The Isle of Skye is absolutely stunning and has a great mix of outdoor adventures and peaceful escapes that make for the perfect family vacation for all ages. Kids can explore tide pools, run through open landscapes, and look for wildlife like seals and puffins, while adults can take in the dramatic scenery of cliffs, waterfalls, and castles. There are tons of beautiful Isle of Skye hiking opportunities and the small towns and friendly locals make it feel cozy and welcoming. We loved our 3 days in Isle of Skye with kids and hope you find this Isle of Skye itinerary helpful!
Isle of Skye Attractions Map: Best Things To Do in Isle of Skye
See THIS MAP to view all the best sites for an Isle of Skye family vacation!
Tips for Isle of Skye Family Travel
What to Pack for Isle of Skye: Minimal Packing Essentials for Families
We lucked out with absolutely spectacular weather – possibly the best the entire UK has had in years and years. We had full sunshine and no clouds and almost no wind the entire time we were there. It was around 13-15/55-60 degrees, so really lovely and perfect for hiking. And since we went in April, it was before the midges (similar to mosquitos) had arrived, so we didn’t need to worry about insect repellant. Such a dream!
That said, Skye is known for frequent gray skies, rain, and clouds. We took waterproof trousers and jackets and boots for everyone and didn’t regret it. All our boots are linked below – we LOVE all of these and have had them for years. I’d definitely recommend sturdy hiking boots as a lot of the trails are gravelly and slippy, so I was very happy to have full hiking boots and we were very happy to have waterproof ones for muddy areas. I also brought along my beloved Ecco’s, which I wore for dinner out as well as on our third day since those were much more low-key hikes. If you do go in the summer, it gets much wetter in July/August, and the midges can get quite bad, so I definitely recommend good repellant.
Especially with a big family, it’s important for us to pack minimally so we don’t feel totally overwhelmed when we travel. Here are some of our favorite minimal packing essentials for families!
- Merino Wool Base Layers, Socks, & Sweaters: Here are my favorite base layers to use as pajamas or to layer under clothing in cold weather. All our favorite merino wool base layers and wool socks for the whole family are linked HERE!
- Diaper Belt Bag: I absolutely love this little bag because it holds so much but is really compact and easy to wear with a variety of outfits. You can use the code PASSPORTFAM10 for 10% off.
- Packing Cubes: I love packing cubes for keeping things organized, contained, and compact. These are my favorite expandable packing cubes, and I also love these.
- Rain Gear: Waterproof jacket and pants for women; jacket and pants for men; jacket and pants for kids; jacket and pants for toddlers.
- Lightweight Women’s Pants: I absolutely adore these pants for travel because they’re SO comfortable, fold super small, and dry in a flash. More about why I love them HERE.
- Shoes: As I mentioned, I had two pairs of shoes – my beloved waterproof hiking boots and my fave white sneakers (More about my favorite travel shoes HERE.) For my kids, we really love Keen shoes because they’re durable and waterproof. We brought these kids waterproof hiking boots and have loved them for years. A couple of our kids have these waterproof hiking sneakers that they love and brought them instead.
- 35L Backpack: We’ve had and loved this backpack for nearly a decade. Dan carried it with all our snacks and water, as well as extra rain jackets and such. Since we weren’t doing any super lengthy hikes, we didn’t bother with anyone else carrying a backpack, although we do LOVE this 18L kids hiking backpack that we often use for hiking if you’d rather distribute the weight a bit more. (Dan was training for a big hike so wanted the weight!)
- Baby Hiking Carrier: We opted not to take our favorite full on child hiking carrier on this trip due to tight space in the car. However, if you’re able to take something like this along, it’s definitely more comfortable for even the lengths of these hikes and to be able to easily carry your stuff and a child. Instead, we took along our favorite lightweight, packable travel carrier. My oldest (14 at the time) was also training for a big hike with Dan, so he was happy to wear our toddler on all the hikes (and 10yo brother was excited to take a turn!). It’s not as comfortable for longer distances for either the wearer or the kiddo, but it’s definitely still really comfy and easy to wear, especially since our 2.5 year old was only about 23 lbs at the time.
