The Isle of Skye had been on my travel wish list for a long time. It’s an unusual place with other-worldly landscapes, one that ignites the imagination and seems protected from “the real world.” Then late last year, when my mom and I decided to finally make good on those plans for a family vacation to Europe, we chose Scotland with a week on the Isle of Skye. I knew I’d love it, but what I didn’t know is that it would be so complex and deeply interesting — there were so many things to do on the Isle of Skye!

The Isle of Skye is located just off the mainland in northwestern Scotland. Getting there isn’t easy — from Edinburgh, you’re looking at a 5-6 hour drive on an assortment of roads, including small two-lane roads in the Highlands. But it’s is worth every minute of driving to get there. Skye is wild and romantic and beautiful. It’s steeped in history. It’s isolated yet not old-fashioned. It’s everything I’d hoped it would be and so much more.

Travel tips for the Isle of Skye

Before my recommendations of what to do on the Isle of Skye, I should tell you about our travel style. We were with my kids, ages 9 and 6, and my mom and stepdad, who like a slower travel pace than we do. My mom is also a writer and prefers historical sites over outdoor adventures (what Skye is mostly known for).

How many days on Skye?

You can visit with one or two days, but we planned our stay on Skye carefully, booked a house (see below) and stayed six days! A couple we met said that we’d be bored with 6 days, but with so many things to do on the Isle of Skye, I knew they were wrong. I doubted I’d ever come back and therefore wanted to get to know as much of Skye as possible.

It was completely worth it because there’s so much to do on the Isle of Skye, and with rainy, windy mornings, we needed more days to do everything we wanted to do.

What time of year to visit Isle of Skye?

Early summer (May through early June) or late summer (late August-September) are probably ideal because the weather is tolerable, the days are long, and you’ll miss the crowds of mid-summer. The Isle of Skye is experiencing problems with overtourism, so it’s wise to avoid it in the busiest weeks of summer.

What to pack for Isle of Skye?

You’ll need hiking boots, comfortable walking shoes, a good jacket/windbreaker, sweaters, and insect repellent to protect against midges. An umbrella won’t help much due to the wind. See my recommendations for what to pack, including our favorite travel boots (click the photo for more info):

To help with your travel planning:

My Scotland itinerary for 2-3 slow weeks with family

Rent a car through Auto Europe — the site searches all available cars and then shows you the best rates.

Tips for how to rent a car in Scotland & how to drive on the left

Top ten walks on Skye

My favorite guidebooks for Scotland:

And these Google maps:

Top Ten Things to Do on the Isle of Skye:

1. Hike to the Old Man of Storr

The Old Man of Storr was the main reason I wanted to visit Skye, and the hike to the Storr rocks does not disappoint. The rocks of the Storr are what remains of ancient landslips on the Isle of Skye. Once you get up there, you can understand the scale of these massive stones.

The main part of the hike takes you up a well marked trail to just below the Old Man of Storr rock. Take the flatter trails that weave around, and you’ll eventually get above the rocks for incredible views. You can continue up to the main viewing point on top of a ledge.

Tips for hiking the Old Man of Storr with kids: Wear good shoes that can get muddy. Dress in layers — you’ll likely get warm climbing but may need some protection from the wind once you’re up higher. The hike isn’t terribly long but is strenuous, so try to have your hands free and bring only a small bottle of water that could be stashed in a pocket.

Once you reach the top, there are many trails that lead through the rocks, so you can extend your hike depending on how much time and energy you have.

Read more: How to Hike to the Old Man of Storr (with kids)

2. The Scorrybreac Circuit walk

Hands-down one of my favorite experiences on the Isle of Skye, this 3-km loop walk is beautiful, the perfect way to spend an extra hour near Portree. Look for the road sign posted for ‘Budhmor.’ Park where you see a few parking spots and start out on the trail near the water.

You’ll soon pass through a tree-covered trail that opens up to bay views and then a green hillside that meets the sea. Continue up and up the trail and then make the slow descent back down to the beginning.

3. Walk at Loch Sligachan

One afternoon, when the sun finally came out, we decided to drive down to a bay that I had heard had beautiful views. My stepdad was riding his bike on the same road, and after we thought it was time to turn right to go back, we noticed that he had gone left instead. I suggested that we follow him in case he had gotten lost, but he certainly was just fine. We ended up driving a short distance to a dead end and this view.

