Activities in Perth

Scone Palace (pronounced Scoone) is a historic Georgian-style house a mile north of Perth on the banks of the River Tay. The palace is an important part of Scottish history, having been the crowning place for Robert The Bruce, Charles II and Macbeth. It is now home to an incredible collection of antiques and paintings.

The grounds are free to visit from November to March, with tickets required to visit the house and take a tour of the resplendent State Rooms. And, with over 100 acres of grounds and gardens to explore, including an adventure playground and maze, it makes for a great family day out.

Delve deeper into the rich military history in the region with the Black Watch Museum, home to paintings, medals, weapons, uniforms, diaries, film and battle-stories from The Black Watch, Scotland’s oldest Highland regiment. Spanning a gallery, several collections and exhibitions, the museum runs right up to the present day, including the recent Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

On a clear day, there are few better ways to appreciate Perth, Fife and the Lomond Hills than from on top of Kinnoull Hill, which is 200m above sea level. The 6km round trip peaks at an 18th-century folly on the top of a wooded hill with dramatic cliff-top views. The area is a great spot for nature lovers and was designated as Scotland’s first official woodland park in 1991.

One of the UK’s oldest purpose-built libraries dating back to 1815, the Perth Museum and Art Gallery is located just behind our Perth City Centre hotel and showcases everything from incredible natural history to world art, global culture, the history of the Vikings and more. The gallery also has a strong collection of portraits and paintings including several by John Everett Millais, a prominent Victorian artist who had strong links with Perth.

Not just your ordinary park, Norie Miller Park is a great way to discover nature, beautiful gardens and art. Home to over 950 species of heather, an art trail with dozens of sculptures from local and international artists, and a natural habitat bursting with wild roses, garlic and historic trees, shrubs and plants, the park is one of the best places for a quiet stroll and is just a five minutes’ walk from South Street. Plus, head down from the end of January to the middle of February to catch the Light Nights, when the park is turned into a twinkling winter wonderland with dazzling light installations.

Take a step back in time at Stanley Mills, a truly historic working mill that closed in 1989 after more than 200 years producing raw cotton. The mill is now fitted with an interactive display of hi-tech exhibits spanning the factory floor and the amazing power they harnessed from the River Tay. As well as explaining the process, the museum also recreates the living environments for the workers, giving a valuable insight into the culture and society at the time.

Located in Crieff, a small town that marks the start of the Highlands around 10 miles from Perth, the Famous Grouse Experience allows you to tour the historic distillery that’s been producing malt whisky since 1775. The tour takes you behind the scenes to where the magic happens, with the obligatory tasting session at the end. There’s a good café on-site and also a well-stocked gift shop that sells everything from hip flasks and hot and cold whisky stones to personalised bottles of whisky.