Best Scotland Road Trip Routes 3-5 Day Itineraries

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Looking for the best Scotland road trips so you can escape while taking in the scenery? This guide shares Scotland’s most stunning driving routes and road trips for short holidays and big adventures. All of which we’ve tried and tested for you.

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Scotland Road Trips

Edinburgh to Skye via Glen Coe: Classic 3-Day Itinerary

This driving tour route of Scotland is very popular, especially from May through September; it is our equivalent to Disney, so expect crowds and traffic.

You are advised to book accommodation, restaurants, and attraction tickets in advance.

The stunning route leaves Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, for the Highlands, passing through Glen Coe and the Great Glen on the way to the Isle of Skye.

Note: We fully appreciate that vacation/holiday time dictates how long you can visit Scotland.

However, one night on Skye is challenging; this 3-day itinerary will be tiring, so if you can add a second night on the island, you won’t regret it.

Day 1: Edinburgh to Glen Coe

• Leave Edinburgh for Glen Coe (117 miles)
• Stop by Kingshouse Hotel to see the deer (pay for parking if not dining)
• Take pictures at a Glen Coe viewpoint
• Look out for Buachaille Etive Mòr (pronounced booch-ill eh-tiv more)
• Dine at Kingshouse Hotel, Clachaig Inn, Glencoe Visitor Centre or Fort Willaim
• If you have time, do the 60-minute walk around Glencoe Lochan
• Stay in Fort William (16 miles) – Accommodation The Garrison or Glen Nevis Campsite

Day 2: Fort William to Skye

• A very early start, leaving Fort William
• Stop at Eilean Donnan Castle to stretch your legs and take a photo (paid parking) (65 miles)
• Drive over the Skye Bridge, stopping at Sligachan Old Bridge
• Head to Old Man of Storr to walk part of the trail and back (50 miles)
• Stay in Portree – Accommodation Marmalade or Torvaig Campsite

Note: If you can add more time, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, where the Harry Potter Jacobite Steam Train rides over, is not far from Fort William–you can either drive there and back out to get to Skye or book the ferry from Mallaig in advance.

Day 3: Skye to Edinburgh

• Very early start from Portree for the Fairy Pools (20 miles)
• Leave Skye driving through the Cairngorms and Perthshire to Edinburgh (237 miles)
• Make a quick stop at one of the following:
  • Pitlochry, Dunkeld, or Dunfermline
• Edinburgh, ideally, you want to drop your car off at Edinburgh Airport to avoid driving in the city

Note: This is a very long day of driving; be careful.

If you have more time to extend this trip to five days, add a second night on Skye and explore more attractions, such as Kilt Rock, the Quiraing, the Fairy Glen, and Dunvegan Castle.

See the next section for more information.

5-Day Itinerary: Edinburgh to Skye

• Edinburgh to Glen Coe to Fort William
• Edinburgh to Glen Coe to Fort William
• Fort William to Loch Ness to Inverness
• Fort William to Loch Ness to Inverness
• Inverness to Eilean Donan Castle to Portree
• Skye attractions staying in Portree
• Portree to Edinburgh

Or

• Split up the drive from Portree to Edinburgh, staying in Perthshire (Pitlochry, etc)
• Pitlochry to Edinburgh via St Andrews and Fife

Again, we stress that this is a fast-paced itinerary, and we highly recommend spending more time on Skye if you can fit it in.

North Coast 500 3-Day Itinerary

As self-drive Scotland routes go, the country’s answer to Route 66 is one of the most popular.

The North Coast 500 itinerary starts in Inverness and goes around the Scottish Highlands, usually clockwise, but this isn’t mandatory.

While we would argue that at least four days are required to enjoy it at a pleasant pace, some visitors whizz around the circular in three days, making minimal stops.

However, it does mean you will spend most of the time in the car, missing out on rugged landscapes and beaches that give the Caribbean a run for its money.

If you have ample time, you can easily spend a week or fortnight exploring and discovering hidden gems along the NC500.

