Activities for teenagers
Scotland’s rugged landscape and mild climate are perfect for a range of outdoor activities. Even when the weather fails, the fun can move inside. The UK’s largest free-standing rock wall, an indoor ski slope and numerous indoor go karting centres will keep any teenager amused.
Theme parks
Scotland’s biggest theme park is M & Ds, with five white knuckle roller coasters; the Tsunami, the Tornado, the Express, the Runaway Mine Train and the Big Apple.
There’s also Amazonia - an indoor, tropical rainforest. Insects are kept behind glass, but expect to see the brightly coloured tree frogs sitting on branches, beautiful butterflies and exotic birds flying around.
Outdoor activities
Quad biking, where small, all-terrain vehicles are driven over country tracks and trails, is popular in Scotland with teenagers and people of all ages. There are outdoor centres around the country offering quad biking activities and family treks are often available. It’s messy, muddy and very good fun.
Outdoor Activity Centres also offer clay pigeon shooting, archery or paintballing, along with quad biking.
Indoor activities
Braehead, near Glasgow, is home to the Xscape Centre, one of Scotland’s most exciting days out. Xscape has one of the largest freestanding climbing walls in the UK, Climbzone UK!, and an indoor ski slope made of real snow, SNO!zone, offering ski and snowboard lessons. There’s also Soccer Circus, a state of the art interactive football park, and indoor bowling facilities.
Braehead Arena also has an Olympic-sized ice rink which offers ice-related activities like ice skating, curling and ice hockey.
Scotkart is Scotland’s largest go karting centre and has large tracks in Cambuslang and Clydebank. Indoor karting is a popular activity and there are many indoor tracks across Scotland. There are centres in Edinburgh, Dundee, Inverness, Aberdeen and Stirling also.
Race fees vary depending on the size of the group and the length of time spent on the track. Costs include equipment hire (race suit, helmet, neck brace and gloves), a ride safety briefing and initial observations by an instructor. Family and group bookings are often available and most centres have children’s go karts for hire too.
More on Xscape, Braehead
More on Quad Biking in Scotland
More on M & Ds Theme Park