September 2023

We spent about 3 weeks frolicking around Scotland for our honeymoon and it was absolutely magical! Some may be wondering “Why Scotland?” for a honeymoon, but the answer is, golf 🙂

We played golf at Carnoustie, Royal Dornoch, Trump International, Cruden Bay, and St. Andrews!

We rented a car from GLA Car Hire based in Glasgow – instagram.com/gla_car_hire

Things we loved about Scotland:

• the stone buildings
• haggis and black pudding
• the golf courses
• sheep everywhere
• the kindness of strangers
• Scottish accents

Stop one: Glasgow – Our Scottish honeymoon kicked off in Glasgow, where we pick up our rental car from GLA Rental Car. After a long flight, we treated ourselves to a nourishing dinner at Ox and Finch, which we highly recommend.

Stop two: Edinburgh – Instead of staying in the bustling city of Edinburgh, we chose Haddington as our base which was about 20 minutes outside of the city. We stayed at a cool place called The Golf Tavern. This quaint town provided a quieter and more intimate setting while still being able to explore the city of Edinburgh.

Stop three: Aberdeenshire – After a few days exploring Edinburgh, we hit the road trip to Cruden Bay and stayed at two hotels in the area, Kilmarnock Arms and Barra Castle. Both stays were super charming and nice! We had the opportunity to relax and play a round of golf at Cruden Bay Golf Club, which is a beautiful course overlooking the North Sea. We also explored the Slains Castle which inspired Dracula!

Stop four: The Enchanting Isle of Skye – The Isle of Skye with its otherworldly landscapes was next on our list. We visited the Fairy Glen, the Quiraing, The Storr, and Neist Point Lighthouse. We also purchased a cozy sheepskin rug from Skyeskyns in Portree as a keepsake of our journey.

Stop five: Fort Williams – Up next on our adventure, we stopped in Fort Williams to board the Jacobite Steam Train ride from Fort William to Mallaig. We didn’t realize that we bought basic economy tickets, so we didn’t have the nice chairs and tea like they had in first class. It was also very difficult to see out the train window as they were fogged up and it was raining. Unfortunately, we didn’t want to continue the 6-hour round trip train ride, so we decided to get off at the first stop which was Glenfinnan. It actually worked out best because in Glenfinnan, it provides the opportunity to witness the iconic train crossing the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct from the Harry Potter movie. Our advice is, next time, we would’ve preferred to just drive to Glenfinnan to see the Jacobite Steam Train instead of actually buying tickets for the ride.

Stop six: Inverness – In Inverness, we stayed at the Boath House which added an extra touch of romance to our honeymoon. We had the chance to explore the historic Culloden Battlefield and visit the majestic Dunrobin Castle. We also played Royal Dornoch while we stayed here!

Stop seven: Oban – We planned to visit the Isle of Mull, but we encountered Scotland’s unpredictable weather and the ferry got cancelled. We got to embrace the spontaneity and explore the charming town of Oban instead!

Stop eight: St. Andrews – We arrived to St. Andrews at 2am in hopes of walking on to the Old Course. Though it didn’t work out, we got to play the New Course which was an equally memorable experience. Scotland is renowned for its golf courses, and St. Andrews is a legendary course to be able to play!

Stop nine: Glencoe – After an epic road trip around Scotland, it seemed we saved the best for last which was Glencoe. Everywhere was absolutely stunning, but this area was jaw dropping! We really enjoyed seeing the Three sisters of Glencoe and flying the drone around here.

Our honeymoon in Scotland was a journey through difficult rounds of golf, rainy weather, historic sites, and romantic moments. We had an adventure we’ll remember for a lifetime.

If you plan your honeymoon in Scotland, keep in mind the unpredictable weather and the importance of flexibility in your itinerary. Embrace the magic and take time to learn about the history.