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Your Complete Guide to a Sensational Summer in Inverness (Updated 2026)
Short answer: Summer in Inverness means long, light-filled evenings, shimmering lochs and endless Highland adventures. Use this guide to plan your sensational summer escape — from castle days and dolphin-spotting to music festivals, Highland Games and family fun. For the perfect base, stay riverside at the 4★ Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa, overlooking Inverness Castle.
Why Inverness Is Your Perfect Summer Base
Inverness is the capital of the Highlands and your perfect base for a sensational summer adventure. There are plenty of attractions and outdoor experiences in and around the city that are fun for all ages. This 2026 guide brings together top tips for amazing summer days out, what’s on, family activities and unforgettable Highland scenery.
Book your stay at the AA 4 Star Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa, ideally located on the banks of the River Ness, opposite Inverness Castle, and you are perfectly positioned for your break away. Treat yourself to a little luxury with a Castle and River View room and wake each morning to that special view. Bringing the family? Choose a generous family room or interconnecting rooms for extra space. Enjoy a blooming marvellous, truly sensational summer break in the Scottish Highlands!
Sensational Summer Days Out in the Highlands
There really is so much to see and do in and around Inverness. We’ve picked a few favourites to help you plan your days — with even more ideas to follow further down this guide. The scenery is breathtaking, so get out of your car, take your bike or explore on foot. You’ll enjoy your Highland summer adventure and make memories to share back home.
Inverness Castle Experience
The newly opened Inverness Castle Experience is a must-see this summer. Wander through immersive light installations, powerful storytelling rooms and beautifully curated spaces that celebrate Highland culture and history. Don’t forget to read our First Hand Guide to the Inverness Castle Experience before you go, so you don’t miss a thing.
Caledonian Canal
You can walk to the Caledonian Canal from the Inverness Palace Hotel or make a short drive to explore different sections. Whether on foot or by car, there are stunning views and great spots for that super sunset picture. If you want a coffee, cake or lunch, you can dine at An Talla by Loch Ness. Feeling adventurous? Take a cruise down Loch Ness or even hop on a high-adrenaline Beastie Boat.
Chanonry Point
Chanonry Point on the Black Isle is renowned as one of the best dolphin-watching spots in the Highlands. You can often see bottlenose dolphins from the shore, enjoy a paddle, admire the iconic lighthouse and relax with wide sea views. There are great beaches close by too — don’t forget to download your copy of our FREE Visitor Guide from the Palace website for more tips.
Clava Cairns
The atmospheric Clava Cairns are stunning Bronze Age stones and burial cairns. Outlander fans will recognise them as an inspiration for the show. Wander quietly among the stones, feel the textures of the ancient rocks and let your imagination wonder about their true purpose and long-lost stories.
Culloden Battlefield
Culloden Battlefield witnessed the bloodiest battle of the 1745 uprising, with over 1,600 men slain; 1,500 were Jacobites. The visitor centre’s powerful exhibition shares the facts and personal stories of soldiers on both sides. Outside, follow the paths across the moor, read the clan markers and pause for reflection in this moving landscape.
Highland Wildlife Park
Animal lovers will adore the Highland Wildlife Park. It’s brilliant fun for all the family and packed with amazing animals and big Highland views. Stop off on your way up to Inverness off the A9 or on the way home. Meet polar bears, snow leopards, bison and more, with plenty of space for children (and grown-ups) to run off energy.
Highland Folk Museum
The award-winning Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore is a fabulous open-air museum that brings 300 years of Highland history to life. Wander through historic buildings, peat-roofed townships and working crofts. It’s a brilliant day out south of Inverness and a favourite for families and heritage lovers alike.
More Sensational Summer Days Out
Adventures on Loch Ness with Jacobite Cruises
Jacobite at Loch Ness offers fantastic days out on the water with friendly, knowledgeable guides. Sail from Dochgarroch Lock or the Clansman Centre and take in the majesty of Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle and the Great Glen. Book your cruise online — being on the water really gives you a sense of the massive scale of Loch Ness and its dark waters. We also recommend a stop for lunch at An Talla, Jacobite’s visitors centre and restaurant.
