We love Glasgow. We love Glasgow even more in the summer - but there’s only so much time you can spend in Kelvingrove, Queens Park, or any other of our great green jewels until you start experiencing wanderlust.
We put together this list of the best spots near Glasgow for a day trip - most of which are less than two hours away.
Get away from these crowded tenement blocks and city streets and escape into the great outdoors - seeing some of the best beaches, beauty spots, camping grounds, villages, towns, and more.
The good news is, there’s so much to do in the surrounding area around Glasgow - so many beautiful places to visit that are often overlooked by those of us living in Glasgow. So much so that we had a hard time narrowing it down to 12 of the best.
That’s why we put together this list - to put our readers on to some of the best spots to enjoy the summer outside of the city. Nothing quite beats a day trip, whether it be with friends or family, it’s an amazing way to make some beautiful memories.
From beach and lochfront towns to beautiful nature spots, here’s 20 of the best spots for your next day trip this summer.
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1. Isle of Bute
The Isle of Bute is a truly magical place - home to the Royal Burgh of Rothesay, a beautiful small town full of some of the friendliest folks you'll ever meet. From the chip shops to the restaurants, the food is incredible too thanks to the large Italian diaspora on the isle. You can also check out the putting green, which is second to none in our opinion | Supplied
2. Millport
It might be predictable, but by god is it reliable. Glaswegians have loved Millport on Great Cumbrae for generations for good reason. It's the perfect place for tourists - with so much to do. You can get there in just two hours too, including the ferry journey. If urban life is getting you down, take a walk or scenic cycle around the truly stunning coastal paths. | Visit Scotland
3. Luss
Luss is absolutely lush. You wouldn't believe it's so close to Glasgow given how beautiful the place is. While away the day on the pier, or dip in for a swim, you can't go wrong really. Some of our favourite summer memories are sitting on the pier and reading a good book. | geograph.org/karl and Ali
4. Balloch
Balloch is the place to be during the summer these days - with plenty of spaces to camp, enjoy the sun, and be merry. Remember and respect you're environment when you're down there though, you wouldn't like it if someone camped out on your street and left all their minging old rubbish behind. | Loch Lomond Leisure