Coming up: shops, Shetlands, signs, Skye, overrated mountains, why Loch Ness should be missed, a big immortal dinosaur thing, two unspectacular coastal towns, thoroughly-ignorable souvenirs, and the 13 worst places to visit in Scotland for first-time tourists.
I’ve visited Scotland more times than I can remember.
Because you’re reading this guide, you probably never have.
… and since you’re a first-time tourist, you’re probably gonna make the same mistakes that I made, the first few times I visited Scotland (and the same mistakes most first-time visitors to Scotland make)
You see:
there are some Scottish places you’ve heard of that you should actually skip…
… and some Scottish places you haven’t heard of that you really need to see.
So: in this guide, we’ve brought you the places to miss – and all the places you should visit instead. Here’s the Travelness guide to the 13 worst places to visit in Scotland for first-time tourists. On we go!
1. Loch Ness
Why you shouldn’t go: cos it’s one of the world’s most underwhelming lakes.
What the best alternative is: Loch Katrine or Loch Shiel.
Loch Ness is famous for three main reasons:
- By volume, it’s the biggest lake in the UK (fun fact: Loch Ness holds more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined—and, no, you haven’t read that wrong)
- Some people reckon there’s a big immortal monster thing living inside the lake
- It must have a really really good marketing department
Yeah, Loch Ness is big. Yeah, some parts of Loch Ness are quite pretty. Yeah, it’s relatively easy to access. Yeah, everyone’s heard of it. Yeah, it’s surrounded by lots of convenience and infrastructure. Yeah, you’ve convinced yourself you *should* visit the place.
… but, honestly, compared to many other lochs in Scotland (and, btw, there are 30,000+ of them!!), Loch Ness is boring and unbeautiful. Its surroundings are largely flat, it’s so big that the views are unimpressive, and it doesn’t have much charm.
You’ll be underwhelmed here, I promise
2. Drumnadrochit
Why you shouldn’t go: cos the whole town basically exists only to sell Nessie merchandise.
What the best alternative is: Fort Augustus, or even Inverness.
If you’re not gonna listen to my advice above, and you’re still gonna insist on visiting Loch Ness, then at least don’t stay in Drumnadrochit.
Granted, Drumnadrochit is very central to Loch Ness, and has loads of accommodations…
… but the village basically exists almost entirely to cash in on Loch Ness fever.
Most famously, it’s home to the hideously-unappealing Nessieland, which is tired, dated, and kitsch, and has a stinking 3/5 overall rating on Google Maps. Other ‘highlights’ include The Loch Ness Centre (featuring more stuff on the fictional monster), endless bed-and-breakfasts of variable quality, and more tourists than locals
On top of all that, it’s really small, so it’s impossible to escape the tourist vibes.
If you want a small-town alternative, Fort Augustus (with its five famous on-loch canal locks!) is great. Meanwhile, relatively-nearby Inverness is drastically underrated, and is one of my favorite Scottish cities.
3. Ben Nevis
Why you shouldn’t go: cos you won’t get the solitude you’re craving.
What the best alternative is: the not-nearby Stac Pollaidh, or the much-more-nearby Pap of Glencoe.
Ben Nevis, as you probably know, is the highest peak in the UK, with its summit measuring in at a hefty 1,345 meters (4,413 feet)
When I first went hitchhiking around Scotland, on a month-long trip, around 8 years ago, one of the items on my to-do list was ‘hike up Ben Nevis.’ I love mountains, so it seemed like the natural choice.
… but endless locals kept giving me the same advice again and again: Ben Nevis is too touristy, it’s too busy, it’s often misty, and because of its big flat top, the views aren’t great (even if the weather is good).
Since I’ve now done lots more hiking in Scotland, I know these people were right. Controversial opinion, but: I’ve never been to any other country in the world with better hiking than Scotland; so, if you’re short on time and want to hike in Scotland, don’t waste your trekking time on Ben Nevis.
Yes, Ben Nevis is great—but it’s nothing compared to many of Scotland’s better and quieter hikes.
For many much-better nearby alternatives, here are the 15 best hikes in and around Glencoe (Glencoe is a valley—and village and area!—close to Ben Nevis).
4. Fort William
Why you shouldn’t go: because it’s a now-charmless cliché.
What the best alternative is: Oban, or Glencoe (again).
Fort William is sort of the low-level equivalent of Ben Nevis.
… it’s one of Scotland’s most famous hiking hubs, and it’s surrounded by lots of great hikes
But because it’s so famous, it’s also very busy, very touristy, and now sort of like a parody of itself:
The High Street is an unalluring mixture of grey storefronts, chain retailers, and endless places to buy the same identical outdoor kit—and much of the charm disappeared many years ago. It’s also much more drab than people expect it to be; and doesn’t have the remote rural magnetism of many of the smaller, better hiking towns north and west of here.
