Author: MAY ROTHSMITH Page 1 of 8

I wanted to put together a brief guide to hiking Suilven in Scotland as this is a very popular hill walk in the northern Scottish Highlands. The hike can be done on your own or with an experienced local guide, and I just recently came back from doing this hike.

If you’ve read our content on Scotland, and the North Coast 500 road trip in particular, you’ve probably seen photos of a beautiful twin peaked mountain.

That mountain is Suilven, and it’s found just south of Lochinver in the UNESCO listed North West Highlands Geopark. In a part of the world which is famed for its stunning landscapes and gorgeous mountains, Suilven still manages to stand out as an iconic mountain, largely because of the way it looks.

The steep sides and dual peaks give it a majestic look, and until you get close up, it looks to be almost unassailable for anyone without climbing gear.

It is however definitely a mountain that can be climbed by any hiker with moderate fitness and a sturdy pair of hiking boots. That said, the final ascent to the top is definitely a steep climb that will test your leg muscles!

However, before I get into our personal experience climbing Suilven with Hamlet Mountaineering, I wanted to share some general tips on hiking Suilven. You can, of course, hike Suilven on your own or you can do it with a guide.

 

How to Hike Suilven

Suilven is located in the northwestern Highlands of Scotland near the town of Lochinver. It is located within the Assynt area of Sutherland and is part of the large North West Highlands GeoPark.

Suilven is 731 metres or 2,389 feet in height. This means Suilven doesn’t qualify as a Munro if you are a Munro-bagger as Munros are classified as mountains over 3,000 feet in height.

However, despite its lack of Munro status, it is considered as one of the best day hikes in Scotland by many hikers and is a very popular hiking destination.

 

Where is the starting point for the Suilven hike?

The most common starting point where most hikers start is just outside Lochinver. There’s a small walkers car park on Canisp Road (here on Google maps) which is on the road out to Glencanisp Lodge.

If this car park is full (it’s quite small and often full unless you arrive early), you’ll have to walk the half mile extra from Lochinver itself where there is more parking available.

There are other options for hiking Suilven, including tackling it from the south side starting at Inverkirkaig. You can also do the longer “Suilven circuit” where you start in Lochinver or Inverkirkaig, ascend the north side, descend the south side and return via Lochinver or Inverkirkaig.

Alternatively, you can kayak or canoe to near the base, starting near the village of Elphin and crossing Loch Veyatie. From the shores of Fionn Loch you are then well placed to tackle the south side of the mountain. This was the option we took for climbing Suilven.

 

How far is the Suilven hike?

From the carpark just outside Lochinver it’s a 12.5 mile or 20 km round trip. If you hike from Lochinver itself, add another mile / 1.6 km to that walk.

If you choose to do the Inverkirkaig version of the hike, this is around a 13 mile or 21 km round trip. This has you following the path to the pretty Kirkaig Falls and then continuing along a loch. This route can sometimes be boggy and tends to be the less popular option.

Finally, if you do the full loop, including Lochinver and Inverkirkaig, you’re looking at around a 16 mile or 26km hike.

 

How long do I need to hike Suilven?

The most popular option for hiking Suilven is as a day trip. This is usually done from near Lochinver (12.5 miles / 20 km round trip hike), and is a long day hike that takes most hikers between 7 to 10 hours. You’ll want to start early in day to ensure have enough time and ideally finish in daylight.

The route from Inverkirkaig is roughly the same distance, but as the path is not so popular and it can be boggy, it can take longer.

 

Best place to stay before or after Suilven hike?

Before and after hiking Suilven, we’d recommend staying in or near the town of Lochinver.

If you’re looking for overnight accommodation for your hike, Glencanisp Lodge was traditionally a popular hiker friendly option found on the trail out, however this is being refurbished and isn’t due to reopen until Easter 2022 according to the official website. So you’ll want to find another option in Lochinver (check listings here).

Note that for evening meals at restaurants in Lochinver, it is often best to book reservations in advance.

If you are doing the south side hike and canoe with Hamlet Mountaineering (as we did), you might want to also consider staying in or Ullapool instead ( see accommodation options here). We stayed in the well rated Harbour House in Ullapool before our trip.

 

When is the best time of year to hike Suilven?

We’d only recommend doing this in the milder months unless you are a particularly experienced hiker or hire a guide, as in winter the mountain will be icy. Your best bet is likely to be from April to October.

 

How fit or experienced do I need to be to hike Suilven?

This is definitely a long day hike with some steep sections in a remote part of the world. You will definitely want to be moderately fit. The path is well marked and easy to follow, but the weather conditions can change dramatically, so you will want to be fully prepared for all conditions.

You’ll also want to make sure that you let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return, and don’t expect to get phone signal for most of the hike as there aren’t many mobile cell towers in this part of the world.

When we hiked with Tim he had a full setup, from an emergency locator beacon through to a survival tent should we have run into difficulties, which was definitely good for peace of mind.

 

Does Suilven require any climbing expertise?

The main route from either side does not require and climbing expertise. However, it can be a steep path in places. In winter it is very likely to be icy, so if you plan on climbing Suilven in winter you will definitely need to bring appropriate equipment.

 

Do I need a guide to hike Suilven?

No, you can hike Suilven on your own, or you can do it with a guide. Although given this is a long full day hike in a remote area, we do recommend going with a hiking buddy if possible.

Local guides can also be hired to assist you with planning, guiding, and for their local expertise. We went with a guide from Hamlet Mountaineering as it allowed us to be able to canoe, camp overnight, and be able to approach from the south side without bringing much of our own equipment. This also allowed us to do the hike well away from the crowds as relatively few hikers approach from this side.

 

What should I pack for hiking Suilven?

The main things you are going to want to bring will include:

 

Where can I find guidebooks and resources for hiking Suilven?

You can see a more complete hiking guide for the hiking route from Lochinver on the Walk Highlands site here. It’s also included in several Scottish hiking guides including this guidebook to Scotland’s best hill walks.

 

Our Experience Hiking Suilven

My brother-in-law was visiting from the USA, and one of his wish list items for our trip around the UK was a hiking and camping trip somewhere scenic. Naturally, the first place that sprang to mind was the northwest coast of Scotland. A friend of mine who lived in Scotland also was interested in joining us.

As we were doing this as part of a longer trip, we decided that hiring a local expert to handle all the logistics of the trip was going to be a lot easier than doing it ourselves.

I chose to contact a company called Hamlet Mountaineering. This is run by a friend of mine, Tim Hamlet. Tim offers a range of custom hiking, climbing, canoeing, and kayaking trips all over this beautiful part of the world. On previous tours of Scotland we’ve done some shorter day trips with him, including sea kayaking and loch canoeing.

I dropped Tim an e-mail and asked if he could put together an overnight trip which involved some hiking, a picturesque mountain and perhaps some canoeing. He recommended a two day / one night trip which included canoeing across a number of lochs, camping overnight in the wilderness, and summiting Suilven. That sounded perfect to us, and we booked.

Per person, we each paid £275 for our trip (2020 prices which is when we booked) with Hamlet Mountaineering. That included all our food, camping equipment, canoes, etc. All we had to bring was a sleeping bag and clothing. A full list of suggested clothing was provided well in advance of our trip.

The night before the hiking trip the three of us taking the trip all met and stayed in Ullapool at the Harbour House hotel.

The trip itself started with a 9am meeting in Elphin, just a 20 minute drive from the town of Ullapool where we had spent the night. Here I introduced Tim to my brother-in-law and friend, and we got to packing our gear into dry bags and barrels for the first part of the adventure, a canoe across the loch.

As there were four of us, we split into two canoes, which we loaded up with all the gear we needed for our mini expedition. That included our clothing and sleeping bags of course, but also all the food, drinks, tents, sleeping mats, etc.

Whilst we didn’t have perhaps the sunniest of days, the rain and wind held off, and we had a pleasant two hours of paddling from one end of Loch Veyatie to the other. Despite visiting in the peak summer months, we only saw one other canoe on the Loch. It really felt like we had this part of Scotland to ourselves.

At the end of the Loch, it narrowed to a shallow river, and here we had to hop out of the canoes and float them down stream for a stretch, before reaching Fionn Loch.

Tim had a lovely spot earmarked for our campsite on the shores of Fionn Loch, and we set about putting our camp together. We each got a tent of our own, and then there was a large communal kitchen tent to share. This very quickly came in handy as the Scottish weather decided it was time for a sprinkle of rain.

Once we had everything set up, we had a spot of lunch, which was definitely an improvement over the dried packaged foods I remember from camping trips in my youth. The advantage of a canoe is that it can carry a lot, and Tim certainly didn’t skimp on lunch, with everything from locally sourced cheeses to wonderful meats which we put into tortilla wraps. This was all washed down with a nice cup of tea.

After lunch, we chose to brave the somewhat inclement weather and tackle the Suilven hike. On Tim’s trips there’s the option to do the Suilven hike the following morning if the weather is looking better, but as we had to be in Edinburgh the following evening for a specific time, we decided to do Suilven in the afternoon.

From our camp, it was a short canoe to the other side of the Loch, and then we set off up the side of the mountain. Now, this wasn’t a particularly long hike (around 7km / 4 miles round trip), but it did certainly involve a very steep climb. Overall, it took us around 4 hours in total with lots of stops for photos.

Photo credit Tim HamletThe weather was not exactly ideal, with a fair amount of rain to keep us cool as we climbed. However, there were breaks in the cloud cover, which cleared enough to offer us stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Then it was time for the descent, which was almost as hard as the ascent given the steep nature of the trail.

Still, we made it safely back down the hill, where the rain stopped. Back at camp, we enjoyed a slice of cake and some of the single malt whisky we’d brought along, before settling into an evening of chat and a mighty fine freshly cooked chilli.

The following morning dawned bright, and the sun even popped out for an hour or so to provide some wonderful photography opportunities. One of our party even took a refreshing swim in the loch before breakfast, which consisted of all the freshly made pancakes we could eat, topped with fresh fruit and butter.

Breakfast over, and needing to reach Edinburgh by a certain time, we packed up camp and canoed back up the loch, mostly in the sunshine, to end our trip.

Overall we had a truly fantastic time with Tim, who went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a great experience. We also got to climb a mountain I’ve been keen to summit for a long time, and had a lot of fun doing it!

If you’re looking for an amazing outdoor experience in the Scottish wilderness, perhaps as part of your North Coast 500 adventure, then we definitely recommend checking out Hamlet Mountaineering and seeing if Tim can help you with a trip.

 

Further Reading

That’s it for quick overview of hiking Suilven and our trip report. To help you further plan your trip to Scotland, we have a number of other posts which we think you will find helpful or inspirational.

• For road trip inspiration in the area, check out our detailed guide to the North Coast 500. We also have a North Coast 500 Accommodation Guide, guide to our favourite B&Bs on the North Coast 500 as well as my photography highlights on the North Coast 500 for some inspiration for your trip.
• If you’d like an itinerary for the North Coast 500, check out our detailed 7 Day North Coast 500 camping itinerary,  7 day North Coast 500 itinerary and 5 day North Coast 500 itinerary.
• We have a guide to Loch Ness as well as some of our other favourite day trips from Inverness for some inspiration. We also have some detailed guides to other attractions near Inverness, including a guide to the Black Isle and tips on visiting the Cairngorms 
• We’ve got an itinerary for visiting Skye and the Highlands
• For Edinburgh, check out our 2 day Edinburgh itinerary, our guide to things to do in Edinburgh, and our guide to the best day trips from Edinburgh to get you started. We also have a guide to getting from London to Edinburgh.
• For Glasgow, see our Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary, our guide to the best day trips from Glasgow, and our guide to things to do in Glasgow
• For Aberdeen, we have a guide to things to do in Aberdeen, our favourite restaurants in Aberdeen, a suggested 2 day Aberdeen itinerary and a guide to the best day trips from Aberdeen.
• We have a guide to all our favourite whisky distilleries in Scotland, which also has lots of information on how whisky is made, the different Scottish whisky regions, and more.
• We have a guide to Outlander filming locations in Scotland, as well as Harry Potter filming locations in Scotland.
• If you’re thinking of skiing in Scotland, see our complete guide to skiing in Scotland for all the information you need
• If you’re driving in the UK for the first time, check out my tips for driving in the UK for some advice. We also have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK.
• If you’d like a guidebook for your time visiting Scotland, we recommend the Rick Steves’ Scotland guide

We hope you enjoyed this post on experiencing Suilven. As always, if you have any questions or comments on this post, let us know in the comments below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

If you’ve visiting Las Vegas and wondering what there is to do outside the city, then our guide to the best day trips from Las Vegas has you covered.

