Top tips for Americans visiting Scotland (2024)

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1. You’re better off going by rail

It’s easy, convenient and fun to get around by rail instead of driving. The distances in Scotland shouldn’t be underestimated. What looks like a short way on a map can take quite a while, potentially on narrow, twisty roads which, if you’re not used to them, can at times be difficult to navigate. It’s far better to go by train so you can relax, soak up the views and chat with your fellow passengers.

Plus, if you join an escorted small group rail tour, you’ll also have a knowledgeable local guide accompanying you throughout, able to regale you with stories of myth and legend connected with the places you’re passing through. Scotland rail tours take you on some of the most iconic routes in the country, including the West Highland Line and Kyle Line, and through landscapes you’d miss if going by road instead.

2. Don’t miss the cities

3. Expect a warm welcome

You can expect friendly greetings in the picturesque and remote communities you pass through. That’s especially the case when you’re traveling by rail with one of our responsible partners, as whether you’re traveling independently on a tailor made trip or on an escorted small group vacation, they ensure that you stay in small, often family-run hotels, and recommend locally owned restaurants for your meals. Rail vacations are particularly good for meeting local people, with the views from the windows a natural conversation starter.

4. Skip the typical tourist souvenirs

Forget your Loch Ness Monster teddy bears and novelty bagpipes. Our partners purposefully seek out small businesses throughout their tours, giving you opportunities to find genuine Scottish handicrafts from tartan scarves to jewellery that directly benefit local creatives. In cities there are plenty of independent shops away from touristy areas that sell work by Scottish designers and artisans (plus street markets are ideal for finding delicious foodie treats), while in rural areas our partners may arrange visits to artists’ studios and workshops.

5. Pack for all seasons but not all occasions

Scotland’s changeable, but usually mild, weather means that you can never be entirely sure of what to expect, which is all part of the fun. You could have a beautifully sunny morning and then moody skies in the afternoon. Early spring can still bring snow in the Highlands, while even into late autumn you can catch a few blissfully warm days where you won’t need a jacket until evening. However, if you’re traveling by train, remember that you’ll want to keep luggage to a minimum. Most people dress informally in the evenings.

6 You can barely move for castles

Edinburgh Castle, with its vantage point perched atop Castle Rock, is one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks. But Scotland has in total some 1,500 castles dotting its landscapes. Some are little more than skeletal ruins; others have been preserved and continue to be inhabited, sometimes as stately homes which you can visit. Among the most impressive is Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, which dates as far back as the 13th century and is the ancestral seat of the Clan MacLeod.

7. The gin is as good as the whisky

There is good reason why Scottish whisky, or Scotch, enjoys such prestige, and with over 120 whisky distilleries in Scotland, many of which are open for tours and tastings, there’s no reason to limit yourself to what’s stocked behind the hotel bar. Escorted small group vacations in Scotland will often include at least one distillery tour, while on a tailor made trip you will have plenty of time to visit them independently. Keep in mind that gin is also huge in Scotland, having originated in Leith. Gin distilleries will often use botanicals such as apple, mint and gorse flowers from the islands and Highlands to flavour their spirits.

8. Find the truth behind the legends

Scotland is awash with myth and legend, much of which, if ever based in truth, has been distorted by time. The real history of Scotland, though, can be just as fascinating and entertaining, and is best recounted by expert local guides. They can unravel the complexities behind significant events such as the Battle of Culloden in 1746, who William “Braveheart” Wallace really was, and the likely origins of Orkney’s famous Ring of Brodgar.

9. Gaelic is spoken in many areas

You’ll notice Gaelic alongside English on road signs, especially in the Hebrides, where it is still widely spoken – although everyone speaks English too. A few useful phrases include: madainn mhath (good morning), slàinte (cheers or good health), and uisce-beatha eile mas e do thoil e (another whisky, please).

10. Bring your appetite

Many American travelers are pleasantly surprised by the breadth of Scottish cuisine, and the richness of its flavours. Our partners make a point of suggesting locally owned restaurants where you can sample seafood fresh off the boat, immensely tasty beef or venison, and even that quintessential Scottish dish, haggis. Scotland’s natural larder means that a lot of the time what’s on your plate will have a tiny food mileage. For instance, on Iona in the Hebrides you may stay at a hotel that grows its own organic vegetables in the garden and sources its fish from local fishermen bringing in the catch.

Scotland walkingScotland wildlifeScottish HighlandsShetland IslandsWestern Isles (Outer Hebrides)

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