As the Capital of the Highlands, the gateway to Loch Ness, and the city located right next door to Culloden Moor, it’s safe to say that when it comes to exploring the culture, legend, and history of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is a marvelous place to start!
Like many travelers, we decided to visit Inverness in large part to use it as a launching pad to other places, both in the immediate surrounding area (like Loch Ness) and beyond (like the Isle of Skye: we started and ended our Scotland road trip in Inverness).
If you pause long enough to see a bit of the city itself, though, you’ll find there are lots of fun things to do in Inverness itself, and we had a great time over the course of our two visits!
Here’s exactly what to do in Inverness, plus some interesting day trips to add to your roster (though can you really call it a “day trip” if it’s a 20-minute drive down the road?).
Hoping to organize all these ideas into a cohesive itinerary for Inverness? Scroll down, and you’ll find our thoughts on structuring a 1-day or a 2-day Inverness itinerary, too!
Table of Contents
- In a hurry to plan your trip to Inverness?
- The Best Things to Do in Inverness, Scotland
- Cool Places to Visit Near Inverness
- Where to Stay for 1-2 Days in Inverness
- A Sample Inverness Itinerary for 1 or 2 Days
- Getting Around When Visiting Inverness, Scotland
- Should you take an Isle of Skye day trip from Inverness?
- Map of the Best Things to See in Inverness
In a hurry to plan your trip to Inverness?
Need to book your trip to Inverness fast?
Here are the top tours we recommend in this blog post, plus where we suggest staying during your visit:
- Loch Ness Cruise with Urquhart Castle Views (We loved this cruise!)
- Culloden, Loch Ness, Clava Cairns + Beyond Day Trip (Great all-in-one introduction to the area surrounding Inverness)
- Eilean Donan Castle + Isle of Skye Day Trip (We cover a lot of pros and cons to this tour further below, but it is VERY popular for good reason. We adored both of these places!)
Excellent Places to Stay:
- Crown Apartment (The exact apartment we loved staying in!)
- Bluebell House (Highly rated, beautiful building, incredible breakfast.)
- Blackfriar’s (Excellent location, great mix of modern and traditional.)
The Best Things to Do in Inverness, Scotland
Step inside the kirkyard of Inverness’ Old High Church.
The oldest church in town is hard to miss when exploring the top things to see in Inverness!
Situated on a hill called St. Michael’s Mount, overlooking the city and the River Ness, the church has roots dating to the 14th century… plus a peaceful kirkyard, which is the reason to visit today.
Be sure to walk all the way to the edge, as there’s lovely views over the River Ness from the edge of the kirkyard.
While both beautiful and peaceful today, though, the history is anything but: after the Battle of Culloden in 1746, hundreds of Jacobite prisoners were imprisoned and then executed here.
As for why we recommend visiting the kirkyard but not the actual kirk, it’s currently closed! Not only closed, it’s actually being sold by the Church of Scotland.
Time will tell what the new owner will do with the property!
Admire views of the River Ness and Inverness from Greig Street Bridge.
Looking for the best views of Inverness? Head to the river!
From the Greig Street Bridge, you can stand over the River Ness and admire most of Inverness’ most prominent buildings, from the cathedral to the castle of the Old High Church.
Peruse to your heart’s content in Leakey’s Bookshop.
I was so excited to visit Leakey’s Bookshop.
Arguably one of the most famous bookstores in Europe (it was even featured on our roundup of beautiful European bookstores we published years ago), Leakey’s is a place where bibliophiles can easily disappear for hours.
Featuring thousands of used books–including many unusual titles that perhaps weren’t widely published–and more antique prints than you could possibly thumb through, it’s an absolute joy to peruse at leisure.
Add in the fact that it’s housed in a former Gaelic church (don’t miss the stained-glass windows) and features a spiral staircase you can climb, as well as a prominently placed wood stove to keep it cozy in winter, and you have a truly remarkable place to explore.