Whilst there’s no shortage of things to do in Las Vegas, there are also a number of excellent attractions that you can easily visit in a day from the city. These include a number of lovely natural attractions which make for the perfect balance to the hectic pace of Las Vegas.

If you are visiting Las Vegas for a few days, then we definitely recommend allocating at least one of those days to a day trip outside the city. Let’s take a look at the options so you can decide for yourself which day trips you’d prefer!

Day Trips from Las Vegas

There are quite a few day trips you can do from Las Vegas. Some of these are shorter trips that you can do with half a day, others will take a whole day. There are also different options for how to do these day trips.

For each day trip, we’ve suggested the different options you have for doing them, from driving yourself to taking a tour. We’ve also listed public transport options where available, although as many of the day trips are to quite remote locations, public transport is often limited or non existent.

Also, if you plan on sightseeing in Las Vegas, check out the Go Las Vegas card. As well as including entry to many attractions in the city, the card also includes some day trips out of Las Vegas. So if you plan on picking one of those up, you might find it includes one of the tours you wanted to do anyway! Worth checking out.

 

Valley of Fire State Park

If you’d like to do some hiking and experience beautiful natural landscapes, then we highly recommend a visit to the Valley of Fire state park. This state park is so named because the red rocks that are found throughout the park give the impression that the valley is on fire, particularly at sunset.

We also recommend this park because it is less than an hour’s drive from Las Vegas and makes for an easy day trip or day tour that doesn’t include a lot of time driving. The main things to do here is to following the driving route to check out the various rock formations and scenic viewpoints and to hike on the many trails located within the park.

There are multiple observation points where you can get a stunning scenic view. If you visit in the cooler months outside of the heat of summer, there are also lots of hikes you can do, ranging from short easy walks through to longer half day and full day hikes.

If you visit the park in the summer, this can be a very hot part of the world and it may indeed feel like the world is on fire! We’d generally recommend limiting the length of any hiking expeditions in the peak heat of the summer months and bring lots of water and sun protection.

There are several picnic areas along the park’s driving route where you can stop for some shade, have a picnic, and use the restroom.

There’s an excellent visitor centre on site where you can learn all about the park, and this is also a good place to ask rangers for advice on hiking conditions and recommended hikes.

 

Getting to the Valley of Fire State Park from Las Vegas

Found 50 miles northwest of Las Vegas, there are a few ways to get to the Valley of Fire State Park from Las Vegas. Here are some options.

 

Driving to the Valley of Fire State Park from Las Vegas

The 46,000 acre park is around a 50 minute drive northwest of Las Vegas.

So it is going to be around a 50 minute drive each way plus you’ll want to allow at least 2 to 3 hours exploring the park. If you plan on doing some of the trails, which range from a few hundred yards to 7 miles, then obviously you’ll need to spend longer.

Park entry is currently $10 for vehicles with Nevada plates, and $15 for other vehicles, and the park is open from sunset to sunrise. Parking is included with entry. You can see more on the official site here.

If you have your own car or choose to rent one, it can make for a good destination to visit with the Hoover Dam for a full day out. You can do this as a nice loop drive, taking in view of Lake Mead as well, with a total drive time of about 4 hours.

 

Public Transport to the Valley of Fire State Park from Las Vegas

Unfortunately the remote location of the Valley of Fire State Park means there aren’t currently any public transport options. The best option if you don’t have your own vehicle would be to either rent a vehicle or join a tour.

Ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft are not recommended as you need a way to get around the park, and you could end up stuck out here with no way to get back.

 

Tours of the Valley of Fire State Park from Las Vegas

If you don’t have your own vehicle and would prefer not to rent one, or would just like to let someone else handle the logistics of your trip to the Valley of Fire, then a guided tour is your best option.

Tours have a number of benefits, and they normally include a guide who can share information about what you are seeing to enhance your experience. They are also a good option if you want to do a hike, as an experienced guide can be invaluable to help you have a safe experience.

Most tours include a guide, water, and entrance fees to the park. However do always check the tour description to know what it includes and what to expect.

There are a number of Valley of Fire tours running from Las Vegas. Here are some to consider.

• This guided hiking tour of the Valley of Fire offers a guided hiking experience. You can choose a hike to suit your experience level and fitness, with the tour lasting for 4-6 hours depending on the hike.
• This small group 6 hour tour includes the main highlights of the park as well as a visit to the park visitor centre
• This popular 5.5 hour tour with Pink Jeep tours offers comfortable transfers in the companies signature pink Jeeps. The tour includes the main highlights of the park and a stop at the visitor centre.
• This full day 9 hour trip includes both the Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon, letting you experience two natural wonders in one day. This is a similar 8 hour tour.
• One popular thing to do in Las Vegas is get married. Well, if you want a different backdrop, how about booking a Valley of Fire wedding tour with a private limousine!
• This full day tour includes Hoover Dam, the Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon, letting you experience some of the best attractions outside Las Vegas in one day.
• This full day tour has you exploring the Valley of Fire in a two person buggy, perfect for the thrill seekers amongst you.
• If you’d prefer a private tour, this 5 hour private tour is a great option.
• Finally, if you’re interested in getting great photos and learning about the local wildlife, check out this full day wildlife viewing photo tour.

Whilst we think those are some of the best tours on offer, there are more to choose from. See this list on GetYourGuide and this list on Viator for even more options.

 

Hoover Dam

Found on the Arizona / Nevada border around a 40 minute drive from Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam makes for a popular half day trip from Las Vegas. This is probably the most popular day trip from Las Vegas and makes for a great half-day trip out of the city.

The dam sits at the southern end of Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the USA by capacity, and which was formed as a result of the dam being built across the Colorado River.

The dam was built in five years and opened in 1936, two years ahead of schedule, thanks to the mammoth efforts of thousands of workers who came seeking work during the Great Depression. It was a massive and sometimes dangerous project, and over 100 workers died in its construction.

The dam has a number of purposes. It was built to regulate and control the Colorado River, and therefore reduce the risk of flooding to downstream communities. The large reservoir formed by the dam provides drinking water as well as irrigation water, and is also a popular recreation site.

It was also built to generate power, and when opened became the largest hydroelectric power station in the world.

Today, over a million people a year visit the Hoover Dam. It is possible to just visit and admire the view, but there are also a number of tours which take you inside the dam to tour the powerplant and walk some its tunnels where you will also learn all about the construction and history of this mammoth engineering achievement. If you visit, we can highly recommend taking one of these tours.

The main tours available are as follows.

• A self-guided visitor centre tour. This costs $10 and lets you access the visitor centre where you can learn about the dam, as well as visit the observation deck
• A guided powerplant tour. This costs $15, and as well as including the self-guided visitor centre tour, it lets you see the powerplant and some of the construction tunnels
• A guided dam tour. This costs $30 and includes the previous two items, as well as seeing more of the inner workings of the dam.

We generally suggest that the guided powerplant tour is definitely worth it as it’s only a little bit more expensive than the self-guided tour but includes a lot more. Those with more of an interest, and more time on their hands, will want to take the full guided dam tour.

It’s also worth being aware that tours can be restricted or stopped at very short notice due to maintenance requirements or elevator issues. So it is always worth calling ahead before visiting to be sure that what you want to see is open before you visit. You can see contact details and lots more information on the official website here.

 

Getting to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas

There are a number of options for getting to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas, which we’ll go through now.

 

Driving to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas

First, if you have your own vehicle or if you’ve rented one, it’s easy to drive to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas. It’s around a 40 minute / 37 mile drive from the city.

Parking is available on site. There’s a large parking structure on the Nevada side which can accommodate standard sized cars. This is the closest structure to the dam visitor center, and there’s a $10 fee for parking here.

For larger vehicles like RVs, oversized vehicles and vehicles with trailers, parking is available on the Arizona side of the dam. The first parking lot, closest to the dam, has a $10 daily fee.

There are four additional parking lots further up the canyon which are free, but the walk is a bit longer (at least half  a mile from the nearest one to the visitor center) and they don’t have as many spaces available. However, as you will likely want to walk across the dam anyway, if you can find a spot in the free parking zone, this will save you $10.

 

Public Transport to Hoover Dam from Las Vegas

There is currently no public transport that runs directly from Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam that we aware of.

However, you can take a public bus from Las Vegas to Boulder City. The Henderson and Downtown Express (HDX) takes around an hour from the Las Vegas strip to downtown Boulder City.

From Boulder City, you can then take a taxi or ride share on to the Hoover Dam, which is around a 16 minute drive.

You can also take a rideshare, Uber or Lyft, all the way from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, a journey that takes around 40 minutes by car. The only downside with this approach is that whilst it will be easy to find a vehicle to get you from Las Vegas out to the Hoover Dam, there will be fewer vehicles operating around the Hoover Dam. So do keep this in mind.

 

Tours of Hoover Dam from Las Vegas

If you don’t have your own vehicle, then we think the best option is to take a dedicated tour of Hoover Dam from Las Vegas.

There are a lot of tours from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, so it’s important to pick the right one for you. Differences include the length of time at the dam, whether entry or a tour on site is included, and whether other attractions are also included. Group size also varies depending on the tour operator.

We’ve put together our picks of tours available, to give you some good options to choose from. Always be sure to check exactly what is included before booking a tour so you know what you are getting.

• If you’re short on time, this 3 hour express tour will get you good views of the damn as well as some time at Lake Mead, however there’s no time on this tour for going inside the dam
• This four hour tour focuses on the Hoover Dam. You’ll get to go inside the dam, learn about its history and construction, and be accompanied by a certified tour guide.
• This 5 hour tour includes a tour of the exterior of the dam as well as the interior, as well as a photo stop to see some bighorn sheep
• This 6.5 hour tour includes a guided walk across the top of Hoover Dam and a tour of the generator area inside the dam. It also includes lunch, time in Boulder City and a visit to the Boulder Dam museum amongst other stops.
• This full day tour includes a visit to Hoover Dam and a visit inside, as well as a visit to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. A boxed lunch is also included.
• This full day 3 in 1 tour includes the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon and some highlights of Route 66! This does only include a photo stop at the Hoover Dam rather than a full tour, but it’s a good option for taking in a few attractions in one package.
• If you’re looking for something a bit different, this helicopter tour from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon flies right over the Hoover Dam, for a unique perspective!
• If you pick up a Go Las Vegas card, one of the included experiences is a Hoover Dam tour. So if you plan on doing a few different activities in the city which this pass covers, this can be a great way to save money and still visit the Hoover Dam!

Of course, there are lots more options – check out this list on GetYourGuide and this list on Viator for more ideas!

 

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Just 15 miles to the west of Las Vegas, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area is a popular destination for a full or half day trip from Las Vegas.

The main highlight of this nearly 200,000 acre park are the huge red sandstone rock formations which form a series of peaks and rock walls. These walls are up to 3,000 feet high, and the area is popular for both hikers and rock climbers, as well as visitors who just want to appreciate the natural beauty.

If you are interested in hiking, there are a number of trails to choose from across a range of difficulty levels. You can see a full list of trails and download a trail map here.

Main access to the area is via a one way 13 mile scenic loop road which is accessible off Las Vegas highway 159. The loop road has a a number of parking areas and trailheads for hiking, and there are some spur roads leading off it where you can access additional trailheads as well as a series of petroglyphs.

The road has a slow maximum speed limit and is also suitable for cycling, Some tour operators offer electric bicycle hire and transport from Las Vegas if you’re interested in experiencing the area on two wheels.

A good starting point for any visit to Red Rock Canyon is the Red Rock Canyon visitor centre, found just past the fee station. Fees for entry are currently $15 for a vehicle. You can see more at the official website here.

 

Getting to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from Las Vegas

It’s around a 17 mile / 30 minute drive from the Las Vegas strip to the Red Rock Canyon visitor centre. Here are your options for visiting.

