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Best Family Campsites in Scotland: 10 Places to Camp With Kids
Scotland gives families an unusually varied choice of camping trips. You can pitch close to a Highland beach, camp among the forests and lochs of the Cairngorms, stay within reach of Edinburgh and Stirling, or choose a campsite where the surrounding landscape provides most of the entertainment.
The right campsite therefore depends on the holiday your family actually wants. Some parents will value swimming pools, playgrounds and food on site; others will happily trade those facilities for a quieter pitch beside a beach, forest or loch.
We’ve shortlisted 10 family-friendly campsites in Scotland that stood out during our research for different reasons.
This isn’t a ranking, and we haven’t necessarily stayed at every campsite included. We’ve researched current campsite information with particular attention to the practical details that matter when camping with children.
Where we describe a campsite as “best for” something, that is Tent & Tribe’s editorial assessment based on the facilities, setting and location we’ve researched.
The Shortlist
| No. | Campsite | Area | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Glenmore Campsite | Aviemore, Cairngorms | Lochs & outdoor adventures |
| 02 | Sands Caravan & Camping | Gairloch, Wester Ross | Highland beach camping |
| 03 | Blair Castle Caravan Park | Blair Atholl, Perthshire | Younger children & all-round facilities |
| 04 | Cobleland Campsite | Gartmore, The Trossachs | Forest camping |
| 05 | Loch Ness Bay Camping | Drumnadrochit, Highlands | Exploring Loch Ness |
| 06 | Pettycur Bay Holiday Park | Kinghorn, Fife | Lots to do on site |
| 07 | Sandyhills Bay Holiday Park | Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway | Beach-focused family camping |
| 08 | Linwater Caravan Park | Near Edinburgh | Edinburgh with children |
| 09 | Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park | Edinburgh | Camping close to the city |
| 10 | Witches Craig Caravan & Camping Park | Near Stirling | Exploring Central Scotland |
01 — Glenmore Campsite
Aviemore, Cairngorms
Glenmore puts families in the middle of one of Scotland’s strongest areas for an outdoors-focused camping holiday. Tents are welcomed on a large campsite surrounded by the forests, lochs and mountains of the Cairngorms.
This isn’t a campsite built around organised entertainment. Its strength is the setting: families can use it as a base for Loch Morlich, woodland walks, watersports and exploring the wider Cairngorms.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Lochs & outdoor adventures |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Tents are welcome, with grass pitches and grass pitches with electric hook-up available. |
| Family facilities | Toilets, showers, wash basins, dishwashing, laundry and accessible facilities are provided. There is no large on-site children’s entertainment programme listed. |
| Beach access | Direct access to the sandy shores of Loch Morlich under normal conditions. At the time of our August 2026 check, parts of Glenmore Forest Park and Loch Morlich were affected by temporary wildfire-related closures, so check current access notices before travelling. |
| Food on site | The campsite itself does not currently list a café or restaurant. Food and drink options are available in the wider Glenmore area and Aviemore. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. Dogs are welcome and must be kept on leads; the current rules allow a maximum of three dogs per pitch. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Glenmore is here because the location provides the experience. For families who want their Scottish camping trip to revolve around forests, Loch Morlich and outdoor adventures rather than organised entertainment, it is one of the strongest options in this shortlist.
02 — Sands Caravan & Camping
Gairloch, Wester Ross
Sands gives families a genuinely dramatic west-coast camping setting at Gairloch. The large family-run campsite has camping areas among the dunes and coastal scenery, with views towards Skye and the Outer Hebrides.
The important difference from many remote scenic campsites is that families don’t have to give up every useful facility to get the setting. Sands combines beach access with a shop and a café serving meals throughout the season.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Highland beach camping |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Dedicated tent camping is available, including electric hook-up options. |
| Family facilities | Play area, games/TV room with pool, table tennis, air hockey and table football, covered indoor cooking and eating area, three heated toilet and shower blocks and laundry facilities. |
| Beach access | Excellent. The campsite sits immediately beside its sandy Highland beach. |
| Food on site | Yes. The licensed Barn Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily during its operating season, and the campsite shop sells groceries and other supplies. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead while on the campsite. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Sands combines two things that don’t always come together in the Highlands: a spectacular coastal camping location and useful facilities. It should particularly appeal to families who want the scenery and beach to be the main event without choosing an extremely basic campsite.