So, your three best alternatives:
- If you want a super-charming small town, go to Oban.
- If you want a better hiking hub than Fort William, go to Glencoe.
- If you want easy access to adventures while being surrounded by lots of conveniences, you might even want to head to Inverness (surprisingly, it’s only 66 miles/106km from Fort William).
5. The Shetland Islands
Why you shouldn’t go: cos they’re too far away.
What the best alternative is: the accessible-but-admittedly-busy Isle of Skye.
The Shetland Islands are AMAZING; and they’re home to stuff like:
- Viking culture and Viking-themed festivals
- Chances to see the Northern Lights
- Lots of boat trips and bird colonies
- Some very remote and rural life
- Some scenic pretty little towns
- 84 uninhabited islands
… but sadly, they’re far from the rest of the UK; they sit 130 miles (210 km) from the northeastern tip of mainland Scotland. And if it’s your first time in Scotland, it’s better to spend your limited time elsewhere.
Unless you want to fly (which can be both expensive and unreliable; flights are often cancelled and delayed because of fog and bad weather), it’s a slooooow journey:
Direct overnight ferries to the Shetland Islands from Aberdeen take approximately 12 hours… while it takes 2.5-3 hours to reach Aberdeen from Edinburgh by train.
If you want some convenient island fun in Scotland, you should instead head to Skye. It’s beautiful, it’s much bigger than people think, and (crucially, cos you don’t have much time), it’s connected to the mainland by a bridge.
For much more on the Isle of Skye, here are our guides on:
6. Thurso + Wick
Why you shouldn’t go: cos the north-coast charm you’re expecting isn’t here.
What the best alternative is: Durness or Helmsdale.
Far-northern mainland Scotland is one of most beautiful places I’ve ever been.
Head north of Inverness, and pretty much anywhere and everywhere is outrageously attractive, and very unique; no matter how much you’ve traveled, you’ve never seen anywhere like this part of the world.
… but Thurso and Wick are exceptions to that rule. These two coastal spots are the biggest towns in the region. Thurso sits on the eastern part of Scotland’s north coast, while Wick sits on the northern part of Scotland’s east coast.
They’re both friendly and welcoming enough, and they have lots of conveniences; but they’re bereft of the quaint charm that the rest of this region has to offer.
For some much-more-scenic alternatives, here are the 20 prettiest seaside towns in Scotland.
7. Kyle of Lochalsh
Why you shouldn’t go: because it’s a tactical misjudgment.
What the best alternative is: staying on the Isle of Skye itself; or going to Plockton.
There’s actually nothing wrong with Kyle of Lochalsh. It’s a nice little village.
… but it’s a strange place to stay
You see: because it’s the last mainland point right before the bridge crossing to Isle of Skye, some tourists think ‘hey, this would be a good place to stay; it’s a good compromise between the island and the mainland.’
But those people are wrong. Kyle of Lochalsh is fine, but there’s not much to do here, and it’s way less beautiful than the Isle of Skye.
… so if you’re visiting the Isle of Skye, it’s much much better to just… stay on the Isle of Skye.
And if you reeeaaally want to stay on the mainland, then Plockton (only 6 miles/9.5km from Kyle of Lochalsh) is much more scenic and charming; and the drive leading in and out of the village is one of Scotland’s most endearing.
8. The Royal Mile souvenir stores, in Edinburgh
Why you shouldn’t go: cos it’s all just the same rubbish, and there’s nothing authentic about it.
What the best alternative is: head to Grassmarket or Stockbridge Market for actual local stuff.
A big long famous street linking Edinburgh Castle with Holyrood Palace, the very-central Royal Mile is beautiful, full of striking architecture, and really fun and lively.
That said, its endless souvenir stores aren’t so great.
Wandering down the Royal Mile, you’ll be convinced there must be some law requiring every stupid tourist shop to sell the exact same tartan scarves, whisky-flavoured fudge, and plastic bagpipes. Don’t bother buying any of it; you’re just getting ripped off.
Go to Grassmarket or Stockbridge Market for actual local stuff.
And for some of Edinburgh’s best (and more underrated) adventures, here are:
… and here’s our ultimate itinerary for 2 days in Edinburgh!
9. John o’Groats
Why you shouldn’t go: because, apart from a little white sign, there’s genuinely nothing here.
What the best alternative is: the quite-nearby Dunnet Head, or the very-nearby Duncansby Stacks.
Sitting on the far northeastern tip of mainland Scotland, LOADS of tourists come to John o’Groats.
They come here basically only so they can say ‘I’ve been to the far northeastern tip of mainland Scotland,’ and they assume it’ll be pretty and interesting and action-packed.
But no:
Yes, John o’Groats is famous because of where it’s located.
