01463 223243
Find
Book
Top 15 things to do in Inverness at night! Inverness is the Capital of the Highlands, there are plenty of things to do on a night out in Inverness.
Book your stay at the Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa and discover the top 15 things to do in Inverness at night. What makes a great night out in the Highlands. The Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa is ideally located only a few minutes walk to the best bars, shops & restaurants.
Quirky Things To Do in Inverness at Night
Cawdor Castle at Night – Cawdor Castle remains a family home as well as an amazing place to visit. You can enjoy exploring the castle and its grounds during the day. However on certain special nights in the Summer, Cawdor Castle comes alive with fabulous open air theatre productions. These wonderful shows are very popular and sell out quickly. If you are lucky enough to be here at the same time as a show don’t delay book those tickets here.
Starry Starry Nights – the Northern Lights also known as the Aurora Borealis has fascinated people since time began. Scotland is on the same latitude as parts of Norway which means if you are visiting the highlands you have a good chance of spotting the “Mirrie Dancers”. There is a year round chance to see the lights, however Autumn and Winter provide the best inky darkness and clear skies. Inverness benefits from its northerly locations a great spot to see the lights is the nearby town of Nairn or on the Moray Coast. You can just lie back in beautiful surroundings and take in the shimmering show!
Nightlife in Inverness
To continue our top 15 things to do in Inverness at night we thought you might like some night life tips, where to sip your favourite dram, listen to some Scottish folk music or dance the night away – read on…
Hootananny – has icon status in Inverness. A place for music lovers, perhaps even a style you hadn’t experienced before. There are 3 floors with different offerings. By far and away the first floor with fabulous scottish music steals the show. Scottish traditional music session Thursday to Sunday every week starting at 2130 til late. This is so much more than typical pub singers this is toe tapping vibrant swirling performance! Plus you won’t be alone if you get up and have a dance! This is a fabulous introduction to the traditional music of Scotland.
Brasserie & Bar @ the Palace– come and enjoy stylish surroundings, perhaps a wee dram, fabulous frappe or something from the gin menu. But mostly you will be drinking in the fabulous view!! This family owned highland gem is ideally located on the banks of the River Ness opposite Inverness Castle. A perfect place to sit back, relax and take in the view.
The Malt Room – The first malt whisky bar in Inverness. This lovely wee cosy spot is tucked away off the lane to church street. This hidden gem has fabulous recommendations on trip advisor and is a must visit if you love a wee dram!
Scotch and Rye – A fantastic bar and restaurant, transports you back to 1920’s Chicago and New York. This bar pays homage to that era! Delivering New York and Chicago inspired burgers, hotdogs and home cooking washed down with craft beers!
Try These Unusual Things to do at Night or Evening in Inverness
Here are a few more unusual things to experience during your Inverness Stay, our top 15 things to do in Inverness at night list wouldn’t be complete without them!
Clootie Well at Munlochy – is just north of Inverness, located half a mile west of the junction of the B9161 with the A832. Where the A832 enters a forested area the well begins. Clootie wells are places of pilgrimage, people would come and make offerings usually in the hope of having an illness cured. The tradition dates back pre christian time to the celts. The arrival of the christian church saw the decline of wells, as the pagan ways of the past were frowned upon. Clootie in scots means a strip of cloth or rag. The nearby trees will be decorated with strips of cloth or rags. The Clootie well at Munlochy, dates back to beyond the time of St. Boniface who worked in Scotland around AD620. Pilgrims would perform a ceremony that involved circling the well sunwise three times before splashing some of its water on the ground and making a prayer. Before tying a piece of cloth or “cloot” that had been in contact with the ill person to a nearby tree. An alternative tradition suggests that sick children may be left at the well to be healed overnight. Today the well has an unusual aura, park you cart in the purpose made parking area about a hundred yards away. Follow the woodland path and you will see the unusual scene, people still believe that an offering will help them or others. Perhaps a visit at sunset will make the experience even more ethereal.
Charter a Private Jacobite Cruise – perhaps you don’t want to be one of the crowd? How about considering chartering a boat could be a solution. Jacobite have all sizes of boats. They offer a variety of tour options and you can sit back relax and enjoy your own private tour! If you would like to organise a private Jacobite cruise make sure you book early just call (+ 44) 01463 233 999.
Clava Cairns – these iconic standing stones are said to the be the inspiration of the stone ring of the popular TV series Outlander. The Cairns are a well preserved Bronze Age cemetery, compiled of complex passage graves, ring cairns and standing stones in a superb setting. The Cairns are a located 6 miles east of Inverness, only 1.5 miles from Culloden Battlefield. It is a very well preserved and historically significant site. A really stunning example of its type, dating back 4,000 years. We recommend a trip to the stones at dawn or sunset when the sunlight illuminates these fabulous standing stones. It is a very special place, which could be combined easily with a visit to Culloden battlefield. Plus it is free to visit the stones & you can even park for free!
Take in the Sunset
Inverness Castle – take in the city of Inverness and the beautiful banks of the River Ness at Sunset. The castle will reopen towards the end of 2025 and previously offered later opening hours in the Summer.
Sunset Visit to The Ness Islands – these stunning little islands in the River Ness are the perfect spot for an evening stroll. Better still as a guest at the Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa you are only 15 minutes walk away. Step out of the hotel, stroll along the river bank and you will come to the Ness Islands. These little wooded gems sit in the middle of the River Ness. They are reached through a series of beautiful Victorian bridges. The islands are an oasis for wildlife and people alike. A lovely wooded habitat, nestled in the river, a hidden escape in the city. At Halloween the islands become the star attraction. This fabulous walk also takes you passed many other attractions including Whin Park for the kids, Inverness Botanic Gardens (just past Whin Park) plus Inverness Cathedral. Enjoy a whole day out without the car!
Have a little late night shopping fun!
Surely no visit would be complete without a little shopping experience, Inverness has some unique shops for you to explore!
Leakey’s Bookshop is Scotland’s largest second hand bookshop with 100,000 selected volumes. The shop is actually a converted church, the huge old Gaelic Church at the end of Church Street, one street back from the river, about 7-9 minutes’ walk from the Inverness Palace Hotel. Leakey’s is THE place to try in Inverness if you like books and or a great bistro style café with home cooking and an open fire.
Scottish Highland Dress – are you are hunting for a kilt but want to spend the day sightseeing? Then try shopping in the evening. Inverness the capital of the Highlands has some fabulous Highland dress outfitters. You will want to visit Highland House of Fraser, a few minutes walk from the Palace along the river bank! A family business steeped in the tradition of Highland dress. They have been making bespoke kilts within the premises for over 50 years. Shop Highland House of Fraser, open 7 days till 10pm every evening, treat yourself or friends to a Highland outfit or gift.
Eastgate Shopping Cente, this lovely shopping centre has been at the heart of Inverness for 20 plus years! With over 60 stores, many leading brands, plus every Thursday night they have late night opening.
Stay with Us
Book your Escape and enjoy your Days Out In Inverness we hope that can experience as many of the Top 15 Things To Do as possible. Stay at the Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa, a family owned hotel with a reputation for a warm welcome. As our guest you will enjoy free Wi-fi and free access to the lovely leisure club and swimming pool. The pool is open until 9pm, so an evening swim and steam is an easy way to end a night out. Make sure that you check out our Seasonal Specials for your very best offers, plus see the explore section we created to help our guests get the most out of their stay in Inverness. Remember #bookdirect for your best offers. Just call our reservations team on 01463 22 32 43 or email us and let your adventure begin.