NC500 Day 1: Inverness to Ullapool

• Inverness – Accommodation: Drumdevan Country House Hotel or Ardtower Caravan Park
• Head west, towards Achnasheen and then onto Strathcarron (69 miles)
• From Strathcarron, take the road to Applecross (21 miles)
• Drive the winding road, Bealach na Bà, Pass of the Cattle. (Pronounced Bell ach naa Baa)
• Admire views mountains of Torridon and Cullins of Skye – 626 meters up (2054ft) from sea level
• Lunch in Applecross with views over the Ise of Skye and the Isle of Raasay
• Drive the coastal road for Applecross towards Shieldaig (19 miles)
• From Shieldaig, head to Ullapool (72 miles)
• Stay in Ullapool- Accommodation at The Arch Inn or Broomfield Holiday Park

NC500 Day 2: Ullapool to John O’Groats

• Ullapool to Cape Wrath (66 miles), enjoying the wild landscape and castle ruins from the car
• The next stop is Durness (10 miles), where you’ll find Smoo Cave and Cocoa Mountain
• Head along the top north coast towards John O’Groats (90 miles) for the famous sign
• Visit the unusual Stacks of Duncansbay Duncansby
• Stay in John O’Groats – Accommodation The Seaview Hotel or John O’Groats Campsite

NC500 Day 3: John O’Groats to Inverness

• John O’Groats to Dunrobin Castle (67 miles) for a tour of the stunning gardens
• Then, a long ride down to Inverness, stopping at one of the following
  • Dornoch, Cromarty, or Chanonry Point for dolphin spotting
• Return to Inverness (54 miles from Dunrobin Castle)

This 3-day itinerary is a whirlwind version of one of the best road trips around Scotland; we stress that it will be worth it if you can find more time to add to your trip.

North Coast 500 5-Day Itinerary

The 5-day itinerary follows the above 3-day route but at a slower pace, adding more stops.

You can stay in any of the areas mentioned above or below, depending on how long you want to drive each day.

Additional Stops

• Gairloch (village)
• Mellon Udrigle (beach) and Achmelvich Beach
• Lochinver Larder for pies
• Clachtoll Beach
• Ullapool hike, Stac Pollaidh
• Durness zip line
• Dunnet Head Lighthouse
• Dornoch (village) staying at Dornoch Castle Hotel or Dornoch Campsite
• Cromarty (village)
• Chanonry Point for dolphin spotting

North Coast 500 7-Day Itinerary

You could easily stretch out your route to take in another two days.

With your additional day, consider a trip to Handa Island to see the puffins.

Have even longer?

Why not take the ferry from Ullapool to the Isle of Lewis or travel to Orkney from Thurso (Scrabster)?

Check out Two Scots Abroad’s guides below for more information on the North Coast 500.

What do you think of this option for a road tour of Scotland?

Let us know in the comments.

Perthshire Road Trip 3-Day Itinerary

The best time to take a Perthshire road trip is in autumn when the foliage is bursting with reds and oranges.

This is one of my favourite road trips in Scotland, and I make it at least once a year on a day trip.

Day 1: Edinburgh to Pitlochry

• Leaving Edinburgh (43 miles) or Glasgow (59 miles) along the A9 to the city of Perth
• Dunkeld for Beatrix Potter, cafes, and the 30-minute walk around The Hermitage (14 miles)
• Pitlochry, enjoy the restaurants and pubs and walk to the dam
• Stay in Pitlochry at Pitlochry Hydro Hotel,  Fonab Hotel, or Faskally Campsite

Day 2: Pitlochry to Aberfeldy

• Pitlochry to Queen’s View near Loch Tummel via Killicrankie for bridge viewpoint (6 miles)
• The Falls of Bruar for a short walk to waterfalls, shopping, and food (13 miles)
• Stay in Aberfeldy – Accommodation The Townhouse (7 miles)

Day 3: Aberfeldy to Killin

• Birks of Aberfeldy hike (60 mins)
• Kenmore for the gorgeous Loch Tay (7 miles)
• The Scottish Crannog Centre (1 mile)
• Enjoy the Glen Lyon drive
• Killin a village at the boundary of Loch Lomond National Park (17 miles)
• Stay in Killin

Read next: Perthshire Travel Guide.

The Cairngorms 3-Day Itinerary

The Cairngorms is one of two national parks in Scotland.

It is a popular summer destination for families from all around Europe who are attracted to its outdoor activities.

The Cairngorms include parts of Aberdeenshire and Perthshire and are classified as the Highlands, so you get a lot of bang for your buck!