My toddler didn’t love it quite as much as I did, which is probably for the best: I’m not sure I would have made it out to explore the rest of Inverness otherwise! (Though I may have snuck in a second visit without him later…)
Explore the Victorian Market.
Featuring more than 30 independent businesses, Inverness’ Victorian Market is a marvelous place for a slow, ambling walk.
Whether you want to grab a cup of coffee, shop for Scottish souvenirs (ranging from the kitschy to the truly artistic), eat a delicious meal, or even get a quick haircut at the barbershop, you can do it here.
The Victorian Market is made up of 3 intersecting arcades, all accessible from each other, which is a big win if you’re looking for things to do in Inverness when it’s raining!
We spent longer here than we expected to, and had a great time browsing.
(Maybe) visit the Inverness Castle.
During our autumn 2025 trip, the Inverness Castle–though impressive to glimpse from its perch above town–was closed to visitors.
However, it’s slated to be reopened as an interactive museum celebrating “what makes the Highlands of Scotland a special place to live, work, and visit” (per their website).
How soon? Well, it’s scheduled to open in 2025… but since it’s mid-November as I type this and the castle isn’t open yet, we shall see!
I recommend checking the castle’s website for updated information before your Inverness trip!
Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Enjoy an evening of live music.
It’s not a trip to Scotland without enjoying some live music!
Inverness’ center is lined with pubs and restaurants offering live music, many of them 7 nights a week, so it’s easy to find a spot.
We spent an evening at Hootananny, which was both unabashedly touristy and tons of fun.
Our whole group had a fantastic time, including our toddler!
Reservations are recommended for dinner, as is the case with just about any well-known place to eat in Inverness (like The Mustard Seed or Kitchen Restaurant, for example).
Stop by the Inverness Cathedral.
Nestled along the banks of the River Ness, the Inverness Cathedral is easily one of the most striking churches in the city.
Built in the late 19th century, it features soaring ceilings and gorgeous stained glass characteristic of the building’s Gothic revival style.
While its age makes the cathedral practically an infant in terms of Scottish buildings, it was the “first Cathedral to be completely built and consecrated in Great Britain since the reformation”, which is quite the accomplishment!
The cathedral is open 365 days a year and visiting costs 6 pounds per person. You can check any updates to ticket prices here.
Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Step inside the oldest residential building in Inverness.
Did you know you can visit the oldest residential building in Inverness… for free?
The Abertaff House dates to 1593, and today it hosts a small museum about the history of Inverness, plus details about local life in the 1600s.
For Outlander fans, it also has a slight connection to the series: the house was once briefly owned by the Frasers of Lovat. Their connection isn’t particularly relevant to the museum today, but the name certainly jumps out to those (like me) who know the story!
Abertaff House’s hours are seasonal and fairly limited. I recommend reviewing them here before planning your visit.
The good news is that it’s located right in the center of Inverness, so you’ll likely walk by several times and have multiple opportunities to visit if you’re in Inverness for a couple of days!
Stroll around the Ness Islands.
Scotland isn’t exactly a destination that lacks green space, but there’s also arguably no such thing as too much of it!
If you’d like to escape the city for a bit, consider a quick stroll over to the Ness Islands, where you can disappear into the center of the River Ness and feel like you’ve left city life behind entirely.
This small group of islands is connected to the mainland via lovely footbridges, making it an easy getaway on foot.
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the fallen tree that has been carved to look like Nessie!
Nessie on the Ness Islands by valenta, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Check out the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery.
Dedicated to exploring Highland art, history, and culture, the Inverness Museum is an excellent place to start getting acquainted with the Scottish Highlands as you (hopefully) prepare to venture away from Inverness and explore more of the region up close.
It also happens to be an excellent place to dodge the rain, if that’s necessary during your trip!
Note that the museum has somewhat limited hours that (like so many places in Scotland) change seasonally. If you want to visit, be sure to check their opening schedule as you make plans!