 

Driving to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from Las Vegas

If you have your own car or choose to rent one, then getting to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area from Las Vegas is easy. It’s a 30 minute drive to the park entrance, and from there you can follow the 13 mile scenic loop road.

There are numerous parking areas as you drive the scenic loop road, many of which are at the start of the various hiking trailheads.

 

Public Transport to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from Las Vegas

There is no direct public transport to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from Las Vegas.

It is possible to take a rideshare, Uber or Lyft, out to Red Rock Canyon, however, be advised that there is very limited cell reception at the reserve, so there is a very real possibility of being stranded out there. You may also have a hard time finding a driver to take you back to Las Vegas. In addition, the first trail head is a mile from the entrance.

It would probably work out more cost effective to either book a tour or rent your own vehicle for the day than to do a rideshare option.

 

Tours of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from Las Vegas

As with other popular day trip destinations from Las Vegas, there are a number of tours you can take from Las Vegas to Red Rock Canyon. Some of these tours focus on Red Rock Canyon itself, whilst others include Red Rock Canyon with some of the other highlights in the area. Here’s a good selection to give you some options.

• This half day tour by 4×4 vehicle gets you up into a less visited part of the park on the four wheel drive only Rocky Gap trail. It also explores the more popular parts of the park as well of course!
• This 4-5 hour tour covers many of the highlights of Red Rock Canyon, including the Native American petroglyphs
• Looking for something more thrilling? Check out this helicopter tour of Red Rock Canyon, which includes a landing above the valley and champagne.
• If you’d like to pedal your way round the scenic loop (with some assistance), check out this tour which includes round trip transport and electric cycle hire. There are also tours offering guided mountain biking on tougher trails.
• This 3 hour tour with Pink Jeep Tours focuses on the highlights of Red Rock Canyon, and includes a stop at the visitor centre
• If you’d prefer to focus on some hiking, this guided hiking tour offers a choice of trails and a guided hike of between 2 and 2.5 hours in the canyon
• This really fun tour has you exploring Red Rock Canyon by Scooter Car, in a fully guided experience with the opportunity to do some short hikes.
• This 6-7 hour tour includes stops at a number of the Red Rock Canyon viewpoints, as well as a stop at Hoover Dam, Seven Magic Mountains and the Boulder City Art Guild area.
• This full day 9 hour trip includes both the Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon, letting you experience two natural wonders in one day. This is a similar 8 hour tour.
• This full day 10 hour trip visits the Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon, letting you experience a range of attractions in one full day of adventure

Whilst we think those are some of the best tours on offer, there are more to choose from. See this list on Viator, and this list on GetYourGuide for even more options.

 

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular and well known natural attractions in the world, and it makes for a popular destination as a day trip from Las Vegas.

The Grand Canyon was formed by the Colorado River over millions of years. This massive 277 mile long canyon is over a mile deep in places, and it’s popular for everything from casual sightseeing through to hiking and rafting.

One of the most popular activities from Las Vegas is to take a helicopter flight out to the Grand Canyon, like this. This gives you a stunning aerial view of the Canyon, and also saves you a lot of driving time!

Of course, there are other options for getting to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, which we’ll go over now.

 

Getting to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, so when planning a trip here from Las Vegas it’s important to decide which part of the canyon to visit.

Most visitors will want to visit the Grand Canyon National Park which is where the deepest and most impressive stretches of the canyon are to be found. It’s also here, on the south rim, that you’ll find the Grand Canyon Village, home to the park’s restaurants, shops, and the expansive visitor centre.

From the Grand Canyon village there are a number of trails and viewpoints you can access, as well as a shuttle bus that will take you along the rim for additional views. As this is a National Park there’s an entry fee, and you can read more about opening times and prices here.

A closer option to Las Vegas is Grand Canyon West. This area of the park belongs to the Hualapai people, and is outside the National Park Area. They have food service on site, as well as the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass bridge that allows you to walk right out above the canyon. Note that there’s a fee to enter this area, and you can book tickets in advance here.

Both of these options can be visited individually from Las Vegas, and I’ll include information on getting to both so you can decide which works for you.

 

Driving to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas

From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West, where you’ll find the Grand Canyon Skywalk, it’s around 130 miles, or 2.5 hours of driving. We think this is an achievable day trip for those wanting to visit part of the Grand Canyon.

However, if you are wanting to visit the Grand Canyon National Park and village, it is a much longer drive. By road, you’re looking at a 4.5 hour drive of almost 300 miles. So that would be nine hours driving in total.

Personally, we think this is stretching what we’d be happy to drive in a day, so if we were planning to visit from Las Vegas by car, we’d probably opt to spend the night. This would also let us enjoy a beautiful sunset in the Grand Canyon.

Alternatively, we’d consider taking a day tour rather than driving ourselves, so we can relax on the long trip there and back without the 9 hours of driving. Overnight tours are also available, like this one.

The other option would be to take a helicopter tour like this. Helicopter tours are a fantastic way to see different parts of the Grand Canyon without spending a lot time in the car. There are a number of operators offering helicopter tours, some of which include landing in the canyon and other features like champagne or snacks.

 

Public Transport to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas

Given the distances involved and the remote locations, you will likely not be surprised to hear that there’s no public transport available to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas.

There is a train service that operates to the Grand Canyon Village from Williams, Arizona, but this would still require you to figure out how to get to Williams. There are Greyhound services, but these take much longer than is possible in a day.

 

Tours of the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas

In our opinion, the best way to get to the Grand Canyon as a day trip from Las Vegas is to take a day tour. Whilst these do involve a lot of driving, you can rest on the tour vehicle and let someone else handle the driving.

You can also opt to take a helicopter tour, which will get you to and from the Grand Canyon a lot quicker, and thus save you a huge amount of travel time. Plus you’ll also get an amazing view of the canyon from the air, which is one of the best ways to experience its vast scale.

If you want to visit the Grand Canyon by vehicle but don’t want to spend too long in a vehicle, consider heading to the Grand Canyon West area rather than the Grand Canyon village, as this will significantly reduce your travel time.

Here are a number of tour options to consider for your trip.

• This full day 14 hour tour will take you all the way to the Grand Canyon village area, and you’ll get 3.5 hours free time on site to explore. It also includes a photo stop at the Hoover Dam and a lunch stop on Route 66.
• This is another full day 15 hour tour to the Grand Canyon village, which also includes a stop at the Grand Canyon caverns on the way, and around 3 hours in the park. Lunch and breakfast snacks are also included.
• This half day tour has you flying to the Grand Canyon in a helicopter, landing below the rim and enjoying champagne and snacks with gorgeous views
• This full day tour to Grand Canyon West includes a scenic helicopter flight, boat ride and lunch.
• This full day tour to Grand Canyon West includes a photo opportunity at the Hoover Dam, as well as time to explore Grand Canyon West. Food is included, and the tour can be upgraded to include the Skywalk.
• This full day 15 hour white water rafting trip from Las Vegas offers a unique viewpoint on the Grand Canyon as you ride a raft down the Colorado river.
• This helicopter tour offers you the chance to see sunset over the Grand Canyon, followed by the lights of the Las Vegas strip at night. A snack, champagne, and landing in the Grand Canyon is included.
• This 17 hour full day tour has you visiting three natural wonders, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and the Grand Canyon South Rim. A stop at Seligman, a Route 66 highlight, is also included, as is lunch.
• This full day private tour includes the trip out to the Grand Canyon south rim where you will be able to watch the sunset, as well as some of the highlights of Arizona’s Route 66 on the journey there and back.
• If you’d rather not drive so much in one day, you can also take a 2 day tour like this to the Grand Canyon. This tour includes accommodation and will give you lots more time to experience this natural wonder.

Whilst we think those are some of the best tours on offer, there are more to choose from. See this list on Viator, and this list on GetYourGuide for even more options.

 

Zion National Park

Found just across the border in neighbouring Utah, Zion National Park is famous for its varied terrain and wildlife. The park has a unique geography due to its location on the edge of the Colorado Plateau, which has resulted in a diverse range of flora and fauna, as well as some stunning landscapes.

Naturally the park is a popular destination for hikers and lovers of nature, and it has everything from mountains to slot canyons to natural arches to tempt the visitor with.

Zion also has a rich cultural history, with evidence of human habitation in the area from at least 8,000 years ago. Zion was Utah’s first national park.

There’s a lot to see and do in the park. There’s an excellent visitor centre which is worth the visit, as well as a variety of trails which range from easy through to challenging. There’s also a shuttle bus to get you around the park.

As this is a National Park, there’s an entry fee, and you can see more about costs and opening times on the official website here.

Getting to Zion National Park from Las Vegas

Zion National Park is 160 miles north east of Las Vegas, so around a 2.5 hour drive. You have a few options for getting here from Las Vegas.

 

Driving to Zion National Park from Las Vegas

You can drive to Zion National Park from Las Vegas. It’s around a 2.5 hour drive. However, you should be aware that for much of the year the scenic road around the park is off limits to private vehicles, and you have to take a shuttle.

Most visitors who drive pay to park their vehicle in Springdale, from where there is a free shuttle to the visitor centre, following which you can take the Zion Canyon visitor shuttle to the main highlights and lookouts.

 

Public Transport to Zion National Park from Las Vegas

It is actually possible to visit Zion National Park by public transport from Las Vegas. A number of buses operated by Flixbus and Greyhound will get you to St. George in around 3 hours, and from here you can take a shuttle to Zion which takes around an hour.

We’d honestly prefer to take a tour or drive rather than do that, but it is at least an option!

 

Tours of Zion National Park from Las Vegas

There are a number of tours operating from Las Vegas to Zion National Park. Note that some of these tours also include other parks, such as Bryce Canyon. Whilst Bryce is very pretty, it’s an extra 2 hour drive each way from Zion, so if you visit both parks in one day you will have much less time to experience Zion.

Of course, it’s up to you which you would prefer, but we’ve primarily focused on tours that just go to Zion. If you want to include Bryce, consider a 2 day overnight tour like this instead.

• This full day tour focuses on Zion National Park, and gives you six hours to explore the park yourself.
• This small grouped guided walking tour of Zion National Park will take you to the highlights of the park in a fully guided experience, and includes park entry
• The Go Las Vegas card includes a full day trip to Zion National Park, and includes your entry fee, lunch, snacks and water
• This 14 hour small group tour visits both Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, and include entry fees, lunch, snacks and bottled water, with around 1.5 hours in each park.
• This 2 day small group tour includes both Zion and Bryce Parks, and gives you more time to experience and enjoy both parks.
• This full day private tour of Zion National Park includes four hours in the park with a guide, as well as your park entry fees

There are of course many more tour options available. See this list on Viator, and this list on GetYourGuide for even more options.

 

Route 66

Arguably the world’s most famous road, Route 66 runs for over 2,400 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California.

Driving the whole route obviously takes more than a day, and if you are planning on doing it all, we recommend reading our guides to spending 1 week on Route 66, 2 weeks on Route 66, and planning a Route 66 road trip for inspiration.

The good news is that part of the original Route 66 highway passes relatively near to Las Vegas. Specifically, the stretch from Seligman, Arizona, down to Needles, California is within driving distance of Las Vegas, meaning you can definitely visit Route 66 as a day trip from Las Vegas.

Some of the highlights along this stretch of the Route include Oatman, Hackberry, Peach Springs, and Seligman. You can see more of the highlights on this stretch of the route in our guide here. There are lots of quirky roadside attractions and some stunning scenery, making this one of our favourite parts of the Route to drive.

 

Getting to Route 66 from Las Vegas

Let’s look at the options you have for visiting Route 66 as a day trip from Las Vegas.

 

Driving to Route 66 from Las Vegas

The closest stretch of Route 66 to Las Vegas is the section which passes through Kingman, Arizona. This is around 110 miles from Las Vegas, or just under two hours drive away.

From Kingman, you can follow the stretch of Route 66 to Seligman, which is an additional 87 miles, or a 90 minute drive. So you could easily do a nice long day trip from Las Vegas by car and see some of the highlights of this section of Route 66.

 

Public Transport to Route 66 from Las Vegas

You can take a bus from Las Vegas to Kingman. The service is operated by Flixbus, and the journey takes around 2 hours, depending on the time of day.

