Scotland Travel Forum

We are leaving from USA to Scotland tonight for 4 days.
The rough plan is:
Day 1: arriving in Edinburgh at about 8am, walk around Edinburgh whole day, stay overnight.
Day 2: take a morning train to Stirling, walk around for 2-3 hours, rent a car and drive towards Inverness. Overnight at Inverness.
Day 3: Drive towards Isle of Skye, overnight there
Day 4: Drive towards Glasgow, arrive in the evening, sleep and fly out next morning

These are just end stops. What will be the best places to visit along this route? Any detours worth taking? Any "must see" places?
Any other advices?

Make sure you include a visit to Culloden on the way to/from Inverness:

http://www.nts.org.uk/culloden/

and maybe Glencoe too, if you can.....very atmospheric indeed, even if the weather is good:

http://www.glencoe-nts.org.uk/

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glencoe/glencoe/

You absolutely must visit Stirling Castle - however, as you are going to be there for only 2-3 hours, this hardly leaves you time. Pity, as the Castle is worth a visit and is miles better than the one in Edinburgh. 2-3 hours in Stirling won't give you time to see anything. Certainly not the Wallace monument or the Bannockburn site, or Argyll's Lodging, etc. There are a whole lot of must see places along the way but unfortunately, you don't have time to visit any of them. It really is a whistle stop tour, seeing Scotland from the car. If you can, try and stop at the Visitors' Centre in Glen Coe. Oh yes, on the way to Skye, actually very near it, is Eilean Donan Castle, which is very picturesque.

Yes, had forgotten Eilean Donan...very popular tourist spot (including coach tours), an 'iconic' and hugely 'romantic' place........

http://www.eileandonancastle.com/

Lots and lots to see in Stirling Castle:

http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyoverview.htm?PropID=PL_275

I assume you have flown transatlantic before and know that you will be jet lagged. For me the first and second day is just a blur. I would NOT spend the night in Inverness on a bet.

To me all you are doing is driving.

Me, I would forget trying to cram so much into so little amount of time. I would spend the time in Fife.

Bring a hat and a waterproof shell. Skye is wonderful. I think you are trying to do to much in 4 days. It takes longer to drive than it looks. Karl