ACTIVITIES AND THINGS TO DO

Aviemore is the outdoor capital of Scotland, with a never ending list of things to do. We have been holidaying in the area for over 10 years, so we have tried to capture the things we have enjoyed with our family

Our Favourites…

From an Activities point of view, Aviemore Karting is great fun for all ages – arrive and drive around £10, brilliant fun. Ziptrek is a bit more adventurous, with around 14 zip wires zigzagging across a gorge, with the last one being 500m. A good few hours of a day, around £25 per person and brilliant fun – must book well in advance, in holiday season several weeks ahead. The Highland Wildlife centre is a great day out, part of Edinburgh zoo, a well organised well maintained park, with lots to see. If you’re in the area, the folk museum is free and a good park for the kids and a nice walk around. Swimming at the Macdonald resort is expensive (about £26 for a family day ticket), but a lovely big pool in the heart of Aviemore with a great flume and wave machine. In winter (and actually all year round) the reindeers are a great visit – the paddock is nice for smaller kids, but you can’t beat the walk up the mountain where you can feed them.

However, for young kids, you can’t go past Landmark  -a great day out. If you are around for a week, it’s worth considering the week pass – not that much more expensive, but you can drop in on your way home at the end of the day, let the kids burn off some energy, while the queues have quietened down.

It’s a beautiful area, so drives up the ski road are great – lovely walks around the green loch and loch morlich, but the funicular train up to the top of cairngorm is always great fun (especially on a clear day), and a good café up the top. Loch an Eilein is a lovely circular walk, but you can just walk part of it and still get the great views. Really nice easy cycle (i.e. not really hilly), but still around 4 miles.

Eating out, the award winning Mountain Café is a must, but be prepared to queue on the steps. Breakfast menu brilliant, with lots for the kids. The cakes are out of this world!! The newer route 7 is also worth a visit, nice big café with fresh pizza etc, but also a nice shop. In Boat of Garten, Andersons is a lovely Bistro meal, lovely food and fantastic homemade ice creams (try the Baked Potato Ice Cream if they have it!). The 1896 café is boat is lovely, with great coffee and  lovely homebake cakes.

For eating out in general, can’t really go wrong with the Cairngorm Hotel or Roos in Aviemore.

Have Fun…