Of course, this only gets you to Kingman. Whilst this is home to a number of Route 66 attractions, including the Arizona Route 66 museum, it’s not quite the same as driving the route itself. Still, it is possible at least to visit Route 66 by public transport from Las Vegas.

 

Tours of Route 66 from Las Vegas

The majority of tours from Las Vegas which feature Route 66 do so primarily as an addon to another tour. It’s commonly found for example on tours to the Grand Canyon, like this one, because if you are travelling to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, the route naturally crosses some Route 66 attractions like Kingman and Seligman.

If you want a tour which specifically focuses on Route 66, these are harder to come by. One option might be to book a private tour like this, and see if it can be tailored to focus more on Route 66 attractions. Alternatively, if you can get yourself to Kingman, there are some more focused Route 66 tours like this and this.

Of course, you might be happy to just experience parts of Route 66 as part of a bigger day trip, and that’s fine too! Here are some suggested tours which we suggest you check out.

• This full day 14 hour tour will take you all the way to the Grand Canyon village area, and you’ll get 3.5 hours free time on site to explore. It also includes a photo stop at the Hoover Dam and a lunch stop on Route 66.
• This full day tour to the Grand Canyon includes a stop in Seligman which has lots of interesting Route 66 attractions
• This full day private tour includes a trip out to the Grand Canyon south rim where you will be able to watch the sunset, as well as some of the highlights of Arizona’s Route 66 on the journey there and back.

As you can see, there are not a great many day tours that include Route 66. If you want to see more of Route 66, then we would definitely suggest either using your own vehicle, or renting one for this particular adventure.

 

Death Valley National Park

Found in Eastern California, the rather terrifyingly named Death Valley is famous for a number of reasons.

First, it’s quite inhospitable. It got its name during the California Gold Rush, following the deaths of a number of prospectors who had to cross the valley to reach the gold fields. A combination of intense heat, difficult terrain and limited water supplies made the valley challenging to traverse, leading to the loss of life.

The Valley is regarded as being one of the hottest places on earth, with summer time temperatures regularly exceeding 100 F (39 C), and a recorded high of 134 F (57 C).

It’s also home to the lowest point in the USA. Badwater Basin in Death Valley is 282 feet (86 metres) below sea level.

Combine these extremes with the rugged landscapes, and you can see why a visit to Death Valley National Park is on the to-do list of many visitors to the area.

Our tip would be to visit outside of the hottest months if possible (June through August are usually very hot). In these months the temperatures can be deadly, and parts of the park and hiking routes are often closed. Visiting in the relatively cooler months will be a much more pleasant experience.

There’s lots to see and do in the park, from hikes to photo stops. You can also learn about the history of the park with a visit to the excellent Furnace Creek visitor centre. You can see more about the park opening house and admission fees at the official website here.

Let’s look at how to get to Death Valley as a day trip from Las Vegas.

 

Getting to Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas

There are a few options for visiting Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas. Here are the ones we recommend.

 

Driving to Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas

Death Valley is around 131 miles from Las Vegas, so around a 2 hour and 15 minute drive from the city. That makes it an achievable full day trip from Las Vegas.

If you have your own car, or rent one, driving is definitely a good option as the attractions in the park are spread out over an area, so you definitely want a car to get around.

Once inside the park, you’re probably looking at 3-6 hours of sightseeing depending on your interests and any hiking you want to do.

 

Public Transport to Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas

There is no public transport that will let you do a day trip from Las Vegas to Death Valley that we are aware of. In addition, even if there were, you would still need a way to get around inside the park.

So if you’re planning a visit to Death Valley from Las Vegas and don’t have your own vehicle, we’d suggest taking a tour as the best option.

 

Tours of Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas

A number of companies offers day trips from Las Vegas to Death Valley. Some of these tours focus on Death Valley itself, whilst others might include other stops. Here are some options to consider.

Hopefully that gives you plenty of options for taking a tour out to Death Valley from Las Vegas!

 

Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend

The city of Page in northern Arizona, near the border with Utah, is known for two spectacular natural attractions. These are Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon formed by the erosion of sandstone by rainwater. The canyon, which is divided into two main parts, is narrow and remarkably photogenic, and can only be visited on a guided tour.

Horseshoe Bend is a famous U-shaped bend on the Colorado River. The river sweeps around a large rock outcrop, with the name coming from the fact that from above it forms a similar shape to that of a horseshoe.

Whilst Horseshoe Bend is technically free to visit, there is a $10 fee for car parking. To get to the viewpoint, there’s a 1.5 mile round trip hike. Be aware that this offers no shade, so in the summer this can be a very hot 1.5 miles. Bring plenty of water and a hat! The viewpoint is around 1000ft above the river, making for a truly spectacular vista which is well worth the visit.

 

Getting to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Las Vegas

Let’s take a look at how to get to Antelope Canyon and Horseshow Bend from Las Vegas. It’s quite a distance, so expect to spend the whole day visiting these two locations.

 

Driving to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Las Vegas

It’s around 270 miles from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon, so you are looking at a round trip of around 9 hours if you choose to drive.

This is a similar amount of driving as visiting the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, and as with that trip, it’s an adventure we probably wouldn’t choose to drive ourselves. For this length of a day out, we’d be much more likely to take a tour and let someone else handle the driving so we could relax.

Still, it’s certainly an option if you have your own car and don’t mind a long stretch of driving. If you do decide to drive yourself, be sure to book your Antelope Canyon tour well in advance as they book out and it would be a disaster to drive all this way and then not be be able to visit! You can book the Lower Antelope Canyon here, and the Upper Antelope Canyon here.

 

Public Transport to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Las Vegas

So you can actually take a bus from Las Vegas to Page (with a change in St. George, Utah). However, as the total trip takes 5 – 6 hours and buses are not exactly regular, this isn’t something you can realistically achieve as a day trip. Check Flixbus and Greyhound for routes and prices.

However, traveling by public transit may be possible if you overnight in Page, and then take a local taxi from Page to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.

 

Tours of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Las Vegas

There are a number of companies offering tours from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. As these attractions are close to each other, all the companies usually include them both, as well as some other scenic locations.

Note that Antelope Canyon can only be visited as part of a guided tour, and these tours are run by local Navajo guides. Some tours include the entry fee to Antelope Canyon as part of the overall price, whereas for others it will be an additional fee to pay, so do check when comparing tours what is included.

• This small group tour to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend includes admission to both attractions as well as lunch and bottled water
• This good value large group tour includes Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend with admission, as well as a packed lunch and bottled water
• This is another small group tour which includes both Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, with admission fees included along with a picnic lunch, free WiFi and bottled water
• This packed 17 hour tour includes Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, the Grand Canyon South Rim and a stop at Seligman on Route 66. It’s a busy full day, and it includes your entry to all the attractions as well as lunch
• This small group tour from Las Vegas offers the choice of Lower Antelope Canyon or Antelope Canyon X, which is another part of the slot canyon system. The tour includes entry tickets and lunch, and also visits Horseshoe Bend.
• If you’d rather not drive so much in one day, you might consider this 2 day small group tour from Las Vegas. This includes Antelope Canyon, as well as Horseshoe Bend, the Grand canyon and Hoover Dam. All fees except Antelope Canyon are included.

Whilst we think those are some of the best tours on offer, there are more to choose from. See this list on Viator, and this list on GetYourGuide for even more options.

That sums up our list of our favourite day trips from Las Vegas! Now let’s cover some tips on renting cars and where to stay in the city. For more planning information, see our guide to things to do in Las Vegas, which has lots of tips on visiting the city as well.

 

How to Rent a Car in Las Vegas

If you are visiting Las Vegas without a car, then you might be wondering if you should rent a car during your time here. Generally, for exploring the city and getting around, we’d suggest that a car is more hassle than it’s worth. Parking is expensive, traffic is bad, and there’s a decent enough combination of public transport and ride sharing services to make a car unnecessary for sightseeing in the city.

However, as you will have seen, most of the day trips from the city aren’t achievable unless you book a tour or have a car, due to limited public transport options.

Renting a car is definitely an option to consider. However, do keep a few things in mind when comparing renting a car to taking a tour. The main thing is the cost. Whilst car rental can be great value, don’t forget to add in any insurance and gas on top of the base price. In addition, most of the sights outside the city have some kind of fee, either for parking, or vehicle entry, or both.

We think that if you are just planning on doing one or two day trips from Las Vegas that a tour will probably be easier. Most tours pick you up from your hotel, include the majority of entry fees, and are fairly cost effective. You also don’t have to worry about the driving aspect.

Of course, the value of a car rental compared to a tour will depend on your group size and personal preference. If you’re travelling to Las Vegas as a family for example, the cost of a car rental might work out better value than booking a tour for all of you. Or, you might just prefer the flexibility that having a car offers.

Renting a car is easy to do, usually you just need to have a driving license and be aged 21 or over. You can see more in my guide guide to driving in the USA, which is worth reading if this will be your first time driving in the country. When it comes to actually renting a car, you have lots of options. There are rental agencies at the airport and in the city.

If you are looking to hire a vehicle, we recommend that you take a look at Priceline to compare car hire deals across a wide range of different providers, including the biggest names in the business, to get a great deal for your trip.

We have also often used and can recommend Enterprise, we generally find that they come up with the best deals when we’re looking to hire a car. We used them to rent a car on a recent trip to Las Vegas and it worked out great.

If you are considering an overnight or multi-day trip from Las Vegas, you might also consider an RV. There are campsites at or near most of the locations we’ve mentioned, and this would be a fun way to explore the area.

For RV rental we recommend starting with Motorhome Republic, who compare prices across a range of providers. See their USA listings here.

We can also recommend you check out RVShare, who offer peer to peer campervan rental – a bit like the AirBnB of RV rental.

 

Day Tours from Las Vegas

If you’ve decided on taking a day tour from Las Vegas, we have a few tips to share to help you decide between the.

First, check what’s included in the tour. Most tours include a guide (and a vehicle!), but then there are lots of other features to check for. Things to check for include any admission fees, water, snacks and other meals. If a tour seems much cheaper than alternatives, it’s usually because something like an admission fee isn’t included.

Next, check what sort of pickup the tour offers. Many tours offer hotel pick-ups, but this isn’t always the case, so if this is important to you make sure you pick a tour that will pick you up from your hotel.

Tour size is also something to consider. Whilst larger tours are usually cheaper due to the economies of scale, they are usually less efficient with time as organising a larger group takes longer. So a smaller group can usually see and do more in the same time span as a larger group.

When it comes to booking a tour, you have a few options. We usually prefer to use an online site which lists a variety of tours so we can compare prices and features. They usually allow for mobile ticketing as well so you can book the tour and then just show the ticket on your mobile.

For booking trips from and in Las Vegas, we recommend the following website:

• GetYourGuide. They have over 200 tours and activities in and outside the city, and a good review system so you can check what other travellers have to say. We’ve used them for tours and attraction entry around the world and have always had a positive experience.
• Viator. With over 800 tours and activities listed in and around Las Vegas, this TripAdvisor owned company has plenty of choice!
• Vegas.com  – as well as offering hotels and show tickets, this Las Vegas focused site also offers a number of tours outside the city.

Also, before booking a tour don’t forget to check out the Go Las Vegas card. As well as giving you entry to many attractions in the city, the card also includes some day trips out of Las Vegas. So if you plan on picking one of those up, you might find it includes one of the tours you wanted to do anyway! Worth checking out as it can be a real money saver.

Finally, before heading out on any tour remember to bring along a reusable water bottle and sun protection with you on the tour, especially if visiting in summer. The heat and sun can be harsh and even deadly, especially for children and elderly.

 

Where to Stay in Las Vegas

If you’re doing day trips from the city, you’re going to need somewhere to stay in between those adventures. Well, Las Vegas has no shortage of accommodation to choose from. We’ve picked some of our favourites below.

Here are a few hotels in Las Vegas to choose from that we think you’ll enjoy. The majority of these are on The Strip, which we think offers the best Las Vegas experience. We have however also included some other options.

