The Best Month to Visit Scotland

The best month to visit Scotland depends on how flexible you are (are you prepared for shorter days and dicier weather?) and how patient you are (how much do you like dealing with large crowds?). Traveling during shoulder season and taking your chances with the weather is typically going to be your best bet. Spring is the best time to travel to Scotland as you will avoid crowds and get the most bang for your buck.

Here’s the tl;dr; take your pick of March, April, or May for the best month to visit Scotland, especially on a budget. It is a beautiful country and you really can’t go wrong any month.

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Best Month to Visit Scotland: March

With average max temperatures around 50°F, it might not seem like this is an ideal month to plan your trip, but if you want to have the Scottish tourist attractions to yourself and save a decent amount of money on accommodations, March is a great month to visit Scotland. 

The rainy winter months are typically wrapping up by March, though you should be prepared to see more rain than you would in the summer months. Keep in mind though, rain in Scotland is very rarely a heavy downpour (though it does happen, and if you’re caught unaware you may look like a drowned rat after). It is usually more of what we’d call a “light sprinkle” in the USA. 

When my parents visited in March while I was living in Glasgow, we had multiple days of no rain at all and had amazing sunshine and visibility at the Isle of Skye. When I returned to the Isle of Skye in June with my husband, we couldn’t see the top of Old Man of Storr (and by that I mean we couldn’t see more than 10 feet in front of us at all). 

Waiting until the summer months to travel to Scotland does not guarantee better weather; after all, you’re looking at historical averages, not guaranteed forecasts.

March, April, and May will all likely have cheaper airfare from the US than in the summer months. I use a service called Thrifty Traveler, which sends me alerts of great flight prices. In the past 12 months, I’ve gotten at least 5 alerts of flights from the US to Scotland for under $600 during these months. I’ve been using them for 5 years now and could not love the service more. Check them out here!

March is also a great month to visit Scotland if you’re traveling with kids, as you’re able to take advantage of their school spring break and go for a full week without having to drain your bank account by paying for accommodations for more than just your standard 2 people. Your kids’ friends can clog up the beaches of Fort Myers while you enjoy actual elbow room at the Edinburgh Castle.

Make sure you don’t miss any of Scotland’s best sites like the Edinburgh Castle by reviewing my Top 10 Best Places to Go in Scotland.

Best Month to Visit Scotland: April

Of this list, April is the best month to travel to Scotland. Much like March, you’re going to still be seeing those shoulder season prices and have much less competition booking accommodations. You’re also not going to be fighting the summer crowds for the entire time you’re there.

Average rainfall is historically lower in April compared to March, but in that graph you can see that was not the case in 2024. You still may be dealing with drizzling weather and temps not reaching much higher than 55°F, but it’s going to be generally drier and warmer than in March.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gotten caught in snow flurries while trekking through the Highlands in April and needed scarves and wool hats to be outside for a long periods of time. If you’re going to Scotland in April without a solid raincoat, waterproof shoes or generally warm gear, you are asking for trouble. 

But if you’re going to Scotland in April with the proper gear, prepare for some beautifully dramatic overcast skies and taking in all the top tourist sights without being close enough to smell the breath of the guy next to you.

Here are some of the products I recommend:

• This raincoat is waterproof and sturdy without being too costly (under $60). I bought my Mountain Warehouse coat in Scotland and it hasn’t let me down.
• If you don’t already have a pair of waterproof hiking boots, these boots are what I’d call entry-level boots. They’re comfortable, waterproof, and have good ankle support, while being a crazy good value at under $50. I’ve gotten 5+ years out of mine. 
• This hat is both warm and waterproof, the two things that you’re going to need in a hat. If you don’t bring a good hat, I guarantee you’ll end up buying one.
• And these gloves are warm, waterproof, and lightweight if the forecast for your trip looks extra chilly. 

