walk.
Rosslyn Chapel
After years of painstaking restoration work this remarkable chapel – made famous by The Da Vinci Code novel and film – is now open to visitors in its full, fascinating glory. Do take advantage of the knowledgeable, engaging guides who make it come alive, before seeing the romantic ruins of Rosslyn Castle (part of which is now a Landmark Trust holiday let). Continue your walk along the wooded banks of the River Esk, gloriously carpeted with bluebells in the spring.
Contact: rosslynchapel.com
Area: Midlothian
How to get there: driving time is around 30 minutes.
Best for nature
Glentress Forest
Enjoying your holiday but need a break from clamour and crowds? If you need to get clean air into your lungs consider this Scottish Borders Forestry Commission network of award-winning biking trails, from beginner to expert. There's a zip wire for thrill-seekers, walking trails and a café, plus a shop for bike hire. With luck you might even spot a resident osprey.
Contact: forestryandland.gov.scot
Area: Peebles
How to get there: driving time is approximately 1 hour.
Dawyck Botanic Gardens
This more intimate relation of Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden, hidden in the Borders, makes a lovely day trip from the city. The amazing collection of trees – some dating to 1680 – is awe-inspiring. The colourful rhododendrons and azaleas in spring followed by sky-blue Himalayan poppies at Dawyck Botanic Gardens in the summer are a joyful sight, while autumn brings a valedictory blaze of autumn leaves. Have lunch or tea and embrace the calm.
Contact: rbge.org.uk
Area: Scottish Borders
How to get there: D riving time is around one hour and 10 minutes.
Best for culture
Glasgow Street Art Tours
Worried about getting Stendhal syndrome after completing a full circuit of the museums and galleries in Edinburgh? There's nothing like the reviving effect of contrast, so head to Glasgow for a walking tour of the city's street art scene. It's a great way to get to grips with the city's creative energy. And if you're left needing some formal yin with your yang, visit the magnificent Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
Contact: walkingtoursin.com
Area: Glasgow
How to get there: T ake the train from Waverley Station to Glasgow Queen Street Station (around 60 minutes).
Marchmont House
Tours of this under-the-radar, privately owned and exquisitely restored Palladian mansion in the Borders countryside are available on selected dates throughout the year (and you can also book a private tour). With architecture by William Adam and Sir Robert Lorimer it's a stunning setting for the mind-blowing collection of art and furniture, from classical to contemporary. And if you like the estate's rush-seated chairs, call into nearby Marchmont Workshop for a bespoke one of your own.
Falkland
As close to a storybook town as they come, Falkland Palace and the village around are part of a longstanding conservation area. Dominated by the fine Renaissance building (fans of real tennis will be thrilled), with a physic garden and orchard, the palace was a favourite retreat for Mary, Queen of Scots. The village is also popular with visitors, not just for its unspoilt architecture, but also for tempting shops, tearooms and old-school pubs.
Contact: nts.org.uk
Area: Falkland, Fife
How to get there: driving time is approximately one hour.
Traquair House
If a stately home can be described as cosy, this fairytale house in the Borders is it. Since 1491 royalty has often been found here – like Mary Queen of Scots with baby King James VI, his cradle still at the foot of the bed. Children will love the guidebook, playground and the maze, and you can even stay overnight – the Lower Drawing Room becomes your sitting room and bar, with breakfast served in the Still Room.
Contact: traquair.co.uk
Area: Innerleithen, Peebleshire
How to get there: driving time is around one hour.
Dundee
UNESCO City of Design and home to the Eden Project, present and past literally sit comfortably side by side here, from the ultra-contemporary V&A Dundee to the 20th-century Antarctic exploration ship 'Discovery'. The Verdant Works museum in Dundee recreates jute factory workers' lives while new distilleries and breweries are popping up all over the city. And what's more, eight minutes on the train will take you to Broughty Ferry's sandy beach and a 15th-century castle.
Contact: visitscotland.com
Area: Dundee
How to get there: Take the train from Waverley Station to Dundee Station or drive – both journeys take around 90 minutes.