• El Cortez Hotel & Casino – found on historic Fremont Street in the downtown part of the city, this 3* hotel offers great value and well reviewed accommodation with free parking
• Sin City Hostel – if you’re looking for budget hostel style accommodation this hostel in the Arts District is a well reviewed option. Good value shared accommodation with private bathrooms for each room are available, and there’s a free breakfast every day as well as free parking.
• Flamingo Las Vegas – the oldest resort still in operation on the Strip, the Flamingo has been operating as a casino and hotel since 1946. As the name suggests, it includes a garden courtyard which is home to a number of actual flamingos. It’s obviously an older hotel, but it does offer great value and an excellent location. We’ve stayed here and enjoyed it.
• Paris, Las Vegas – this iconic Strip hotel features several replica Paris attractions, including the Eiffel Tower. There are 11 restaurants and 5 bars on site, as well as a casino, spa, gym, and hotel theater.
• Caesars Palace – home of arguably the most famous buffet in Las Vegas, this 4* hotel has a range of celebrity owned restaurants, a casino, large shopping complex, spa, and nightclub.
• New York New York – featuring a number of New York City highlights, including a 150 foot replica of the Statue of Liberty, this hotel and casino even has it’s own roller coaster. There are also 13 on-site restaurants and even an authentic Irish pub.
• Mandalay Bay – found near the southern end of the Strip, this hotel has its own 11 acre beach  area replete with lazy river and splash pools.  Naturally there are also many dining options as well as bars, a casino, nightlife and live entertainment venues.
• The Delano– if you’re looking for a more relaxing and quieter Las Vegas experience, this might be the hotel for you. With no casino and only one restaurant, the Delano offers an upscale, quiet experience with a private pool and beach area. If you’re looking for action, you can go next door to Mandalay Bay (the Delano’s sister hotel) to enjoy the large pool, numerous restaurants, theaters, and casino. We think this hotel offers the best of both worlds. Jess has stayed here and thinks it would make a great choice for for couples.
• The Venetian – part of the largest resort in Las Vegas, this 5* hotel offers the full Las Vegas experience. From Gondola rides down the Grand Canal through to replicas of iconic Venetian landmarks, this is huge resort hotel really does have everything. You’ll find over 40 restaurants, 160 shop, bars, clubs, 10 outdoor pools, spa facilities, a rock climbing wall, and of course, a casino!
• The Bellagio – found behind the famous fountains, this 5* luxury hotel offers fantastic rooms, a range of pools, bars and restaurants, botanical gardens, on-site shopping and of course, a casino. We stayed in a lovely room here with views of the Strip and the fountains, and had a wonderful time!

Of course, there are lots more options for places to stay in Las Vegas. You can see more options, including apartments, hostels and more on the booking.com listings for Las Vegas here. You can also see vacation rental listings for Las Vegas on Vrbo here.

 

Further Reading

That’s it for our guide to day trips from Las Vegas! To help you further plan your trip, we have a number of other resources we think you might find useful.

• Check out our detailed list of suggested things to do in Las Vegas, which has all the sights you’ll want to see in the city as well as tips on saving money, getting around and more!
• If you’re into hiking and stunning landscapes, you might consider planning a trip to the magical Havasu Falls from Las Vegas. This requires a bit of planning though, so check out my guide to the Havasu Falls hike, as well as what to pack for Havasu Falls for advice.
• Las Vegas is a great starting point for a road trip in the USA. We have a two week USA road trip itinerary starting from Las Vegas we think you might enjoy
• If you want some more USA road trip inspiration, see our itineraries for a USA Deep South road trip, California Road Trip, Route 66 Road Trip and Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip
• To help you budget a trip in the USA, see our guide to how much it costs to travel in the USA
• If you’ll be driving, see our tips for driving in the USA if this is your first time
• We’ve visited a lot of other cities in the USA! See our guides to things to do in Huntsville, things to do in Savannah, things to do in Charleston, things to do in Albuquerque, visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras, things to do in Cambria, things to do in Houston, things to do in Dallas, and things to do in Santa Fe to get started!
• If you are wanting to take better vacation photos on your next trip, consider joining our online Travel Photography Course.

And we’re done! As always, we’re happy to hear your feedback and questions to help you plan your visit. Just pop them in the comments below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Scotland’s Glen Coe is a beautiful valley which draws people who want to see some of the spectacular Scottish Highlands scenery. Glen Coe has been designated as both a national nature reserve as well as part of a national scenic area.

It’s a fabulous location for hiking, mountain biking, and getting outdoors. It is also a wonderful area for photography, and is one of our favourite photography spots in Scotland. But there are also a number of other things to do in and around the small village of Glencoe, Scotland, including visiting museums and historical attractions, kayaking, and even skiing in the winter.

It’s also a favourite with film fans, with a range of movies and TV shows using the dramatic scenery of Glen Coe as a backdrop. From Harry Potter to James Bond, Glen Coe is no stranger to the silver screen.

In today’s post, we’re going to share everything you need to know to plan your own visit to Glen Coe, including how to get here, where to stay in Glen Coe, what to see during your visit, and more! Let’s get started with the basics.

Basic Information for Visiting Glen Coe

Let’s start by providing you with all the practical information you need to plan your own visit to Glen Coe. This can help you plan when to visit, how to get there, and where you want to stay.

Is it Glen Coe or Glencoe?

When you are researching Glen Coe, you will likely come across the names “Glen Coe” and “Glencoe” being used interchangeably. Glen Coe is the valley itself, as a glen in Scotland refers to a valley. Glencoe is the name of the village which is found at the foot of the valley.

So I will use Glen Coe for the valley and area and Glencoe when specifically referring to the town in this post. You will see though that many businesses and people use these interchangeably.

 

Where is Glen Coe?

Glen Coe is a valley in Scotland which is found in the Highland region of Scotland in the country of Argyll. It’s on the west side of Scotland, with the nearest village being Glencoe.

Glen Coe is around 120 miles from Edinburgh by car (2.5 hours), 90 miles from Glasgow (2 hours), 16 miles from Fort William (30 minutes) and 85 miles from Inverness (2 hours).

 

How to Get To Glen Coe

There are a number of options for getting to Glen Coe.

First, you can drive. From Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh it’s between a 2 hour to 2.5 hour drive as mentioned above. Driving will give you the most flexibility in terms of sightseeing and getting around the Glen Coe valley itself.

If you are driving yourself, you can definitely visit Glen Coe as a day trip from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness, although taking more time will obviously let you see and do more in the area!

You can also take public transport to reach Glen Coe. There is a train station in Bridge of Orchy which has direct links to Edinburgh and Glasgow. There is also a train station at Fort William.

You can also get coaches or buses to Fort William. This is most practical from Inverness, as the bus from Inverness to Fort William only takes a couple of hours. You can see train and bus timetables and book tickets online in advance here.

From Fort William, local buses operate to Glencoe village, as well as to a number of stops in Glen Coe valley. You can check public transport times in Scotland on the traveline Scotland website here.

Finally, one of the easiest options for visiting Glen Coe from the major cities in Scotland is to take a tour. Many day tours and multi-day tours include Glen Coe on their itineraries. Obviously this will give you a bit less flexibility than driving yourself, but if don’t have your own vehicle or would prefer to let someone else navigate the highland roads, this will definitely be the easiest option.

Some suggested tours to consider are below. Also see the section on tours to Glen Coe further on in this post for more ideas.

For more tour options, see the section later on in the post.

 

When to Visit Glen Coe

Glen Coe can be visited year round, and we have enjoyed visiting at all different times of the year.

Depending on when you visit there are different things to see and do, and you will have to plan accordingly as well. Here are some things to think about at different times of year.

It’s also worth being aware that the weather in Scotland can be fickle at any time of year, so being prepared for rain and cooler temperatures even in summer is a wise idea.

Visiting Glen Coe in Winter

Glen Coe can be absolutely beautiful in winter, with snow capped mountains and beautiful golden winter light. It’s one of my favourite times to visit for photography. If you’re into skiing, then winter is also when the Glencoe ski centre is open.

Of course, winter brings with it its own set of challenges for visiting Glen Coe. The weather can be very poor, daylight hours are more limited and it’s going to be quite cold. So you will want to pack appropriate clothing and be prepared for changeable weather.

 

Visiting Glen Coe in Spring

Visiting Glen Coe in spring brings with it a number of benefits. There are longer hours of daylight, the landscape starts to turn from brown to green, and the wildflowers start to come out.

Spring still offers the change of snow on the mountains, meaning you can get nice contrast in your photos, but it’s likely to be less crowded than in the summer.

 

Visiting Glen Coe in Summer

For the chance of the best weather, you’ll want to visit Glen Coe in summer. Whilst Scotland rarely gets “hot”, a good summers day in Glen Coe will see temperatures in the mid 20s C / 70s F. This makes for pleasant walking, and you’ll have plenty of hours of daylight for sightseeing.

Of course, there are some downsides to visiting in summer. It’s going to be a lot busier and crowded, so expect more traffic on the roads and more challenges finding a parking space if you are driving. Summer is also the time of the dreaded highland midge – a ferocious biting insect that travels in a swarm and can be quite unpleasant. If you’re travelling the highlands in summer, you’re going to want to bring insect repellant!

 

Visiting Glen Coe in Autumn

Scotland in Autumn can be stunning, as the trees turn a wide variety of colours. It’s also usually a quieter time of year for travel, and the light can be stunning for photography.

Whilst much of Glencoe is open moorland without many trees, there are definitely patches of woodland which can make for some nice photography opportunities. In addition, the heather often blooms in early Autumn, creating a riot of purple across the landscape.

 

Camping at Glen Coe

There are a number of campsites where you can pitch a tent or park a motorhome or caravan in the Glen Coe area.

Some options include:

• Glencoe Mountain Campsite – Right in the heart of Glen Coe, this campsite is next to the ski centre and open year round. There are both tent pitches and caravan / campervan hookups available.
• Red Squirrel Campsite – found on the river Coe a couple of miles outside Glencoe village this is a quiet campsite offering tent pitches and showers. Motorhomes are accepted but there aren’t any hookups available
• Invercoe Caravan & Camping Park – on the shores of Loch Leven this campsite offers a range of accommodation options, from tent pitches through to caravan / motorhome sites with hookups. There are also lodges available.

It’s also worth noting that wild camping is allowed in Scotland. The definition of this is quite clear – it’s for tent based camping and is usually defined as camping away from roads and habitation. It doesn’t include motor homes. So if you are hiking into the backcountry, this is definitely an option. You can find out more about wild camping in Scotland on the Scottish Outdoor access code website here.

 

Glen Coe Accommodation

If you’re planning on visiting Glen Coe for longer than a day, then you will need somewhere to stay. There are a range of accommodation options, some in the Glen itself, and some within an easy driving distance. The closest population centres are Glencoe Village and Bridge of Orchy. Fort William is also close to Glen Coe and makes for a good base.

Here are some options we recommend.

• Glencoe Youth Hostel – found just outside Glencoe village, this well rated hostel offers both shared and private accommodation as well as a kitchen for preparing meals.
• Clachaig Inn – found in the Glen Coe valley, this well located inn is moments away from a key Harry Potter filming location. There’s a good on-site restaurant and pub, as well as comfortable private rooms.
• Cruachan Hotel – just minutes walk from the centre of Fort William, this well rated hotel offers a range of private accommodation options as well as an on-site restaurant
• The Isles of Glencoe Hotel – just outside of Glencoe village on the shores of Loch Leven, this 3* family friendly hotel has a swimming pool and range of private accommodation options. There’s also a restaurant and bar on site.
• Loch Leven Hotel & Distillery – this family run hotel features a 17th century bar and they brew their own gin on site. Found on the shores of Loch Leven
• Kingshouse Hotel – Found in the heart of Glen Coe, this recently renovated hotel offers both private rooms as well as a bunkhouse for hikers. There’s also an on-site restaurant and bar.
• Bridge of Orchy Hotel – with good rail links and a local bus stop, Bridge of Orchy makes for a good base for exploring Glen Coe. This well rated 4* hotel offers a restaurant and bar, as well as a number of lovely en-suite rooms.

Of course, there are many more options in the area. See listings on booking.com for Glencoe here for more ideas of what’s available.

 

Things to do in Glen Coe

Now that you are prepared for your visit to Glen Coe, we wanted to share some of our favourite things to do when you are actually visiting! These are all either in or close to the village of Glencoe, or within the Glen Coe valley itself.

