Cairngorms National Park
The largest national park in Britain, the Cairngorms National Park’s breath-taking natural beauty alone is worth visiting for. The Cairngorms is home to an abundance of wildlife, including several endangered species such as the red squirrel, as well as a variety of scenic landscapes waiting to be explored.
With plenty of activities to take part in, from snow sports and water sports to cycling and golf, as well as the first permanent bridge-based bungee jump in the UK, the Cairngorms make the perfect place for a day of adventures. You can find Braemar Castle in the National Park just an hour's from Leonardo Hotel Aberdeen.
Codona’s Aberdeen
Codona’s in Aberdeen is a hub of amusement and fun for the whole family, offering a variety of activities and rides including roller coasters, dodgems, a log flume, and an 18-hole adventure golf course! It even caters for rainy days with the Sunset Boulevard indoor complex, including bowling alleys, an arcade, and an adventure play land. There are also four restaurants and two bars for when you want to put your feet up!
Neatly placed to overlook the stunning shore, you can find Codona’s a 26 minute walk or 11 minute drive from our Leonardo Hotel in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Science Centre
Aberdeen Science Centre attracts over 50,000 visitors each year with a range of exhibitions, workshops, and shows, all offering an exciting and educational day out. Aiming to inspire people of all ages, the science centre provides hands-on exhibits where you can engage with the science of the world and learn about everything from space exploration to deep sea robotics!
The centre also holds a Tramsheds Coffee House, where you can buy a range of light bites and baked goods. The Aberdeen Science Centre is open from 10am-4pm on Mondays and from Wednesday to Friday, closing at 5pm on weekends and school holidays, with admission costing £5.75 for adults and £4.50 for children. You can find the Aberdeen Science Centre a 22-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Beaches
Whether you’re taking a sandy summer stroll or a wintery walk in the crisp air, you’ll find the perfect place to ramble on one of Aberdeen’s beaches. With a variety of picturesque coastlines waiting to be explored, a walk along the waterfront is a great way to spend an hour or two before settling in for a picnic and a lounge.
The closest shore to the city centre is just a 23-minute walk from Aberdeen’s Leonardo Hotel, with the promenade offering a range of restaurants and activities to enjoy.
Tolquhon Castle
Tolquhon Castle offers large ruins to explore from its magnificent gatehouse (fully intact and more for impressing visitors rather than defending against any unwanted guests!) to the main house structure. Almost fairy-tale like in appearance, Tolquhon Castle warrants plenty of exploration with the family rooms upstairs, the Steward’s Room, and the Pit Prison, all waiting for you to uncover the castle’s hidden mysteries.
The castle served as a permanent residence for almost three centuries, and remains well intact today despite being classed as a ruin. The grounds can also afford exceptional viewpoints of Aberdeenshire. The castle grounds and shop open 9:30am-5:30pm every day, and admission costs £4.50 for adults and £2.70 for children. Tolquhon Castle can be found under a half an hour’s drive from Leonardo Hotel and Conference Venue Aberdeen Airport and Leonardo Inn Aberdeen Airport.
Fyvie Castle
Aberdeenshire’s Fyvie Castle is one of the region’s proud monuments to its own history. Dating back to the 13th century, the castle has a mix of old and new with an appealing, well decorated Edwardian interior, displaying a vast collection of arms, armour and art. Keep an eye out portrait collections of the timeless work of Batoni, Romney and Gainsborough whilst exploring the lavish hallways and corridors.
The castle grounds are offer a restored racquets court, an ice house, a bowling alley, a bird hide, and a great stone wheel-staircase, one of the finest in the country. Fyvie Castle is also home to a range of wildlife, from swans and coots to geese and even the occasional osprey. Visitors can also experience the grounds from a balloon ride, which will give you unmatched views of the surrounding woodlands and lochs.
End the afternoon by popping in to the tea room, where there is a delicious selection of snacks and light lunches, before visiting the castle shop for souvenirs of your trip. You can find Fyvie Castle just over a half hour by car from our Aberdeen hotel.