Best for beaches
Seacliff Beach
This secluded beach on a private estate has more to offer than tide pools, paddling and building sand castles. With photogenic views of the Bass Rock and Tantallon Castle and a miniature Victorian harbour carved from layers of red limestone, Seacliff Beach is worth a visit even on the dreariest day. Tired of beach-combing? Pack some sandwiches and explore the woods where you'll find the hidden, haunting remains of Seacliff House and 16th-century Auldhame Castle.
Contact: visitscotland.com
Area: East Lothian
How to get there: Driving time is around 50 minutes (note: there is a £5 charge for parking).
The East Neuk
The characterful harbour villages of the East Neuk of Fife are well known for their considerable charm; built around handsome stone harbours they still have a strong community feel. Consider walking the coastal path from Elie where you can play cricket on the beach or use the public sauna after a cold water swim, then continue to Crail for fish, chips and ice cream. With luck you'll find an art, music or food festival in Fife, too.
St Abb's Head
Popular North Berwick tends to steal attention but for coastal drama you can't beat this hidden village further along the coast. Surrounded by cliffs and astonishing rock formations watched over by Stevenson's nine-metre tall lighthouse, it's also home to nesting seabird colonies and in autumn, grey seals. Scoff a crab sandwich whilst admiring views from the harbour, or take a dolphin-spotting boat tour. Carry on to Coldingham beach – surfers, paddle boarders and children love it.
Contact: nts.org.uk
Area: Berwickshire
How to get there: Driving time is around 90 minutes.
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Somewhere between New Town ladette and Old Town doyenne, Linda has a passion for tunnock's teacakes and a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality, making Edinburgh her perfect city.
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Yet he did feel free to say that, in view of the 'very technical' issues in the case and the high level of public interest it was appropriate that 'objective planning judgement' was applied. 'For that reason, I do not intend to recall this appeal'. He added: 'The expert in this case is the reporter, who is tasked with going through the planning regulations as they apply, looking at the evidence in depth.' Nor was Mr Swinney any more keen to step in to 'save' Loch Lomond. 'The appeal remains live. Members have to understand that it would not be appropriate for me to comment.' The democratic deficit at the heart of Scotland's planning appeal system is, of course, not a new discovery for many. Rural dwellers who oppose the imposition of wind farms on their doorsteps have highlighted it for years. They win the first battle when the local authority rejects the plan – then lose the second when a lone Scottish Government reporter uphold the appeal. Mr Greer's suggestion, then, that the Lomond Banks case represents an 'anti-democratic outrage' strikes some as a bit rich. Graham Lang, the chairman of Scotland Against Spin, says: 'We have no sympathy for him or his party who have chosen to ignore that the same scenario has been played out on an almost weekly basis for the past two decades in rural communities throughout Scotland. 'Mr Greer must be aware of this but has never complained when his beloved green energy developments are granted planning permission against the wishes of the majority of local residents.' For his part, the Green MSP argues these installations are about 'keeping the lights on across the country'. 'However, no one could argue that Flamingo Land is of national importance to Scotland.' The lone planning official's ruling was certainly welcomed in some quarters. Lomond Banks development director Jim Paterson said the company was 'delighted' by the decision, adding: 'As we look beyond today's decision, we remain committed to being a strong and valued contributor to the local economy and we look forward to progressing with our proposals as we now consider detailed planning.' Meanwhile Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, a group which has long campaigned in favour of the resort, said the reporter had 'resoundingly demolished' the arguments for opposing it. Responding to the allegations put to it by the Mail, including the claim that Flamingo Land was 'courted', leaving the Scottish Government conflicted, a spokesman said: 'These claims are untrue. The independent reporter is an experienced planning professional who provides an objective planning judgement.' Will the Scottish Parliament and the 155,000 who campaigned against Flamingo Land accept that answer? Or will they drag democratically accountable Ministers, kicking and screaming, into the spotlight? The last chapter in a story the SNP government are anxious to close the book on may not yet be written.