You can park here, enjoy a picnic on the picnic table, and then hike on the trail that hugs the water. It goes all the way to the town of Sligachan, but you can go as far as you want and then turn around. Chances are you’ll have this spot all to yourselves — we were the only ones on the trail!

Read more about the Sligachan walk

4. Dunvegan Castle

Dunvegan Castle is the most important residence of the Clan MacLeod, who have lived here for more than 800 years. It’s also the oldest continuously-inhabited castle in all of Scotland. It’s also the home of the legendary Fairy Flag. The fourth chief of the MacLeod clan married a fairy, but after one year, she had to return to the Fairy World (see the Fairy Bridge below).

According to one legend, she left behind the flag to bring good fortune to the clan in battle. She warned, however, that it could be used twice but “woe betide you if you unfurl it a third time.”

According to another legend, the fairy princess returned to the castle one night to console her crying son and wrapped him in her shawl. A third story states that the Fairy Flag is actually a 4th century silk banner that was brought back from the Crusades.

Whatever its origins, the flag is precious to the clan and is now on display in the castle along with other artifacts such as a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair. In fact, members of the clan who fought in WWII carried photos of the flag for protection.

Besides visiting the interior of the castle, there are three other activities on the grounds. First, don’t miss the five-acre formal gardens, especially the Water Garden and Walled Garden. After exiting the gardens, make your way down to the water (follow signs for the boat tours).

You can take a one-hour boat tour to see the seals that reside on the rocks near the castle. After passing by the seal tour office, take a short walk to the farthest point on the jetty. Continue on a small trail through the trees to the rocks–it should take only about 5 minutes but affords the best views of the castle.

Tips for visiting Dunvegan Castle with kids:

Upon entering the castle, kids are prompted to look for keys in the rooms during their tour. Once finished, your child can go back to the entrance and report the number of keys they found to earn a nice prize. My kids loved this challenge but had to go through the castle twice to find all the keys!

The 25-minute boat tour to see the seals costs 7.50 pounds per adult, 5.50 per child, and is on a first-come, first-served basis (no online reservations).

In case you get hungry, there’s a cafe located in the parking lot, but I recommend Lochside Crafts in Dunvegan instead.

5. Eilean Donan Castle (just off the Isle of Skye)

Eilean Donan is one of the most famous views in Scotland, but the castle that we see today is actually fairly new. The original castle was built in the 13th century as defense against the Vikings. After it was involved in the Jacobite rising, the castle was destroyed in retribution and lay in ruins for 200 years.

Eilean Donan was rebuilt in the early 20th century and the bridge from the land to the island was added then. Cannonballs that were used to destroy the castle  and before and after photos of the castle are some of the more interesting displays inside.

Tip for visiting Eilean Donan with kids: Get there when the castle opens to avoid the crowds. Kids are given an activity booklet to complete while touring the castle. On site, there’s a nice cafe with prepared kids’ meals. The castle has no gardens or grounds to explore, but there’s a small area with picnic tables outside the ticket office and cafe.

6. Armadale Castle Gardens & Museum

Armadale Castle was the chief residence of the Clan MacDonald of Sleat. After a fire, only the walls remained and were left to the elements. While there isn’t much to see of the castle (you can walk around it and admire it from the outside), the extensive Armadale Castle Gardens are worth a visit. The Museum of the Isles has the best exhibitions of Scottish history that we saw during our stay in Scotland.

Armadale is located on the southeastern tip of the Isle of Skye on the Sleat Peninsula. We visited Sleat as a day trip from Portree in combination with a visit to Eilean Donan in the morning.

Tips for visiting Armadale with kids: The website mentions archery and clay pigeon shooting activities for kids, but those were not being offered when we visited. There’s a large playground with obstacle course activities that my kids loved.

7. Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls

Visiting Kilt Rock is easy — look for a sign just south of Staffin, pull into the parking lot, and get a good position along the fenced viewpoint. This place gets crowded, so you might have to wait a few minutes to get a good view.

As you might have guessed, Kilt Rock is named for the basalt columns that mimic the shape of the folds of a kilt. You could almost miss Mealt Falls because it falls at a whisper over the columns and down to the sea below.

