Compare 7 holiday parks in Loch Ness – filter by hot tubs, pets, pools and more, then check dates and prices.
Situated in the picture postcard village of Fort Augustus at the southern tip of the world-famous Loch Ness, our cosy glamping pods and spacious holiday homes are the perfect home away from home for the modern adventurer.
Loch Ness Lodge Retreat is the gateway to the great outdoors and the premier destination for exploring the highlands of Scotland. Surrounded by majestic mountains, lochs and epic scenery.
Gledfield Highland Estate is a walker’s paradise, and is situated within 5,000 acres of wonderful striking woodlands on the shores of the Dornoch Firth along the River Carron.
Grannies Heilan Hame, can be found in the Northern Highlands of Scotland in the quaint village of Embo, is a serene and family-friendly holiday park that offers a perfect blend of leisure activities and scenic beauty.
Loch Ness Highland Lodges is an exclusive development of luxurious lodges, situated on the beautiful banks of Loch Ness, with its serene glens and lush forests with tumbling waterfalls and just a short drive away from the village of Fort Augustus.
Set on the lovely white sand coastline of the Moray Firth, and just an hours drive from bustling Inverness, this superbly located park boasts a family entertainment complex.
Wildside Highland Lodges at Loch Ness nestling in idyllic woodland on the banks of the River Fechlin, deep in the heart of the Highlands.
Picture yourself on a deck above the water, steam curling off the hot tub, while the light fades over the hills on the far shore. That's the moment most Loch Ness holidays are built around. The loch runs for about 23 miles through the Great Glen, reaches 230 metres deep in places and holds more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales put together.
Most parks here are small and lodge-based, with more room than many holiday cottages and none of the big caravan site bustle. You get your own deck, often a private tub, and a short drive to Urquhart Castle, the canal at Fort Augustus and the walks of the Scottish Highlands.
Below you'll find the accommodation we can book, the top attractions, the best months to go and a packing list that copes with Highland weather.
Space, mostly. A two-bedroom holiday home gives the children their own room, a proper kitchen for breakfast before a day out, and a deck where the grown-ups can sit with a coffee while everyone else sleeps. It's self catering, so you eat when the children are hungry rather than when a hotel serves dinner.
There's no airport queue either.
Pack the car with wellies, bikes and the dog bed and head north on the A9 or the A82. If you'd rather leave the car, direct trains reach Inverness from Edinburgh and Glasgow, Inverness Airport sits just east of the city, and Stagecoach buses run along the A82 to Drumnadrochit.
Sharing a holiday home with another family or a couple of friends keeps the cost of a Highland getaway right down. Use this to work out what each of you would pay.
The parks closest to the water are at the southern end, around Invermoriston and Fort Augustus. Drive times are from Drumnadrochit, halfway up the north shore. For more accommodation across the Highlands, see our Inverness-Shire parks.
Invermoriston - about 21 minutes - sleeps up to 4 - hot tubs - rated 4.9
Want a loch view? These sit right on the banks, a short drive from Fort Augustus, and each has a wraparound balcony with its own bubbling tub looking over the water.
Inside there's a spacious living area, a well equipped kitchen and en suite bedrooms. You'll also find an onsite bar and restaurant, a children's play area and a launderette. It opens seasonally, from March to October.
Fort Augustus - about 29 minutes - sleeps up to 4 - hot tubs - rated 4.7
In the village at the southern tip of the loch, this resort mixes glamping pods with roomier holiday homes. The two-bedroom units have an en suite double with a walk-in shower, a twin room, an open-plan living area with a feature fireplace and French doors onto a big veranda with a tub.
Fort Augustus - about 31 minutes - sleeps up to 4 - hot tubs - rated 4.6
On the outskirts of the village, close to the canal, this retreat is ringed by mountains and big Highland scenery. Its two-bedroom homes have an en suite double, a second bathroom, a feature fireplace and a veranda with countryside views.
North Kessock, Inverness - about 31 minutes - sleeps up to 4 - hot tubs - rated 5.0
Kessock is set in rolling meadowland just across the water from Inverness. It's a romantic one for couples. Each has one large bedroom with a king-size double, a bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath and waterfall shower, decking with open views, a private garden and an outdoor tub. The city's food and drink is close by.
Whitebridge - about 41 minutes - sleeps up to 6 - hot tubs, pets welcome - rated 4.4
Bringing the dog? Wildside sits on the banks of the River Fechlin at Whitebridge, on the quiet south side, and it's right on the Loch Ness 360 trail so you can set off from the door. The traditional Scottish cabins are heated throughout and open onto a lawn. Fishing is available, and pets are welcome.
Nairn, Moray Firth - about 51 minutes - sleeps up to 8 - pets welcome, pool - rated 4.4
If the kids want a swimming pool and plenty of activities, head for the coast. Nairn Lochloy is a bigger family park on the Moray Firth with a heated indoor pool, sauna, adventure playground, crazy golf, arcade, nature trail and Spelding's Lounge Bar. Its holiday homes sleep up to eight and pets are welcome. There's more on this coast on our Northern Highlands parks page.
| Holiday park | Drive (mins) | Sleeps | Hot tubs | Pets | Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loch Ness Highland Lodges | 21 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Loch Ness Highland Resort | 29 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Loch Ness Lodge Retreat | 31 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Kessock Highland Lodges | 31 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Wildside Highland Lodges at Loch Ness | 41 | 6 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Nairn Lochloy | 51 | 8 | No | Yes | Yes |
Set on a hot tub? You can filter every park we list by holiday homes with a hot tub.
