Loch Ness is one of those places that sounds almost mythical before you visit, and then when you’re there, standing on the shore with mountains in every direction and a ruined castle framed against the water, you can understand the hype. We spent four nights based in Drumnadrochit as part of a wider Scottish Highlands road trip (you can read the full driving route guide, or check out our Isle of Skye destination guide now), and came away with one of our favourite family trips to date.

Here’s everything we did, and everything I’d recommend if you’re planning a similar trip with a baby or toddler.

Where to stay near Loch Ness with kids

We stayed at Achemy Green, part of a collection of chalet-style lodges just outside Drumnadrochit. Our three-bedroom lodge was all on one floor, which made life easy with a toddler, and had a lovely balcony and conservatory-style sun room with views across the hills. The decor is firmly old school ski chalet vibe, but don’t let that put you off. It was wonderfully comfortable, with plenty of space to spread out, with a high chair and cot available, and the sloped grass around the lodges will be brilliant for older kids to run around in summer.

Drumnadrochit itself is the main village on the north shore of the loch and makes an ideal base. It’s small with just a handful of cafés, a pub, and a village green, but everything you need is there, and the big attractions are all within a short drive.

Self-catering is the most practical option for families with young children – you’ll want the space, the flexibility to eat in, and a base that works around nap times and early mornings. For a range of cottages and lodges around the loch, it’s worth browsing Vrbo and Interhome (the latter have a local office in Drumnadrochit – we booked through them and they were excellent), both of which have good options in the area and along the loch shores.

For something more unusual, The Classrooms at Loch Ness Abbey in Fort Augustus is worth a look. The beautifully converted apartments are inside a historic abbey right on the loch shore, with an indoor pool, sauna and spa on site.

If you’d rather have a hotel, here are the best options across the area:

Where to stay in Drumnadrochit: hotels

• The Loch Ness Inn: our top dinner recommendation also has rooms. Right in the village, 1.5 miles from Urquhart Castle, and well reviewed for families.
• Loch Ness Drumnadrochit Hotel: central, family-run, right next to the Loch Ness Experience with free parking and a bistro on site. Good value and very well positioned.
• Loch Ness Lodge Hotel: a traditional Scottish hotel dating to around 1740, set in woodland with log fires and character-filled rooms. Great atmosphere.

Where to stay in and around Fort Augustus

• The Lovat: the finest hotel in the area by some margin. A 4-star family-run hotel right in Fort Augustus with Loch Ness views, beautiful rooms and a Michelin-recognised restaurant. A genuine treat if the budget stretches.
• The Inch Hotel: a historic country house hotel on the loch shore just outside Fort Augustus, with 17 bedrooms and great views. A solid mid-range option.

Where to stay in Inverness

• The Ambassador Hotel: a newly opened boutique hotel right on the River Ness with just 14 rooms, beautiful interiors and a great city centre location. Perfect if you want to start or end the trip in Inverness in style.

Things to do at Loch Ness with kids: day by day

Day 1: Fort Augustus and the canal locks

We arrived via Glenfinnan and Fort William (more on that in our upcoming road trip guide), dropping into Loch Ness from the south via the pretty village of Fort Augustus, where the Caledonian Canal meets the water. The main draw is the canal locks, which descend in a staircase right through the centre of the village. Watching boats rise and fall through the system is brilliant for toddlers with moving water, chunky machinery, and plenty to point at. We also rented bikes at Erraid Bike Hire, which was a lovely way to explore. There are a few good cafés right on the water (we had lunch at Cobbs Cafe), perfect for a pit stop before heading up to Drumnadrochit. Parking was £3 for 4 hours.

Day 2: Farm Ness and the Loch Ness Experience

Farm Ness is a short drive from Drumnadrochit and was one of R’s highlights of the whole trip. It’s a working farm visitor attraction with highland cows, other animals, ride-ons for all ages, a sandpit, role play zones and a small café. You can do a quick feed with the highland cows or book a more personal meet-and-greet experience in advance, but our recommendation is the full farm park and play package which costs £10.48 for anyone aged 3+ (concession tickets available for 65+) and £6.29 for 1-3 year olds.

After lunch we headed to the Loch Ness Experience in Drumnadrochit village. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was really well done. The exhibition takes you through a series of cinematic rooms that tell the story of the monster myth, covering the sightings, the hoaxes, the science, and the folklore. It’s atmospheric rather than cheesy (which we got a sense the nearby Nessieland is), taking around 40 minutes, and held R’s attention far better than I expected. Book at least 24 hours in advance to get the best price online as prices go up on the day.

Day 3: the Craigmonie walk and a day in Inverness

In the morning we did the Craigmonie walk, which starts right from the Drumnadrochit village car park and is one of the best short walks in the area. It’s 2.25 miles return, and from the top you can see all of Urquhart Bay and out across Loch Ness. The summit is also the site of an ancient hill fort, where a Viking prince named Monie made his last stand after a failed invasion. It’s steep in places so a carrier is easier than a buggy for this one, but the views at the top are absolutely worth it.