- Pop Up Tent Baby Bed: We’ve had this super lightweight baby travel bed for over a decade. We love it so much because it’s so lightweight and fits easily in a suitcase without having to take a bulky and heavy pack n play.
- Lightweight Folding Baby Carrier: I absolutely love this baby carrier because it’s supportive but still lightweight and weighs about a pound.
For more packing ideas here’s what I packed for:
Where to Stay in Isle of Skye With Kids
We LOVED our rental home. It was about 10 minutes north of Portree so convenient to get to a grocery store and food but a little set apart and with a gorgeous view of one of the lochs. It was spacious and super clean and comfortable! (Will add the booking link here myself)
In general, if traveling to Skye as a family, I’d recommend staying in a flat or house instead of a hotel. Many of the hotels are only for a couple people, and we really appreciated having a kitchen to save money on dinners. Plus, we were all exhausted after full days of hiking and being outside and it was really nice to just go home and eat a quick meal, shower, and go to bed.
We typically like booking home rentals via Booking.com or VRBO. Expedia is also great for getting deals on hotels.
Here are some other lovely homes I’d recommend when visiting Skye with kids:
How To Get Around Isle of Skye With Kids
Getting Around – you absolutely want a car to explore Skye, especially with kids. The island is spread out, with winding roads and remote areas, so having your own vehicle gives you the most flexibility. There are buses that connect major towns like Portree and Broadford to some attractions, but they run infrequently and don’t always stop near trailheads or viewpoints. Some visitors choose to take guided tours from the mainland or from Portree, which can be a good option if you’re not comfortable driving. Be prepared for LOTS of single-lane roads with pullouts for passing.
And here is a complete post about traveling with car seats. And here are our favorites by age:
- Favorite Infant Car Seat For Travel Available at: Amazon, Target, Walmart
- Favorite Convertible Car Seat For Travel Available at: Walmart
- Favorite Booster Restrain Vest For Travel Available at: RideSafer
- Favorite Booster Seat For Travel Available at: Amazon
Eating in Isle of Skye With Kids
Other than the couple meals out, we had our car/home rental stocked with food – we did PBJs for lunches, and made dinner in our rental home. Quick food on Skye, especially vegetarian-friendly, isn’t super abundant, so we were happy to have stuff with us.
Isle of Skye Attractions: Best Things To Do In Isle of Skye
Day 1: Isle of Sky Itinerary
- Dunvegan Castle
- Coral Beach
- Old Man of Storr hike
- Adult dinner at The Three Chimneys
We arrived the night before after exploring the Glencoe area that day. We came over on the Skye bridge because the ferry to Isle of Skye from Mailleg was sold out online, but that would’ve been more convenient if possible since we stopped at the Glenfinnan viaduct viewpoint and Dumbledore’s grave.
Our first stop the next morning was Dunvegan Castle. It’s the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been home to the MacLeod clan for over 800 years. Inside, you can walk through rooms filled with portraits, antiques, and clan treasures. The grounds are just as lovely and you can even take a short boat trip from the castle to see a local seal colony, which is always a hit with kids.
For the afternoon we headed to Coral Beach. Despite its name, the beach isn’t made of coral but of fossilized and sun-bleached algae, giving it a unique white appearance. The views are stunning and the water is especially lovely on a sunny day. Note that the car park is located at the end of the single-track road and there is a short walk to the beach. It’s always good to wear appropriate footwear, especially if the weather has been wet.​
Though it was a bit later in the day, we next headed to hike Old Man of Storr. It was quiet and gorgeous during golden hour. We walked all the way around Storr itself instead of just going up to see it or instead of doing the full circular on the other side of the cliff. It was perfect with kids! The green area behind Storr was similar to fairy glen, which we visited a couple days later, but even quieter.
Then we headed back to the house to put kids to bed and had an adult dinner at The Three Chimneys. This was absolutely fantastic. Beautiful drive out, amazing and super local food.
