Do you know that feeling of “Hmmm maybe I should go there…” when you’re daydreaming about future travel plans? It’s quiet. Subtle it’s an internal, light suggestion.  

Scotland isn’t that. When you think about whether or not you want to travel to Scotland, you should stop the whispering and instead open up the bellows like you’re a  competition bagpiper in a stone-walled alley. Let’s get loud about why Scotland needs to be up high on your travel plans. 

It’s more than kilts, whisky and golf, but those are important too. Scotland is a land of impossible landscapes, filled with dramatically layered history, warm and hospitable people, clever folklore and experiences that might just change your life. 

The Most Popular Experiences in Scotland 

Scotland’s history doesn’t sit politely behind a glass case. It’s lurking around every corner, down every road and sometimes – even underground. Edinburgh alone is a historical fever dream: You’ve got the medieval lanes of the Royal Mile, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and the iconic Edinburgh castle and its parade grounds which are home to the summertime Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.  

Then there’s the underground vaults that store away the city’s secrets on the Doomed, Dead and Buried Tours. Further out is the Culloden Battlefield, the site of the brutal battle that ended the Jacobite uprising, the Jacobite Steam Train and the urban sights and stories woven through Inverness, Glasgow and storied terrain of the southern borderlands. Scotland doesn’t just let you learn its history; it makes sure you feel it. 

Scotland Hospitality: Service that borders on magic  

When you hear that Scots are famously friendly – it’s that when you make a friend in Scotland, you just might end up feeling famous. The hospitality culture in Scotland transcends that forced, “customer-service voice” and exudes the warmth of “sit down, have a whisky, tell me your life story” way.  

Sure, perhaps not everyone wants to hear about how your great-great whomever came from Scotland or that you love a full-kit kilt look – but chances are you’re going to find a welcome.  

 The Scottish Outdoors Experiences 

Bold. Brawny. Good for lots of walking. Scotland has some of the best outdoors experiences – especially if you’re a “let’s hike into the mist where ancient spirits may or may not reside.” 

If you want a challenge rewarded by beauty and mystery and a magical landscape – you’re going to want to visit the Isle of Skye. Yes, the one mentioned in the song at the beginning of “Outlander.” It looks like it was rendered by someone with an overactive imagination, complete with jagged cliffs and waterfalls that seem to defy gravity. 

For easy walking, there’s the aforementioned Culloden Battlefield as a major and  emotional attraction with easy terrain. And if a day outside with a feast at the end, we’d highly rec the outdoorsy farm-to-table experience at Wilson’s Farm and Kitchen.  

 And of course, there are excursions to the lochs, each deep and mysterious, offering both stunning views and perhaps potential for a once-in-a-lifetime sea monster sighting. 

Golf, in its homeland 

Some people may say that game of golf is proof of a divine power having a sense of humor. Others say golf is the greatest game ever played.  

Perhaps both are right. One thing that is not up for debate is that Scotland is the birthplace of golf. Playing a round at the legendary St Andrews Old Course designed by Tom Morris is a golf trip of the highest pedigree, and the ultimate investment of a pilgrimage for fans of the game – but that’s not the only course crafted by the man – just the hardest one to get a tee time at (the wait list is years long).  

Here are a few other options: 

• Cabot Highlands Gold Club 

• Marine Troon 

• Royal Dornoch Golf Club 

Courses in Scotland strike a balance between curated and clipped as well as wild and windblown, like nature intended, with skill-testing challenges for every level of player. 

Don’t keep Scotland waiting 

Some places you visit. Others you feel like you were always meant to see. Scotland falls into the latter category. Maybe it’s the myths, the music, or the landscapes that don’t seem quite real. Maybe it’s the people who make you feel like you’ve been there before, even if you haven’t. Whatever it is,