Forgive me for stating the obvious, but Scotland's a big place so don't expect to see every inch of it in a week's caravan holiday.
For remoteness and mountainous scenery, I'd travel to the Highlands which include the Grampian Mountains (home of Ben Nevis) or if you're more adventurous then try the Islands of Skye, The Hebrides, Shetland or Orkney. As a general rule, Scotland becomes more remote as you travel north.
For a more accessible holiday with city sights I'd consider Edinburgh or Glasgow in the 'lowlands' (i.e. the southern half of Scotland).
As a general rule, you'll find Scottish holiday parks are a little bit cheaper than those in most of England so there are some good deals to be had.
We've picked out 10 of the best by looking at price, location and reviews.
For remoteness and mountainous scenery, I'd travel to the Highlands which include the Grampian Mountains (home of Ben Nevis) or if you're more adventurous then try the Islands of Skye, The Hebrides, Shetland or Orkney. As a general rule, Scotland becomes more remote as you travel north.
For a more accessible holiday with city sights I'd consider Edinburgh or Glasgow in the 'lowlands' (i.e. the southern half of Scotland).
As a general rule, you'll find Scottish holiday parks are a little bit cheaper than those in most of England so there are some good deals to be had.
We've picked out 10 of the best by looking at price, location and reviews.
1. Seton Sands Holiday Park, near Edinburgh (busy coastal Haven park, indoor swimming pool)
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Haven is one of the biggest names in the UK holiday park market and we reckon Seton Sands is their best caravan park in Scotland (it also owns Craig Tara on the West Coast)
Reviews are typically around 4/5 and it’s a big, family-friendly site with plenty of facilities. There’s an indoor swimming pool, which is useful if the weather isn’t up to scratch, daytime and evening entertainment (if that's your thing), archery, fishing, golf and soft play amongst other fun and games. The beach is on your doorstep. It's well located for a visit to Edinburgh but you'll be in the car for a long time if you want to visit one of Scotland's main national parks (Loch Lomond and the Trossachs is a couple of hours away) Price: £711 for a family of four in a standard chalet in August 2019 |
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2. Nairn Lochloy, Highlands (busy Parkdean park, indoor swimming pool, beachside, good reviews)
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Parkdean Resorts has three Scottish caravan holiday parks (more if you include the Park Resorts sites, since the two companies merged). Grannie's Heilan Hame and Nairn Lochloy are both in beachside locations in the Highlands in North East Scotland whilst Tummel Valley Holiday Park is in the centre of Scotland.
There isn't a great deal between them in terms of facilities, but Nairn Lochloy just edges it on visitor reviews (8 or 9/10). It's also in a beachside location and is a 40 minute drive from the Cairngorms National Park or Loch Ness so it offers a good mix of scenery. All three have got indoor swimming pools, adventure playgrounds, crazy golf and places to eat amongst other things to entertain children for five minutes. One other factor to consider is that if you're travelling from London, it's an extra two hours to Nairn Lochloy compared to Tummel Valley. If you find travelling with children to be as much fun as root canal surgery then you might prefer the option with the shorter drive. Price: £699 for a week in a 'Shetland' caravan for a family of four in August 2019 |
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3. Eyemouth Holiday Park (cheap, beachside, near English border, access to nearby swimming pool)
**Winner: best value caravan holiday park in Scotland**
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Eyemouth is another family friendly holiday park which gets fantastic reviews (9/10 on average) despite having more basic facilities than some.
The park was part of the Park Resorts chain, which is now part of Parkdean Resorts (are you keeping up?). It's not far from the English border on Scotland's east coast so is an easy one to visit for a weekend if you live in Northern England. It will take about an hour to get to Edinburgh for a day out. On site you'll find a sports court and play area, as well as a bar and restaurant. There's no swimming pool onsite, but you do have access to a local indoor pool included in your stay (so I'm afraid you can't get away with walking back to your caravan wearing a towel). You can also walk to the beach easily. Price: £479 for a week in a 'Millbank' caravan for a family of four in August 2019. |
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4. Auchenlarie Holiday Park, South West Scotland (family-friendly, indoor swimming pool, kids' club)
**Winner: cheapest caravan holiday park in our top 10**
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Auchenlarie is a fairly large holiday park with a big range of facilities and accommodation.
It's near to the English border on the Scottish South West coast, a couple of hours from England's Lake District. We've included it because of its combination of strong reviews, competitive prices, beachside location and family-friendly facilities. Onsite you'll find an indoor swimming pool, sauna, gym, children's club, crazy golf, play areas and places to eat. Galloway Forest Park is nearby if you fancy exploring although bear in mind it's a long way from the Highlands (Ben Nevis is a five hour drive, for example). Reviews average about 8.5/10 or 9/10 and there are posh lodges or cheaper caravans depending on what sort of holiday you are looking for. It's certainly one of the cheaper holiday parks in Scotland. Price: £465 for a week in a bronze caravan for a week in August 2019 for a family of four. |
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5. Loch Lomond Holiday Park (lochside, idyllic, basic facilities)
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Loch Lomond Holiday Park is so close to the water's edge that you might get your feet when you step out of your accommodation.