Cool Places to Visit Near Inverness
Look for Nessie on a Loch Ness cruise.
Touristy or delightful? How about both!
We signed up for this Loch Ness cruise during our trip to Inverness, and every member of our group had a fantastic time.
Quite apart from the Nessie legends, the area is gorgeous, and the views of Urquhart Castle from the water are phenomenal.
We did notice that our 10:00 AM cruise was substantially less crowded than the afternoon cruise we spotted from the road later, which may be something to keep in mind!
We loved having plenty of room to move around and navigate the top deck, which is where the best views are (the bottom, enclosed deck was essentially deserted for most of the voyage).
Of course, this being Scotland, the breeze coming off the water was frigid even during the fairly mild weather we experienced. Pack lots of layers! I regret not bringing a pair of smartphone-compatible gloves on the boat with me.
Apart from that, though, it was a fantastic outing and we’re glad we made it part of our list of things to do in Inverness.
Step inside the (ruins of) Urquhart Castle.
Situated on the edge of Loch Ness and dating to the 13th century, it’s hard to imagine a more picturesque castle ruin than Urquhart Castle–though its history is anything but!
The castle played a role in the Scottish War of Independence, and later, it was eventually destroyed by government troops to prevent the Jacobites from using it during the Risings.
We loved admiring views of the castle from Loch Ness, but I naively didn’t book tickets in advance since I didn’t want to conflict with my toddler’s nap schedule. The result? Even in October, we were turned away at the door.
Learn from our mistake and book your tickets in advance!
Alternatively, you can sign up for a day trip like this that includes a visit to Urquhart Castle.
Marvel at the Clava Cairns.
Want to step inside–literally, inside–a 4,000-year-old tomb? Head to the Clava Cairns!
Located about a 20-minute drive from Inverness (and just a 10-minute drive from Culloden), the mysterious Clava Cairns are one of the coolest places we visited near Inverness.
Though the use of the cairns is a bit of a mystery, the prevailing theory is that the cairns are Bronze Age cemeteries.
In the 21st century, they’re also a popular stop for Outlander fans, thanks to the standing stones that can act as a reasonable stand-in (pun intended) for the fictional Craig na Dun.
Learn the ins and outs of the historic Battle of Culloden.
Without a doubt, one of the most famous places to visit near Inverness is Culloden Moor, the site of the Battle of Culloden.
In 1746, the Battle of Culloden decisively ended the aspirations of the Jacobites, a group of people who were seeking to restore the House of Stuart to the Scottish (and English) throne. The Jacobites made several attempts to do this over the decades, but “the ’45”–AKA the rebellion that began in 1745 and ended on Culloden Moor–was the last.
The history of the Jacobites is long and complex, and has been covered extensively in many books (this one is a good primer on the ’45 specifically), so I won’t go far into the weeds here.
If you’re not familiar with the Battle of Culloden, this sentence pulled from the National Trust for Scotland website sums it up: “It was the last pitched battle on British soil and, in less than an hour, around 1,600 men were slain – 1,500 of them Jacobites.”
In other words, the battle was bloody, brutal, and shaped British culture and history going forward.
The museum is extremely well-done, and tells two parallel stories on either side of each room. On one side, you get the government’s perspective. On the other, the Jacobites.
The battlefield itself is free to visit, but you do need to pay for parking and to tour the museum (which I highly recommend doing).
We visited the moor first and then headed inside to the museum because it’s what worked for our schedule, but it’s really designed to see the museum first and then walk the battlefield afterward. I definitely recommend starting with the museum if you can!
Take a peek at the Culloden Viaduct.
Don’t have time to make it down to the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct and watch the Jacobite Steam Train (AKA Hogwarts Express) cross it?
Well, we didn’t either, so we took a very slight detour while visiting Inverness and saw the Culloden Viaduct!