Forvie National Nature Reserve
The Sands of Forvie create a landscape of typical Scottish beauty. The rippling sand dunes flanking the Ythan estuary are home to a stunning collection of wildlife, including but not limited to the largest colony of breeding Eider ducks in the UK. The scenic setting also offers a number of walking trails and empty expanses perfect for picnics and long family strolls. Take a glimpse into the history of Aberdeenshire as you uncover the half-buried remains of a 12th century church, the victim of a blistering sandstorm some 300 years later.
The visitors centre contains a number of exhibits and displays about the area, as well as a touch-screen DVD presentation. Forvie National Nature Reserve is located a thirty minute drive from Leonardo Hotel and Conference Venue Aberdeen Airport and Leonardo Inn Aberdeen Airport.
Haddo House and Country Park
Haddo House and Country Park is one of Aberdeen’s classic manors. A settlement for thousands of years, dating back as early as the Bronze Age, Haddo House now receives over 220,000 visitors a year. Despite a fire in 1930, the house still retains its original Palladian design, combining a Georgian exterior with a Victorian interior to make a classic cocktail of beautiful brickwork.
Haddo also houses fine art collections from 18th century artists such as Gainsborough and Batoni, and an assortment of vintage period furniture and decoration. The stunning country park extends for almost 240 acres, in which you can follow Scot’s Mile for a stunning viewpoint of Aberdeenshire and the grounds, or take a long, peaceful walk through Craigie Wood and Deer Park. The estate also has a new adventure playground available for the kids and a number of picnic areas.
You can enjoy some lunch or a snack at the onsite tearoom, or pick up a souvenir at the National Trust for Scotland Shop. Opening times vary depending on the attraction, and Haddo House and Country Park is just a thirty-minute drive from our Aberdeen Airport hotels.
Stonehaven Open Air Pool
Stonehaven Open Air Pool offers visitors the perfect opportunity to relax. With clean sea water heated to a comfortable 29 degrees, the 50 metre Olympic swimming pool and accompanying Lido provide fun for the whole family, whether you’re dipping your toes or diving straight in. Specific sessions include a quiet swim, a lane swim, a fun swim for the young ones, and a midnight swim under the stars with some retro disco music.
There are deck chairs surrounding the pools and the Splash Café, which serves up hot and cold drinks, hot food, sweets, and delicious baked goods! Opening times vary depend on season and day of the week, and tickets cost £5.30 for adult and £3.20 for children. Stonehaven Open Air Pool is situated a thirty-five minute drive from Leonardo Hotel Aberdeen Airport.
Duthie Park Winter Gardens
Visit one of the biggest indoor gardens in Europe, Duthie Park Winter Gardens, where you’ll find rare plants, exotic flowers and the biggest collection of succulents and cacti in Britain. Take a walk along the Corridor of Perfumes and experience a different climate in the Tropical and Arid House before going to see the boating ponds and children’s play areas.
We recommend: taking the kids to see Spike the talking cactus!
Balmedie Beach
Whether the sun is shining or the winds are blowing, there’s nothing quite like a walk along Balmedie Beach during your stay in Aberdeen. Explore the dunes and blow away the cobwebs as you wander along the endless stretch of sand, and make sure you take a camera.
We recommend: wrapping up warm because after all, this is Scotland, and the weather can be rather nippy and changeable
Old Aberdeen
If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of Union Street, take a wander through Old Aberdeen. Located to the north of the city centre, it’s got everything from cobbled streets to a cathedral, botanic gardens and the King’s Museum.
We recommend: continuing north to Seaton Park, a huge green space along the River Don.
Glen Garioch Distillery
Located in the historic market town of Oldmeldrum, Glen Garioch is one of Scotland’s oldest operating distilleries. Go to the visitor centre and take a guided tour to find out how this Highland single malt is made, and learn more about the history of whisky distilling in Scotland. Best of all, you’ll even get to indulge in some whisky tasting. We recommend: choosing the ‘A Rare Pair’ tour for a truly one-of-a-kind experience including cheese and whisky tasting by a roaring fire Balmoral Castle While in Aberdeenshire, a visit to the Royal Family’s Scottish home, Balmoral Castle, is a must. The estate is home to beautiful gardens and engaging exhibitions of history and art, right at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
We recommend: playing a round of golf or going salmon fishing on the estate for a truly Scottish experience.