Note: if you are going to Scotland in March or April, watch where the Easter holiday falls and what you’re planning to do during that day in case adjustments are needed. In Scotland there is no law requiring shops to close like there is in other parts of the UK so you shouldn’t have major interruptions to plan around, but if you’re looking to build an itinerary around specific historic sites, make sure you confirm they don’t have reduced hours. Easter in 2025 is April 20th and Good Friday (the actual bank holiday) is April 18th.

If you’ve read any fantasy or romantasy book, you might be interested in visiting Scotland over Beltane (where are my Throne of Glass girlies at??). Beltane is a Gaelic festival that marks the beginning of summer. Beltane is rooted in Scottish and Irish history and while many of the associated traditions have fallen in popularity since the 19th century, it has been having a little bit of revival since the late 80’s. 

Beltane is traditionally celebrated with bonfires. If you’re looking for a uniquely Gaelic experience, the Beltane Fire Festival is held in Edinburgh on April 30th. 

Best Month to Visit Scotland: May

Just as easily as I can argue March and April are great, I can definitely make a case that May is the best month to visit Scotland. 

May historically is one of the least rainy months for Scotland and is still considered shoulder season for many areas and attractions, so you’re still not paying that summer premium, though competition for accommodations might heat up. 

By May average max temperatures are closer to 60°F, and your chances of getting caught in the snow drop as a result. Notice I said they drop, not that they actually go to zero. Don’t come crying to me if you don’t pack a warm hat and instead fill your suitcase with shorts, thus ending up having to buy a knit hat for $35 at gift shop because you didn’t have one

If my husband is reading this, I am of course talking in the hypothetical and would never @ you like this on a public site.

In May, you’ll also have more daylight than March or April. By the end of May in the Isle of Skye the sun rises before 5am and sets around 10pm. For those of you with particularly jam-packed itineraries and lots of outdoor sights to see, May may be your best bet. 

While you might start to be competing with our visitors who are also trying to pick a more popular shoulder month and capitalize on lower costs, you’ll have more hours in the day to see outdoor sights than you would in March, for instance. 

My husband and I played cribbage up until almost 11pm when we were at the Isle of Skye in the beginning of May because it was so light out. If you need 9 hours of sleep to be a functional human and waking up early is a must for you itinerary, check reviews on hotels to make sure they have dark curtains in the northern part of Scotland.

Worst Months to Visit Scotland:

In my (very biased) opinion, there is no such thing as a bad month to visit Scotland. There are simply pros and cons. If visiting Scotland on a budget is important to you, the summer months are going to be tricky and require advanced planning. If you want to lower your chances of rain every day of your visit, avoid the winter months. 

If you are traveling in June, for example, you will get almost midnight sun with how long the days are, but you’re going to be paying more for accommodations and running into more crowds. And as mentioned, you aren’t guaranteeing yourself good weather by waiting until June. It’s Scotland, after all.

If you’re traveling in August, you will have some of Scotland’s warmest weather with average highs near 70°F. You will also have stiff competition getting accommodations in Edinburgh as that is the time of the Edinburgh Festival, where the city swells with visitors for multiple weeks. You need to book accommodations 6+ months in advance and be prepared to pay a premium. And bump elbows with a United Nations of tourists. But hey, maybe that’s also a plus!

If you are visiting in January, you will hardly see any crowds and get to enjoy local pubs with the locals instead of the tourists. You will also run into more attractions, shops, and establishments being closed for the winter, and certain areas will feel like a ghost town. The sun will set at 4pm after only having risen at 9am. And it will (likely) be a very rainy month. 

But it will be cheaper, you won’t have to plan that far ahead to get good accommodations, and you will actually get to interact more with locals who aren’t overwhelmed by tourists. (Not that there’s anything wrong with talking to a very nice couple visiting from Iowa while waiting for a table). 

To review: the best month to visit Scotland is either March, April, or May as any of these months will allow you to get decent costs on accommodations, avoid crowds, and still see the island without short days or heavy chances of rain.

For more on planning your trip to Scotland, check out my Ultimate 7-Day Scotland Itinerary!

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