Beastie Boats on Loch Ness
Beastie Boats offer high-adrenaline, adventurous trips on Loch Ness. These fast RIB tours are perfect if you’re craving a bit more excitement from your summer day out. Skim across the water, get up close to the loch’s dramatic shoreline and enjoy a thrilling, wind-in-your-hair experience you’ll talk about for years.
Loch Ness Centre — Monster Hunting and Deep Scan
A trip to Inverness wouldn’t be complete without a spot of Nessie hunting. The reimagined Loch Ness Centre shares 500 million years of history, myths, legends and scientific research. Exciting news for monster hunters: you can now book a private cruise on the Deepscan research vessel, retracing the famous sonar expeditions with expert commentary. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime family adventure.
Nessieland
Nessieland is a fabulously fun family attraction in Drumnadrochit. Kids will love the Nessie adventure play park, activity centre and Nessie caves. With indoor and outdoor experiences, it’s a great option whatever the weather and pairs perfectly with a visit to the Loch Ness Centre or a Jacobite cruise.
Even More Summer Inspiration
From village tearooms and scenic picnic spots to forest trails and quiet lochside beaches, there are endless ways to fill your summer days. Download your FREE Visitor Guide from the Palace website and mix and match these ideas with your own discoveries — or ask the hotel team for their latest local tips.
Things to Do with the Kids Near Inverness
We’ve updated our family ideas for 2026 to help you plan brilliant days out with the kids. Whether you’re a local looking for new activities or visiting the Highlands as a family, you’ll find something fun for everyone.
Top activities for the kids include:
- Inverness Castle Experience
- Inverness Crazy Golf
- Whin Park & Ness Islands Miniature Railway – open from 4th April 2026
- Botanic Gardens – nature trails and tropical glasshouse
- Inverness Ice Rink – skating sessions
- Ness Islands riverside walks and play areas
- Culloden Battlefield – history brought to life
- Fort George – huge ramparts and coastline views
- Day at Loch Ness: Urquhart Castle, Jacobite or Beastie Boat, Loch Ness Centre and Nessieland
For even more ideas, see the Palace’s Family Fun guide and mix it with beach time, castles and wildlife for a brilliant Highland family holiday.
Historic Highland Castles & Forts to Explore
Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle should be on every Highlands bucket list. Discover more than 1,000 years of stirring history centred on the Great Glen. Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart saw great conflict during its 500 years as a medieval fortress, with control passing back and forth between Scots and English. Today, it’s a fabulous day out with plenty of space for a picnic and sweeping views over Loch Ness.
Cawdor Castle
Cawdor Castle has gorgeous gardens that are glorious in summer and a historic house with strong Shakespearean connections. If you are visiting out of season, private tours for small groups can sometimes be arranged directly with the castle. Don’t miss the café for homemade cake and coffee at one of the outdoor tables.
Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a true fairytale castle: the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands with 189 rooms. Dating back to the early 1300s, it has been home to the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland. Tours take in grand rooms, while outdoors you can enjoy formal gardens, the tea room and regular falconry displays between April and October.
Fort George
Fort George is an immense artillery fortress guarding the Moray Firth, designed after Culloden by Lieutenant-General William Skinner and built by the Adam family of architects. It took 22 years to complete and has served the army for almost 250 years. Walk the ramparts (over 1 km long), explore the barracks and watch for dolphins in the firth below.
2026 diary dates: look out for the Brick Wonders LEGO™ exhibition (until February 2026) and Celebration of the Centuries in August, when re-enactors bring two thousand years of Scottish history to life within the fort’s walls.
For even more inspiration, see the Palace’s Top 8 Magnificent Castles blog.
Take a Tour This Summer
Let expert guides show you the very best of the Highlands while you sit back, relax and soak up the scenery. These tours are a brilliant way to cover lots of highlights in one memorable day.
WOW Scotland — Magical Trip to the Skye Fairy Pools
WOW Scotland run the Ultimate Isle of Skye Tour from Inverness, including the Fairy Pools, Quiraing, Kilt Rock, Portree, Eilean Donan Castle and Loch Ness/Urquhart Castle on the way home. Departing near the Palace, it’s a full, jam-packed day (generally April–October) with an experienced local driver-guide, giving your designated driver the chance to enjoy the views too. Guests consistently tell us it’s a highlight of their trip.