 

Stop at the Visitor Centre

Operated by the National Trust for Scotland, the Glencoe Visitor Centre is a great place to start your visit to Glen Coe. The visitor centre provides a lot of information on Glen Coe as well as nearby Glen Etive.

Here, knowledgeable staff will be able to give you information on walks in the area, what wildlife is around, as well as up to date weather forecasts. They have a large 3D map to assist them with helping you plan your time and get oriented.

There are also a number of interesting exhibits, including a short film on the geological history of the area, and a exhibit that showcases some of the mountaineers who have made the sport so popular in the area. There’s also information on the infamous Glen Coe massacre of over 300 members of Clan MacDonald in 1692.

There are a number of walks that start from the visitor centre itself, which range in difficulty and can be a good option for those of you looking for a hike to do in the area. Sometimes there are also staff-led nature walks happening as well.

There is also a café and gift shop here with all profits being used to help protect and conserve the nature reserve.

There is a small fee to visit and for parking but it is free for National Trust members.

 

Go Hiking

One of the most popular activities in Glen Coe is hiking. It’s not hard to see why – with spectacular landscapes and seemingly endless wilderness to explore, this is a fantastic location for lacing up those hiking boots and hitting the trails.

There are a wide variety of hikes available to suit all levels, from short walks that are under an hour long, to more challenging full day hikes up some of the peaks like Buachaille Etive Mor, from where you can get a lovely view of the surrounding valley as well as Rannoch Moor.

A great resource for finding hiking trails in Glen Coe and Scotland in general is the Walk Highlands website, and you can see some suggested trails in Glen Coe here.

Another option is to take a hike with a local guide who will ensure you remain safe and also take you to some of the best spots. This list of tours has some hiking options that include Glencoe.

 

Practice your Landscape Photography

As a travel photographer, I obviously had to list photography as one of the top things to do in Glen Coe. The landscapes here make for some spectacular photography opportunities, and you could spend days exploring and taking photos in the area.

I also want to say that you absolutely don’t have to be a professional photographer or carry a pile of high end equipment to get great shots at Glen Coe. Of course you will be rewarded if you take the time to do so, but you can also get lovely photos with a smartphone or compact camera too!

There are multiple excellent locations for photography around Glen Coe. Some of my favourites include the view of the Lagangarbh hut, the views of Buachaille Etive Mor and the views of the Three Sisters.

However, there are plentiful locations for photography to discover, including small bodies of water and rivers that can lend an interesting compositional element to your photos.

If you’d like a guided tour of some of the best photography locations, it’s possible to book a private photography tour of Glen Coe like this, which include transport and guide.

 

Look for Wildlife

Glen Coe is a National Nature Reserve, which means it’s been recognised as containing habitats and species of national importance. Wildlife lovers will therefore enjoy the opportunities available in the Glen for spotting wildlife.

Species you might be lucky enough to spot range from the always impressive red deer through to mountain hares, ptarmigans, golden eagles, pine martens, and more! Birders in particular will enjoy what’s on offer and I’d recommend bringing along a pair of binoculars.

The best place to see wildlife is to get away from the road and head off on some of the trails. The staff at the Visitor Centre are good people to ask for trail suggestions during your visit.

 

Go Cycling and Mountain Biking

Glen Coe is a popular area for downhill mountain biking, but it also has cycle routes that are appropriate for cyclists of all levels. So whether you’re looking to throw yourself down the side of a mountain, or looking for something a bit more dialed back, you should find something to match your preferences.

One of the most popular cycling routes in the Glen Coe area is the Lochleven Circular Route (a 21 mile cycle route that circles Loch Leven). You might also consider biking a section of the The Caledonia Way, which is  a 234-mile long distance cycle route.

If you want more focused mountain biking, then both Glencoe Mountain in Glen Coe itself and nearby Nevis Range offer dedicated downhill mountain biking routes with varying degrees of difficulty.

You can bring your own bike or hire one from a local bicycle rental shop.

 

Visit the Glencoe Folk Museum

If you want to learn more about the people who have called Glen Coe home over the centuries, then you will want to visit the Glencoe Folk Museum in Glencoe village.

Founded in the 1960s, the museum is primarily set in a pair of restored 18th century thatched cottages. It has a wide array of objects in display, from Jacobite relics to classic toys and domestic items, as well as memorabilia from the first and second world wars.

There is also a whole room dedicated to the massacre of Glencoe. This covers the events of the early morning hours of the 13th February 1692, when hundreds of members of the MacDonald clan were killed by government forces under the command of Robert Campbell.

The events were particularly shocking, as the perpetrators had spent the previous fortnight accepting the hospitality of the MacDonald’s. Such a breach of highland hospitality sent shockwaves through the country.

The Glencoe Folk Museum is well worth a visit. There’s a small fee to visit, and you can see prices and opening hours here.

 

Go Skiing at Glencoe Mountain

Yes – you can go skiing in Scotland! There are five ski resorts in Scotland, and one of those just happens to be in Glen Coe. The Glencoe Mountain ski centre is actually the oldest commercial ski resort in Scotland, and has been open since 1956.

Today, there are 20 runs which are serviced by 8 lifts. These range in difficulty from beginner runs to expert runs, and Glencoe boasts both the steepest and longest ski slopes in Scotland. It’s also relatively easy to reach, as there’s a bus stop at the ski centre, as well as a large on-site car park.

In addition to skiing, you can also enjoy snowboarding, sledging, and other winter activities here during the winter months.

There’s even on-site accommodation at micro lodges, although you’ll need to bring your own sleeping bag. If you are visiting Scotland in winter, then you might enjoy coming up to Glen Coe for a day or two of skiing.

If you’re visiting outside the ski season, then Glencoe Mountain is still well worth visiting. Usually the chair lift runs in the summer, and there’s a range of mountain biking, hiking and other outdoor activities available as well.

Finally, skiers planning on coming to this part of the world for skiing might also consider including the Glen Nevis resort. This is near Fort William, so only 30 minutes away, and combining the two resorts will give you some variety if you plan to spend a few days in the area.

 

Find Film and TV Locations

The dramatic landscapes of Glen Coe mean that it has had a starring role in a range of films and TV shows. These have included the films Highlander and Rob Roy and the opening credits sequence of the television show Outlander.

Glen Coe is however perhaps best known for two film franchises – Harry Potter and James Bond.

In James Bond’s Skyfall movie, the titular characters family home is found down the road which leads from Glen Coe to Glen Etive. This road is well worth driving as it is absolutely beautiful, although you’ll want to read my guide to driving on single track roads if you’re not familiar with them.

Another popular film series that extensively filmed in Glen Coe was of course the Harry Potter series. Multiple scenes were filmed in Glen Coe, including the location of Hagrid’s Hut in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

For more details on Harry Potter filming location in Glen Coe as well as elsewhere in Scotland, see our guide to Harry Potter filming locations in Scotland.

If you’re interested in a tour, there are themed tours available for various TV and film locations which include Glencoe, such as this tour of Outlander filming locations from Edinburgh or this tour from Edinburgh of Harry Potter filming locations.

 

Go Ice Climbing

If you’ve ever wanted to try ice climbing, but weren’t quite sure how, then you are in luck! Just near Glen Coe in Lochaber (7 miles from Glencoe village) is Ice Factor, the National Ice Climbing Centre.

The good news is that you don’t need to visit in winter or have any previous climbing experience to have a go at ice climbing at Ice Factor. They have an indoor ice climbing wall, which is the largest in the world, where you can learn how to ice climb up to a height of 12 metres!

There’s more than just ice climbing on offer here though. There are indoor rock climbing walls which are a great place to practice your rock climbing skills, and there’s also an outdoor 250 metre long aerial adventure. The latter is ten metres high, and whilst I am proud to say I completed it, I must admit to being quite nervous about the whole thing!

I can definitely recommend the ice climbing experience, I had a lot of fun learning how to climb the ice even if I didn’t quite make it the full 12 metres up!

 

Visit Local Historical Sites

There are a number of local historical sites in Glen Coe that will be of interest to those looking to get a feel for the history of area.

The first of these is Signal Rock. Also known as the hill of the sun, this hill is believed to have been used as the gathering place for Clan MacDonald in times of emergency. Beacons would have been lit atop the hill, hence the name.

Signal Rock can be reached via a relatively easy walk of around 1.5 miles round trip, which shouldn’t take more than 60-90 minutes for the averagely fit hiker. You can see a route map here.

Another site you can visit and pay your respects is the Glencoe Massacre Memorial. This commemorates the members of Clan MacDonald who lost their lives in the Glencoe Massacre. This is found a short walk from the Glencoe Folk Museum in Glencoe village. You can see the exact location on Google maps here.

On your way to the Glencoe Massacre memorial you’ll also find the Glencoe War Memorial, which commemorates the residents of Glencoe who were killed or listed as missing in the two World Wars.

To learn more about the the history of the area and get advice on more historical attractions to visit in the area, we recommend visiting both the Glencoe Visitor Centre and the Glencoe Folk Museum mentioned earlier in the article. If you will be visiting Fort William, you might also want to stop at the West Highland Museum.

 

Waterfall Spotting

If you love waterfalls, there are quite a few nice to discover in Glen Coe. These are generally not huge, but they are certainly very picturesque. Some can be seen from the road, like the Meeting of Three Waters near the base of the Three Sisters.

Others you can discover with a bit of hike. One of my favourites is the waterfall with a backdrop of Buachaille Etive Mor. This is found here on Google Maps.

There are also larger waterfalls in the nearby area which aren’t in Glen Coe itself. Grey Mare’s Tail and Steall Falls are two large waterfalls that each require around a 90 minute round-trip hike to reach, but they are well worth the effort in my opinion.

 

Play a Round of Golf

Whilst not strictly in Glen Coe itself, I wanted to include Woodlands Golf Course in my guide to visiting Glen Coe as it’s so scenic.

Offering nine holes in Glenachulish, which is around 4 miles west of Glencoe Village, this is definitely one of the more picturesque golf courses in Scotland.

There’s a fee for visiting, with your ticket allowing you play as many rounds in one day as you like. You can book your visit online here.

 

Go Canoeing or Kayaking on Loch Leven

The River Coe which flows through Glen Coe pours out into Loch Leven at Glencoe village. This sea loch is almost nine miles in length, and there are a number of islands within the Loch, one of which is the burial place of the MacDonald clan.

If you’re interested in exploring the Loch, a great option is to take a kayaking trip with a company like this, which will let you experience the Loch from the water.

 

Attractions Near Glen Coe

If you have more time in the area, you might also want to explore nearby areas such as the town of Fort William, the Ben Nevis nature area, and Loch Lomond National Park. Here are some suggested sights you might consider visiting.

• Ben Nevis Distillery – found at the base of Ben Nevis, this whisky distillery produces single malt whisky. The distillery is usually open for tours, you can see more on the website.
• Lochaber Geopark – covering a large area around Fort William which also includes Glen Coe, the Lochaber Geopark is one of three geoparks in Scotland. It signifies this is an area with outstanding geological heritage. Visitors can enjoy taking one of 6 geotrails, and there’s a visitor centre where you can learn about the park in Fort William.
• Glen Nevis/Ben Nevis – if you’re looking for a good hiking challenge, then consider tackling Ben Nevis. At 1,345m / 4,413ft this is the highest mountain in the UK, and it’s a popular day hike as well as destination for climbers and ice climbers.
• Fort William is the nearest town of any size and the local transport hub. The town is known as the Outdoor Capital of the Highlands, and there are also lots of outdoor gear and services available here. It is also home to a couple museums, including the West Highland Museum.
• From Fort William you can take a scenic ride on an old steam train – the Jacobite Express. This was made particularly famous thanks to it playing a starring role as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films.
• The Jacobite Steam train is well known for crossing the impressive Glenfinnan viaduct, which was also a scene in the Harry Potter movies. This viaduct is about 20 minutes drive from Fort William.
• If you’d like to visit a castle ruin, then the nearest to Glen Coe is Inverlochy Castle. Just near this is the Inverlochy Castle hotel, one of our favourite five star castle hotels in Scotland.
• To the south of Glencoe you will find the Loch Lomond National Park. Here there’s a huge amount to see and do, and you could easily create an itinerary for Scotland that included these locations. See our guide to things to do in Loch Lomond for some inspiration

 

Tours of Glen Coe

One good option for experiencing Glen Coe is to take a tour which includes a stop here. There are a range of tour operators offering tours which include a stop at Glen Coe, with departures from locations around Scotland.