03 — Blair Castle Caravan Park
Blair Atholl, Perthshire
Blair Castle Caravan Park offers a more facility-rich family camping experience. Campers stay on the Atholl Estate at Blair Atholl, with the park providing children’s facilities alongside access to the wider castle grounds and countryside.
It is particularly strong for families with younger children because there are things to do at the campsite even before you start exploring Perthshire.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Younger children & all-round facilities |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Dedicated camping pitches are available, and the park currently offers electric and non-electric camping options. |
| Family facilities | Two adventure playgrounds, a large playing field and an indoor games room with table tennis, table football, pool tables and other games. |
| Beach access | Inland. This is a Perthshire countryside base rather than a beach campsite. |
| Food on site | Yes. The Larder convenience store operates from reception and The Shieling serves food and drink during the season. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. All camping pitches are dog friendly, with a current maximum of two dogs per pitch. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Blair Castle is one of the most rounded family campsites in this guide. The combination of playgrounds, indoor games, tent pitches and the surrounding estate makes it particularly useful when you want outdoor Scotland without relying entirely on walks and day trips to occupy the children.
04 — Cobleland Campsite
Gartmore, The Trossachs
Cobleland offers a quieter style of family camping in the wooded landscape of the Trossachs. The campsite has different pitching areas, including tent-only riverside grass pitches without electricity.
This is a campsite for families who value trees, outdoor space and access to the Trossachs more than swimming pools or a busy entertainment programme.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Forest camping |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Meadow pitches with electricity are available, while the riverside grass pitches are reserved for tents and do not have electric hook-up. |
| Family facilities | A small play area with swings, climbing bars and a small assault course, plus modern washrooms, laundry facilities and picnic areas. |
| Beach access | Inland. This is a forest and Trossachs camping base rather than a coastal campsite. |
| Food on site | A campsite shop sells basic food, drinks, camping essentials and barbecue supplies, with fresh bakery products available in high season. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a short lead while on the campsite. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Cobleland gives the shortlist a more traditional camping feel. The tent-only riverside area is particularly appealing for families who want their trip to feel connected to the landscape rather than to a conventional holiday park.
05 — Loch Ness Bay Camping
Drumnadrochit, Highlands
Loch Ness Bay Camping sits at Borlum Farm near Drumnadrochit and gives tent campers a large grass camping area close to one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes.
Facilities are deliberately straightforward. The attraction is having a practical tent-camping base from which families can explore Loch Ness, Drumnadrochit and the surrounding Highlands.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Exploring Loch Ness |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Grass tent camping is available, with electric hook-up offered as an optional extra. |
| Family facilities | Toilets, showers, dishwashing and laundry facilities are provided. This is a straightforward family campsite rather than a holiday park with organised children’s entertainment. |
| Beach access | Loch Ness is approximately a 15-minute walk from the campsite. |
| Food on site | No on-site restaurant is advertised. Shops and several places to eat are available within roughly half a mile in Drumnadrochit. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. A maximum of two well-behaved dogs is currently permitted; dogs must remain on leads on the campsite and surrounding farmland. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Loch Ness Bay Camping makes sense when Loch Ness itself is the reason for the trip. It provides the practical basics without trying to compete with the destination around it.
06 — Pettycur Bay Holiday Park
Kinghorn, Fife
Pettycur Bay provides the strongest traditional family holiday-park experience in this shortlist. It combines tent camping and a coastal location with a leisure centre, swimming pool, children’s play facilities and places to eat.
