NOW CLOSED Ever been on a family holiday to Scotland? Or fancy going on one? Share your thoughts with VisitScotland - there are 5 fantastic prizes to be won!

[AlexMumsnet]

VisitScotland would like to hear from those of you who've been on a family holiday to Scotland - or are planning one. Here's what they say:

"This year we are celebrating the Year of Natural Scotland and invite you to come and celebrate our outstanding natural beauty throughout 2013. We are a family friendly nation with loads to offer on a family holiday; from wildlife like the bottlenose dolphins of the Moray Firth, to the capercaillie of the central Highlands and the thousands of seals and puffins inhabiting our beautiful coastline. For city seekers, we have seven, all with a wealth of things to see and do on a family break. Visit our website to start your planning today! Also check out Embrace Scotland which has over 2,500 quality assured self catering properties across Scotland."

They're interested to know where you think the best places are for children to visit? Which regions cater for children best? Are you better off wandering the great outdoors with them or visiting a specific attraction? Would they have more fun in the countryside, Highlands or Islands or in one of Scotland?s seven cities?

If you haven't yet been on a family holiday to Scotland but are planning one (or just daydreaming of an escape!), please take a look at VisitScotland's family web section for some inspiration and share your thoughts on this thread.

Good value breaks are easy to find with a range of passes to enjoy savings, and we have 5 of these to give away! Everyone who adds their comments will be entered into a prize draw to win one of:

~ 2 x family passes from the National Trust for Scotland with attractions ranging from the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum to Crathes Castle, Garden and Estate. (worth £168, Valid for one year)

~ A 3 day family Edinburgh pass for entry into a wide range of tourist attractions in Edinburgh from Dynamic Earth to the Edinburgh Dungeon. (worth £158)

~ 2 x 3 day family Explorer Passes from Historic Scotland with attractions ranging from the Royal Castles of Edinburgh & Stirling to the ancient mystical sites of Skara Brae and Maeshowe on Orkney. (worth £116)

Also, if you'd like to be in with a chance of winning a 4* break in Melfort Village, Argyll please enter the separate Mumsnet VisitScotland competition here

Edinburgh is a fabulous city to visit and living in Northumberland it was a regular day trip when I was a child and now I love to take my own children. They love The Castle, walking down The Royal Mile, Princes Street and the gardens. The Grass Market, Arthurs Seat, Greyfriar's Bobby.......Sometimes we do a day trip by car or train,and sometimes stay for a few days.
Another holiday was on Loch Lomond caravanning....lots of walks, sailing and swimming, and another was Isle of Bute....beautiful!
Yes visiting specific attractions can be great fun, but personally I find my family enjoy just being away, in fantastic surroundings, relaxing, walking swimming.......
Two years ago, two sons took part in The Glen Nevis River Race, (braving a 2 mile stretch of icy water on a lilo) and the rest of us went as support. Glencoe and Glen Nevis are beautiful.
We have also had wonderful camping holidays in Glen Trool. The children loved it.

My husband loves glencoe having been there previously. It's somewhere we have looked at. Our dc are very young. They are mobile and generally happy as long as they are with us, woods are hide and seek sites, story sites, open spaces are good for running and chase and spinning them round etc.

We have not yet managed a family holiday though so cannot comment on child friendliness.

Oooo, Sara brae and whale watching would be on our to do list though.

I love the East Neuk of Fife, Elie is a gorgeous village and the beaches in that area are lovely.
lots of great walks and pretty villages.

We are just back from a mini break to Crieff Hydro. I would honestly say it was the first family holiday that felt like a holiday! Self catering lodges but the hotel facilities to use. The weather wasn't great but there was loads to do indoors and out. A very family centred hotel with up to 6 hours of kids clubs a day included in the price! Dd is disabled but they gave her a 1:1 person for £7 an hour for the hours she was there.

We live near Edinburgh which is a fantastic place, so much to do with children or without. Dynamic earth, national museum, meadows play park are some of our favourites as well as loads of cafes and restaurants.

North Berwick has a great child friendly beach.

We like outdoors stuff with the option of a very wet weather back up plan. But mostly it's about having the right clothes ;)

Planning on self catering on Arran this summer. Plan to stock up with lots of food, drink, board games and books, in case of weather, and wellies, cagouls and binoculars to explore the island. Hoping to see otters, golden eagles and anything else that moves, whilst wading through streams, playing cricket on the beaches, striding up then sliding down hillsides in bin bags, and building up a good appetite for huuuuge evening meals around a log fire. Mmmmmmm

I just cant imagine how a trip to midgey cold scotland would be a holiday

not even good food to enliven it

It would be my WORst holiday choice.
( and yes I have lived there)

I love dumfries and galloway for family holidays. Great beaches and lots of fab things to do like the Cream O Galloway. Weather tends to be a bit better when minging elsewhere!

Another vote for Dumfries and Galloway; we stayed in a fab dog-friendly gourmet hotel, and loved all the art/sculpture, plus Wigtown aka Booktown.

We go to Scotland practically every year - have taken kids from age of 6m up to 10 so far. Mine love the beaches of the north and west - wide open empty spaces preferably with a stream to dam.