It’s definitely important when booking a tour to check what it actually includes. For example, some tours will only include a couple of photos stops in the Glen, whilst others will be a more comprehensive experience. So do pick a tour that is right for what you want to experience. Here are some suggested tours which include both day trips to Glen Coe and also some multi-day tours which stop in Glen Coe.

As you can see, there are lots of options to choose from, with both day trips to Glen Coe and multi-day tours available.

 

Further Reading

That’s it for our guide to visiting Glen Coe in Scotland! To help you further plan your trip to Glen Coe and Scotland in general, we have a number of other posts which we think you will find helpful or inspirational.

• I previously had published a photo essay on Glen Coe which has more Glen Coe photos from this lovely location
• We have a guide to Outlander filming locations in Scotland, as well as Harry Potter filming locations in Scotland. Both used Glen Coe as a backdrop of course!
• If you’re thinking of skiing in Glen Coe, see our complete guide to skiing in Scotland for all the information you need
• We have a guide to Loch Ness as well as some of our other favourite day trips from Inverness for some inspiration. We also have some detailed guides to other attractions near Inverness, including a guide to the Black Isle and tips on visiting the Cairngorms 
• We’ve got an itinerary for visiting Skye and the Highlands
• If you’re driving in the UK for the first time, check out my tips for driving in the UK for some advice. We also have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK.
• For road trip inspiration, check out our detailed guide to the North Coast 500 and North Coast 500 Accommodation Guide, as well as my photography highlights on the North Coast 500 for some inspiration for your trip. If you’d like an itinerary for the North Coast 500, check out our detailed 7 Day North Coast 500 camping itinerary.
• For Edinburgh, check out our 2 day Edinburgh itinerary, our guide to things to do in Edinburgh, and our guide to the best day trips from Edinburgh to get you started. We also have a guide to getting from London to Edinburgh.
• For Glasgow, see our Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary, our guide to the best day trips from Glasgow, and our guide to things to do in Glasgow
• For Aberdeen, we have a guide to things to do in Aberdeen, our favourite restaurants in Aberdeen, a suggested 2 day Aberdeen itinerary and a guide to the best day trips from Aberdeen.
• We have a guide to all our favourite whisky distilleries in Scotland, which also has lots of information on how whisky is made, the different Scottish whisky regions, and more.
• If you’d like a guidebook for your time visiting Scotland, we recommend the Rick Steves’ Scotland guide

And that’s it for our guide to visiting Glen Coe in Scotland! Thanks for reading. As always, we’re open to your feedback and any questions you might have on this or any of our other posts. Pop them in the comments section below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

As a full time professional travel photographer and travel blogger, I think it’s fair to say that I love both travel and photography. However, obviously we can’t travel all the time. With this in mind, today I wanted to share some tips on how to practice travel photography without traveling.

It’s very easy to fall into the habit of only using our cameras for specific occasions, like capturing events or when we go on vacation. However, doing so means that we get out of the photography habit, and our skills can get a bit rusty.

Like any skill, photography takes time and effort to master, and regular practice helps us improve. Only using our cameras when on a trip or at a special event means we are more likely to forget key photography concepts and let our skills decline. You don’t want to miss that perfect vacation moment because you can’t remember how to set your camera up quickly when it happens!

In this post, I’m going to go through a number of tips and options you have for improving your photography when not traveling. These are all things that I have personally found useful for keeping my photography skills relevant and up to date, even when I’m not actively traveling and taking photos. I hope you find them useful too!

Tips for Practicing Travel Photography Without Traveling

This series of ideas should give you plenty of options for improving your photography skills at home without having to travel anywhere. You should be able to do all of these things from home, in your backyard, or locally.

You can use as many or as few of these ideas as you like to up your photography game and start learning how to take better photos right from your own home.

These tips are also designed to work across all kinds of cameras. So whether you prefer to use a smartphone, a compact camera, a bridge camera, a mirrorless camera or a DSLR camera, you should find plenty of ideas to get you started.

 

Practice Portrait Photography with Family and Friends

For many people, the main reason they take photos is to record moments with friends and family. This might be while traveling, at a special event, or just when having fun at home. Recording events that have meaning to us is one of the main reasons we take pictures.

Taking portraits of people is an important photography skill that will serve you well in a variety of situations. This includes when on vacation so you can get photos of friends and family you are travelling with. It will also let you get great photos when you are at home and you want to capture important moments.

The good news is that you don’t have to go anywhere to practice portrait photography. You can do it at home! All you need is a willing subject to practice on. My advice is to get used to how different lighting affects the image, to play with different settings that allow you adjust the depth of field of the image, and to try different angles and compositions to see what works well.

 

Practice Wildlife Photography with Pets, Birds and Other Wildlife

If you have pets, the chances are you’d like to take great photos of them. Pet photography can be great practice for wildlife photography in general, which is a useful skill to learn for travel as well. Who knows what fun and interesting critters you might encounter on your travels that you’ll want to photograph?

As well as practicing on your pets, you can also use other animals in your neighbourhood to hone your skills. Birds or other animals like squirrels can provide interesting backyard subject matter that will let you hone your wildlife photography skills.

Techniques to focus on include getting the composition right, tracking the focus on potentially fast moving subjects, and learning how to be patient around animals so you get the results you want.

 

Take an Online Photography Course

One of the best ways to improve your photography is to take a dedicated course. A good photography course will teach you all the skills you need to improve your photography, from the basics of how a camera works, through to composition, light, and of course – how to use photo editing software properly!

Some courses may also cover more advanced photography topics, such as long exposure photography, or astrophotography, and they may includes guides to photography with specific cameras like action cameras, smartphones, or drones.

Depending on your preferences, there are a range of different courses on the market. Some provide the information via video, whilst others are primarily written. Courses may also come with bonus features, like feedback on your images and access to course exclusive membership forums or Facebook groups.

Since 2016, I’ve been running an online photography course of my own, and I’ve helped over 2,000 students improve their photography to date. The course is primarily written content with some video tutorials, and covers all the topics I mentioned above.

You also get feedback from me as you progress, access to webinars, interviews and videos, as well as exclusive membership of a Facebook group where you can get feedback on your work and take part in regular challenges. You take the course and improve your photography from home, no travel required, and it will help you improve your images no matter what kind of camera you have.

My course is available for an amazing one-off price for lifetime access, and I think you should check it out. Which you can do by clicking here.

 

Practice Low Light Photography Indoors

One of the more challenging scenarios for photography is when there is limited light available. Most cameras struggle to produce great images when there’s less light available, such as at night or indoors when dining at a restaurant.

Learning how to take good photos even in low light situations, and to the specific limitations of your camera, are essential photography skills. Low light photography is really easy to practice at home, all you need is a subject and a low light situation. Try taking the sort of pictures you might like to take when on a trip, such as photos of your food, people, a piece of furniture, or a room in your house.

Things to master include knowing how to use your camera flash (and how to disable your camera flash!), as well as how to increase your ISO to compensate for the darker environments.

Check out my guide to the exposure triangle in photography for more on how to set your camera up for different scenarios, as well as my article of indoor photography tips for more ideas.

 

Check Out Your Camera’s User Manual

I can almost feel your eyes glazing over as you read this tip. I appreciate that most of us find the manuals for electronics somewhat dry, and camera manuals are no exception.

However, every camera is slightly different, and the best way to start mastering all the features of your camera is to learn what they are and how to access them. Most camera manuals are very detailed and will walk you through everything you need to know to get the most from your particular camera model.

I can almost guarantee you that if you haven’t read your camera’s user manual before, there is probably some new setting, shortcut, tip, or feature that you will discover.

If you’ve lost or mislaid your camera manual, you can normally download an electronic copy from the manufacturer’s website.

 

Understand How Your Camera Works

A camera is simply a tool that allows a photographer to take a picture. If you can understand how your camera does that at a high level, then you will be well on the way to taking better photos.

Cameras offer a range of different features and settings, but at their heart there are a lot of similarities between different types of camera. Understanding the basics of how your camera works will help you ensure you are able to make the most of it in a range of situations.

Whilst every camera is slightly different, the basics remain the same, especially across different classes of camera such as DSLR camera or mirrorless cameras. To help you out, I’ve put together a guide to how to use a DSLR camera, a guide to how to use a mirrorless camera, and a guide to how to use a point and shoot camera.

These should help you understand exactly how to get the most out of your camera model.

 

Learn How to Edit Photos

Editing photos is a key skill in photography. This was the case in the days of film, and is still the case in our digital world.

Thankfully, editing digital files is a lot easier than editing film. For starters, you don’t need a dark room or an array of foul-smelling chemicals. All you need is some software and a bit of time.

Every digital image is edited at some point between the shutter button being pressed and a usable JPG file being created. If you shoot in JPG, the camera applies a variety of edits to your image when it saves it to your memory card, including sharpness, contrast, and saturation edits.

If you shoot in RAW, you will have to use photo editing software to turn your RAW files into usable images.

Editing your photos gives you a lot more creative control over your final image. Editing lets you do basic things like cropping and straightening a horizon, through to more complex tasks like removing objects or replacing the sky in an image.

Photo editing is a valuable photography skill that doesn’t require you to travel anywhere to learn it. You can practice on your existing library of images, and I think it’s the perfect photography skill to learn from home.

When using photo editing software on a computer we recommend either Adobe Lightroom or Skylum Luminar. The former requires a monthly subscription, the latter is available for a one-off fee. You can also save €10 / $10 on Luminar with the discount code “travelcats”.

For more options, including mobile options, see our guide to the best photo editing software and apps.

 

Get to Grips with a Travel Tripod

In my opinion, a tripod is an essential bit of kit for any photographer. You can see my reasons for why you need a travel tripod here. In summary though, the main reasons to use a tripod are that they open up more photography options, allow you to shoot in low light, and let you avoid blurry images. They’re also handy for getting better self portraits and group shots!

The good news is that you don’t need a huge bulky tripod to get better photos. Instead you can use one of our recommended travel tripods.

These are lightweight, designed to fold up small, and are easy to pack and carry. They range in size from the mini tabletop tripods to more full-size travel tripods, so you can get the size of tripod that works for your travel style. Travel tripods are also available in a wide range of prices for just about any budget, from about $30 through to over $500.

Like any tool, to get the most out of it you’ll want to be familiar with it. That means knowing how to set it up quickly, how to attach your camera to it, and how to adjust it to get the shot you want. You can easily practice with your tripod at home, even if you don’t actually take any photos!

 

Master Depth of Field

Depth of field is a key compositional skill for photographers. Adjusting the depth of field allows you to control how much of the image is sharply in focus, and how much is out of focus. Really out of focus areas of an image create nice patterns, which are referred to as bokeh in photography.

Depth of field can be adjusted by changing the aperture on your camera, and a shallow depth of field where less of the image is sharply in focus is often favoured for wildlife and portrait images. However, you can practice adjusting depth of field with any subject. It can also often be simulated on a smartphone by using the “portrait” mode.

For more on this topic, see my detailed guide to depth of field in photography.

 

Understand the Exposure Triangle

One of the most important concepts to master when learning photography is the concept of the exposure triangle. This concept helps explain how your camera actually captures the image, and describes the three main controls you have for adjusting how bright or dark the image is.

This brightness or darkness is referred to as the exposure, and as there are three main controls for adjusting the brightness, it’s described as a triangle.

The controls you can change on most cameras and some smartphones are ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. Changing each of these also affects how the final image looks beyond brightness, with different settings changing motion, depth of field and noise in the image.

This is an important topic, and one that can take a bit of time to get to grips with. I recommend starting with my guide to the exposure triangle in photography.

 

Take Photos of Motion

A common photography subject when traveling, or even at home, is photos of subjects in motion. These subjects could be people or animals, like running children or pets, or things like vehicles or moving water.