That makes it particularly useful for families who want backup activities when Scottish weather makes an entirely outdoors-based itinerary less appealing.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Lots to do on site |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Grass tent pitches are available with access to electric hook-up, but Pettycur currently does not accept advance reservations for campsite pitches. |
| Family facilities | Swimming pool, indoor soft play, outdoor children’s play areas and games/amusements. Leisure facilities are charged separately on a pay-as-you-go basis. |
| Beach access | Excellent. Pettycur has a coastal setting overlooking extensive sandy beaches, with the park promoting direct access to the surrounding seaside environment. |
| Food on site | Yes. Horizons Restaurant and the Waterfront Lounge provide meals and snacks, and there is also a shop. |
| Dog friendly | No for tent campers. Pets are allowed in Pettycur’s touring area but are specifically not permitted in tents. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Pettycur earns its place because few campsites in this guide provide the same combination of swimming, indoor play, outdoor play, food and a coastal setting. It is the clearest option for families who want the campsite itself to provide a substantial part of the entertainment.
07 — Sandyhills Bay Holiday Park
Near Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway
Sandyhills Bay takes almost the opposite approach to Pettycur. Tent pitches sit along the dune line, with the beach only a short walk through the marram grass.
There is no swimming pool or games room. The campsite explicitly treats the beach as its headline facility, making this a strong choice for families who want a simple seaside camping trip.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Beach-focused family camping |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Non-electric grass camping areas are available, along with a limited number of grass tent pitches with electric hook-up. |
| Family facilities | Heated toilets and showers, laundry and washing-up facilities. There is no on-site pool or games room; the beach is the principal family attraction. |
| Beach access | Excellent. The touring and camping area has direct access through the dunes to Sandyhills Bay. |
| Food on site | A small campsite shop sells essentials and ice creams. There is no substantial on-site restaurant. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. Touring and camping guests can bring dogs; current rules require them to be kept on leads on the park, beach and nearby paths. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Sandyhills is here because it doesn’t need a long facilities list to make sense. For families whose idea of a good camping day is getting out of the tent and heading straight for the beach, its simplicity is part of the appeal.
08 — Linwater Caravan Park
Near Edinburgh
Linwater offers something particularly useful for families: proper countryside camping while remaining close enough to make Edinburgh a major part of the holiday.
Its practical camping facilities are unusually family-friendly, including a dedicated family bathroom, campers’ kitchen and children’s play area.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Edinburgh with children |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Level grass pitches have 16-amp electric hook-up and water connections; a small number of non-electric backpacking pitches are also available. The standard grass pitches are currently 8 × 10 metres. |
| Family facilities | Children’s play park, en-suite family bathroom with bath and shower, baby-changing area and a well-equipped campers’ kitchen. |
| Beach access | Inland. Linwater is primarily a countryside and Edinburgh sightseeing base. |
| Food on site | A small reception shop sells groceries, drinks and camping supplies. There is no full on-site restaurant. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. A maximum of two dogs per booking is permitted, and there is a dedicated dog-walking area. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Linwater solves a specific family-holiday problem particularly well: it allows you to combine a genuine camping trip with days in Edinburgh. The family bathroom and campers’ kitchen strengthen the case when travelling with children.
09 — Mortonhall Caravan & Camping Park
Edinburgh
Mortonhall takes the city-and-camping combination even further. Families stay in landscaped grounds on the southern side of Edinburgh while remaining only a few miles from the city centre.
It is less about wilderness than many of the campsites in this guide, but that’s precisely why it belongs here: it gives families a practical alternative to staying in a hotel when exploring Edinburgh.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Camping close to the city |
| Tent pitches | Yes. Grass tent pitches are available, with different levels of servicing including electric options. |
| Family facilities | Children’s play area, campers’ kitchen, games/TV facilities, laundry and baby-changing provision. |
| Beach access | Inland. Mortonhall is primarily an Edinburgh sightseeing base rather than a beach campsite. |
| Food on site | Yes. The Stable Bar & Restaurant serves food and drink, and the campsite has a licensed shop. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. Dogs are welcome subject to park rules, including being kept on a lead and staying out of children’s play areas and campsite buildings. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Mortonhall makes the shortlist because not every Scottish camping holiday needs to be remote. Families can sleep under canvas while using Edinburgh’s museums, attractions and historic centre as a major part of the trip.
