Scotland’s allure is seemingly endless with its windswept Highlands, fresh water lakes, historic castles, ancient clans and tartans which remain relevant today, whiskey distilleries, and of course, the bag pipe. This tour includes one of the most magnificent gathering of pipes and drums with the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle.
August 9-18, 2025
Package Includes:
- Round-trip airfare from Raleigh-Durham International Airport
- Eight nights’ hotel accommodations
- 14 meals: eight breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners
- All sightseeing and admissions per itinerary
- Deluxe motor coach transportation
- Professional tour guide and driver
- Our State host
- Baggage handling (one bag per person) and hotel transfers
Itinerary Highlights:
- Edinburgh Military Tattoo
- Glasgow tour
- Edinburgh Castle
- Holyrood Palace
- Stirling Castle
- Culloden Battlefields
- St. Andrews
- Lunch at the St. Andrews Golf Course Club House
- British Golf Museum
- Inspiration Cruise on Loch Ness
- Glengoyne whiskey distillery
- Trossachs National Park
- Glencoe
- Inverness
Accommodations:
- One night in Glasgow: Apex City Hotel
- Two nights in Stirling: Hotel Colessio
- Two nights in Inverness: Kingsmill Hotel
- One night in St. Andrews: Hotel DuVin
- Two nights in Edinburgh: Virgin Hotel Edinburgh or similar
Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart from the U.S.
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Day 2: Arrival • Glasgow
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Welcome to Scotland! After clearing passport control, please claim your luggage to complete the arrival formalities. You will then exit through the arrivals hall, where your guide will meet and escort you to the waiting vehicle. Enjoy a tour of Glasgow, where you will see the beautiful Victorian buildings, George Square with its ornate city chambers, and nearby Glasgow Cathedral. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and is situated on the River Clyde in the country’s West Central Lowlands. Then enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel with your fellow travelers.
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Apex City Hotel in Glasgow
Day 3: Stirling Castle • Glengoyne Whiskey Distillery
Monday, August 11, 2025
Standing proud on the foreboding Castle Hill, Stirling Castle was once an important strategic stronghold. Easily one of Scotland’s most important historical sites, the castle withstood at least eight sieges. An icon of independence, a canter of Royal celebration, and a stunning day out merges fact and fiction as you meet costumed characters in the castle who will welcome you into 16th-century life. Explore the Great Hall, Castle Exhibition, Tapestry Studio, decorated gardens, and more.
Often described as Scotland’s most beautiful distillery, the whisky here is distilled more slowly thank any other malt whisky. The spirit is nursed through the stills at one third the usual rate to create this complex, fruity, award-winning spirit.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Colessio in Stirling
Day 4: The Kelpies • Falkirk Wheel
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
The 30-meter-high horse head sculptures known as “The Kelpies” are truly a unique structure. They are housed in “The Helix,” a parkland that provides cycling, walking and water sports, among other activities. Then, get ready for a unique experience with the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat lift. Connecting the Forth & Clyde Canal and Union Canal, the structure stands at an imposing 115 feet tall. At this extraordinary feat of engineering and art, visitors can view the mechanical marvel, take a boat, and travel 35 meters into the air to be transported onto Union Canal.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel Colessio in Stirling
Day 5: Glencoe • Inverness
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Travel through Glencoe and visit their visitor center. Then enjoy some time at your leisure in Inverness, the “Capital of the Highlands.” We’ll end the day with a group dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness
Day 6: Culloden Battlefields • Loch Ness
Thursday, August 14, 2025
In 1746, two armies gathered in a vicious battle that would leave 1,600 men dead. It was the final battle of the Jacobite Rising, where the Duke of Cumberland’s government troops fought Jacobite supporters on Culloden Battlefields. Now, more than 300 years later, the true story of the epic, last great battle on British soil is brought to life at the Culloden Visitor Centre in interactive displays, an enthralling collection of curios and artefacts, a 360-degree battle immersion theater, and a bracing visit to the memorial cairn, where the fallen Jacobite soldiers are buried.
Next, combine relaxing sightseeing and a touch of the mystic with the Inspiration Cruise on Loch Ness. This one-hour boat ride will take you from Clansman Harbour to Urquhart Castle. Relax into your trip and the beautiful expanse of sea and nature around you as you approach the historic Urquhart Castle, a ramshackle, fallen ruin in the Highlands. Glide across the famous lake and take in tantalizing tales of myths and history from the onboard audio guide, and don’t forget to look out for Nessie using the ship’s sonar.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness
Day 7: St. Andrews
Friday, August 15, 2025
St. Andrews is known as the home of golf and is also home to one of the world’s oldest universities. Enjoy lunch at the clubhouse this afternoon and dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Du Vin St. Andrews
Day 8: British Golf Museum • Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Make your way to the British Golf Museum to experience 600 years of golf history while viewing the largest collection of golf memorabilia in Europe.
Running yearly since 1950, the Edinburgh Tattoo is a visceral showcase of music, dance, and military pageantry set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, a towering structure that seems to grow from the city itself. At the Tattoo, watch an eclectic army of musicians, pipers, dancers, and performers play rousing battle tunes from Scotland’s regiments. Capped with an unforgettable closing song from a solitary piper, fireworks, and a sing-along to “Auld Lang Syne,” the Edinburgh Military Tattoo shouldn’t be missed.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh or similar
Day 9: Edinburgh Castle • Holyrood Palace
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Put away your typical Edinburgh tour book as the Secrets of the Royal Mile tour will take you off the beaten track to hidden gems. Under the guidance of a true expert, you’ll be told tales of royal intrigue, wandering politics, hard-fought battles, and everyday culture. It’s the underbelly of Edinburgh and is wildly interesting. Begin at Edinburgh Castle and immerse yourself in a two-hour walking tour of stunning architecture, Scottish charm, and salacious secrets.
Open throughout the year, Holyrood Palace is the official Edinburgh Royal Residence and year-round home of Scottish royal history. Standing at the end of Edinburgh’s historic, picturesque Royal Mile, the palace has ties with notable figures from history, including Mary Queen of Scots and the Bonnie Prince Charlie. Explore 14 spectacular state apartments, the ruins of the 12th-century Holyrood Abbey, and the sprawling splendor of the royal gardens. Afterward, enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow Our State travelers.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Virgin Hotels Edinburgh or similar
Day 10: Departure
Monday, August 18, 2025
Meals: Breakfast
Tour Rates:
Regular rate: $6,549 per person (based on double occupancy)
Single rate available.
For Reservations & More Information:
AAA Travel
Beth Rackham
(919) 832-0543, ext. 16012
barackham@acg.aaa.com
For more information on physical requirements and what to expect on an Our State trip, click here.
Feature image photography by Robert Partridge/flickr, Kelpies photography by Andy Hawkins/flickr.