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With a name like Holy Island, who wouldn’t be curious about visiting this destination as a day trip? Also known as Lindisfarne, this small island off the coast of Northumberland is simply packed with medieval history. After crossing the small causeway that allows access to the island at low tide, head for the island’s tiny village to see its magnificent castle. There you can visit the ruins of the priory and experience the castle’s latest temporary art exhibit. Because of the small size of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, many travelers pair it with the nearby town of Bamburgh, where you’ll find Alnwick Castle. Fans of Harry Potter and Downton Abbey may recognize the castle since it’s been used as a filming location for many TV shows and movies over the years.

You really don’t have to go far from Edinburgh to find beautiful places in Scotland as the seaside town of North Berwick proves. Found east of Edinburgh on the Firth of Forth, North Berwick is a quintessential British coastal destination with loads of opportunities for fish and chips, ice cream, and chilly beaches. The most important attraction in the town, though, is the Scottish Seabird Center, a marine conservation center where you can use interactive live cameras to view wildlife on the local islands. While visiting North Berwick, make sure to also pop into nearby Tantallon Castle, one of the most stunning castles in all of Scotland thanks to its perfect cliffside locale.

Another great destination if you want to experience the Scottish Highlands for the day is the town of Fort William. Resting on the shores of Loch Linnhe, Fort William offers a tempting combination of history and jaw-dropping highland scenery. Historical sites here take several forms, from the 13th-century ruins of Inverlochy Castle to the 19th-century staircase canal lock called Neptune’s Staircase. Then there’s the famous Jacobite steam train that departs Fort William and can be seen from various viewpoints around town, as well as the famous Glenfinnan viaduct not that far away. The looming sight of Ben Nevis is also hard to miss while visiting Fort William. It’s the highest mountain of the British Isles and a popular local spot for hiking and mountain biking.

Just because you’re visiting Edinburgh doesn’t mean you necessarily have to do a day trip to somewhere in Scotland, does it? So why not head south of the border and visit one of northern England’s finest historical landmarks, Hadrian’s Wall. Started in 122 CE, Hadrian’s Wall was built by the Romans right across the island, with many sections of the wall still standing today. Visitors wanting to see Hadrian’s Wall have several sites to choose from, with the Birdoswald Roman Fort and Housesteads Roman Fort being two of the most popular. At Birdoswald, you can see the longest remaining stretch of the wall, while Housesteads features remains of a barracks and hospital from one of the Roman forts along the wall.

Rounding out these excellent options for day trips is the small city of Perth on the River Tay. Believe it or not, Perth was once considered the capital of Scotland thanks to the presence of Scone Abbey, where the “Stone of Scone” or “Stone of Destiny” was used for Scottish royal coronations. Not so anymore, but Scone Palace, just north of the city where the abbey once stood, is one of Perth’s most popular attractions. Historical attractions closer to the city center include the Black Watch Castle & Museum and Kinnoull Hill Tower. But it’s really the modern cultural landmarks of Perth that win visitors over, like the Perth Museum and Art Gallery and the River Tay Public Art Trail.

For a great day out among Scotland’s epic wilderness, one of the best side trips from Edinburgh you can do is visit Cairngorms National Park. Located in northeast Scotland, the national park covers the impressive Cairngorms mountain range and is actually the current largest national park in the United Kingdom. Visitors to the national park have a wide range of outdoor activities to keep them entertained, from walks and hikes of all difficulties to mountain biking, skiing, and whitewater rafting. Naturally, there are less energetic things to do with a trip to Cairngorms National Park as well, like sampling whisky at the Glenlivet Distillery at Tomintoul or taking a ride on a heritage steam locomotive along the region’s Strathspey Railway.

Alongside Edinburgh, Glasgow is the other major well-known city in Scotland that travelers love to visit. Begin with a walk from George Square through the city’s Merchant City district to see how Glasgow differs in atmosphere from Edinburgh. Next, make your way over to the strikingly Gothic Glasgow Cathedral, the oldest building in the city. For a nice outdoor stroll, head to the nearby Glasgow Necropolis, a cemetery full of Victorian-era memorial stones and sculptures. Another great option for somewhere to wander is the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, which is home to a wonderful array of plants and the gorgeous greenhouse, Kibble Palace. You can also take your pick of the city’s excellent museums, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Hunterian Art Gallery, and the Riverside Museum.

Located in the small village of Roslin just south of Scotland’s capital, the gorgeous Rosslyn Chapel is a simple but rewarding Edinburgh day trip. Rosslyn Chapel dates from the 15th century when it was originally intended as a Roman Catholic family church, and it has a lot going for it despite its modest size. Stepping inside the chapel, you’ll find a gorgeous interior full of intricate carved stonework. However, what has really earned the chapel an international reputation are the legends and conspiracy theories tying it to the Knights Templar, the most famous of which is its role as home to the Holy Grail in the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code. While visiting Rosslyn Chapel, don’t miss the chance to explore Roslin and see its moody castle ruins.

If you’re just looking for a short trip from Edinburgh, then you really can’t pass up a visit to the nearby city of Stirling and town of Falkirk. Stirling is best known for its impressive castle that dominates the city skyline and is widely recognized as one of the best castles in Scotland. Other monumental landmarks around Stirling include the National Wallace Monument dedicated to the freedom fighter William Wallace and the beautiful medieval architecture of the Church of the Holy Rude. In Falkirk, you’ll find the fantastic modern horse-head sculptures of The Kelpies, the inventive engineering of the Falkirk Wheel, and several filming locations of the TV series Outlander, such as Callendar House.

With gorgeous lochs, untouched forest, and mighty mountains, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park is easily one of the best places to visit in Scotland. It was the first national park declared in Scotland, emphasizing its importance, and it’s the fourth largest in the UK. Many of the most popular things to do in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park are outdoor activities, like hiking, cycling, and rock climbing, aided by over 20 hills or mountains that reach 914 meters (3,000 feet) in elevation. But it’s also quite common to head out onto Lake Lomond with a cruise aboard the steamship Sir Walter Scott or independently with canoes and kayaks to see the park’s scenery from a different vantage point.