Onsite facilities are basic but this one gets rave reviews (9/10 generally) because of its location and good value lodges, which are slightly more solid than caravans. The park has a play area, games rooms and you can hire things like bikes and kayaks rather than attempting to carry everything on the roof of your car. Don't expect things like swimming pools and children's entertainers here though, it's all about the idyllic location. It's run by a company called Argyll Holidays which has a handful of holiday parks across Scotland. Loch Lomond is roughly an hour north of Glasgow, on the boundary between the Highlands and Lowlands. Price: £710 for a week in an Argyll Lodge for a family of four in August 2019. You'll pay a lot more if you want a hot tub and more luxurious accommodation. |
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6. Nethercraig Holiday Park, Perthshire (peaceful park, basic facilities)
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Nethercraig is certainly in the 'tranquil' category when it comes to holiday parks. Don't expect an entertainer called Clive Crocodile to provide childcare here.
Instead, you get easy access to the Cairngorms (see the video for a taster) and good quality caravans in a very peaceful area. There are acres of private woodland to explore, assuming you can persuade your children to put down their smartphones for 30 seconds. The Royal Family's holiday home - Balmoral Castle - is about an hour's drive north and Peter Pan author JM Barrie's birthplace is about 20 minutes away. There's a choice of lodges and caravans. They all get good reviews but the caravans are a couple of hundred pounds cheaper in high season. Reviews: £525 for a week in a caravan for a family of four in August 2019 in an Angus caravan |
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7. Whitecairn Holiday Park, South West Scotland (outstanding reviews, basic facilities)
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When I checked, Whitecairn Holiday Park had achieved the ultimate accolade for a caravan park - a 5 star rating on Trip Advisor.
It doesn't have a lot of whizzbang features but it's got nice views, a play area, fishing and access to an indoor swimming pool a couple of miles away at another park with the same owners. It's inland a little bit, but close enough to the coast for easy trips out and it's near to Galloway Forest Park. There are lodges and caravans to choose from. Price: £509 for a week in a 'gold' caravan for a family of four in August 2019 (from what I can tell, 'gold' is the cheapest option behind 'platinum' and 'superior'. Perhaps they should introduce a similar system at the Olympics?) |
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8. Lochy Holiday Park, Fort William (mountain climbing base, good reviews, basic facilities)
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Lochy Holiday Park is an excellent base for attempting to climb Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in the British Isles). It's only three miles from the mountain's visitor centre and the park has some impressive views which will have you unpacking your walking boots with gusto.
It might be the mountain air talking, but visitors rave about it, with average reviews of 9/10. The park itself doesn't have a lot on offer in terms of facilities (besides a playground) but the lodges and caravans get strong reviews. There's a good choice of fishing, boat trips and mountain biking in the local area for adventurous types or those outdoorsy parents who go hiking with a 9 month old baby on their back. I always imagined I'd be like that, but in reality we consider a successful day out to be a trip to the swings and roundabout... Price: £535 for a week in August 2019 for a family of four in a Lochy caravan |
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9. Coastal Kippford, South West Scotland (woodland park, simple facilities)
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Coastal Kippford used to be called Kippford Holiday Park. It's a pretty park surrounded by trees, so you might spot a red squirrel if you can persuade your children to keep quiet for long enough (red squirrels are much more timid than their grey cousins).
Onsite there are a couple of playgrounds, but it's all about enjoying nature at this one, rather than daring each other to go head first down the flumes. Local entertainment includes things like a bike track, fishing, local beaches and golf. Reviews average 9/10. It's also a pet friendly holiday park. Price: £547 for a week in a bronze caravan in August 2019 for a family of four |
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10. Blairgowrie Holiday Park (basic facilities, lodges)
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If you want non-stop entertainment and knobbly knee competitions...don't stay at Blairgowrie Holiday Park
However, if you want a simple holiday park with decent reviews and slightly posher accommodation than most parks then it's worth a look. It's in Perthshire, about 40 minutes from the Glenshee ski resort in the Cairngorms and you can even hire your skis from the holiday park if you want to. If you want to travel to Edinburgh or Loch Lomond it's about an hour and a half in the car. There's an outdoor play area for children, but it's more of a pleasant base for exploring. Customer reviews are a very impressive 9/10. The accommodation is lodges rather than caravans, but the prices are similar to some caravan parks. Price: £655 for a week in a Rowan lodge in August 2019 for a family of four. |
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Price comparison of 10 of Scotland's best caravan holiday parks
We compared prices for a week in August 2019. We searched in June 2018 for the cheapest price available for a family of four, including two adults and two children aged 10 and 12. Of course, prices will vary a lot depending on availability and so on, but for what it's worth, here's our top 10:
- Auchenlarie Holiday Park - £465 - *Winner: cheapest caravan holiday park*
- Eyemouth Holiday Park - £479 - **Winner: best value caravan holiday park in Scotland**
- Whitecairn Holiday Park - £509
- Nethercraig Holiday Park - £525
- Lochy Holiday Park - £535
- Coastal Kippford - £547
- Blairgowrie Holiday Park - £655
- Nairn Lochloy - £699
- Loch Lomond Holiday Park - £710
- Seton Sands Holiday Park - £711