No, it’s not quite the same thing, but this viaduct is striking and practically next door to the Clava Cairns, making it an easy and quick stop when in the area.
I wouldn’t call it a must-see, but for a viaduct fan like Jeremy, it was definitely worth a short pit stop (and yes, we did get to see a train crossing it!).
Have afternoon tea next door to hairy coos!
I have been excited to book an afternoon tea with a side of feeding hairy coos for ages, and we absolutely loved it!
The Quila Cridhe Tearoom offers hairy coo meet-and-greets as well as a standard tearoom, both of which were memorable.
The tearoom itself is cozy and offers wonderful Highland views. We were lucky enough to be seated near the window and spent longer than we expected there so we could enjoy the view (it did help that we were blessed with perfect weather that day).
You can order tea and treats from the normal menu, but we chose to book a full afternoon tea with the Highland coo meet-and-greet, which worked out perfectly.
The tea included more food than we could eat (definitely treat it as a meal), and the coos were darling and eager to get pets and snacks.
What we didn’t expect before visiting Scotland was that these hairy coos would be the only ones we would see on our trip!
For that reason, I’m very glad we made arrangements to see them in advance. I would have been very sad to leave Scotland without seeing a single one!
(Also, note that the tearoom has a sign up that reads “cash is king”. They do take card, but if you have cash with you, I’d recommend bringing it!)
Go dolphin-spottting at Chanonry Point.
Did you know that you can go dolphin-spotting from the shore just outside of Inverness?
Moray Firth is famous for its dolphins, and Chanonry Point is known for being one of the best places to admire them from the shore!
The best time to spot them is said to be in the summer (May-September) during a rising tide.
We didn’t get a chance to experience this during our trip to Inverness, but we’d love to make time for it in the future!
You can read more about how to visit, including advice on where to park, here.
Pay a visit to Cawdor Castle.
If you don’t recognize the name Cawdor Castle, there’s still a good chance you’ve heard of the castle’s most famous literary connection: Macbeth.
A family home dating back more than 600 years, Cawdor Castle is one of the most famous, and impressive, castles located within a short drive of Inverness.
And while the Macbeth connection is mostly legend (Cawdor Castle was built in the 1300s, the events in Macbeth took place in the 1100s), it’s still a very cool story to have associated with a place you’re visiting!
Today, touring the castle and gardens makes an excellent day trip from Inverness, and there’s even a playground on the property for little ones.
Like many things to do in Inverness, Cawdor Castle is open seasonally, from April to October. You can check opening dates and ticket prices here.
You can tour the interior of the castle or opt only for a ticket to the gardens/nature trail, which includes plenty of views of the castle’s exterior.
Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where to Stay for 1-2 Days in Inverness
We were traveling to Inverness with a group of 4 (Jeremy and me, our toddler, and our friend Ashley), so we opted to stay in the 2-bedroom Crown Apartment and absolutely loved it!
It was impeccably clean, well-stocked, cozy, and in the perfect location: on a quiet street with easy parking that felt far from the crowds, while still being a short (if steep) walk from all the best things to do in Inverness.
We would be thrilled to stay here again!
Looking for a more traditional hotel?
The atmospheric Bluebell House gets excellent reviews, includes a wonderful breakfast, and is located within walking distance of the top Inverness attractions.
Blackfriar’s is another popular option in a similar vein, if a bit more modern (and not all rates include breakfast).
Generally speaking, Inverness lends itself to small, family-run inns and guesthouses with a handful of rooms. In other words, book early!
If you see a property you love, snap it up as soon as you can commit to dates.
Check rates & book your stay in Inverness today!
A Sample Inverness Itinerary for 1 or 2 Days
Only have a couple of days to see the Inverness area… or possibly only a single one?
With one day in Inverness, I’d recommend waking up early and doing a very quick walking tour of the center of town. Swing by Leakey’s, browse the Victorian Market, meander past the beautiful Inverness Town House, and see the cathedral.
