Day trips from Aberdeen, Scotland
 

Hi all,

My husband and I just moved to Aberdeen, Scotland from Houston, TX. We have been busy getting settled and working in our new jobs, that our first three months have flown by! My parents are coming for a visit at the end of April and entertaining them for a week has proven to lead to some difficult choices!

Thus far, I have planned a day to do distillery tours (Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, and Strathisla), we are going to take the train to Edinburgh for a day, a day to do some castle tours and then most of the time we'll be hanging around the Aberdeen area.

I am in need of one more "day trip" or activity that is drive-able or a train trip from Aberdeen. My parents have already said that they would rather just stay at our house vs. staying in a hotel any of the nights. Also, any restaurant recommendations in the highlands or along the coast that showcase the area's wonderful food would be great. My parents enjoy seafood, good beef, whiskey, pretty vistas etc. They are older now, so the long walks that my husband and I have been enjoying probably are the best idea for them.

Any advice you could provide would be great! Thanks.

Hello,
Why not take a drive down to St. Andrews with a detour to lovely Glamis Castle on the way there or back? The 'Home of Golf', St Andrews also boasts of a beautiful seaside location, complete with ruined castle and cathedral, and lots of shops and restaurants scattered around a charming and very walkable town center. Or, instead of Glamis, venture about 15 miles further down the coast from St. Andrews and explore the historic and interesting towns of the East Neuk---Crail, Anstruther, Pittenweem. (By the way, I'm a former Houstonian who is living here in St Andrews for a few months and I absolutely love it here!)

I was going to suggest Glamis and/or St Andrews/the fishing villages too.

Also - definitely take them to Dunnottar.

Craigievar and Fraser would be good castle choices. Or when you go to Dunnottar, afterwards go over to Crathes which would make a good contrast.

As for distillery tours -while the whisky all tastes different, one tour is pretty much like the others. So maybe only one--Glenfiddich isn't the best whisky in the world but it is a very good visitor experience and Balvenie castle is practically in the car park . . .

We have a Fodorite in Aberdeen (I don't think she's posted in a few days so she might be traveling) who can give you tons more advice.

I would go up to the A93 toward the Cairngorms. You could stop at Crathes Castle, near Banchory, a pleasant enough town in itself, and drive through Balmoral and Braemar. This is a pretty well off part of Scotland, and I remember eating well here but cannot recommend any specific places.

If you visit Dunnottar Castle, ( which I would also highly recommend) the Carron Art Deco restaurant in nearby Stonehaven is excellent.

To add one more castle to the those already mentioned, ( which means you'll have far too many to choose from:) ) Drum Castle combines an interesting mix of 13th century, Jacobean and Victorian architecture and is a personal favorite and very near Fraser.

Up Deeside by A93, Ballater and Braemar. Double back a few miles to turn left at Crathie to ttake another left tojoin the A939 then right to A944 back to Aberdeen.Total relaxing drive time 4.5 hours.
This gives a great impression of Highland Aberdeenshire with many castles dotted along the way, including Balmoral. Missing this out is a bit like not going to Niagara while in Buffallo NY.
Side trips could include Loch Muick and Lynn of Dee.Two great places for a large picnic lunch(?)
Eating Ballater tops but Breamar is fine too.

This is fish in a barrel.

Have you been outside Oil City at all? Castles, museums, distilleries, the coast.

Go here: www.aberdeen-grampian.com

Thanks to all for the advice! I am revising my plans a bit based on the above.

I have now been given the "go ahead" to book a hotel for only a few nights. I think my mother won that battle :)

Here is the itinerary as it stands now:

Fri - Arrive Dinner out and an early night.
Sat. - Catch up on Sleep. Visit the Belmont street market. Pack picnic lunch for the beach in Forvie or prep a nice dinner depending on the weather.
Sun. - Train and bus to St. Andrews. Walk the town, see the old course and tour the castle. Take the train to Edinburgh in the evening.
Mon. - Bus tour to see the main sites. Walk the Royal mile, do the World of Whiskey tour. EAT yummy food!
Tues.- shop on St. George street, see Rosslyn Chapel. Take the train back to Aberdeen.
Wed.- Visit Stonehaven and hike to Dunnottar. Evening in Aberdeen.
Thurs - Glenlivet distillery tour, then Huntly and Duff House castles.
Friday - Balmoral Castle tour and the area (Banchory or Braemar for lunch??)
Saturday - Entertaining friends for Cinco de Mayo
Sunday - Visit anything that we may have missed (beach or other castles)

My next questions are restaurants. Any recommendations for St. Andrews, Banchory/Braemar or Glenlivet for lunches? There is plenty on the internet about food in Edibourgh and we have explored and have our favorites in Aberdeen so I would like to hear of other places. Does anyone have comments on the itinerary?

Just noticed that I let that last one slip by with out spell checking! Excuse my misspelling of "Edinburgh"!

A few notes:

Princes Street is the main shopping street in Edinburgh, though George St has many good smaller shops. The department store is alive and well in Scotland, and I would suggest you visit Jenners.

If you walk the Royal Mile and shop the New Town, I can't see that you will gain anything by also taking a bus tour. This is especially true if you are staying in the New Town. There is, of course, massive amounts more to see, but not on this kind of flying visit.

Which leads me to Rosslyn Chapel. It has points of interest but it is a good way out of the city, so unless you or your inlaws are massive Dan Brown fans, it is about a ** attraction. Almoost none of what people learn about it from Dan Brown has the slightest root in truth. I dont think you have enough time to spend it on this. You could go to the National Gallery or the Museum of Scotland or the Castle or Holyrood and the Parliament in the same amount of time.

In Edinburgh, eat lunch (reserve in advance) at the Cafe Royal in the New Town. An emphasis on Scottish food in an incredible setting.

And bring good walking shoes for Edinburgh. The city is full of hills and they all go up.

Here are a few suggestions for eating out in St. Andrews. The Doll House (tucked behind Market Street near the church and library) serves delicious fresh regional food and is nice for lunch and/or dinner. You may need a reservation, but can find them online. If you haven't had enough fish and chips yet, try Tail End, located on Market Street. The Criterion on South Street does a nice pub lunch. You'll find good burgers at the Dunvegan on North Street. It is a popular hangout for golfers from the U.S., and especially Texas Aggies, since the owner is an Aggie, but his lovely wife, Sheila is Scottish through and through.

(Tsk tsk - you've been in Scotlandlong enough to know it is Whisky - no <B>e</B> :) )

On your Deeside day I might eat in Ballater instead of Banchory/Braemar. A couple of good places include the Green Inn and the Auld Kirk but there are several other nice options.

Since you'll be in St Andrews on a Sunday, you can spend a lot of time on the Old Course if you want since there is no play and it is really a big public park.

Now hold on: there's plenty of whiskey in Scotland but none of it is domestic.

The stuff distilled in Scotland (or Canada) is whisky.

The stuff distilled in the US, Ireland, Japan, India, Wales, New Zealand or wherever else the wood-aged grain spirit has been made is whiskey.

So yeah, there's lots of whiskey in Scotland but not a bit of it is Scotch.

I could add another castle to your list if you are going north from Aberdeen, Fyvie Castle interesting history and nice grounds.

What great tips! I have a trip planned for 2013 and I am printing and saving all of this great information!

BigRuss: "<i>So yeah, there's lots of whiskey in Scotland but not a bit of it is Scotch</i>" Context, man ! :)

The OP is talking about >><i>Mon. - Bus tour to see the main sites. Walk the Royal mile, do the World of Whiskey tour.</i><< . . . In Edinburgh - Which is actually the Scotch Whisky Experience. (The 'World of Whisky' is just a liquor shop)

So, no <B>e

If doing Edinburgh the bus is a great way to do it. Either normal bus or the Tour one (tickets valid 24 hours). Rosslyn Chapel is amazing - forget fiction this is reality. And this is where Mr Brown became inspired...

Show them the rugged beauty of the Moray Coast due north of you just 45 minutes. We spent a delightful week a couple years ago in tiny Gardenstown, with the old fishing cottages that climb the hill above the harbor. Of course there are endless other lovely little towns and spectacular scenery. At the right time of year you can see the puffins. This is the area scenery--check it out. BTW "Local Hero" was filmed in the area way back in the 1980s, which, if you haven't seen it, as Texans coming to Scotland, you really must!