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 I just wanted to drop a brief note to say "thank you," Marc, for the outstanding arrangements for our trip to Ireland. We were sorry to leave yesterda... 
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Scotland: Sightseeing & Tourist Attractions
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Great golf is only part of the story when considering what makes the perfect golf trip. Thankfully, the other components are all found in abundance in Scotland, not least in the sights to see and things to do department. Whether scheduling a day off from golf or filling an afternoon after your morning round, there are many options regardless of which region you are visiting.
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LOTHIANS & SOUTH EASTERN SCOTLAND
Central to your time in this region will be all that the wonderful city of Edinburgh has to offer. Whether you are staying in the city or on the East Lothian coastline in North Berwick or Gullane, a visit to Edinburgh is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip. Something not to be missed is Edinburgh Castle, which houses the National War Museum, Stone of Destiny, the Royal Scots Regimental Museum, and the Scottish Crown Jewels. Other attractions in Edinburgh include the National Museum of Scotland, where the collections tell the story of Scotland, its people and culture; the National Gallery of Scotland; the official home in Scotland of the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse; and the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, which offers a unique insight into the world of Scotch Whisky.
To the east of Edinburgh, the Lothians landscape is dotted with castles, each one telling its own tales of bygone days. These include Blackness Castle near Linlithgow; Dirleton Castle in the village of Dirleton; and the imposing Tantallon Castle near North Berwick, which stands perched in the most dramatic of cliff-top settings. Other attractions in the Lothians include Dunbar Town House Museum, which features displays of local archaeological interest; the House of Binns in Linlithgow; the impressive ruins of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots; and Glenkinchie Distillery in Pencaitland, home to The Edinburgh Malt.
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ST ANDREWS & EASTERN SCOTLAND
As part of a golf trip to this region, it is likely that you will stay in or close to St Andrews or Gleneagles. And while it is also likely that you will be too busy playing golf to take in anything else, there are always options! From St Andrews, some interesting inclusions would be Aberdour Castle & Gardens in nearby Aberdour; the British Golf Museum in St Andrews; Inchcolm Abbey, located on an island in the Firth of Forth; St Andrews Castle; St Andrews Botanic Gardens; and St Andrews Cathedral.
Other possibilities from a St Andrews base, but more conveniently perhaps from Gleneagles, would be the many attractions in Perthshire and Stirling. Like the Scottish Highlands, Perthshire boasts its fair share of distilleries with two excellent options being Glenturret Distillery in Crieff; and Blair Atholl Distillery in Pitlochry. Other worthwhile places to see in Perthshire include Blair Castle; Drummond Castle Gardens in Crieff; both Huntingtower Castle and Scone Palace in Perth; and Loch Leven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned for a time. Connecting Perthshire with Greater Glasgow, Stirling offers much of historical significance. The Bannockburn Heritage Centre in Stirling is a must, while other interesting things to see include the National Wallace Monument; the impressive Stirling Castle; and Stirling Old Town Jail, which depicts the horrors of life behind bars in times past.
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THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
Apart from its array of great links courses, the Highlands of Scotland is renowned for its spectacular scenery and impressive range of distilleries, a sampling visit being almost obligatory during a golf trip. Some places to visit in the Dornoch area include Dunrobin Castle & Gardens near Golspie; the Falls of Shin Visitor Centre in Lairg; Tain through Time; and of course the famous Glenmorangie Distillery near Tain. Moving south to Inverness, you may include stops at the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Centre; and 13th century Urquhart Castle southwest of Inverness; while if you are staying in Nairn for any duration, a visit to Cawdor Castle should not be missed.
The journey from Nairn southwards could be a long one given the many distilleries on what is known as the Malt Whisky Trail and you can choose from the likes of the Cardhu Distillery & Visitor Centre in Aberlour; Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown; Glen Grant Distillery in Rothes; and Glenlivet Distillery, which was founded in 1824. But of course it is not all about whisky and other worthwhile attractions in the Moray region include Ballindalloch Castle; Brodie Castle; and Spynie Palace, which for five centuries was the residence of the Bishops of Moray. Aberdeenshire meanwhile also has plenty to see and you should consider taking in the likes of Balmoral Castle, the Scottish home to the Royal family since 1852; Castle Fraser; Drum Castle & Gardens; and Slains Castle near Cruden Bay, which is said to have provided the inspiration for Bram Stokers, Dracula.
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AYRSHIRE & SOUTH WESTERN SCOTLAND
Golfing in the Ayrshire region is likely to see you staying no further south than Turnberry, from where some of the nearby attractions include
Bladnoch Distillery; the impressive Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfries; the ruins of Dundrennan Abbey; and Threave Castle, located on an island in the middle of the River Dee. Closer again to Turnberry is the impressive Culzean Castle and Country Park, which provides a great day out. And while you are likely to be far too busy playing great courses like Troon, Prestwick and Western Gailes, other worthwhile attractions north of Turnberry include the Burns National Heritage Park, which gives an insight into the life and works of poet, Robert Burns; Souter Johnnies Cottage; and Dean Castle and Country Park, home to the Boyd Clan and dating to the 13th Century.
You are not particularly likely to stay in Glasgow for an extended period of time as part of your trip but if you do, then apart from shopping for the gifts you have not yet managed to buy, some options include a visit to 13th century Bothwell Castle, temporarily surrendured by the English to the Scots after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314; or the Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve. The many interesting museums in or near Glasgow include the renowned Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum; and the Museum of Scottish Country Life, which provides an insight into rural life in Scotland in times past.
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