10 — Witches Craig Caravan & Camping Park
Blairlogie, near Stirling
Witches Craig is a smaller family-run campsite beneath the Ochil Hills, well positioned for Stirling and Central Scotland.
Its facilities include practical touches for families such as a children’s play park, baby changing and covered cooking areas. The major caveat is its tent-booking policy: campers need to be more flexible than they would at most sites in this guide.
TENT & TRIBE FIELD GUIDE
| Best for | Exploring Central Scotland |
| Tent pitches | Yes, but tent bookings are currently accepted only within two days of arrival and depend on ground conditions. |
| Family facilities | Children’s play park, baby-changing facilities, toilets and showers, laundry, dishwashing and undercover cooking shelters with picnic benches. |
| Beach access | Inland. This is a Stirling and Central Scotland base rather than a coastal campsite. |
| Food on site | No substantial restaurant on the campsite. A farm shop and Coffee Bothy are within walking distance, with supermarkets and other food options around Stirling. |
| Dog friendly | Yes. Dogs are welcome on leads. |
WHY WE SHORTLISTED IT
Witches Craig gives families a smaller-scale base for exploring Stirling and Central Scotland. Its position is the main attraction, but the short booking window for tents means it suits families who can tolerate a little more uncertainty in their plans.
Which Scottish Campsite Might Suit Your Family?
For younger children
Blair Castle Caravan Park
For lots to do on site
Pettycur Bay Holiday Park
For a Highland beach holiday
Sands Caravan & Camping
For forests, lochs and outdoor adventures
Glenmore Campsite
For exploring Loch Ness
Loch Ness Bay Camping
For simple beach camping
Sandyhills Bay Holiday Park
For combining camping with Edinburgh
Linwater Caravan Park
How We Choose Campsites
Tent & Tribe’s Where to Camp guides are independently researched. We haven’t necessarily stayed at every campsite included, and we don’t present researched information as first-hand experience.
Our shortlist considers the practical things that matter when camping with children, including tent pitches, family facilities, location, beach or loch access, food options and dog policies.
1
First-hand experience is clearly labelled
If Tent & Tribe has personally stayed at a campsite, we’ll say so explicitly. Otherwise, its inclusion is based on our research.
2
Significant claims should be verifiable
Facilities such as swimming pools, playgrounds, restaurants, family bathrooms, beach access and dog policies should be supported by current reliable information.
3
Our opinions remain our opinions
“Has an indoor swimming pool” is a factual statement.
“Best for lots to do on site” is Tent & Tribe’s editorial categorisation based on the facilities we’ve researched.
The purpose of these guides isn’t to declare one campsite objectively better than another. It’s to help you identify which type of campsite might suit your family.
Before You Book
Campsite facilities, opening arrangements and rules can change, and this matters particularly when planning a camping trip across Scotland.
Seasonal opening dates
Cafés, shops and restaurant opening times
Swimming pools and children’s facilities
Dog restrictions
Beach, loch and walking access
Pitch dimensions for your tent
Electric hook-up arrangements
Minimum stays and booking restrictions
Before booking, check the campsite’s current information for:
Also consider the realities of the particular part of Scotland you’re visiting. Weather, wind exposure, midges and driving distances can all affect a family camping trip, particularly in more remote areas.
Some campsites also have unusual booking rules. Pettycur Bay currently does not accept advance reservations for tent or touring pitches, while Witches Craig states that camping reservations are not accepted more than two days in advance.
Checking those details before travelling is considerably easier than discovering them at the campsite.
Final Thoughts
The strength of family camping in Scotland is the range of completely different holidays it can provide.
Glenmore, Cobleland and Loch Ness Bay put the landscape at the centre of the trip. Sands and Sandyhills work particularly well when the coast is the priority. Blair Castle and Pettycur offer more facilities around the campsite itself, while Linwater, Mortonhall and Witches Craig make strong bases for exploring Edinburgh, Stirling and Central Scotland.
The most useful question isn’t simply “Which is the best family campsite in Scotland?”
It’s what do you want your family to spend its days doing once the tent is up?
Information checked: August 2026.