Subjects in motion pose unique challenges for the photography. First, there’s the question of focusing on a moving subject, so mastering your camera’s focus capabilities and learning how to track a moving subject is important.

Next there’s the issue of motion blur. If an object is moving, it can appear blurred in images. This might be a desired effect, for something like car headlights at night, or it might be something you are trying to avoid, such as with a portrait of a person or a picture of a bird.

Either way, you control motion in your images by learning how to master your camera’s shutter speed. So my tips for motion in photography are learning how to control shutter speed, and the effect it has on your images, as well as how to set up your autofocus to track moving subjects. Good subjects to practice on are children, pets, or backyard wildlife like birds and squirrels.

 

Practice Macro Photography

Macro photography is another fun photography technique that you can learn at home. Macro photography is where you take an image of something in extreme close-up and make it larger than life size.

Macro photography is commonly used for photographing very small subjects, and is often associated with image of small insects. However, macro photography can feature any subject shot in close up.

To get a true macro photography you need a lens that supports a 1:1 magnification, known as a macro lens. What this means is that the size of the subject in real life is the same size as it appears on your camera’s sensor. Macro lenses are available for all types of camera, including clip on version for many smartphones.

Practicing macro photography at home just requires you to have the right kind of lens and some subjects to photograph. Lots of subjects can work, from jewellery to insects to flowers! Just look for something that is small and intricate for the best results.

 

Learn Food Photography

One thing many of us love to do when we’re on vacation, or even out at a local restaurant, is to take photos of our food.

If you’ve done this yourself, you might have noticed that food photography is quite hard. Many restaurants are poorly lit for photography, and getting great food photos (or any photo for that matter) in dim lighting conditions can be a challenge.

You can practice your food photography skills at home, which can help you learn how to overcome some of these limitation. All you need is a plate of food to work with. My tips are to learn how to use the available light, and how to set your camera up to get the best results. You can also practice arranging a nice looking table setting, and explore how different angles can make a plate look good.

 

Learn Key Composition Techniques

Composition is one of the most important photography techniques to learn. Composition is all about how the different elements in your shot work together to create a cohesive and attractive image. The end goal should be that your subject, or subjects, are clearly defined and obvious to the viewer as the main focal point of the image.

Other elements in the shot should compliment and enhance the subject, and not detract or confuse the viewer.

There are a number of common compositional techniques you can use to achieve this, which are often referred to as the rules of composition. They are more like guidelines though, as you don’t have to rigidly follow them in order to take a great image.

Popular composition techniques that you can practice in your own photos at home include the rule of thirds, leading lines, use of color, spacing and separation, and symmetry. Check out my guide to composition in photography for lots of tips and ideas on these and other composition techniques.

 

Take Advantage of Sunsets and Sunrises

It can be hard to stay motivated to use your camera while at home, but setting specific times to go out and shoot during the week can be a great idea. Two of the best times of the day to head outside for photos is around sunrise and sunset.  The light around these times, which photographers refer to as the golden hour, is often warm and ideal for photography.

So if you are able to be outside during these times and have decent weather, you should have some nice light to use to practice your photography. If you are a morning person, you can take advantage of sunrise and if not, sunset is probably your best bet!

 

Practice Selfies

When we travel, it’s nice to get photos of ourselves in the places we visit. Often, folks like to just hold up their phone camera and take a shot of themselves, but this doesn’t always result in the most flattering or well composed self portrait.

Practicing your selfie skills will ensure you get the best photos of yourself and those you are travelling with. And, like all the other tips in this guide, this is a photography skill you can learn at home.

We prefer to use a tripod where possible to get photos of ourselves together, as we find the results tend to be better. However, it’s not always feasible to setup a tripod, so we also travel with a selfie-stick for our phone. These allow you to get a better angle and composition on your shot, and not be limited by the length of your arm!

We have a detailed guide to how to get great photos of yourself. You can definitely practice these tips before heading out on a trip!

 

Join a Local Photo Club

In addition to taking an online photography course, joining a local photo club or camera club is a great way to keep motivated to use your camera when you are at home. Photography clubs can vary widely in how they are set up and what they offer.

Some offer weekly lectures of photography topics and regular photo meetups for members. Other may be more loosely organized and allow members to arrange meetups and events as they wish.

These can not only be a great way to learn some new camera skills and stay motivated to use your camera, but it is also a great way to learn some new local photo spots and meet some fellow photography lovers.

 

Explore Fun Photo Effects and Techniques

Another idea when looking to improve your photography skills at home is to try something completely new and different. Don’t be afraid to let your mind go wild with stuff to try. You can take photos of all kinds of fun stuff around your home!

Try photographing soap bubbles in your sink, doing “fake” travel photos at home, trying out some wacky editing techniques, playing with reflections, sun rays, lens flares, light trails, throwing liquid into the air and letting it freeze, light painting… the list goes on!

Being home is a time when you can really push your creative limits and try new things. Some of these things will look good, some most certainly won’t, but you’ll likely have a fun time and get some good photos from it! If you have kids, it can be fun to get them involved too.

If you’re looking for ideas, Instagram, YouTube, or Pinterest can be great sources of inspiration for some new home photography ideas! You can also look into fun photography aids like a lensball or prism, as well as props or 360 cameras, for more fun!

 

Research Travel Photography Equipment

Probably one of the most popular questions we get from readers is what kind of camera they should upgrade to in order to take better photos.

Camera equipment certainly can make a difference to your images and what you can achieve. However, your skill as a photographer and your knowledge about how to properly use the equipment you have is definitely the most important factor when it comes to getting great shots.

That said, understanding why you might need a more expensive camera, or the difference between a smartphone and a DSLR, is definitely helpful. Most photographers, as they progress through their learning journey, find themselves limited by their gear and needing an upgrade at some point.

This might be in order to get better photos in low light, to capture better shots of fast moving subjects, or to shoot in specific scenarios such as underwater.

The main thing when deciding on an upgrade is knowing what the problem is that you are trying to resolve, and being able to pick a camera that will resolve that problem and enable you to get the photos you want.

To help you with that decision, we have put together some details guide to the best cameras on the market today across a range of camera types. They also go into detail as to what to look for any why, so you are able to make a fully informed decision.

To get you started we have a detailed general guide to the best travel camera. We also have detailed specific guides to the best compact camera, best bridge camera, best action camera, best mirrorless camera and best DSLR camera.

 

Test Lenses at Home with Rental Services

If you have a camera where you can change the lens, such as a mirrorless or DSLR camera, then you might already realise that the lens you choose to use makes a huge difference to the images you are able to take.

You might want to capture a whole landscape with a wide-angle lens, shoot great portraits with a wide-aperture prime lens, or shoot wildlife and distant objects with a telephoto lens. You might also just prefer more of a “walk-around” lens, which will let you do most things without having to carry a bag of lenses around with you.

Regardless, as you start to investigate lenses you will quickly come to the realization that lenses are expensive, and picking up a lens for every situation might not be feasible on your budget.

Instead, you’ll want to pick the best lens or lenses for your preferred photography style. To help you decide, a great option is to rent a few lenses at home, try them out, and decide which work for you. Then you can make the appropriate investment.

There are a variety of services you can use for lens rental. We recommend Lens Rentals who have a huge selection of lenses across a range of manufacturers. Their shipping includes the cost of shipping the lens to you and the return shipping. Even better, they have a program where if you like the product you can buy it directly from them.

If you’re in the market for a new lens and wondering what to look for, check out our guide to the best camera lenses for travel which should give you some great options to get started!

 

Learn How to Use Your Camera’s Focus Tools

In the majority of photos you take, your goal will be to have your subject sharply in focus. Most cameras and smartphone cameras offer a variety of focus modes, depending on the situation.

These will vary from a standard focus which will just focus on a point, through to continuous and tracking focus systems. These latter options can be used to track a moving subject and allow you to capture sharp images even if your subject moves between shots.

There are also a number of even more advanced focus tracking systems which can automatically identify common focal points such as the eyes of people or animals in your shots. These can make getting sharply in focus shots even easier.

Whatever your camera system and the focus modes it offers, the main thing is to understand exactly what the options you have are. You don’t want to miss focus on an important shot because you had the camera in the wrong focus mode!

 

Get a Photo Guide to your Next Travel Destination

If you are planning a future trip to somewhere that you are particularly excited to photograph, you might consider getting a photo guide to that location. You can find photography guides to most of the world’s most popular photography locations, both as published books and as online articles and blogs.

For example you can pick up photo guidebooks to locations like Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park, and Iceland. You can find travel blog posts such as my own guides, which include photography locations in London, photography locations in Paris, and many more.

These can not only provide you with tips and locations for taking photos at these locations, but they can keep you excited about travel photography in between trips.

 

Set up a Photography Portfolio

An important skill to develop as a photographer is the art of self-curation. When you go on vacation, the chances are that you will take hundreds of photos. However, the reality is that even close friends and family might not want to see every image you’ve taken.

Learning how to filter your images and only share the best ones is a key skill. One way to hone this skill is to set up an online portfolio website of your work. This will force you to evaluate your photos and pick out those that really represent your work.

There are a variety of websites where you can setup an online photography portfolio. These range from fully featured paid options specifically designed for this purpose, through to setting up a nice looking dedicated profile on a social media site like Instagram. Depending on your requirements, there are quite a few options to choose from. You can use some of the more simple ones for free to house photos to show friends and family or if you can pay for a more professional website that comes with a range of theme or portfolio options.

Some of the photography portfolio websites which will also let you sell your photos online as well. If that’s an option you’d like to explore, I recommend checking out SmugMug, where you can build a great looking portfolio website and also sell your images.

I have a full review of SmugMug here, and you can also save 15% if you sign up with this link. I also have a round up other photography portfolio websites here.

 

Learn Astrophotography

There are many photography techniques that you can learn at home, which will improve your photography skills and increase the types of photography you’ll be able to do when you travel.

One fun photography subject you might want to learn to take pictures of is the night sky. Learning how to photograph things like the moon and the stars will require you to master a number of different photography techniques. It will also require you to understand more of the features of your camera.

Plus, you might get some lovely images of the night sky as a bonus! All you need to learn astrophotography are clear skies and minimal light pollution. If you live in a city, you may need to go outside of it to be able to do star photography. Full moons, however, are generally visible even in the middle of a big city at night.

I have a guide to taking pictures of stars, as well as how to take pictures of the northern lights, which are a great starting point.

 

Further Reading

I hope this guide has given you lots of idea for improving your photography from home. I also wanted to share some more photography content we’ve written which will hopefully also help you take better photos

• We have a guide to how to use a compact camera, how to use a DSLR camera, and how to use a mirrorless camera. We also have a guide to how a DSLR works
• Knowing how to compose a great photo is a key photography skill. See our guide to composition in photography for lots of tips on this subject
• We have a guide to what depth of field is and when you would want to use it.
• We are big fans of getting the most out of your digital photo files, and do to that you will need to shoot in RAW. See our guide to RAW in photography to understand what RAW is, and why you should switch to RAW as soon as you can if your camera supports it.
• We have a guide to the best photo editing applications which includes both paid and free options
• You’re going to need something to run your photo editing software on. See our guide to the best laptops for photo editing for some tips on what to look for.
• Color accuracy is important for photography – see our guide to monitor calibration to ensure your screen is set up correctly.
• If you’re looking for a great gift for a photography loving friend or family member (or yourself!), take a look at our photography gift guide,
• If you’re in the market for a new camera, we have a detailed guide to the best travel cameras, as well as specific guides for the best cameras for hiking and backpacking, the best compact camera, best bridge camera, best mirrorless camera and best DSLR camera. We also have a guide to the best camera lenses.
• If you want a camera or lens, but the prices are a bit high, see our guide to where to buy used cameras and camera gear for some budget savings options.
• We have a guide to why you need a tripod, a guide to choosing a travel tripod, and a round-up of our favourite travel tripods
• If you’re looking for more advice on specific tips for different scenarios, we also have you covered. See our guides to Northern Lights photography, long exposure photography, fireworks photography, tips for taking photos of stars, taking photos in snow, and cold weather photography.
• Finally, if you want to take your photography to the next level, check out my online photography course!

And that’s it! As always we’re always open to hearing your feedback and answering your questions. Just pop them in the comments below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!