Scotland and Ireland are perfect for travelers who are looking for a rugged, scenic, and history-filled adventure. Before you jump on the plane, you’re going to want to make some preparations. This guide is jam-packed with the essential tips for getting the most out of your trip.

Get insider tips on planning a smooth, comfortable, and budget-friendly adventure with suggestions on;

• A two-week itinerary
• 10 essential things to pack
• Driving in Scotland & Ireland
• Staying in Scotland & Ireland
• 7 tips for saving money without missing out on adventure

Two-week itinerary

When we plan trips, we pack them to the absolute brim with activity. If we end the day and don’t collapse onto the bed exhausted, we didn’t do it right! For us the perfect amount of time for a trip is two weeks. With the time it takes to travel from place to place, two weeks is ample time to experience everything without rushing.

One important thing if you’re planning a trip with other people is to remember that travel is stressful. So make sure you are traveling with people who are of a similar mindset and pace as you. Pairing with a person who wants to lounge on the beach when you want to explore is going to lead to a disastrous trip for everyone.

Our two-week Scotland & Ireland trip was our favorite to date and sharing it feels like sharing the best kept secret in the word:

We spent two amazing days in the Isle of Skye and we shared our adventures in full posts for day one and day two.

PRO TIP: Make a trip binder

Every trip we take, we compile a trip binder. Each day has a reusable plastic sleeve and we put everything related to that day in the sleeve. At the start of each morning, we pull out the binder and take a look at what we had planned for the day. At the end of the day we put all brochures, receipts, and printed bits from the day into the sleeve. The best part is at the end of the trip you also have a scrapbook of the trip!

In the binder we include;

• A single-page print out of the schedule for every day of the trip
• Print outs or receipts for travel bookings (flights, trains, rentals)
• Print outs of receipts for all booked excursions
• Receipts for booked accommodation

10 essential things to pack

Scottish and Irish weather are fast-changing on the best of days and the countryside is a beautiful mix of greenery and rocks. Prepare for anything the day or weather brings with this packing list:

• A good pair of hiking shoes/boots with treads. I got these and they were perfect!

• A light, windproof raincoat that you can layer.

• LAYERS! In the back seat of our car I had a raincoat, a vest, and a winter jacket. Some days the weather had me using all three!

• A water bottle

• Midge spray. The locals warned us, but we didn’t experience them traveling in June. Pack this if bugs would ruin a hike for you.

• Snacks. Your options for grocery and dining out are somewhat limited, especially in touristy spots.

• Leggings, joggers, athletic pants – you’ll be happy you did for hikes!

• Before you leave call your bank and tell them to put a travel notice on your cards. The last thing you want is to be miles away and have them block your money!

• Get a travel plan on your phone for the length of your trip.

• A good camera. Nothing crazy here, just your phone or a handy pocket one. I got an inexpensive Canon Powershot ELPH for our trip and it was PERFECT!

Driving in Scotland & Ireland

If you’ve never been abroad, driving in another country can be a bit intimidating. Whether it’s driving on the other side of the road, getting used to roundabouts, and different traffic signals, it can take a time to adjust.

Many of the roads are really one car width. On narrow roads, every hundred yards or so there are usually pull offs where you can pass or wait on an oncoming car. It’s stressful, but if you’re patient and drive slowly you’ll make it!

Here are some tips that will help you adjust to a different style of driving quickly:

• Don’t let other drivers pressure you. The locals drive fast because they’ve been driving those roads for years. If you feel stressed, pull over and let them pass.

• Pack a reliable GPS. Get a data plan on your phone, download maps to your devices, or bring a travel GPS. Don’t try to navigate the roads without technology – we may never see you again!

• Choose a well-respected rental car company, not one that is the cheapest option. We had hundreds of dollars in hidden fees when we used a local company. Hertz is a great option.

• Be careful not to let your gas run too low. It sounds obvious, but pit stops are spaced further apart in the more rural areas.

Staying in Scotland & Ireland

Depending on how you like to travel, you may have preferences about what kind of places you like to stay in. When we travel we like to experience the location as naturally as possible. For us, being able to talk to locals and get their suggestions on places to go is priceless!

If you’re on a budget, here are ways to keep the cost of accommodations down:

• AirBnb. We did almost our ENTIRE trip using AirBnb and it was amazing. We saved literally hundreds of dollars on accommodations as AirBnb guests. Every host was friendly and usually welcomed us with tea and snacks upon arrival. If you’re down to try it, here are tips for finding the best AirBnb:

• Before you start, decide on what kind of place you’re comfortable staying in. If you don’t mind staying in the spare bedroom search for those. If you need the whole place to yourself, find options that have that degree of privacy.
  • Look at options that have 100+ reviews with high star ratings.
  • Search Superhosts. These hosts tend to be more experienced.
  • READ THE GUEST REVIEWS!
  • Look for places with breakfast included.
  • Look for places with parking included, especially in cities.
  • Make sure your stay includes the things you need like wifi or a private bathroom. These are features you can filter.

• Hostels. I’m going to be honest, hostels are not my thing. However if you’re looking for something cheap, a hostel might be for you!

Vacations abroad can be pricey when it comes to travel, rentals, accommodations, and food. If you’re on a budget, it can feel frustrating at times because you don’t want to compromise a great trip BUT you don’t have a lot of money to spend.

7 tips for saving money without missing out on adventure

• Don’t stay at hotels. Scroll up to read about staying at an AirBnb or a hostel.

• Rent a car. Scotland and Ireland have limited direct options for buses and trains. For your own flexibility and sanity, rent a car from a reliable rental company – it won’t break the bank and it’ll be worth it.

• Only eat out once a day. We usually chose to eat dinner out. For breakfast and lunch we ate items picked up from a grocery store.

• Travel light. This trip we fit everything for two weeks into two carry on bags and found an AirBnb at the halfway point of our trip where we could do laundry. It was the BEST decision. It saves money on checked bags and it enables you to be nimble.

• Decide on an amount per day you want to spend on activities and plan your itinerary around parking fees, admission fees, and souvenirs.

• Move your feet! The best way to experience a new place is on your feet. And the best part is most hikes are free!

• Don’t use ATMs for one off, small withdrawals. Take out enough cash to last you a couple days at a time. It’ll save you on fees.

Lastly, enjoy yourself! One thing I’ve learned is that if you let the little things that go wrong on a trip destroy the experience, you’ll sell it short. The fact is something WILL go wrong on every trip and that’s part of the experience.

So pack light, plan well, and always make a bathroom stop before heading out – because your options are limited!

Looking for more?

I know you can here for Scotland and Ireland travel tips, but stay a while and read about our trip the the Isle of Skye days one and two. Come to read about the excursions and stay for the gorgeous photos!