In the afternoon, head to either the Loch Ness area (take a Loch Ness cruise, visit Urquhart Castle, pet a hairy coo) or to the Culloden area (visit the Culloden Battlefield and Museum, see the Clava Cairns).
In the evening, head back to the center of town and grab a traditional Scottish dinner with live music.
If you don’t particularly care about seeing the center of Inverness but are loath to miss either section outside the city, you could also spend the morning in the Culloden area and the afternoon in the Loch Ness area (or vice versa), either by renting a car and driving yourself or booking a day trip like this.
If you’re lucky enough to have 2 days in town, your Inverness itinerary has a bit more breathing room.
With 2 days in Inverness, I’d recommend spending the bulk of the first day exploring the best things to see in Inverness’ city center (you should be able to cover most of them, including 1-2 museums, in a day).
If you have a car with you, consider visiting 1-2 stops away from the center in the afternoon, perhaps Cawdor Castle or Chanonry Point.
On the second day, concentrate on the best things to see nearby, including half a day in the Loch Ness/Urquhart Castle area, and the rest elsewhere (Culloden, Clava Cairns, etc.–whatever spots you didn’t cover yesterday).
Getting Around When Visiting Inverness, Scotland
As the center of Inverness is quite small, you can easily walk between all the top things to do in Inverness’ historic center.
Once you leave the immediate area, though, you’re going to want four wheels to help you get around!
In practice, that means either renting a car for at least part of your trip to Inverness (which is what we did), navigating bus service, or booking a tour like this.
While you can visit several of the top places to visit near Inverness in one day, it’s worth noting that Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and the Hairy Coo Afternoon Tea are all located close together, southwest of Inverness.
Similarly, Culloden Battlefield, the Clava Cairns, and the Culloden Viaduct are all very close together to the east of Inverness. Continue driving east another 15-20 minutes past Culloden Moor, and you’ll reach Castle Cawdor.
This popular one-stop-shop day tour leaves from Inverness and includes stops at Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Culloden, the Clava Cairns, and a few other places like Beauly. It’s a great way to make the most of your time in Inverness!
Want to drive yourself? We recommend shopping through Discover Cars, which allows you to compare prices and inclusions of multiple companies at the same time and choose the best car for you from there.
Prefer to try your hand at using the bus system? The Highland Council and Stagecoach operate buses in the area.
Shop rental cars for your trip to Inverness today!
Prefer a guided tour? This multi-stop organized day trip will give you a great overview of the surroudning area!
Should you take an Isle of Skye day trip from Inverness?
If you browse popular day trips from Inverness, without a doubt, you’ll see the Isle of Skye (and Eilean Donan Castle) near the top of the list… But Skye is located 2+ hours to the west of Inverness, which is a good chunk of the distance across Scotland!
So is it worth it? Maybe.
We were lucky enough to spend several days on the Isle of Skye, and quickly became enamored with it. It’s wildly popular for good reason, and one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in my life.
Meanwhile, Eilean Donan Castle (which is popularly added onto Skye day trips from Inverness because it’s right on the way) could not be more scenic if it tried.
If you’re looking for a storybook picture of the Scottish Highlands, looking across the water to Eilean Donan Castle will give you that!
Visiting these places on a day trip from Inverness means spending a 12+ hour day mostly looking out a car window, for a chance to see a very small (but very scenic) sliver of a very large island, plus a beautiful castle and village or two.
If you think the trade-off is worth it, you’re not alone: this day trip to the Isle of Skye is one of the most popular tours in Scotland for good reason!
… Just know what you’re getting into, because it absolutely is a lot of time on a bus.
(We don’t recommend driving this one alone: you’ll get more out of it by handing over the keys, so to speak, and enjoying both the scenery and the freedom of not having to worry about navigation and parking).
Book your day trip to the Isle of Skye from Inverness today!
Map of the Best Things to See in Inverness
Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.
About Kate Storm