8. Visit the Museum of Island Life

At the northwest corner of the Trotternish Peninsula is the Skye Museum of Island Life, an outdoor museum dedicated to the cultural heritage of Skye. It’s made up of several traditional thatched cottages, each demonstrating a different aspect of crofter life. You can still see thatched cottages like these on the Isle of Skye, but these give you the chance to see them up close. The construction of the cottages with stone walls and sloped roofs allowed them to withstand the extreme winds of winter.

Try to take your time here — I found the information and photographs posted inside the homes helpful in understanding the way people lived on Skye in the late 19th century. Admission is 2.50 per adult and 50 pence per child.

& the Kilmuir graveyard

On a hillside just above the Skye Museum of Island Life sits the historic Kilmuir graveyard where Flora MacDonald is buried. She’s remembered as a heroine of the Jacobite cause because she bravely helped conceal Bonnie Prince Charlie during his escape from the British after the Battle of Culloden. Prince Charles dressed as a woman and pretended to be Betty Burke, Flora’s maid.

After his successful escape to France, Flora was arrested for treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London but was released. She married, had 5 children, moved to North Carolina, but later returned to Skye, where she died in 1790. She was supposedly buried in a shroud made from Bonnie Prince Charlie’s bedsheet!

Besides Flora MacDonald’s grave, other important graves are here, including a medieval effigy to Angus of the Wind and the graves of the MacArthurs, the pipers of the MacDonald clan at nearby Duntulm Castle.

9. Duntulm Castle

Duntulm Castle sits on the northwestern edge of the Isle of Skye. Keep an eye open for the turn off sign because it’s easy to miss while passing by on A855. This ruined castle was once the main residence of the Clan MacDonald of Sleat until they moved it to Armadale (see below).

According to legend, the ghost of one of the nursemaids still wanders the ruins. She accidentally dropped the chief’s baby from a window and was killed in return.

Tip: Be careful if you visit with kids; the ruins sit on sheer cliffs, and signs warn visitors not to pass certain points.

10. Hike the Quiraing

If you have good weather, plan a couple of hours to hike at the Quiraing. You can combine this with a half-day driving around the Trotternish Peninsula (see below). Wear shoes that won’t slip since the trails are often wet from frequent rain. You can drive up to trails and park.

How to plan a visit to the Isle of Skye

What to do if you have only one day on the Isle of Skye:

Drive around the Trotternish Peninsula and hike the Quiraing or Old Man of Storr

Any drive on the Isle of Skye is beautiful, but the Trotternish Peninsula loop might be the best drive on the island. Have a meal at the Isle of Skye Baking Co. in Portree. Starting from Portree, you can follow either road A855 or A87 north and continue until you’ve made the loop around the peninsula. Set aside a few hours for the drive, especially if the weather is decent enough to include a hike on the Quiraing or Old Man of Storr.

Plan to stop at the Museum of Island Life, Duntulm Castle, and Kilt Rock. There are cafes and small shops like the Uig Pottery selling local wares along the way — just look for signs posted along the road.

Extra time and good weather? If you have two hours, add the Scorrybreac Circuit walk in Portree or drive 10 minutes outside Portree to the Loch Sligachan trail and walk along the water (see details above).

What to do if you have two days on the Isle of Skye:

Do all the above on the first day. Add a drive to the Fairy Pools, Dunvegan Castle, the Fairy Bridge and Neist Point on the second day.

Other stops on a road trip around the Trotternish Peninsula:

Besides the above-mentioned highlights of Kilt Rock, Duntulm Castle ruins, the Old Man of Storr hike, the Quiraing hikes, and the Museum of Island Life, the Trotternish Peninsula has these smaller stops:

Make a quick stop at the Staffin Dinosaur Museum

This tiny museum on the Trotternish Peninsula contains fossils, ancient artifacts and dinosaur footprints. The man who works there has a wealth of knowledge about local geology, so if you’re interested in learning more about this or visiting dinosaur footprints on Skye, he’s the one to ask. Bring cash for the small admission fee (about 2 pounds) and locally-made souvenirs for sale.

See dinosaur footprints

We didn’t see the dinosaur footprints on the Isle of Skye, but I learned that the best places to see them are the beach at Duntulm and Staffin during low tide. I believe that there is one easily visible footprint at Staffin Beach, a three-toed print.

