Explore the charm of things to do in Inveraray, a quaint white-washed town with friendly locals, and see why it’s one of the best places on Scotland’s west coast.
The village is beautifully positioned beside the calm waters of Loch Fyne with picturesque views of the Scottish Highlands. It’s a small, 18th-century county town located on Scotland’s Argyll and Bute.
Besides, with its famous castle and jail as well as its unqiue town centre, Inveraray attracts day-trippers from Glasgow and beyond year round. Here are the best things to do in Inveraray, Scotland!
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The article was last updated January 2025.
How to Get to Inveraray from Glasgow, Argyll & Bute, Edinburgh
Glasgow to Inveraray: If you’re coming from Glasgow, it’s easy to reach Inveraray by taking the 926 bus from the Buchanan Bus Station. Check the timetable here. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.
486 Bus: If you’re already on Argyll and Bute, you can take the 486 bus coming every couple of hours or so. You can find the 486 timetable here. You’ll reach the town centre in about an hour and 20 minutes.
It’s one of my favorite spots when doing a Scotland west coast road trip.
Edinburgh to Inveraray: From Edinburgh, however, you’ll need to first go to Glasgow and then hop on the 926 bus.
You could easily make this a day trip from Glasgow, or Edinburgh but it’s a bit further and may be worth staying overnight.
Day Trips to Inveraray
If you’re on a trip to Scotland, like this 4-day Scotland itinerary, you might be planning a day trip from cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh. Or, you might be a student or new resident in Scotland and looking to take a day trip to explore more of the country. Here are some tours to consider:
Day Trip from Glasgow: This full-day trip from Glasgow includes so many west coast Scotland gems like Glencoe, Oban, and Inveraray. It’s a fantastic itinerary to get your feet wet in the beauty of the west coast and have the ease of traveling with a group.
Day Trip from Edinburgh: This is a similar tour, but it leaves from Edinburgh with a couple of central Highlands stops like the Doune Castle (seen in shows like Outlander and Games of Thrones). You also have a long stopover in Inveraray.
Best Things to Do in Inveraray, Argyll & Bute
Loch Fyne
If you’re arriving by bus, you’ll be let out just in front of Loch Fyne. If you’re arriving by car, you’ll likely cross the beautiful Aray Bridge with the loch on one side and all things to do in Inveraray on the other.
To get started, take a stroll around the coastline and enjoy the view of old boats, and if you’re lucky, you’ll witness the mystical, eerie fog lingering over the loch. But I guess if you’re even luckier it will be sunny!
It will be a hit or miss with the weather. I’ve experienced both sunny and gloomy days in Inveraray, but I’ve always much preferred the gloomy. It suits the town well.
There is a grassy space between the village streets and the water, which is perfect for a picnic, playing fetch with your dog, or just admiring a bit of greenery.
Ice cream by the water
One of the most quintessential Inveraray things to do is eating ice cream while you stroll around the town or take a seat by the water and see the historic red boat Vital Spark.
There are several places to choose from, but the most popular is The Pier Shop on Front Street. Pop in, choose from their homemade flavors, and go wander around or sit by the water a bit longer.
They have classic flavors like pistachio and chocolate as well as more original flavors such as rum and raisin.
The Pier Shop is only daily until 5 p.m.
Inveraray Castle
Famously seen in the TV series Downton Abbey and the home of the Duke of Argyll, the Inveraray Castle is lovely with its grey-stoned walls and four conical roofs.
The architecture is very traditional of the Gothic Revival. The castle also boasts a lovely garden for visitors to wander through, too.
You can see the exterior free of charge but if you’d like to tour the inside of the castle as well as the gardens, you will need a ticket.
It’s £18 for adults and £10 if you only want access to the gardens. The Inverary Castle will be open from March 27, 2025 to October 27, 2025.
Inveraray Jail
Visit the 19th century Scottish prison and experience what life was like for the men, women, children, and alleged lunatics that once served their years there.
The Inveraray Jail is relatively cheap to visit and is pretty fun with the live characters, wax figures, and prison-like activities you can do once you’re inside.
In recent years, the jail now offers an escape room as well as tours of the historic facility. An escape room in a 19th century prison is definitely one of the most unique things to do in Scotland, and I recommend it if you’re traveling with a group.
The George
The George is an inviting, cozy and traditional pub and restaurant located on the main street. It also features a hotel on the upper levels and the building itself dates back to 1770.
They’ve got plenty of Scottish and internationally-inspired food, a great beer selection, and even better staff.
I’ve been here countless times, and it’s always a favorite to come back to when I’m in Inverary or nearby.
The atmosphere is so warm and you might just feel like you’ve traveled back in time through the stones. If you know, you know.
Bonus is that they often do live music in the evenings, so come back after dinner for a chance to hear some local bands or performers.
Breakfast at Brambles of Inveraray
One of the most delicious places to eat in Inveraray come morning time is Brambles of Inveraray.
They have a wonderful selection of pastries like sausage rolls (even vegan ones), croissants, breakfast cakes, and more.
Then, they have an awesome breakfast/brunch menu with full Scottish breakfast and other local favorites like breakfast rolls, eggs benedict, granola, and Scottish porridge.
Brambles is also a hotel, offering individually styled rooms like gorgeous wood furnishings. I love the elegant rattan bed frames several of the rooms have.
Dun Na Cuaiche Watchtower
One of the best things to do in Inveraray is to explore the natural trails and history of the area. You can achieve both of these by hiking up to the Dun Na Cuaiche Watchtower just past the Inveraray Castle.
It stands tall on a hill overlooking Inveraray and dates all the way back to 1756.
To reach the top, follow this 4.1 mile out-and-back trail that leads right up to the Watchtower.
The trail is rated moderate and you’ll have the pleasure of soaking up wonderful perspectives of Scottish forests, Loch Fyne, Inveraray, and the Inveraray Castle throughout the trip.
Local shopping
The village is home to several nice boutique shops worth checking out during your day trip to Inveraray.
Some highlights include Inveraray Woollen Mill full of Scottish wool garments, locally made items, and Scottish souvenirs.
There’s also Loch Fyne Whiskies, Inverary’s very own whisky distillers.
However, I recommend a walk through the white-washed streets and pop into wherever suits your fancy.
I hope you enjoy your day trip to Inveraray! Should you have a questions, feel free to comment down below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I see it 🙂
9 Responses
Thanks for the guide! One of these years when I get to hike one of the long trails I’ve been obsessing over in Scotland like the Skye Trail or the West Highland Way I really want to go to Inveraray. Until then I’ll enjoy your great suggestions and pictures!
Come join me! We’ll go for a hike! 🙌 But no really – that’s awesome. You’ll love Scotland! And thank you for reading.
Though remote from many of the other popular tourist destinations in Scotland this is a beautiful spot that is worth a visit
Yes indeed it is ☺️
hello what is the food shop/supermarket in town pls? we are coming for a short trip this weekend.
Hi! There’s a Co-op right off the A83, a couple minutes walk from the main area. There’s also a shop convenience shop called Londis as well as a McColl’s. 🙂 Have an amazing trip!