Day 1: Edinburgh to Ballater

• Edinburgh to Braemar for food, check out the Fife Arms for afternoon tea (94 miles)
• Balmoral Castle (9 miles)
• Ballater by the River Deeside for pubs, cafes, and shops (8 miles)
• Stay in Ballater – Accommodation The Auld Kirk

Day 2: Ballater to Aviemore

• Ballater to Tomintoul along the SnowRoads for whisky tasting at a distillery (25 miles)
• Carrbridge for the Highland’s oldest stone bridge and a cafe (37 miles)
• Aviemore for restaurants, if you have time, visit the Highland Folk Museum (2-3 hours) (6 miles)
• Stay in Aviemore – Accommodation Cairngorms Hotel

Day 3: Aviemore to Blair Atholl

• Aviemore to Loch Morvich for a loch with a sandy shore (9 miles)
• Cairngorm Herd* to walk with roaming reindeer (book in advance)
• Or, Highland Folk Museum (requires 2-3 hours) (20 miles)
• Stay in Blair Atholl – Accommodation Atholl Arms (35 or 54 miles, depending on leaving point)

*you’ve maybe seen my viral video of this Cairngroms activity on Instagram or TikTok!

South West Coastal 300: 5-Day Itinerary

Scotland has 6,160 miles of coast!

This would take you far more than two weeks to explore.

Thankfully, you can break this down into smaller, more manageable routes.

Two hundred miles less than the NC500 and a very different coastline, the South West Coastal 300 is an excellent route for those seeking an option with fewer people on the road and at attractions.

This trail takes you around the counties of Dumfries and Galloway, as well as South Ayrshire.

Following the rugged coastline along quiet country roads, you can explore the UNESCO Biosphere and one of the country’s huge forest parks.

This is our final Scotland self-drive itinerary.

Day 1: Dumfries to Castle Douglas or Kirkcudbright

• Dumfries-Bard’s country, where Robert Burns lived, stroll along the banks of the River Nith
• 13th-century New Abbey, which is home to Sweetheart Abbey (7 miles)
• Or Galloway Forest Park and Loch Doon (60 miles)
• Drive along the Solway Coast, which looks out to the Solway Firth
• Stay in Castle Douglas or Kirkcudbright – Accommodation Douglas House (40 miles)

Day 2: Castle Douglas or Kirkcudbright to Wigtown

• Castle Douglas or Kirkcudbright along the SW300 to Gatehouse of Fleet (18 miles)
• Cardoness Castle flanks the entranceway into the Gatehouse of Fleet
• Here, you can buy award-winning smoked salmon
• Mossyard Bay (4 miles)
• Stay in Wigtown, Scotland Book Town (20 miles) – Accommodation Craigmount

Day 3: Wigtown to Tor of Craigoch

• Wigtown to Whithorn, visit Whithorn Priory and Museum (10 miles)
• Mull of Galloway, “Scotland’s Lands End”, the most southerly point in Scotland (44 miles)
• Mull of Galloway Lighthouse museum and cafe
• Tor of Craigoch and Agnew Monument (25 miles)
• Stay at North Rhinns Campsite or drive to Stranraer – Accommodation North West Castle Hotel

Day 4 Tor of Craigoch to Alloway

• Tor of Craigoch to Portpatrick for food, views, and Dunskey Castle (10 miles)
• Stranraer for the 16th-century Castle Kennedy and views of Ailsa Craig
• Culzean Castle (pronounced cull-een) perched on the top of Ayrshire cliffs (50 miles)
• Alloway, the birthplace of Rabbie Burns (10 miles)
• Ayr for pubs and food – Accommodation The Townhouse (3 miles)

Day 5 Alloway to Dumfries

• Ayr to Crawick Multiverse (Sanquhar) for a strange art installation (32 miles)
• Wanlockhead, Scotland’s highest village for 18th and 19th centuries mining history (10 miles)
• Moffat, home to the Devil’s Beef Tub and the river Annan (20 miles)
• Lockerbie is famous for its cheese (16 miles)
• Back round to Dumfries, where this adventure started (13 miles)

This is a different Scotland tour itinerary escaping the madness of the Highlands during the “silly season”, giving you lots of scope for a relaxed trip.

You could even hop on the ferry to Belfast!

Read next: Two Scots Abroad South West Scotland Guide.

Final Words

I hope you’ve found this guide to road trips in Scotland useful and that it helps you feel less overwhelmed when planning your trip.

If you require any further help, Gemma (owner of Two Scots Abroad) offers one-to-one planning services, which you can read about here.

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