The more important find is at the Duntulm beach (scramble down to the water with the castle ruins in the nearby distance), where huge sauropods left footprints in what used to be a lagoon. Here it’s best to try to view them from afar and look for a group of shallow depressions in a line; otherwise, when standing right next to a footprint, it would be hard to distinguish it from a dip in the mud. Definitely one of the best things to do on the Isle of Skye!

Shop at the Uig Pottery

The small town of Uig is also the port where ferries to neighboring islands depart. At the Uig Pottery near the ferry piers, the artists make everything there in the shop with views of the water right outside the windows. A lovely place to pick up a souvenir or some gifts!

Souvenirs and a meal: The Skyeworks Gallery and Isle of Skye Baking Co.

The Skyeworks Gallery is located above the Isle of Skye Baking Co. and features the work of several local artists. From scarves and ceramics to paintings and jewelry, the work sold here is not only beautiful but also makes good gifts to take back home.

What to do on the Isle of Skye for history lovers:

Find ancient standing stones

If you’re looking for big standing stones, your best bet is probably to take a day trip (by ferry from Uig) to the Isle of Lewis to see the Callanish Stones.

On the Isle of Skye, there are a few ancient stones scattered about. They date from the Bronze Age and are at least 3000 years old. If you take A87 north from Portree, you’ll come to Loch Eyre at Kensaleyre, where a pair of large standing stones stand on the shore. It’s very hard to find a place to park here, but if you park near houses nearby, you can walk to the gate and then through the sheep field to reach them. Legend says that the giant Finn used to roast deer at these stones.

Because we weren’t able to find a place to park, we drove to another pair nearby (see the Google map above for the location). The pair of stones is smaller and less impressive than those by the shore, but you can drive right up to them without worrying about parking or walking on the busy road. Interestingly, the stones are not marked at all despite the fact that they’re thousands of years old and represent an aspect of life on Skye in the Bronze Age.

Another interesting stone can be found a couple of miles away near Skeabost. It’s newer, probably from the 8th century, and is covered with pagan Pictish carvings. If you’re interested in this stuff, check out the ancient cairns and brochs on the island.

St. Columba’s Isle

My mom and I love to delve deep into history. If you do, too, then put St. Columba’s Isle on your list of things to do on the Isle of Skye. It’s a small island in the River Snizort with the ruins of the Cathedral Church of the Bishop of the Isles from 1079 to 1498 and a historic graveyard. You can enter ruined chapels and see the graves of clan chiefs, bishops, and a 16th-century effigy of a clan warrior.

“A cauldron of heads”: As if the history of this sacred church and burial ground isn’t enough, this is the site of an important clan battle in 1539 between the MacLeods and MacDonalds for control of the nearby land. According to legend, the heads of several clansmen floated along the river after the deadly battle. This historic place was one of my favorite things to do on the Isle of Skye.

Dunvegan Church & historic graveyard

This was one of my favorite finds of our stay on Skye. I read about this ruined church and graveyard in the exceptionally helpful little book Short Walks on Skye. After visiting Dunvegan Castle, we stopped in the town of Dunvegan, and while my kids had some fun at the playground, I explored this place with my mom and stepdad.

The church houses the graves of clan chiefs as well as the pipers of the MacLeod clan. From this point, there are also excellent views of the Cuillin mountains and the MacLeod Tables, the flat table-like mountains beyond the loch.

Tip: If you walk from the main road in Dunvegan, walk through the grassy hill and veer right until you see it. If you park on road A850, it’s easier to find; you can’t miss it!

The Fairy Bridge

I love the fairy legends on Skye. There’s the Fairy Princess, Fairy Bay, fairy cows, Fairy Flag, Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools, and Fairy Bridge. After visiting Dunvegan and learning about the Fairy Queen and her Fairy Flag, make a quick stop at the Fairy Bridge.

It’s just off the A850 road from Dunvegan to Portree, and if you might have it all to yourselves like we did. The Fairy Bridge is an old bridge that was used by clansmen as a meeting point.

However, the legend associated with this bridge is far more interesting. When the MacLeod chief wanted to marry the Fairy Princess, the Fairy King allowed the marriage with the condition that she would return to the Fairy Land after one year. It was here, at the bridge, that she said goodbye to her husband and returned to her people.