Favourite places so far : Orkney, Islay, Tiree. But we have loved all the places we have gone along the north and west coast.

Midges are my big bugbear (they eat me - not so much the rest of the family). So we tend to go in May and early June.

I agree with AlisonMoyet (weird sentence). I had EVERY family holiday as a child in Scotland. It was cold and dull. I had no idea until I left home that most people went to a warmer place for their holidays

being wet and miserable with shit food

god no

We've had a lovely family holiday when DS was 3 to the west coast in cottages that we'd stayed in as a couple previously. The sealife centre at Oban, whilst not having the huge vertical tanks that more modern ones have, is really good. There are also some historic sites around there that are good. The National Trust for Scotland sites are great, and free to UK National Trust members: there's a lovely garden at Arduaine with views over the sea lochs which is magical.

Food is great - DS had his first scallops and langoustines there - he wasn't so keen on the mussles. Lots of friendly pubs that do good meals and are OK with dogs too.

When he's a few years older we will taken him up to Orkney - DH and I have had a holiday there - the archaeology is fantastic there, as is the quality of the light.

My parents in law live in Scotland on the West Coast last April we went up, although it was dismal in London the weather up there was glorious - 22 degrees! We took my DS on his first trip ever to the beach at Luskentyre. One of thew most beautiful sandy beaches I've ever been to and I've seen a lot of beaches in Africa and Aus.

My DS loved the sand.

We had a couple of family holidays in Scotland when I was a child, but I've never been as an adult (not as a holiday anyway).

I'd like to take our children as we've exhausted most holiday resorts in England and Wales, but I worry that the weather would be too bad that far north to enjoy the beaches etc. There are no guarantees in any part of Britain of course, and we've spent many a rainy day on beaches, but Scotland is such a long way to go to do that

I'll be looking at the link for some areas of Scotland that cater for nesh children on rainy days...

Mine love the beaches - a good pair of wellies and anything from t-shirt to thick winter coat and gloves and hats is fine by them.

The most beautiful and empty beaches I have ever seen are in the far west and north of Scotland - far too many to count - they are all wonderful up there.

East Anglian beaches just can't touch them sadly since that is where we live. I often wish I could be out on a Scottish beach :)

We live in Scotland and often go for short breaks and holidays in Scotland. Love Edinburgh for all the obvious reasons - the zoo, the castle, but also lovely coastal walks, great restaraunts, and some great kids' attractions not far out of town, e.g. Almond Valley Farm.

We had a great holiday in the St Andrews area last year - I think Fife must have the biggest concentration of attractions tailored for children. Fife Deer Park, Muddy Boots, Deep Sea World, St Andrews itself is beautiful with a gorgeous beach.

You can't beat Applecross for completley getting away from it all - the most amazing dramatic drive over the Bealach na Ba to get there. A great campsite with wooden wigwams (brilliant for camping with kids), woodfired pizza on site, and of course the famous Applecross Inn for fab seafood.

Skye is like a world all of its own - dramatic, varied landscapes and fabulous walking at all levels. Really high chances of spotting eagles (golden and white-tailed).

We are planning Orkney this year - really manageable for a family holiday as easy to travel round the mainland, amazing neolithic/viking historical remains to see, and the outlying islands all have their own stories to tell. Fab seabird colonies too, and always the chance of whales from the ferry on the way over..

We visited Skye and an island just off it called Raasay with our DC's a couple of years ago, staying in some great, characterful, and friendly youth hostels.
We went in a glass-bottomed boat to look at the wildlife and fish in the sea which they both loved. We saw otters at an otter sanctuary, and eagles flying over the mountains. We climbed to the highest point on Raasay and had great views. I've been to the Highlands with my partner (but without the children) and loved seeing the dolphins at Moray Firth - so if I was going back I'd love to take the children there too - and to see some red squirrels as well ! Also the castles look good so I'd like to take children to explore one of those also

I have enjoyed Berwick, Hawick, Jedburgh and Edinburgh. There is always something for everyone, from shopping to historical sites to nature walks.

Edinburgh is definitely the place to take a gothic-obsessed teenager. The ghost walks are fab and the whole place just has so much atmosphere. The fact that you can also go down in the vaults - learn about Burke and Hare - it all makes it real attractive for a teenager...

Even the castle appealed!

Food: haggis neeps and tatties with whisky cream sauce, butteries, oatcakes, fruit pudding, roast chicken and skirlie, white pudding suppers, pizza crunch (maybe just me there on this one though!) lovely fresh seafood, venison, Killie pies, Aberdeen Angus steaks, game, cullen skink, cranachan, Stornaway black pudding - need I go on??

And the only time I have ever sunburnt as an adult was the first year I moved up here, having believed all the tosh about cold and rain all year round :p

There are loads of great ideas on this thread. We live and holiday in Scotland and its given me inspiration!

We've been to Glasgow and Edinburgh 7 years ago before our children were born. It was just before Years Year celebrations and the city still had a Christmas mood. We visited several museums and attraction. We really enjoyed our time. All was perfect!
Now our children are 5 and 2 and when we visit Scotland again, we would love to show them castles, historic sites, coasts and natural beauty of it.