14-Day Family Friendly Itinerary for Glasgow, Scotland

  • Day 1: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
    10 minutes (2.5 miles) from Glasgow City Centre

    Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a popular attraction located in the West End of Glasgow. It houses over 8,000 objects with a diverse range of displays, including natural history, art, and more.

  • Day 2: Glasgow Science Centre
    15 minutes (3.5 miles) from Kelvingrove

    Glasgow Science Centre is a popular attraction that offers interactive exhibits and educational programs for visitors of all ages. It’s a perfect place for families to learn together and have fun exploring science and technology.

  • Day 3: Glasgow Cathedral
    10 minutes (2 miles) from Glasgow Science Centre

    Glasgow Cathedral, also known as St. Mungo's Cathedral, is a medieval cathedral that dates back to the 12th century. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Glasgow that has been well-maintained, and it’s an important part of the city’s history.

  • Day 4: Riverside Museum
    25 minutes (4 miles) from Glasgow Cathedral

    The Riverside Museum is an award-winning museum dedicated to the transport history of Glasgow. It displays a vast collection of vehicles, from trams and trains to cars and motorbikes, which is very educational and informative for both kids and adults.

  • Day 5: Pollok Country Park
    30 minutes (6 miles) from Riverside Museum

    Pollok Country Park is a beautiful public park located south of Glasgow. It’s the largest park in the city with green fields, woodland walks, a scenic walled garden, and a famous highland cattle fold where families can have a picnic or relax outdoors together.

  • Day 6: Glasgow Botanic Gardens
    10 minutes (3 miles) from Pollok Country Park

    Glasgow Botanic Gardens is a stunning public garden in Glasgow's West End, featuring a wide range of plants and flowers from all around the world. The garden also has a playground for kids to play and an outdoor cafe to grab a snack.

  • Day 7: People's Palace and Winter Gardens
    15 minutes (2 miles) from Glasgow Botanic Garden

    People's Palace and Winter Gardens is a museum and glasshouse located in Glasgow Green, one of the largest parks in the city. The museum depicts the social history of Glasgow, while the Winter Gardens is a greenhouse filled with exotic plants and flowers.

  • Day 8: Glasgow Green and West Brewery
    5 minutes (1 mile) from People's Palace and Winter Gardens

    Glasgow Green is the oldest park in the city and a popular destination for both locals and tourists, with a boating pond, children's play area, and more. After exploring, you can visit the West Brewery for a cold pint and watch the brewery in action from a stunning beer garden overlooking the park and river.

  • Day 9: Glasgow Necropolis
    10 minutes (1.5 miles) from West Brewery

    Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian-era cemetery located on a hill east of Glasgow Cathedral. The place is well-maintained and very picturesque with plenty of history to be learned from the guides.

  • Day 10: Glasgow School of Art
    10 minutes (1 mile) from Glasgow Necropolis

    Glasgow School of Art is considered one of the greatest works of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, with a rich history stretching back over 100 years to when Mackintosh was a student. You must pre-book your visit to the converted school of art with high-level art standards and talent all around.

  • Day 11: The Lighthouse and Buchanan Street
    10 minutes (1 mile) from Glasgow School of Art

    The Lighthouse in Glasgow is Scotland's Centre for Design and Architecture with exhibition galleries, events space, and visitor center. Afterward, for some shopping, you can head to Buchanan Street, an upscale pedestrian shopping street that has several high-end brands and stores lined up.

  • Day 12: Glasgow Tenement House
    10 minutes (1 mile) from Buchanan Street

    The Glasgow Tenement House is a late Victorian house museum that is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Glasgow. Visitors can experience what life was like for ordinary people in Glasgow in the early 20th century while having a unique outlook on the life of manual working-class families during that era.

  • Day 13: Escape Reality Glasgow
    15 minutes (2 miles) from Glasgow Tenement House

    Escape Reality Glasgow is an exhilarating escape room experience in Glasgow city center. Put your problem-solving skills to work in one of their exciting escape room games designed for beginners or experienced players for a thrilling family bonding experience.

  • Day 14: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
    1 hour (23 miles) from Escape Reality Glasgow

    Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a stunning area of mountains, lochs, and forests with spectacular views. This will make a remarkable final day trip to end your Glasgow family vacation. There's a scenic road trip around Loch Lomond for incredible sightings and getting your fill of nature in Scotland.

Time and Costs Estimates

  • Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (2 hours, Free)
  • Glasgow Science Centre (3 hours, £15.00 for adults, £11.00 for children)
  • Glasgow Cathedral (1 hour, Free)
  • Riverside Museum (2 hours, Free)
  • Pollok Country Park (3 hours, Free)
  • Glasgow Botanic Gardens (2 hours, Free)
  • People's Palace and Winter Gardens (2 hours, Free)
  • Glasgow Green and West Brewery (2 hours, Free and drink £6.00)
  • Glasgow Necropolis (1 hour, Free)
  • Glasgow School of Art (3 hours, £11.00 for adults, Free for children under 18)
  • The Lighthouse and Buchanan Street (2 hours, Free)
  • Glasgow Tenement House (1 hour, £8.00 for adults, £4.00 for children under 12)
  • Escape Reality Glasgow (1 hour, £20.00 per person)
  • Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (5 hours, Free)
  • Total Estimated Costs: £70 per adult and £44 per child

Transportation

Glasgow offers many ways to get around, including buses, trains, and subway systems that are managed by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. For this itinerary, we recommend getting an all-day ticket for the subway system, which costs £5.00 per person. There are also taxi services available, but it's not recommended to rely solely on them to cover longer distances. Renting a car can also be more convenient if you plan to go outside of Glasgow for a day trip. Expect to spend roughly £30.00 per day in rental fees and petrol costs.

Useful Tips

If you have more time, you can add a visit to the Glasgow Film Theatre or The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for some entertainment experience, or the St Enoch Centre for some shopping instead. For a unique dining experience, you can visit the Ubiquitous Chip, which is a family-friendly restaurant serving locally sourced food in a unique setting. If you have less time, you can skip some of the museums or shorten the visit times if needed. Also, consider planning a separate day for indoor entertainment activities such as the Escape Reality Glasgow or the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre.

Airports

Glasgow International Airport (GLA) is the main airport in Glasgow and is located approximately 8 miles from the city center. The airport handles both domestic and international flights, and there are several transportation options available to get to the city center, including buses, taxis, or the Glasgow Airport Express. Travel time can range from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic conditions, and costs can vary from £3 to £20.

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