Aberdeen is not the first place that comes to mind for a city break. But it has a lot to offer, both in the city itself and the surrounding countryside. Read our Aberdeen weekend itinerary for some inspiration on visiting the Granite City!
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How To Get To Aberdeen
Aberdeen is the largest city in the North East of Scotland. There is a lot to do around the Aberdeenshire area, so a perfect location for holidays.
Getting here is easy, either by car, bus, train or plane. There are various buses and trains that travel to Aberdeen via Glasgow or Edinburgh. Check out Citylink buses or Scotrail train services to Aberdeen.
Driving to Aberdeen is fairly straightforward. Roads from Glasgow and Edinburgh all converge at Perth and then follow the A90 almost all the way toward Aberdeen. Turning off onto the A92 just after Stonehaven.
Flights arrive into Aberdeen from all over Europe, including many of the major UK cities. You can also fly to Orkney and Shetland easily from Aberdeen, or catch the ferry to the islands too – make it a road trip?!
Where To Stay in Aberdeen
You’re spoilt for choice with places to stay, either within Aberdeen city itself or in the surrounding countryside.
Check Airbnb for ideas locally if you prefer a self catering option. There are various hotels to choose from, have a look at Aberdeen on Booking.com. There’s reasonable priced accommodation near the city centre, or a little more expensive if you want to push the boat out.
We have previously stayed in Deeside Holiday Park just 15 minutes drive from the city centre. It’s perfect to have easy access to both the city and the countryside. It’s also a good self catering option and particularly good for families with it’s playpark, indoor play area and duck pond. The hot tub is also a brilliant feature too!
If you are looking for somewhere closer to the city, then the Aberdeen Altens Hotel is a good choice. Less than 10 minutes drive to the city centre, it is great for city life as well as a relaxing hotel to stay in. The hotel has a swimming pool, gym and it’s own restaurant, we found it great for a family weekend.
Day 1
Arrive on a Friday afternoon, if you arrive late head into the city for dinner. Choices include Amore (Mediterranean food) or Molly’s Bistro (great bistro food with good kids choices).
If you arrive earlier in the day I would recommend a visit to either Duthie Park or the Maritime Museum.
Duthie Park is lovely to walk around, but the best part is the Winter Gardens. These are the glass houses in the park, which contain beautiful plants and trees. The cacti glass house is a favourite of ours, along with the tropical gardens.
Alternatively spend an hour or two at the Aberdeen Maritime Centre, located beside the harbour. Aberdeen has a long and interesting history with the sea. You can learn all about the history and present day life at sea in the museum. There is a lot of information and interactive features too. A lovely museum for both adults and children.
Day 2
Spend a couple of hours in the morning at either the Winter Gardens or the Maritime Museum that you didn’t have time for yesterday.
Then choose from the selection of castles throughout Aberdeenshire. Crathes castle, pictured below, is a good choice. A beautiful house with interesting stories and stunning gardens and of course a play park for kids. Other nearby castle options include Drum Castle and Castle Fraser.
Spend the later afternoon back in Aberdeen at the Science centre. The science centre has a huge number of interesting exhibits, mostly interactive that are perfect for children. Although I’m sure adults would enjoy it just as much too!
Day 3
On your second full day begin with a visit to Stonehaven. Just a short distance South of Aberdeen . This little town has some interesting places to visit, including a delicious ice cream at Aunt Betty’s and the spectacular Dunnottar Castle. You can also enjoy a dip at Stonehaven’s Open Air Swimming Pool (built in 1934) filled with clean sew water and heated to 29 degrees Celsius.
If you have young kids then you might want to make time for a visit to The Den and The Glen. It’s a combination of an outdoor play space filled with fairytale and nursery rhyme charcters and an indoor softplay. The softplay is quite new and great for rainy days, although on a sunny day it’s great to wander about outside!
Day 4 – Optional
If you have a long weekend and one extra day to spend in Aberdeen, take your choice between city sightseeing or nature reserves. But first head to the harbour at Aberdeen, beside Torry Battery to watch dolphins at the harbour entrance. It’s best to look for them during the Spring and Summer.
If you are looking for some historical areas of Aberdeen to visit you can try the quaint Footdee (Fittie) or Old Aberdeen around the university. Both have many Instagrammable spots for great photos. Just be respectful (particularly at Footdee) of the people who live there.
To the North of the city is Balmedie Beach, which is a beautiful stretch of flat sandy beach. There is also a ranger centre and toilets at the beach. Only a short drive further up the coast is Forvie National Nature Reserve. Here you can explore a stunning reserve with a breeding colony of Eiders, 4 species of breeding Terns and a huge variety of wildfowl and waders. However if you want to see the seal haul out then you’re best to look from the South side of the mouth of the river Ythan.
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