Erigmore Leisure Park - Fun Days Out

Scone Palace is a Category A-listed historic house near the village of Scone and the city of Perth. Built in red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is a fine example of Gothic Revival style. For centuries the site held the Stone of Scone, on which early Scottish kings were crowned, and Robert the Bruce was crowned here in 1306.

You can explore the State Rooms, then wander the extensive grounds and parkland, which have views over the River Tay. The grounds include a collection of fir trees and a star-shaped maze. The palace has been home to the Murrays of Tullibardine since 1600, and it is still the family's home today.

It is a good pick for anyone who enjoys Scottish history, stately homes and a leisurely walk through landscaped grounds.

Tip: To follow the Stone of Destiny story further, Perth Museum displays it; tickets for that are booked through the museum's own website.

Perth Museum sits in the former Perth City Hall, an Edwardian building that once hosted markets, concerts and political conferences. At its heart is the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, used to crown Scottish monarchs and still used in coronations of the UK's kings and queens. It has returned to Perthshire after more than 700 years.

Alongside the Stone you'll find Perth and Kinross's nationally significant collections, plus loans and exhibitions. Objects include a 3,000-year-old logboat pulled from the Firth of Tay, a mummified woman named Ta-Kr-Hb and a rare cloak made entirely of kākāpō feathers. There's a café, a museum shop and lift access to all floors. Families and children of all ages are welcome, and quieter visits are possible on Thursday and Sunday mornings.

Tip: The Stone of Destiny experience needs a timed ticket, which you book at the front desk, so sort this out early in your visit.

Huntingtower Castle sits about 5 km north-west of the centre of Perth, beside the A85, and is in the care of Historic Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots stayed here in 1565 while on honeymoon with Lord Darnley, and the castle has seen plenty of other dramatic episodes, including the Raid of Ruthven in 1582, when the young James VI was seized here.

The layout is the odd part. Two tower houses stand close together, built a few metres apart and later joined, and they gave rise to the tale of the Maiden's Leap. Inside, look for the delicately painted ceiling dating from about 1540, and try to find the secret hiding place for Ruthven treasures: a cupboard within a cupboard, hidden behind a stone. It's a good stop for anyone who enjoys castle stories and Scottish history.

Tip: Tickets can be booked online for a set date and time, so book ahead before you go.

Blair Castle, near Blair Atholl, has been the home of the Atholl family for centuries. Its 30 rooms show off fine 18th century interiors and Scots Baronial architecture, with collections of weapons, paintings, furniture and needlework. The story runs from medieval times to the present day, and takes in the Jacobite risings and a visit from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Outside, there is plenty to fill the rest of the day. The grounds include a nine-acre walled garden, a wooded grove with a ruined kirk, a gothic folly and a deer park. Families can use the woodland adventure playgrounds, collect free activity sheets, and dress up in the ballroom. History fans and garden lovers will enjoy it just as much as children do.

Tip: Buying tickets online in advance is cheaper than at the ticket office, which takes card payments only. If you want to see the red deer feeding, call ahead to check days and times.

Blair Drummond is a family safari park just outside Stirling, set in a 120-acre estate with over 300 animals. You can set out on a drive-through safari past the African reserve, home to Grant's zebra and southern white rhinos, the lion reserve and the Asian reserve with Bactrian camels and Père David's deer. There is also an optional Monkey Jungle reserve for Barbary macaques, plus an elephant enclosure and a dinosaur exhibit with moving, noisy models.

Away from the animals, there is a bird-of-prey display, a big adventure playground with a pirate ship and adventure fort, part of it under cover for wet weather, and fairground rides. You can also walk the chimp path to a viewing platform. Food ranges from a restaurant and grill to cafés. Wood-fired pizza and desserts may be closed on weekdays. You can also bring a picnic; there are undercover benches if it rains. It's a good choice for families with children.

Tip: Tickets are online only and none are sold at the gate, so book ahead, especially at weekends and school holidays when it often sells out.

Blair Athol is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky distillery on the south edge of Pitlochry in Perthshire, close to the River Tummel. It takes its water from the Allt Dour burn, which gave the distillery its first name, Aldour.

Its story goes back to the 1790s. It closed soon after opening, reopened in the 1820s and changed hands several times over the following decades. It closed again in the 1930s, and Arthur Bell and Sons bought the mothballed site and rebuilt it, reopening it in the late 1940s. Two more stills were added in the 1970s, taking the total to four. Diageo came to own it through a merger in the 1990s.

Dewar's Aberfeldy Distillery stands on the eastern edge of Aberfeldy, on the southern bank of the River Tay. It is the only distillery built by the Dewar family, and it makes Aberfeldy Single Malt, the largest malt component in Dewar's blended Scotch. The water comes from the Pitilie Burn, which runs alongside the site.

Tours cover how the whisky is made and the Dewar family story, usually with a guided tasting of the blend and the single malt. Other options include a blending masterclass, where you make your own bottle to take home, and tastings of rarer, older whiskies. There is also a whisky bar, a shop, and a café in the restored former malting house. It suits whisky fans, and the signature tour is recommended for beginners. Drivers can ask for a takeaway gift instead of a dram.

Tip: If you're new to whisky, book the signature Dewar's Aberfeldy Experience, and leave time for the café before or after your tour.

Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most historically important castles in Scotland. It stands on a volcanic crag with steep cliffs on three sides, and the rock has been fortified since ancient times. Generations of Scottish monarchs enlarged and embellished it, and Mary, Queen of Scots was crowned here in 1542.

You can walk the ramparts and the castle's three main enclosures, taking in the size of the stronghold and the views over Stirling and the surrounding countryside. Inside, look for the Great Hall and the refurbished Royal Palace, the childhood home of Mary, Queen of Scots. Its interiors have been recreated as they may have looked when James V's grand scheme was complete. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, on regimental history, is also on site.

Tip: Book your visit online in advance for a set date and time; the Great Hall and Royal Palace are the parts to head for first.