Best Day Trips 2024: The best places for a summer day trip near Glasgow as chosen by Glaswegians

By Liam Smillie

Published 25th Jun 2024, 12:03 BST

Here’s where Glaswegians go for their holidays in the summer of 2024

We love Glasgow. We love Glasgow even more in the summer - but there’s only so much time you can spend in Kelvingrove, Queen’s Park, or any other of our great green jewels until you start experiencing wanderlust.

We asked Glaswegians for their thoughts on the best places to journey from Glasgow for a day trips. We then put together this list with some of the best and most common responses - many 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 loch front towns to beautiful nature spots and historic towns, here’s 20 of the best spots for your next day trip this summer.

Millport has been a popular destination with Glaswegians for generations - the only town on the isle of Great Cumbrae. A tiny wee isle, you can spend a day enjoying chippies, ice cream, or even a cycle around the whole isle, which will only take about half an hour, perhaps longer if you're full of chips and gelato though.

1. Millport

Millport has been a popular destination with Glaswegians for generations - the only town on the isle of Great Cumbrae. A tiny wee isle, you can spend a day enjoying chippies, ice cream, or even a cycle around the whole isle, which will only take about half an hour, perhaps longer if you're full of chips and gelato though. | Canva/Getty Images

Whether you're going to Luss, Balloch, or just around the Trossachs, Loch Lomond is an incredible day trip from Glasgow, whether you want to be active with hiking or caving or just chill out by the bonnie banks - there's something for everyone.

2. Loch Lomond

Whether you're going to Luss, Balloch, or just around the Trossachs, Loch Lomond is an incredible day trip from Glasgow, whether you want to be active with hiking or caving or just chill out by the bonnie banks - there's something for everyone. | John DevlinPhoto: John Devlin

Saltcoats is a lovely wee seaside town in the summer, get an ice cream and sit on the beach. Bring your dog! Have a grand old time.

3. Saltcoats

Saltcoats is a lovely wee seaside town in the summer, get an ice cream and sit on the beach. Bring your dog! Have a grand old time. | Canva/Getty Images

The Isle of Arran is a must-visit at some point in your life. If you extend your day trip into a night trip you can even spot the Aurora Borealis on the Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire.

4. Isle of Arran

The Isle of Arran is a must-visit at some point in your life. If you extend your day trip into a night trip you can even spot the Aurora Borealis on the Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire. | Contributed

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