Why Go?: Cheaper than London, with plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities, rowdy nights out, and distillery visits, Scotland will cover all your bachelor party bases.
Best Ideas: Whisky tastings, clay pigeon shooting, and golfing in St. Andrews are some of the top Scottish bachelor party activities.
Good to Know: Scotland isn’t the warmest destination, so pack and prepare appropriately.
Scotland. It’s the nation famous for deep-fried Mars Bars, kilts, bagpipes and, of course, whisky. It could also be your ideal bachelor party destination, whether you want a classy shooting-fishing-and-distillery-visiting affair in the Highlands — where you can really lean into a lord-of-the-manor type vibe — or a rowdy party-forward stag-do in Glasgow. Looking for a destination that combines the best of both worlds? The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, makes for a pleasing middle ground of historic buildings, castles, and local pubs in both the Old and New Towns.
Travel & Essentials for a Scotland Bachelor Party
There are few airlines that fly direct to Scotland from the U.S., but Edinburgh is a mere train ride from London or Manchester. Once you’re there? Buses, taxis and trains will be your best friends, but bundle up if you decide to explore your destination of choice on foot, because Scotland isn’t exactly known for its temperate climate.
Scotland is, overall, cheaper than other top U.K. destinations (think: the south of England and London), although Edinburgh will be a bit pricier than, say, Glasgow. And you’ll want to avoid August in Edinburgh, because the arrival of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival means prices skyrocket and you can’t move because of all the comedy-loving tourists. Even so, Scotland offers spectacular scenery, great nightlife, and a plethora of outdoor activity options that will please even the pickiest groom.
Pros and Cons of a Bachelor Party in Scotland
Pros:
- Scotland is a small nation, meaning you can hit up multiple cities in one visit.
- There are plenty of opportunities for fishing, clay pigeon shooting, and other outdoor pursuits.
- You can stay at a real-life castle if you’ve got the budget for it.
- Scotland is generally cheaper than other parts of the U.K.
Cons:
- Scottish weather isn’t the best, so you’ll have to time your trip carefully or embrace the cold.
- There aren’t many direct flight options from the US.
- Edinburgh gets incredibly busy (and expensive) over August, thanks to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Best Attractions and Activities in Scotland
Scotland is one of the few bachelor party destinations that really has something to suit most ages and interests. Here are some of the country’s top bachelor party activities you might want to consider.
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The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
(Photo by @thehomeofgolf)
By day, you can’t go wrong with a friendly round of golf on one of the seven St. Andrews courses. This historic golf club is literally the home of golf, after all. Sure, that might make it a bit tricky to secure your spot, but with some forward planning, you can make it happen.Â
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Winton Castle
Winton Castle, Pencaitland, Tranent, UK
(Photo by @wintoncastle)
If the thought of golfing bores you to tears, perhaps clay pigeon shooting will be of more interest? One of the most convenient places to give it a go is Winton Castle, just outside of Edinburgh, where they cater to groups of 10 or more.
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Kincardine Castle
Kincardine Castle, Kincardine O'Neil, Aboyne, UK
(Photo by @kincardinecastle)
There’s also Kincardine Castle, located closer to Aberdeen, which offers sporting weekend packages.
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Strathisla Distillery
Strathisla Distillery, Strathisla Distillery Seafield Avenue, Keith, UK
(Photo by @strathisladistillery)
However, the most unmissable daytime activity in Scotland is surely whisky tasting. Even if you’re not really a fan of the ol’ water of life, you’ll be a convert by the end of the first, oh, five sips or so. Swap the Glenfiddich Distillery for Strathisla in the Scottish Highlands, where you can craft your own blend.Â
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Kingsbarns Distillery
Kingsbarns Distillery, Kingsbarns, St Andrews, UK
(Photo by @kingsbarnsdist)
Kingsbarns Distillery in St. Andrews is another great whisky tasting venue.Â
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Glengoyne Distillery
Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne, Killearn, Glasgow, UK
(Photo by @avalon_net)
If you’re staying near Glasgow, pay a visit to Glengoyne Distillery.
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The Scotch Whisky Experience
The Scotch Whisky Experience, Castlehill, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @scotchwhiskyexp)
Sticking to Edinburgh? Stop by The Scotch Whisky Experience.Â
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Go On a Ghost Tour
Mercat Tours, Blair Street, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @mercattours)
By night, hit the bars and clubs (more on that to come) or take a haunted tour of your city of choice. Edinburgh’s Mercat Tours, Dark Dundee and the Stirling Ghost Walk are top choices.Â
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The Stand Comedy Club
The Stand Comedy Club, Woodlands Road, Glasgow, UK(Photo by @thestandglasgow)
Fancy a laugh instead? The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow is an institution.Â
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Monkey Barrel Comedy
Monkey Barrel Comedy, Blair Street, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @amyfmatthews)
If you’ll be in Edinburgh, stop by the legendary Monkey Barrel Comedy club.Â
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Galloway Forest Park
Galloway Forest Park, Galloway Forest, Creebridge, Newton Stewart, UK
(Photo by @eddiefitz7)
Alternatively, swap the cities for the U.K.’s first Dark Sky Park, Galloway Forest Park, and enjoy some late-night stargazing that you’ll struggle to get elsewhere.Â
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Best Hotels, Resorts & Airbnbs in ScotlandÂ
From secluded lodges to city center hotels, there’s a wealth of bachelor party-friendly accommodations across Scotland.
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The Radisson RED Glasgow
Best Value Radisson RED Glasgow
(Photo by @radissonredglasgow)
Vibe: If Glasgow has caught your eye, book into the Radisson RED. Yes, it’s a big-name chain, but the rooftop Red Sky Bar seals the deal for us. With views over the surrounding city, DJs every weekend, and craft cocktails, it’s the perfect place for a classy pregame.
Prices: With rates starting around $70 a night, it’s super affordable, too.
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Stay Central Hotel
Best for Large Groups Stay Central Hotel, Cowgate, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @staycentralhotel)
Vibe: In Edinburgh, opt for a centrally located, tailored party apartment. One of the best is Stay Central, where you can book the private dorm for up to nine people and enjoy the ping pong table, poker set, sound system, and video game consoles.
Price: For an extra fee — on top of the roughly $350-a-night starting rate — throw in a fridge full of your favorite drinks.Â
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Airbnb: An Epic Party House in Edinburgh
Best for Bachelor Parties Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
(Photo courtesy of Airbnb)
Vibe: Edinburgh is also home to a number of Airbnbs that would be ideal for a bachelor party. Take this 20-bed mega-apartment, which comes with a pool table, plasma TV, sound system, beer fridge, and even a pole-dance stage.Â
Price: Rates from about $1,000 a night.
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Airbnb: A Mansion Near Edinburgh's City Center
Best if You Want to Live Like Royalty Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
(Photo courtesy of Airbnb)
Vibe: If you’ve got some major money to burn and want to live it up in a Scottish mansion a 10-minute drive from Edinburgh’s city center, rent out Drylaw House.
Price: For $2,232 a night, you’ll get 16 beds in 9 bedrooms, 7.5-bathrooms, five acres of private gardens to stroll through, a grand fireplace and a pool table, the perfect historic setting for a legendary boys’ night in.Â
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Airbnb: A Victorian Flat in Parliament Square
Best for Classy Gents Parliament Square, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo courtesy of Airbnb)
Vibe: If staying in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town is on your bachelor party list, don’t miss this well-appointed three-bedroom flat in a Victorian building just steps from The Royal Mile and Parliament Square.
Price: It sleeps up to 10 for $309 a night.Â
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Big Husky Lodge
Best "Go Big or Go Home" Splurge Big Husky Lodge, Boat of Garten, UK
(Photo by @thebighuskylodge)
Vibe: And remember that Scotland has plenty of remote options, too, including the Big Husky Lodge, a luxury cabin in the heart of Cairngorm National Park. Ideal for massive bachelor parties — it sleeps up to 25 — there’s an outdoor hot tub, spa area, and game room, as well as a bunch of entertainment and technology mod cons. The owners will even help you plan an activity-packed weekend of fishing, golfing, biking, and kayaking.Â
Price:Â Rates start around $4,500 a night.
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The Craigellachie Hotel
Best Deal for Whisky Lovers The Craigellachie Hotel, Victoria Street, Speyside, UK
(Photo by @thecraigellachie)
Vibe: Meanwhile, in Speyside, The Craigellachie Hotel offers refined luxury with nearby salmon fishing, hiking, and dining opportunities, as well as an on-site whisky bar, The Quaith.