Day 2: Isle of Sky Itinerary
- Quirang hike
- An Corran Beach
- Mealtfalls and Kilt Rock viewpoint
- Ice cream and pizza
We started the morning hiking Quirang. It’s about 5 miles with the slight detour to the very top point, with about 1500 ft elevation gain. Everyone walked it except 2.5 year old baby S, who we wore in the carrier. It’s one of the best hikes we’ve EVER done – so stunning, diverse scenery from water views to cliffs to green with jagged peaks to lake views from the ridge walk. This took us about 4.5 hours with a lengthy lunch/play stop. We arrived to the trailhead around 11:30 and were surprised that it wasn’t super busy – we were easily able to find parking in the car park. I would NOT recommend this hike in wet weather or if you’re really nervous with heights – I don’t love love heights but it was okay and except for a couple short spots, we were able to keep the kids plenty far away from drop offs. That said, I would not have felt comfortable in wet weather at all. Plus, this hike is largely about the spectacular views, so I don’t feel it would be really worthwhile if it were rainy and foggy.
Next we headed to another unique Isle of Skye beach – An Corran beach near Staffin, known for its ancient dinosaur footprints! These tracks, preserved in sandstone and dating back around 170 million years, are best seen at low tide when they’re exposed on the flat rocks near the shoreline. Be sure to check tide times before visiting to ensure the footprints are visible. There aren’t any amenities or services at the beach, so it can be a fairly quick stop. If you have time and are interested in learning more about the area’s geological and cultural history, the Staffin Dinosaur Museum is located nearby and offers additional insights into the island’s ancient inhabitants.
Nearby is the Mealtfalls and Kilt Rock viewpoint. Mealt Falls is a 55-meter waterfall that plunges directly into the sea from the cliffs, fed by the nearby Loch Mealt. Adjacent to the falls, Kilt Rock is a 90-meter-high cliff composed of basalt columns resting on a sandstone base, giving it an appearance reminiscent of a pleated Scottish kilt. It’s absolutely stunning.
For an afternoon treat, we grabbed Isle of Sky ice cream and then picked up takeaway pizza from Gasta Port Righ. It was excellent! We also stopped into the Isle of Skye Candle Co nearby.
Day 3: Isle of Sky Itinerary
- Fairy Glen
- Home farm stand
- Fairy Pools
- Neist Point Light House
For our last full day in Isle of Skye we headed to Fairy Glen! It’s super charming and a quick walk. It felt like a smaller version of Quirang or the back of Storr. Would be great for families with younger kiddos who don’t want to do the full Quirang hike. We probably would’ve loved it more had we not done Quirang first!
Next we stopped by a home to grab eggs out of their honesty box. There are lots of these home stands around Scotland for eggs, homemade jams, and more – so fun.
Then we headed to the Fairy Pools! We loved this!! We played at the waterfall at the beginning and climbed around. Then we walked up to the pools, which we didn’t realize were super clear and some deeper and perfect for wading. We kind of wished we’d brought swimsuits since it was a beautiful day, though the water was very cold. (A few people were swimming, though!) We did all wade in up to our knees and it was lovely and refreshing, and the kids loved climbing around.
Finally, we made our way to Neist Point Lighthouse. (It’s right by The Three Chimneys, though we didn’t have the kids with us then.) It’s kind of further out and we originally planned to do it after the Coral Beach on the first day, but we didn’t want to miss Storr or leave that until the last day. So we went back to the lighthouse on this day, which was maybe even better because we went at golden hour/sunset and it was absolutely stunning. It’s on the west coast of the island so it was perfect for sunset.
Leaving Isle of Skye
We left the next morning and took the oldest (and only?) manual turntable car ferry in the world. Such a fun little experience! There was also the most beautiful beach on the other side, and we stopped at some 2,000 year old stone buildings, the Rapatan Pass viewpoint, and Eilean Donan Castle before driving to Inverness. It was an absolutely lovely trip and we’re all so grateful for the beautiful weather we scored!
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