Dolphin Spirit Tours
Dolphin Spirit offers wildlife cruises on the Moray Firth, searching for dolphins, seals and birdlife along the beautiful coastline. Choose the exhilarating Mischief RIB or a gentler Wildlife Cruise — either way, you’ll enjoy fresh sea air and great chances to spot local wildlife. Perfect for a sunny summer afternoon.
Happy Tours — Outlander, Castles & Whisky
Happy Tours, with the well-known Cameron and team, have been looking after Palace guests for many years. Their small-group tours include an Outlander route (Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, Ruthven Barracks and Highland Folk Museum), a Glenfinnan and Great Glen day, and Speyside Whisky or Castles & Whisky combinations. It’s an easy way to fit a lot into a single day without the stress of driving.
Your Summer Day at the Beach
Scotland has many fantastic natural open spaces just waiting for you to enjoy. The beautiful beaches near Inverness are an easy drive away and perfect for a relaxed summer day.
The beautiful beaches below are just a short car journey to Nairn and the Black Isle. You can enjoy a walk along the beach, take a Palace Hotel picnic; there is more than enough space to socially distance here if you wish. Crowd-free, silver sands are just waiting for your Summer Escape! Read more about our favourite spots in the Palace’s beach information.
2026 Inverness Summer Events
Highland Games, music festivals and Under Canvas at Eden Court on the banks of the River Ness — there’s so much to see and do this summer, by day and by night. Come north and enjoy those long, light evenings.
July & August 2026
- Scottish National Whisky Festival at Eden Court — 11th July 2026
- Under Canvas returns most evenings at Eden Court — live music, bar and street food under the fairy-lit stretch tents.
- Outdoor Theatre at Cawdor Castle (Theatre on the Lawn):
- Sat 4th July 2026, 6.30pm – King Arthur and The Holy Fail
- Sat 18th July 2026, 6.30pm – Treasure Island
- Fri 14th August 2026, 6.30pm – MacBeth
Highland Games Near Inverness
A Scottish summer wouldn’t be complete without a Highland Games. From swirling kilts and strongman events to Highland cattle, pipes and drums, they make for a brilliant, full day out.
- Inverness Highland Games – Saturday 11th July 2026, Bught Park
- Black Isle Show – 5th & 6th August 2026
- Dornoch Games – 7th August 2026
- Nairn Highland Games – Saturday 15th August 2026, Nairn Links
- Glenurquhart Highland Games – Saturday 22nd August 2026, Blairbeg Park, Drumnadrochit
- Castle of Mey Games – 1st August 2026 (ideal if you’re on the NC500 or visiting John O’Groats)
Summer Music Festivals Near Inverness
- The Black Isle Belter – dates TBC. At the Black Isle Showground, Muir of Ord. Expect Peat and Diesel, big-name bands, funfair, street food and bars across the weekend.
- The Gathering, Inverness – 30th May 2026. A celebration of Scottish music, with Skerryvore, Beluga Lagoon, Torridon and more, plus kids’ activities, beer tastings and fantastic food.
- Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival – 30th July to 1st August 2026. Celebrating 22 years on the Belladrum Estate near Beauly, with Scottish and international artists including JAMES, The Human League, Callum Beattie, MIKA, Razorlight, Scouting For Girls and more.
Stay With Us
Make your summer escape to the 4 Star Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa, the perfect base for your #highlandstaycation. Our family-run hotel is centrally located on the banks of the River Ness, overlooking Inverness Castle, offering easy access to all the attractions in the city and further afield.
Stay in newly refurbished luxury River & Castle View rooms – the rooms with the view in Inverness. Don’t forget that at the Palace you can enjoy all the treats of a four-star hotel, including the brand new luxury gym, spa and lovely heated swimming pool with jacuzzi, the only Inverness city centre hotel to have a pool.
Book your stay and make new summer memories. Check out the latest Seasonal Specials or call the team on 01463 223243 for the best offers direct.
Summer in Inverness: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Inverness a good place to visit in summer?
What is the weather like in Inverness during summer?
Can you swim at beaches near Inverness?
Do I need a car to explore the Highlands from Inverness?
How far in advance should I book my summer stay?
Thank you to mages from Gordon Bain Photography, Charlie Phillips Wildlife Photographer, jack-anstey-XVoyX7l9ocY-unsplash, and Neil-Williamson-Flickr29580418334 for permission to use their images in this blog.