Price: Rooms from around $150 a night.Â
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Best Restaurants in ScotlandÂ
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Sea Breeze Café
Best Hangover Cure Sea Breeze Cafe, Leith Walk, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @elizaveta_maltseva)
Shake off that hangover at Sea Breeze Café in Leith, Edinburgh. One of the few remaining true greasy-spoon diners in the city, here you can sample the quintessential fry-up, complete with bacon, sausage, beans, eggs, and toast. Accompany your stomach-lining breakfast with an Irn Bru or a strong tea for the complete Scottish experience.Â
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Kyloe Restaurant & Grill
Best Steakhouse Kyloe Restaurant & Grill, Rutland Street, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @kyloe.edinburgh)
For dinner, move onto Kyloe Restaurant & Grill, a top Edinburgh steakhouse and upscale establishment serving incredible Scottish cuts with views over the Castle. Save it for a special occasion.Â
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Café Piccante
Best for Late-Night Eats Cafe Piccante, Broughton Street, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @dsiu25)
One place you don’t need to save for a special occasion is Edinburgh’s Café Piccante. While the name alludes to some kind of spicy Italian spot, it’s actually a good ol’ fish and chip shop famed for a variety of greasy late-night eats — it’s open ‘til 2 a.m. on the weekend — and the infamous deep-fried Mars Bar that’s a must for visitors in Scotland.Â
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Café Gandolfi
Best Breakfast Cafe Gandolfi, Albion Street, Glasgow, UK
(Photo by @cafegandolfi)
Over in Glasgow, there’s no place like Café Gandolfi for a filling breakfast. A bit more upmarket than the Sea Breeze Café, it’s one of the top places to get real Scottish produce — including meat, fish, and black pudding (aka blood pudding) — as well as some of the city’s best coffee.Â
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The Dockyard Social
Best Food Trucks The Dockyard Social, Haugh Road, Glasgow, UK
(Photo by @dockyardsocial)
For dinner, tackle the global street food and drink stalls at The Dockyard Social, one of Glasgow’s original food-truck pop-ups turned permanent attractions.Â
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The Flying Duck
Best Vegan Option The Flying Duck, Renfield Street, Glasgow, UK
(Photo by @flyingduckparty)
Vegan eaters looking for late-night sustenance in Glasgow might want to stop by The Flying Duck, too. A basement-bar-slash-soul-food-inspired vegan diner — with massive portions and an anti-establishment vibe — it’s open ‘til midnight each night.Â
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Maggie's Grill
Best BBQ Maggie's Grill, Holburn Street, Aberdeen, UK
(Photo by @countrywoodsmoke)
Eschewing both big Scottish cities on your bachelor party extravaganza? If you’re headed up to Aberdeen instead, don’t miss Maggie’s Grill, a barbecue and Cajun gem where every dish is made with the best local produce. Wash it all down with craft brews from the region.Â
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Best Bars and Clubs in ScotlandÂ
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The Bow Bar
Best Place to Go Bar Hopping The Bow Bar edinburgh
(Photo by @the_bow_bar_edinburgh)
There’s no better place to bar hop in Edinburgh than the length of Grassmarket — make a note to stop in at the cozy Jolly Judge pub, which has a roaring fire and understated feel, as well as the Last Drop, where prisoners would go for their final drink — but The Bow Bar is one establishment worth veering off for. Affordable real ale and whisky galore best define the offerings at this traditional Edinburgh pub, where you should grab a quiet pint before heading out for the evening.Â
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The Quaich
Best Historic Whisky Bar The Craigellachie Hotel
Whisky lovers outside of Edinburgh won’t want to miss The Quaich, an upscale, historic bar founded in 1893 that’s now home to over 900 single-malt whiskies from around the world. As the on-site bar of The Craigellachie Hotel, it also lets you book rooms, a great idea if you’re keen to sample the bulk of their whiskies. Or you can arrange a private whisky tasting.Â
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The Sub Club
Best Underground Club 22 Jamaica St, Glasgow G1 4QD, UK
(Photo by @subclub87)
If clubs are more your thing, then few Scottish cities are better than Glasgow. There, The Sub Club — apparently the world’s longest running underground club — is practically unbeatable.Â
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4042
Best Creative Cocktails 4042 | Late Night Liquor, Grindlay Street, Edinburgh, UK
(Photo by @4042edinburgh)
Over in typically more understated Edinburgh, 4042, a ping-pong hall/sort of a club, is known for hip hop and house music, as well as plenty of inventive drinks.
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Baby Dolls
Best Strip Club Baby Dolls - No1 Showbar, Lauriston Street, Edinburgh, UK(Photo by @hollycassell)
Strip clubs aren’t for everyone, but if your stag is insisting on watching women pole dance before his big day, consider stopping by Baby Dolls in Edinburgh. If you’re staying in an Edinburgh hotel, entry is free.Â
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Private Eyes Inverness
Best (and Only) Strip Club in the Highlands Private Eyes Inverness, Academy Street, Inverness, UK(Photo by @privateeyesinverness)
Up in Inverness, Private Eyes — the only strip club in the Highlands — has free nightly pole-dance performances.Â
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Platinum Lace
Best Gentlemen's Club Platinum Lace Glasgow : Best Strip Club in Scotland with the Most Beautiful Lap Dancers, Drury Street, Glasgow, UK
(Photo by @platinum_gla)
Over in Glasgow, Platinum Lace is perhaps the country’s best gentlemen’s club. Here, watch the stage shows, enjoy a lap dance, rent the Platinum Champagne Bar, or make the most of their bachelor party packages. There are even regular DJ sets performed here.Â
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Bottom Line
Scotland might be a bit trickier for the average bachelor party group to get to than, say, Vegas, but it’s worth the extra effort. Especially if you prefer the simple delight of a deep-fried Mars Bar over a magnum of Champagne.
