Fancy a day at Loch Lomond? Many do; it's a popular day trip, especially with Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, just a short distance away. An interesting statistic is that half of the population of Scotland lives an hour or less from Loch Lomond & The Trossachs.

We've suggested some options for a day in Loch Lomond, signposting through links to more detailed guides on this website to help you plan your day trip. We focus initially on Balmaha, Balloch and Luss but go on to list some other destinations.

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A day at Balmaha

Balmaha can get very busy on weekends and warm days. A new overflow car park has helped enormously. Please read our guide to Balmaha for all the information you will need, but your highlights can include the following:

The short ferry trip to Inchcailloch Island.
Good food and drink at St Mocha Coffee Shop and The Oak Tree Inn
A walk along the West Highland Way
A climb up Conic Hill

I suggest spending half a day at Inchcailloch, getting food at The Oak Tree and climbing up Conic Hill. That's a busy but delightful day. Arrive early to get the most out of your day.

A Day in Balloch

A popular gateway to the National Park Balloch is connected by train with Glasgow. There is also lots of free parking, including at Loch Lomond Shores, which has shops, cafes and visitor attractions.

From Sweeney’s Cruises, you can take a boat trip to Luss or opt for one of their enjoyable circular cruises.

Balloch is excellent for families as there are so many things to do. We have listed the best below. If you bring your bike, you can cycle up the West Lomond Cycle path to Luss and Tarbet. Balloch also has a large country park, the only one within the National Park. So, in summary, there is plenty to do here if you are looking for a family day at Loch Lomond.

You could visit the Maid of the Loch, Loch Lomond’s last paddle steamer and see the work of the enthusiasts restoring it.

Here’s a list of things to do in Balloch. Choose a few from the list for a fun-filled day trip.

Visit Loch Lomond Sea Life Adventure (Loch Lomond Shores)
Visit Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre (Loch Lomond Shores)
Treezone adventure (Loch Lomond Shores)
Cruise from Sweeney’s Cruisers or take the ferry to Luss
Cycle on the West Lomond Cycle Path
Walk around Balloch Country Park
Visit the Maid of the Loch Steamship

A Day in Luss

Like Balmaha, Luss has benefitted from introducing an additional car park. The new south car park helps reduce parking in the heart of the village, a good thing, especially as it is such a beautiful village.

Luss is one of the most well-known and popular destinations in Loch Lomond, and it's not difficult to understand why, with the cute cottages, beach, Ben Lomond views, shops, coffee shops, restaurants and bustling pier.

As with Balmaha, our best and most obvious advice for day trippers is to arrive early, as the A82 gets quite busy on those hot summer days. What is there to do in Luss apart from all the descriptions mentioned above?

The relatively new Faerie Trail is excellent for young kids, and there is also a good new playpark in the village. There are several cruise options from Luss Pier.

Much as Conic Hill, by Balmaha, is loved, I strongly recommend climbing Beinn Dubh for some spectacular views. Honestly, though, just come and walk about Luss, soak up the atmosphere, eat some good food, browse the shops and look out to Ben Lomond.

Read about Luss in our guide for more on what to expect and what you can do.

More Loch Lomond Day trips

Having covered Balmaha, Balloch, and Luss, let’s dive into other options that can be done individually or combined. Click the links for detailed guides.

Climb Ben Lomond, Scotland’s most southerly Munro.
At Gartocharn, discover the RSPB reserve and climb Duncryne Hill, The Dumpling.
Visit Drymen, the gateway to East Loch Lomond, and follow the village’s new Heritage Trail.
Go to Tarbet and take the boat to Inversnaid to enjoy the RSPB reserve and West Highland Way shoreline.
At Ardlui, learn wakeboarding.
Take an A82 road trip.
Take the seaplane from Cameron House Hotel at Balloch for spectacular views.
Enjoy a motorboat trip from Portnellan Farm and visit some of Loch Lomond’s islands.
Kayak, canoe or SUP from Aldochlay or Milarrochy Bay
Visit Inchmurrin Island, Loch Lomond’s largest island
Climb a pyramid at Inveruglas for a panoramic Loch Lomond view.
Visit Firkin Point.
Explore the peaceful Cashel Forest.
Follow the Loch Lomond shoreline.