And it’s famous because some people walk/run/cycle from here to Land’s End (the most south-westerly point of mainland England, which to be fair, is pretty cool).
But, honestly, when I first came John o’ Groats, I was very very confused
You see: apart from the famous John o’ Groats signpost, there’s basically nothing here except a couple of shops and a big car park. Don’t bother.
And get this: the nearby Dunnet Head is actually more northern than John o’ Groats anyway, and definitely more pretty.
At Dunnet Head, you’ll find a famous lighthouse (looking like something from a Wes Anderson movie), along with lots of nesting seabirds (it’s an RSPB reserve), and maybe even some seals.
Or if you instead head to Duncansby Stacks, you’ll find two jagged sea stacks, just off the coast. The in-and-out walk from John o’ Groats to here takes around 3 hours, and features another kooky lighthouse.
10. The North Coast 500 (if you’re in a hurry)
Why you shouldn’t go: because you’re in a rush.
What the best alternative is: doing it when you’re not in a rush.
Look, the North Coast 500 is one of the best road trips I’ve ever been on, and the best road trip I’ve been on in Europe.
… but it’s in the far-northern part of mainland Scotland, so it takes a while to get here.
And it’s so good, that any less than 7-10 days is really rushing it.
In my opinion, doing the North Coast 500 in a hurry is worse than not doing it at all. Cos, if you do it in a hurry, the perpetually-beautiful scenery will just have you constantly thinking ‘damn, I wish I had more time here.’
If you really want to take a Scottish road trip, with less time and less travel, here are my 18 favorite Scottish road trips.
11. Edinburgh Dungeon
Why you shouldn’t go: because this place could be anywhere on the planet.
What the best alternative is: doing something Scottish instead.
Okay, to be honest: I actually quite like Edinburgh Dungeon.
Kooky, quirky, spooky, and silly, it’s a 70-minute dimly-lit interactive walk-through experience.
It features live actors, themed rooms, special effects, and a melodramatic vibe; but despite being themed around Scottish history, it’s hardly unique to Edinburgh.
See: you can find experiences like this in London, in York, basically anywhere on the planet
And if you only have a few days in Scotland, you want to do more Scottish-centric stuff. Yeah, Edinburgh Dungeon is heavily advertised and promoted, and it’s actually quite fun; but that doesn’t mean it’s actually unmissable. Especially on your first time visit.
12. Tartan Stores
Why you shouldn’t go: because you’re not Scottish.
What the best alternative is: accepting that it’s okay to not be Scottish.
Okay, let’s be honest: you’re NOT Scottish
If you were Scottish, you probably wouldn’t be reading this guide, and you definitely wouldn’t buy anything from tartan souvenir stores.
… and, no, having a half-Scottish third-aunt doesn’t actually make you one of the locals.
So don’t fall into the same trap that many other foreigners in Scotland do. Foreigners with distant Scottish relatives are often coerced into expensive stores by sneaky shop owners, and in these stores, the employees will tell what your family clan tartan is, and why you need to buy it.
But here’s the thing: in these stores, you’re probably being lied to, and you’re definitely wasting your money.
If you really need to buy a souvenir, get a keychain, like a normal person Or anything from this extensive list of the best souvenirs to get from Scotland.
Just don’t get fooled by sales people who claim your great-great-grandfather was clan MacWhatever and so you should by their overpriced made-in-asia tartan.
And if you really want to know what your ancestors tartan was (if any), read this guide first.
13. Those “authentic Scottish night” dinner shows
Why you shouldn’t go: cos there’s nothing less authentic than a contrived event calling itself ‘authentic’.
What the best alternative is: just don’t bother, or ask locals for good restaurant recommendations.
Online and in tourist agencies, you’ll find advertisements for expensive “authentic Scottish night” dinners.
… but here’s the thing: they’re not really authentic at all.
These dinners usually offer touristy kitsch, including:
- Bagpipe players
- Scottish dancing
- Poetry recitals
- Gaelic songs
- Traditional food
- Local drinks
( admittedly, the food is sometimes pretty good, but you don’t need to go to one of these dinners to get good food. Instead, you can just go to any good traditional restaurant; and locals in any town or city will always be happy to recommend their favorites).
You’ll never find an actual local Scottish person at any of these events… which I think tells you everything you need to know about how ‘traditional’ they actually are
Before You Go
There you are, they’re the 13 worst places to visit in Scotland for first-time tourists!
To sum up, the three very-worst picks are:
- Loch Ness: go to Loch Katrine or Loch Shiel instead, or even Loch Lomond
- Thurso and Wick: go to one of the coast’s smaller towns instead; smaller is always more charming in this part of Scotland. Durness would be my top pick
- Any of the nation’s touristy souvenir stores: head to local markets in lesser-known neighborhoods instead, and ask locals for their specific recommendations
For more on Scotland, head over to our guides on:
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