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When Visiting the ‘Home of Golf’ – then be sure to check out some of these ideas for a more memorable trip
With the announcement that Scotland will be this year’s host for the 2021 AIG Women’s Open Golf Championship, we figured friends and families of the contestants this year will be coming along with them for the event.
Although the event’s venue, the Carnoustie Golf Club, has a lot of things to offer for the guests of the event, it is simply a missed opportunity if you don't go sightseeing while visiting Scotland.
Not only is Scotland considered the “Home of Golf”, but it is also home to many great tourist spots and travel destinations around the world! In this article, find out everything there is to do while visiting the country.
Here are some of the things you should do while staying in Scotland:
Visit tourist spots and destinations.
One of the perks of traveling to another country is that you are free to explore all the glorious sights and places that the country has to offer.
If you are visiting Scotland as a guest or a spectator of the AIG Golf Championships, why not grab the opportunity to enjoy and unwind on Scotland’s best tourist spots for you golf enthusiasts!
Here are a few of our suggestions for places that you should definitely add to your 1-2 week visit to Scotland:
Eden Mill Distillery & Brewery – After watching a thrilling battle between the world’s best female players this August 19-22, you should entertain yourselves by tasting some of Scotland’s world-famous whiskies.
Twelve - 12 miles within Carnoustie is a distillery that captures the essence and spirit of Scotland's home of golf, the town of St Andrews. We are, of course, talking about Eden Mill Distillery, which is Scotland’s very first single-site distillery and brewery.
This 2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner is currently open to the public under bookings because it adheres to strict guidelines and the construction of its new site. The good thing is that you can simply book for a business tasting early via e-mail and they also opened virtual wine tastings while everything is still being constructed in their new physical site.
Glasgow, Scotland
For those of you who do not want to get cooped up in only one place in Scotland, you should also travel all around the country's many cities and visit their tourist attractions while you're there. Luckily for you, Glasgow is full of these destinations that only beg for you to visit them!
The city of Glasgow is only an hour and forty minutes away from the event's venue of Carnoustie. Glasgow is home to many tourist spots for you to go to and enjoy while visiting Scotland.
One of Glasgow’s most popular tourist attractions is the historic building of Glasgow Cathedral. This 12th Century building is known for its perfect structure and mold which stood the test of time and is now considered one of, if not, the best architecture and pieces of art in all of Glasgow. Admission to the cathedral is free, so you can bask in all of its beauty without losing money for a tour there!
You can also stop and shop around Sauchiehall Street, which is Glasgow's go-to street for high-class restaurants and shops, and along the way stumble across Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. This structure that was built in the early 1900's houses many famous art pieces from world-renowned artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Salvador Dali. Booking tickets is also available free of charge, making your trip less expensive but more enjoyable!
And since you are in Scotland, it would be a missed opportunity if you did not get to experience seeing the instrument the country is most famous for being played! The National Piping Centre and the Bagpipe Museum is a fun side trip for you while in Glasgow to listen to bagpipes playing and learn about the art of playing one. Complete your trip to Glasgow with an hour of music and culture by visiting the National Piping Centre.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Another must-see city in Scotland that you should visit after the AIG is the country’s capital city Edinburgh. With only an hour and fifty minutes worth of travel time between this city and Carnoustie, you can have all the time in the world to explore all of Scotland’s rich history in this city’s many famous historical landmarks and attractions.
If you want to feel all the prestige and royalty of being in a British country, then look no further than going to Edinburgh's most famous tourist attraction and one of Great Britain's most famous places to go to, Edinburgh Castle. Learn everything there is to know about Scotland's wide and rich history and tour the castle. There are a lot of attractions to see within the castle, like their National War Museum that commemorates the events of the Scottish National War, the Stone of Destiny, and the collection of Crown Jewels placed in the royal palace.
But if you also want a more casual and fun experience while in Edinburgh, why not visit Edinburgh's amazing tourist attraction Camera Obscura & World of Illusions? This place is filled to the brim with crazy optical illusions that will blow your mind, like its centerpiece which gives you a panoramic view of Edinburgh, which has been there since the early 1850s. The World of Illusions also has other attractions, such as a hall of mirrors, 3-D holograms, and a slew of other optical illusions for your eyes to feast!
