My parents are in their early 60s and not well travelled. They are making their first trip to Scotland and staying in Glasgow for five days at the Holiday Inn West. I need recommendations for day trips from their base hotel in Glasgow to the many sites outside the city? Any day train trips or commercial tours that your would reccomend? Thanks for your help!

You can get some good ideas by entering
"Just a few days in Scotland" in the search box.

I can't vouch for these particular tours, but in researching my trip to Scotland next year, I came across this info on the web:

http://www.scotland-travel.co.uk/day...d_stirling.asp

http://www.scottishtours.co.uk/html/...ochlom_gla.htm

Many of the tour companies seem to be based in Edinburgh instead of Glasgow.

Here is the site for an excellent tour company my friend has used several times. http://www.claymore.btinternet.co.uk/index.html

Train trips from Glasgow would include:
from Queen St Station -
Edinburgh -service every 15 minutes, journey 45 minutes
Stirling, Perth,
Balloch (Loch Lomond)
Helensburgh (Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Hill House)

from Glasgow Central station:
Gourock (ferry to Dunoon)
Wemyss Bay (ferry to Rothesay and Mount Stuart House)
Ayr (Burns' cottage and Alloway)
Lanark (New Lanark World Heritage site)

(for above, check out www.scotrail.co.uk)

Bus trips from Buchanan street bus station
Trossachs (Aberfoyle, Callander)

web site:
try http://www.seeglasgow.com/seeglasgow...see.asp?lang=1

Clyde cruise with the Waverley paddle steamer

check out www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk

Hope this helps.

I am not certain, but I believe the hotel is very close to the Queen street rail station. A fun day trip would be to Oban. Great scenery and a nice town for a few hours visit.