11 Things to Do in Luss, Scotland: A Guide
The small Luss village in Scotland is a charming town, known for being one of the prettiest towns in Scotland!
Being right on the UK’s largest lake, and on the edge of Scotland’s first-ever national park, makes Luss iconic, and surrounded by so much beauty.
My husband, 2 kids and I stopped in the village of Luss to spend the afternoon, it was the last leg of our Scotland journey and it was the perfect end to our time in Scotland.
We’re glad we didn’t miss this cute, idyllic village. Even though we only had a short time, we still managed to see a lot, as it’s a small village where you can walk around in about an hour.
I’ve rounded up all the things to do in the area, so here’s a complete guide to Luss Scotland – things to do, a few places to eat, and some hidden gems to find nearby.
Things to Do in Luss, Scotland
1. Do the Heritage Trail
The heritage trail in Luss is a 1-hour self-guided walk around town, admiring the old stone cottages and other historic buildings.
The trail starts in the Luss car park, which is one of two parking lots where you can park in Luss. For the exact route, find the map here.
Since we had kids with us, and it had been a long day of driving from the Isle of Skye- we didn’t do the official trail, but just walked around town at our leisure. You can do this as well without it needing to be the excact trail.
In addition to the Heritage Trail, there are a total of five little ‘paths’ in Luss that show you different sites – the shoreline, the quarry, the river and more. Find a map of the little paths and what they offer here.
2. Take a boat cruise of Loch Lomond
Boat cruises leave from the Luss Pier and take you around Loch Lomond, which is the largest lake in the UK and surrounded by mountains.
Some of the views you can enjoy from the boat are:
- Views of Ben Lomond, the mountain range near Loch Lomond
- Islands in the loch
Pro Tip: Luss is not the only town on Loch Lomond where you can take a cruise from (Balloch and Balhama are others.) But, Luss is one of the more scenic, cute of the Loch Lomond towns.
3. Spend time at the beach by the Luss Pier
Loch Lomond has an impressive long stretch of sandy beach, with beautiful views. Even in May, the water was warm enough that some people were swimming.
Our 4 year old spent a good chunk of time just wading in the small waves.
The beach is sandy, but has tiny pebbles. I recommend wearing sandals if you have any. We just had our running shoes, which was fine too. It was a beautiful evening on the Luss beach!
4. Do watersports on Loch Lomond
We saw a few people doing watersports, and found out that they rented them from a company right in town.
You can rent equipment for the following watersports:
- Kayaking
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Canoeing
- Wakeboarding and waterskiing
- Boat rentals
The views just from the pier are stunning, so being able to get out further onto the water would be a treat if you have the time.
They do some guided tours of the above, but you can also rent the equipment and so self-guided. Enquire on their website if interested.
5. Stop by the Village Shop for ice cream or coffee + souvenirs
We stopped at the Village Shop, which is near the large Luss Carpark. We found some less-common Scottish souvenirs that we never saw anywhere else.
The Village Shop also sell Scottish pastries and ice cream, and also have a take out menu. There aren’t a lot of places to eat in town, so this is useful to know.
Also, FYI there are paid public washrooms just beside the Village shop, which is so useful for day visitors. You will need your credit card to get into the washrooms.
6. Check out the Luss Parish Church
The Luss Parish Church is a small church dating back to 500 BCE, and it has a viking grave in the yard.
The church itself is not very old (built in 1875, young for Scottish standards!) but, its been a site of worship for 1,500 years.
There are some stones and carvings from the Viking area near the church; they provide a virtual tour on their website – you can go look for these in person if you’re interested!
The church is apart of the Heritage Walk if you follow the official trail, but the town is small, and you can easily walk over here to check it out from anywhere in town.
7. Do the Loch Lomond Faerie Trail
If you’re in Scotland with kids, then the Loch Lomond Faerie Trail is a special treat. Local folklore says that fairies have been living in this area since the beginning of time.
In addition to fairy trails, they have regular nature trails, and also a petting farm. Perfect thing to do in the area with kids.
Fairy trails are common in Ireland, but they’re much harder to find in Scotland. (This was the first one we came across.) Book your tickets at their website.
Unfortunately, our itinerary caused us to arrive in Luss too late to do the trail (as it closes at 4pm.) So, definitely try to plan your visit to accommodate this fairy trail if you’re visiting with kids.
8. Do the Glen Striddle Horseshoe hike
If you’re in the area for long enough and up for something more challening, The Glen Striddle Horseshoe Hike is the most popular challenging hike in the area.
It’s 11 km (almost 7 miles), and takes 4-5 hours to complete, including breaks.
The best part is you start the hike right in town, the details for the trail are here.
You need good, waterproof walking shoes for this, as the hills of the highlands are often wet throughout the year. The view from the hike would allow you to look down into Loch Lomond.
9. Get spa treatments at the Amber Rose Spa
The Amber Rose Spa in town is part of what has turned Luss into a possible honeymoon, wedding or other special occasion destination.
They offer accommodation packages, but they have a day spa too which you can visit without staying there. They offer:
- Afternoon high tea and luxurious meals with a view of the loch
- Spa treatments
They cater not only to couples, friends, mother-daughter duos – but they also have a solo traveller package which is really cool.
10. Enjoy an outdoor sauna
Hot Tottie Saunas have two locations in Scotland, and Luss is lucky to be one of them.
You pre-book a 55-minute slot, show up, and get to relax in the saunas. Easily combined with a day visit to Luss, or while staying for the weekend. (They don’t provide parking, you must use one of the car parks, or your accomodation.) Book here.
11. Have a cuppa in the Coach House Coffee Shop
The Coach House Coffee Shop is a rustic, cozy little spot right on the lake. It’s open from 10am to 4pm daily. They serve Scottish goods such as shortbread, homebaked scones and haggis.
In the warmer months, they have a fire on. Their to-go cups are charming and colourful.
Unfortunately, we didn’t arrive in Luss until after 4pm, so we missed this cute spot. They sent me some photos so you could see what it’s all about.
12. (Bonus, for families!) Take a break at the Luss playground
Families with kids should definitely visit the little playground in Luss. It’s always ‘open’ so you can head there after 4pm, (when everything else in town is closed.)
Our 3 year old and even our 12 year old enjoyed playing on the playground. They have some more challenging structures compared to what we see at home.
We enjoyed a relaxing early-evening play here, and even just from the benches, there are stunning views of the picturesque village and the mountains. The playground is a short walk from everything else in Luss.
Where to Stay in Luss Village, Loch Lomond
Luss can be visited on a daytrip from Edinburgh, or Glasgow, but there’s enough to do to warrant a couple nights in the area too. Here are some places to stay:
- The Lodge On Loch Lomond Hotel /8.8 stars /Located right on the Loch. Has several room types, a 2-bedroom suite, and serves breakfast
- Heather Cottage / 9 stars/ Self-catering, adorable cottage with 2 bedrooms and 3 beds, right in the centre of Luss
- 2-bedroom cottages (by Arms Hotel) /8.8 stars/These historic stone cottages are run through the local Arms Hotel. You can prepare your own meals OR enjoy meals in the on-site restaurant (best of both worlds)
Important: If you aren’t staying overnight in Luss, then be sure to use one of the two main carparks – there are hundreds of spots available. Street parking is hard to find, in part due to popularity of the town.
Luss village in Scotland has become a very touristy little spot, but we really enjoyed it and still think it’s worth a visit on your trip to Scotland. Its proximity to Glasgow and Edinburgh make it doable to see in a short itinerary (a week or less), and you can’t beat its quaint, idyllic atmosphere.