Scottish Pubs
Finally, you have not completed your Scottish experience without experiencing the fun of going on a Scottish pub run! For the people who are staying within Carnoustie for the event, go ahead and visit the city’s very own Stag’s Head Inn for a quick grog!
With its friendly and very accommodating staff and workers, you sure will have a nice time drinking with your friends there. Carnoustie also has The Craw's Nest, which houses only a small amount of people but provides its customers with top-notch services and accommodation when dining in.
When in Glasgow, you should also visit their many pubs. And among all of Glasgow's pubs, these two historic establishments should tickle your fancy: The Horse Shoe and The Steps Bar!
The Horse Shoe's counter is widely known by many as the longest bar counter in all of Europe. But the fun does not stop there as this establishment also has a lot of high-quality meals and beers for you to enjoy! Have fun going on karaoke nights and watching your favorite sports games while you’re there.
The Steps Bar is a 1930's aesthetic pub in Glasgow that is well-known for its connection to the Queen Mary ocean liner and has been covered by many presses and visited by many politicians before. Just follow the two steps which grace you to the pub itself and enjoy a fresh mug of beer and food there.
Another iconic pub in Glasgow that is popular with the locals is the Pot Still. It is known for providing a real slice of life in Glasgow, partly with its very well stocked whisky bar with over 700 whiskies.
Initially opened in 1867 by a John Hill, a known wine and spirits merchant, the establishment has long been a fixture of the Glasgow Pub community. It has changed hands several times since the days of Hill, with 5-major family groups owning the pub, while the current owners, the Murphy family, assuming ownership in 2011. Over the years, the pub has been the recipient of several "Whisky Bar of the Year" accolades, starting in the early 2000's, racking up accolades in 2003 through to 2007 with both SLTN and Whisky Magazine. The pub most recently accomplished this in 2017, carrying on the tradition of being "the" whisky bar to visit in Glasgow.
The "Sub-Crawl"
Another local tradition of sorts in Glasgow is the "sub crawl" for those of you are a little younger or are wanting to enjoy a bit of fun with friends. If you harken back to your university days or your youth after high school, it was not uncommon to partake in a "pub crawl" where a group of likeminded people would get together and travel from one pub to another, enjoying a tipple or drink along the way while socializing and perhaps meeting new people too. In Glasgow, they have it set up to take advantage of their subway which people can use to commute from one stop to another, and sample a drink from a nearby pub! With the subway, one avoids the temptation to drive and a designated driver is not required so all can partake.
Click for more information on the Glasgow "Sub Crawl"
Edinburgh is also graced with many delectable pubs in its cities, and one of its most iconic happened to be the place where Scottish literature entered its renaissance era! Milnes Bar once accommodated famous writers Hugh MacDiarmid, Norman MacCaig, Sorley MacLean, and Sydney Goodsir Smith in an intensive debate that paved the way for the future of Scottish literature in the early '50s. Still open to this day, help yourself with their amazing variety of foods and beverages and have a heartful discussion of your own with your mates to see if you can also revolutionize today's literature!
Where to stay?
For putters who are looking for a place to stay for the AIG Women's open this year, there are plenty of options to choose from for you to go to. Carnoustie and Golf Street Rail Stations are only a few walks away from the 19th Hole Hotel in Carnoustie. With superb reviews from Booking.com, this place is the perfect place to stay in Carnoustie as a guest for the world golf event.
You can also stay in the aptly named Carnoustie Golf Hotel, which is very accommodating to its golfing guests and is only about 200 meters from the nearest beach! If you want to refresh your mind after an intense golfing match, this place is great to stay in for you.
How to get to Scotland?
For those visiting from other countries, inquire about the best deals that you can get out of your airline carriers to get to Scotland. For those who wish to take a plane to London instead of heading straight to Scotland, bus rides are the only choice for you to get there, which takes around eight hours of travel time.
With thanks to Issy McDonald for her assistance in preparing this feature
For more information on visiting Scotland: