October Holidays with the family in North East Scotland

Schools out in North East Scotland

During the school holidays it is a great time to discover the North East corner of Scotland. Touring around this unspoilt and very special region offers an extraordinary amount of activities and experiences for all ages.

A vibrant region filled to the brim with castles, attractions, outdoor activities, and beautiful scenery for the family to enjoy. If you’re visiting the region for the first time, you might be wondering where to even start.

With so many great things to do in the North East of Scotland, deciding where to go first and what to do could be the only problem you have!

Enjoy family days out, discover fun things to do, have picnics and explore and uncover the area for yourself. Take in the stunning area of Moray and Speyside, the city of Aberdeen, beautiful Aberdeenshire, the astounding Cairngorms National Park, picturesque Northern Perthshire and Angus.

From the forests and woodlands right down to the coastal expanses, there is plenty to enjoy for all tastes and budgets.

So whether you are looking for a day trip, or ideas for a week there are countless opportunities for the family to enjoy some quality time together.

Fun things to do in North East Scotland with a Northern Highlights Pass

Plenty of exciting things to do and experience during the holidays with the family using a Northern Highlights Pass. All these businesses have family friendly activities and experiences for a range of ages and preferences.

Younger children will love the sights and delights of the Macduff Marine Aquarium or a visit to the jam packed Grampian Transport Museum. Explore, learn and enjoy history and heritage through a visit to the House of Dun, Fraserburgh Heritage centre or the award winning Gordon Highlanders Museum.

Step back in time at Peterhead Prison Museum, or solve the clues and escape from Escape 808 Aberdeen. Or for something completely different, a visit to Aberdeenshire Highland Beef provides an opportunity to see a highland cow up close and personal.

For the older child there are also outdoor adrenaline thrills and adventures to be had. For guided outdoor adventures Craggan Outdoors are a good place to start for all ages and abilities. Lots of activities to chose from and with so many activities on offer it may be hard to choose which to do first.

Take to the water with Cullen Sea School for coastal rowing, sea kayaking, and paddle boarding.

The House of Mulben provides enormous amounts of great fun with action-packed activities including clay pigeon shooting, quad biking, archery and trout fishing. (Minimum child age is 16) Enjoy mountain biking then check out Ride in Peace Adventures.

Remember using a pass will also help your budget go a little further as you can save money off all of the above attractions.

Free fun things to do in North East Scotland

Need inspiration for some free to do activities and experiences then the following may help. These are only a tiny selection of the many things that you could do but may help you to start and explore your own list.

Walking:Get out and enjoy some fresh air. Dress for the weather, prepare a picnic and just enjoy one or more of the many forest or coastal trails. Walk, play, search for wildlife and enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather.

Try the Deeside Way, a a 66-kilometre rail trail that follows, in part, the bed of the former Royal Deeside Railway. The trail leads along the north bank of the River Dee from Aberdeen to Ballater. With its ever-changing landscape it offers the opportunity to explore this beautiful area either on foot or by bike, as the path is suitable for walkers and cyclists with many sections suitable for horses as well.

Want something more challenging the long distance Moray Speyside walks include the Moray Coastal Trail, the Speyside Way and the Dava Way might be a suitable choice. Which section to do will be the hardest decision to make!

Like to explore with a smartphone then why not take a look at the latest Angus trails from following the historical Arbroath smokie journey to a magical fairy trail using the Visit Angus App.

Go Wildlife Spotting: Did you know that for one of the best places in the UK to see bottlenose dolphins from the shore, head to the WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay. A wildlife haven it also forms part of the Speyside Way. You can tour the Tugnet Icehouse, see and touch a fantastic collection of huge whale bones from the local area and discover the history of salmon fishing.

Cycling: For gentle or low level routes cycle along one of the the region’s cycle routes.

If mountain biking is more your choice then try the Glenlivet Bike Trails on the Glenlivet Estate and the Monster Trails at Fochabers which are firm favourites with mountain bikers. Whether you’re new to off-road mountain biking or an expert rider looking for big thrills, there’s a trail that’s just right for you.

Explore and Discover: Try Geocaching, which if you have not discovered it before is simply exploring the area for hidden treasure, a fun activity for children of all ages. Visit www.geocaching.com to get started. Then explore the hidden treasures of The Cateran Trail. Older children with an interest in history then why not plan a visit to some of the areas standing stones and explore Pictish History

The Northern HighLights Pass helps you to create a bespoke itinerary for your short break or longer Scottish holiday in the North East of Scotland. Purchasing a Northern HighLights Pass enables you to plan ahead, know before you go, plus, there are big savings to be had on entrance fees to the many excellent visitor attractions across the region. Visit the best for less!

Your Northern Highlights Pass is available as a digital pass and can be easily downloaded straight onto your smart phone. Alternatively, you can purchase a hard copy pass and this will be mailed out to you.

Looking for a little more online fun then why not head over to our “Online puzzles”

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So if you are interested to know more, remember to follow us on the Northern Highlights Pass social channels and also sign up to the “North East Blether” if you have not already done so.

Ready to start exploring? Northern Highlights visitors pass enables you to visit the best – for less. Buy your pass and start your adventure!

So whatever you choose to do in the next few weeks and months please do remember to stay safe and continue to follow the Guidance To Protect The Environment, yourself and all our local communities.

#RespectProtectEnjoy #CairngormsTogether #VisitMoraySpeyside #VisitAngus #VisitABDN #RediscoverABDN #ScotlandisCalling #EscapeTheEveryDay

Schools out in North East Scotland

Fun things to do in North East Scotland with a Northern Highlights Pass

Free fun things to do in North East Scotland

Please remember to follow...

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