Your guide to Glasgow / Day trips - nearby Glasgow

Only about 40 minutes away from Glasgow, you can see the natural beauty of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. This is an outstanding spot for nature lovers and a popular weekend escape. You can partake in kayaking, fishing and climbing around the park, or try the number of short and moderate hiking trails that take you through country parks, old railway lines and the forest. You can take a sight-seeing boat cruise along the loch itself to take in its spectacular beauty with its 30 different islands, or you can rent a boat and wetsuit to go swimming on your own.

• Trossachs National Park: 20 Carrochan Rd, Balloch, Alexandria G83 8EG, UK

Right in the town of Stirling, only 30 minutes from Glasgow, you can see some important historical landmarks. The town itself is famous for the Battle of Bannockburn, when Robert the Bruce defeated the English invaders in 1314, as well as William Wallace's Battle of Stirling Bridge. Both are commemorated at the Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre. Then, there's the gorgeous Stirling Castle, built on top of a volcanic crag and standing tall on this strategic position. You can visit the palace vaults to learn about the castle's history and what the lives of the king and queen's servants were like, or you can take a leisurely stroll from the Queen Anne Garden. You can even see hand-woven tapestries based on the Hunt of the Unicorn series.

• Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre: Glasgow Road, Whins Of Milton, Stirling FK7 0LJ, United Kingdom
• Stirling Castle: Castle Esplanade, Stirling FK8 1EJ, UK

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One of the easiest day trips from Glasgow is Scotland's hilly capital of Edinburgh. Situated an hour east of Glasgow via the M8 or by train, Edinburgh is an elegant, compact city boasting neoclassical architecture, a medieval Old Town and sweeping views atop overlooks such as Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat. Like Glasgow, Edinburgh is also a great jumping-off point for visiting other Scottish destinations, including Ayrshire, Stirling, Falkirk, Loch Lomond, Glencoe and Isle of Arran.

• Calton Hill: Edinburgh EH7 5AA, UK
• Arthur's Seat: Edinburgh EH8 8AZ, UK

The Isle of Arran is only 267 square kilometers, but it has everything on it that makes Scotland as a whole so beautiful. This island has majestic  mountains, moorlands, beaches, castles, golfing and an abundance of wildlife. You can hike to the top of Goatfell, the highest peak on Arran, or you can take in the views at Brodick Castle with its gardens and waterfalls.

• Goatfell: Isle of Arran KA27 8FD, UK
• Brodick Castle, Garden and Country Park: Brodick, Isle of Arran KA27 8HY, UK

>Designed by Robert Adams, Culzean Castle sits atop a tall cliff on the Ayrshire Coast, and it's such an icon in Scottish history that it's featured on the reverse of the Scottish five-pound note. It's also said that the castle is home to at least seven ghosts, including a servant girl and a piper. Beyond marveling at the architecture, you can have lunch at the Home Farm Restaurant, and if the kids get bored with history, there's an Adventure Cove and Wild Woodland filled with fun obstacles.

• Culzean Castle: Maybole KA19 8LE, UK

When planning day trips from Glasgow, you must put Oban on your itinerary. Often called the seafood capital of Scotland, coastal Oban is the main port for ferries that connect southern Scotland to Skye, Mull and the Hebrides islands. To take in the full view on a clear day, climb to the top of McCaig's Tower. The tower is a Victorian monument built to look like the Roman Colosseum with a Scottish twist. There are also numerous castles in town to visit, including Dunstaffnage Castle and Chapel, Barcaldine Castle and Gylen Castle.

• McCaig's Tower: Duncraggan Rd, Oban PA34 5DP, UK
• Dunstaffnage Castle and Chapel: Castle Grounds, Dunbeg, Oban PA37 1PZ, UK
• Barcaldine Castle: Benderloch, Oban PA37 1SA, UK
• Gylen Castle: Kerrera, Oban PA34 4SX, UK

With so many great destinations within a day's drive of Glasgow, why spend your entire vacation in one place?