We then went to Inverness for lunch and an afternoon mooch. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Drumnadrochit and worth a day out. It’s a modest city rather than a spectacular one, but it’s very easy with a pram and there’s enough to fill a relaxed day.

The recently reopened Inverness Castle has a rooftop viewpoint and interactive Highland history exhibits. The Victorian Market is a pleasant covered arcade to wander through. The highlight for us was a walk along the canal following part of the Great Glen Way – flat, easy with a pram and very pretty along the water.

For lunch, go to The Mustard Seed. It does a two-course lunch every day that is excellent value and tasty, plus a nice atmosphere while being family-friendly (the kids menu is decent and 2 courses were £8.95).

Day 4: Abriachan Forest and Urquhart Castle

We woke up to fresh snow, which felt properly magical even if it was unexpected for late March.

We braved the cold and visited Abriachan Forest, about 15 minutes north towards Inverness, and were thrilled to park up to blue sky and sun despite thick snow on the ground. Abriachan trails go through beautiful ancient woodland, with a fantastic adventure play park and some wonderful treehouses dotted through the trees.

By the afternoon the snow had cleared from the loch shore and we headed to Urquhart Castle in the sunshine. The ruined castle sits right on the banks of Loch Ness and the view from what remains of the tower is spectacular across the full width of the loch, with mountains in every direction. The site is mostly manageable with a buggy, but there’s a lot of steps around the ruins so a carrier is better.

More things to do near Loch Ness with kids

• Boat trips on the loch: we didn’t manage one due to the weather, but if conditions are good it’s well worth doing. Jacobite Cruises is the biggest operator. There’s also a smaller company based centrally in Drumnadrochit running trips for just 12 passengers, a more intimate option worth looking at.

• Getting to the water’s edge: this is trickier than you’d expect, as much of the shoreline is inaccessible. The best spots we found were the flat lochside walk from Drumnadrochit following the River Coiltie down to Urquhart Bay, and Lochend at the northern tip of the loch – a quieter, off-the-beaten-track spot with a real sense of peace and lovely stones on the shore. Dores Beach (about 20 minutes east of Drumnadrochit) is also worth knowing about for a more spacious shingle beach where you can sit right at the water’s edge. From the far end of Dores Beach there’s also a woodland walk along the loch shore to Aldourie Castle, a 17th century laird’s house which is doable with a pushchair on the main path.

• Culloden and Clava Cairns: we didn’t fit these in but they’d be top of the list on a return visit or longer stay. Culloden Battlefield is about 25 minutes from Drumnadrochit and is a National Trust Scotland site, free with membership. Just east of it, the Clava Cairns are free Bronze Age stone circles in a woodland setting.

• Falls of Foyers: on the south side of the loch, this 50-metre waterfall is one of the most dramatic sights in the area. The path is steep and not suitable for buggies, so one for when R is older or happy in a carrier, but worth knowing about.

Where to eat near Loch Ness and Drumnadrochit

• The Loch Ness Inn: our pick for dinner. A proper Highland pub with great food and a warm atmosphere.

• An Talla: near Farm Ness, a decent café for a casual lunch if you’re in that part of the loch.
• Quila Cridhe: highland cow afternoon teas and scones just outside Drumnadrochit. They also offer a meet and greet with the cows for £5 per person.
• The Mustard Seed, Inverness: the two-course lunch is exceptional value. Book ahead.
• Drumnadrochit takeaways: the village has two. A fish and chip shop that also does doner and pizzas, and an Italian doing Sicilian-style pizzas and pastas. Both solid options for a relaxed evening in.

Visiting Loch Ness with kids: practical tips

Getting there: Fly into Inverness. The airport is compact and easy, and Drumnadrochit is about 35-40 minutes on the A82.

How long do you need: Four nights was enough to feel unhurried and we left properly relaxed. In warmer weather we’d happily do a week as there are more walks to explore, the loch opens up more options, and this is the kind of place that you don’t really want to leave. We also found there was slightly more to keep us busy here than on the Isle of Skye (though Skye has its own magic precisely because it’s so remote and wild). The two complement each other well as a combined trip.

Groceries: The Co-op in Drumnadrochit covers the basics for a few days. For a longer stay, the Tesco in Inverness is your best bet, or see if you can order a Tesco delivery.

Time of year: Late March worked well as it’s quieter than summer, and the landscape was stunning. We had snow on our last full day, which was a bonus rather than a problem. Pack waterproofs and layers regardless of when you go. Easter week gets noticeably busy as both Scottish and English school holidays overlap, as does July and August.

Buggy/carrier: An all-terrain buggy is useful here but we used our trusty Little Life carrier daily. Drumnadrochit village and the canal walks are easy, but Urquhart Castle, Craigmonie and the forest trails are better with a carrier.

Allie, Jack & R x

This post contains affiliate links. Some activities during our visit were kindly gifted. As always, all opinions are our own.