It's all on one long road.
The A82 runs up the north shore from Fort Augustus through Invermoriston and Drumnadrochit to Inverness, while the B862 and B852 wind along the quieter south side through Dores. You can explore the whole of Inverness and Loch Ness from any of these parks.
Perched on a rocky point above Urquhart Bay, the ruined castle has over 1,000 years of history. It also has the best view on the whole north side. Climb the Grant Tower for the panorama down the glen, peer into the prison cell and stand beside the full-size wooden trebuchet. Historic Environment Scotland opens it daily from 9.30am all year apart from 25 and 26 December, and suggests booking online.
Calling all monster hunters! The Loch Ness Experience is in the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, where a famous 1933 sighting started the modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster, and its one-hour tour runs through the stories and the science behind Nessie. Perfect for a wet morning.
From April to November it also runs Deepscan boat trips.
The castle looks best from the water.
Loch Ness by Jacobite sails all year from Dochgarroch Lock near Inverness and from Clansman Harbour, with cruises past the castle and longer tours that stop for a visit. At the other end, Cruise Loch Ness leaves Fort Augustus with a 50-minute trip that runs year round and is dog friendly.
Grab an ice cream and lean on the lock gates. Thomas Telford's Caledonian Canal, opened in 1822, drops down to the loch through a flight of five locks in the middle of the village, and it takes a boat about an hour to work through them. The heritage centre beside the lowest lock has a cafe and shop.
On the south side, the Falls of Foyers drop 140 feet through the woodland. The path is short but very steep, about ten minutes down and fifteen back up, so leave the buggy in the car. Further north, Dores Beach gives you the classic view down the loch, and the Dores Inn next to it welcomes dogs, with a beer garden in summer and a fire in winter.
At Invermoriston, a short stroll from the car park takes you to the old Telford bridge over the Moriston.
For a full day out, take the A831 to Glen Affric, where the Dog Falls trail runs about two miles through pine and birch forest to a rocky gorge. Plodda Falls near Tomich is one of Scotland's most spectacular.
The Great Glen Way, one of Scotland's Great Trails, follows the north side of the loch to Inverness, and the South Loch Ness Trail runs about 36 miles along the south side from Fort Augustus. Join them up and you've got a loop of around 80 miles. You don't have to do it all. Pick one stage, such as Drumnadrochit to Invermoriston, and check the A82 bus times for the ride back.
Keep an eye out for osprey, golden eagles and red deer. Between May and August, bottlenose dolphins chase salmon past Chanonry Point on the Black Isle, best seen about an hour after low tide. Inverness has shops, restaurants and a walk by the River Ness, while Aviemore and the Cairngorms are about an hour away. Fancy a longer road trip? From Invermoriston the road heads west to the Isle of Skye, or follow the A82 south to Ben Nevis at Fort William, then on past Loch Lomond, with a detour west to Oban on the way.
May and September are the sweet spots, with long light evenings, fewer crowds and the big autumn events. Midges peak from mid-May to September, though VisitInvernessLochNess says most places along Loch Ness are pretty much midge free compared with Glen Affric.
Weather in the Highlands can change four times in an afternoon. These are the things you'll be glad you brought.
A long weekend gives you time for the castle, a cruise and one good hike. A week lets you explore further, adding Glen Affric, the dolphins and a day on Skye. Here's a simple itinerary to start from:
Travelling with a pet? Our dog friendly holiday parks search shows every park that takes them. For the rest of Scotland, from the Borders to the far north, see all our holiday parks in Scotland.
However you plan your Loch Ness holidays, booking early for July and August gives you the widest pick.
Are there parks right on Loch Ness?
Yes. Loch Ness Highland Lodges at Invermoriston sit on the banks, and two more parks are in Fort Augustus at the southern tip. Wildside is a little inland at Whitebridge.
Can I find caravans at Loch Ness, or is it all lodges?
The parks nearest the loch are lodge parks rather than static caravan sites. For a bigger park with a pool and kids' club, Nairn Lochloy on the Moray Firth is under an hour away.
Can I bring my dog?
Wildside and Nairn Lochloy both welcome pets. The Dores Inn and the 50-minute Fort Augustus cruise take dogs too.
Is Loch Ness good for a family holiday?
Yes. Children love the Nessie stories, the castle's history and trebuchet, and watching boats in the locks. A holiday home gives you space and a kitchen, and most activities are a short drive away.
How do I get there without a car?
Trains run to Inverness from Edinburgh and Glasgow, and there's an airport just east of the city. Stagecoach buses run from Inverness along the loch, though a car makes the south side much easier.
When are the midges worst?
From mid-May to September, peaking in July and August. The loch side is mostly midge free, but bring repellent for the glens.