Tip: Do a tick check after walking through the brush near the fairy bridge (or any other place on the island). We were wearing long sleeves and boots, but I got a tick in my ankle after walking here.

The Museum of Island Life and the Kilmuir graveyard (see #8 above)

Where to eat on the Isle of Skye

Fish & Chips in Portree

The food here may be really unhealthy (they even warn you that it’s all fried in beef oil!), but it’s SO good. It’s a tiny place down some steps at 1 Quay Street with picnic tables outside.

Isle of Skye Baking Co. (+ gift shop)

This was one of my favorite stops during our trip! The Isle of Skye Baking Co. cafe makes an easy stop for a meal any time of the day. Besides the housemade jams, we loved the cheese platter for kids.

The Granary

Located right on the main square of Portree, the Granary serves food throughout the day, including sweet treats, lattes and tea for a nice afternoon treat. There is seating indoors (fun to see the old interior) and outdoors (fun for watching the people go by).

Have afternoon tea at Kinloch Lodge

Kinloch Lodge on the Sleat Peninsula in southeastern Skye is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant that serves food throughout the day. If you arrive in the afternoon, you’ll be treated to an elegant afternoon tea service including the most delicious scones. If you come to Sleat, you can’t miss the lodge — there are signs for it on the main road.

Lochside Crafts in Dunvegan

One of our favorite meals was at Lochside Crafts in Dunvegan. This small cafe restaurant has stunning views of the loch and MacLeod Tables and serves easy meals like smoked salmon salads with bread and local cheese.

The Co-op

If you’re staying near Portree, you should know about the Co-op for grocery needs. There are two locations, one small one in central Portree, and one larger one on a road just outside the center. Because we were staying in a vacation rental, we went to the larger co-op a few times to stock up on groceries and buy easy meals.

Isle of Skye accommodations

We wanted to be in or near Portree, the largest town on the Isle of Skye, both for the convenience of the town and central location. Because we were traveling as a family of 6, we chose a vacation rental home, and we found the perfect Isle of Skye accommodation: Bayview Croft.

The interior of Bayview Croft is modern and comfortable with plenty of space for 6 people on two floors. The outside was also perfect, with plenty of land to wander, access to the water, and, best of all, a view of the Old Man of Storr!

You can reserve the house on Trip Advisor.

Other recommended places to stay on Isle of Skye:  

Cuillin Hills Hotel: Luxurious accommodations in a 19th-century hotel with spectacular view of the Black Cuillins. The hotel is just a 10-minute walk from the town center and is located right next to the beautiful Scorrybreac trail.

Kinloch Lodge: Home to the Michelin-starred restaurant mentioned above, this beautiful lodge is set in a quiet location on the Sleat Peninsula. It’s not as central as Portree, but if you’re looking for a special lodging experience, this might be for you.

Marmalade Hotel: A boutique hotel just 5 minutes on foot from the town center of Portree.

What to do on Isle of Skye with kids

Both Dunvegan and Eilean Donan Castle had activities for kids and cafes with kid-friendly menus. My kids’ favorite experiences were the two playgrounds that they found in Dunvegan and the Armadale Castle Gardens. Not only were they happy to find a playground of any kind (after a lack of playgrounds on the trip), but they were also excited by the “awesomeness” of these two.

Playground in Dunvegan: This playground is just below the church and next to the Lochside Crafts cafe on the main road in Dunvegan. It’s located on the water with the MacLeod Tables in the distance. Of course my kids didn’t care about the views — they were fascinated by the mini obstacle course and enormous see-saw (can you see the air Gabriel was getting below?!).

Playground at Armadale Castle Gardens: This playground is made from natural materials and includes a felled tree, rope course and climbing equipment. It was raining when we were there, but my kids loved it!

Do you have questions about visiting the Isle of Skye? Suggestions for things to do on the Isle of Skye? Let me know in the comments below, and check out these other resources:

My 2-3 Week Itinerary for Scotland

Tips for renting a car and driving in Scotland

7 reasons to visit Scotland

Short Walks on Skye

Skye travel tips from Lonely Planet

Photo credits: Duntulm Castle: Henrik Palm on Flickr; Quiraing: Seth M on Flickr; Old Man of Storr: Maman Voyage on Flickr; Eilean Donan: Nagillum on Flickr