Scotland · DRINKING TOURS
Good drinking tours fill weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and where they actually differ.
Tennent's Brewery Tour in Glasgow at Wellpark: 90 minutes, history at Tennent's Story, and a free pint of Tank Lager.
“Had a great time on the brewery tour. The guide Tony was very knowledgeable and friendly, sharing lots of interesting facts about the brewing process. It was a fun and informative experience—perfect for beer lovers or anyone curious about how Scotland's famous beer is made.”
Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour is a 2-hour walk through Old and New Town with actors performing Scottish poetry and optional pub stops in English.
“It’s okay, and the actors offer a dramatic, humorous and entertaining overview of Scottish literary highlights. But it’s also a bit misleading. The pub side of the tour has nothing to do with the literary side. Essentially you stop at a pub, the guides tell those who want a beer to go in, everyone else waits outside, and then you move on to a neutral space where the actors regale you with a few minutes of literary history. Some may enjoy it, but had we known better we would have avoided it.”
Skip the guessing with a 7-bar Edinburgh pub crawl with included shots, drink discounts, and VIP entry, starting at Bar FiftyBar 50.
“I had an amazing time on the pub crawl last night in Edinburgh, and a huge part of that was thanks to our host, Tia. From the very start, she was incredibly friendly, energetic, and welcoming, which instantly set the tone for the night. She made everyone feel comfortable, included, and genuinely excited to be there. Tia has a great sense of humor and a very natural way of bringing people together without it ever feeling forced. She was attentive to the group, checked in with everyone, and made sure the atmosphere stayed fun and social throughout the entire crawl. Her positive energy and enthusiasm were contagious, and it was…”
Small-group Old Town walking tour with beer tastings included. Learn Edinburgh brewing history, visit 3 pubs, and tour key landmarks.
“This tour was not well planned. The guide was knowledgable but not the friendliest. I wouldn’t recommend.”
Edinburgh Old Town pub crawl with fast-track entry, free shots at at least 5 venues, drink discounts, and a fun group vibe for about 6 hours.
“Honestly, I didn’t know how we would go. Not sure if we would have a great night or not. Well. We didn’t have a great night. We had a FANTASTIC night!! Met some amazing people and hit some good drinking spots. I would highly recommend this tour. It’s not just for the young ones it’s for any one of any age.”
A small-group Inverness distillery and brewery tour at Uilebheist, with a guided look at whisky and beer, plus tasting three pours.
“An interesting overview of the distilling and brewing processes with a lot of fun local history and lore. Excellent tasting at the end!”
Glasgow pub and history walking tour with craft beer tastings at three pubs, George Square and Merchant City stops, small groups.
“Was very cool. Tour guide was very knowledgeable. I would recommend it if you are in Glasgow and looking for something to do.”
One hour underground at Edinburgh’s Lost Close, tasting four local craft beers with a small-group guide and local history.
“It was a fun experience. Even after reading the reviews about the great beer tasting, it was better than expected. Sarah does a great job of giving you the history of the location (quite interesting) and the history of how the local beers were made. Well worth every Penny and a great way to spend a couple hours while in Edinburgh.”
Edinburgh pub crawl with 6 free shots, drinking games, VIP entry at every venue, and host photos, running 5 to 6 hours from 7:30 pm.
“We had a lot of fun not really knowing what to expect. Tour went exactly as planned and we had much to drink. The included shots we had at each bar were sweet but easy enough for my wife to handle(she doesn’t drink really). Danielle our tour guide was amazing. We were celebrating our honeymoon on this trip, and our guide kept it a secret as we wished. Bar hopping was a lot of fun. Our group was awesome. We will be recommending it to those that visit. Thanks for a great time again!”
Edinburgh historical pub tour with a welcome cocktail, 5 spooky stops from Old Town to Grassmarket, and stories for about 3 hours.
“Ended up with a private tour for two because the other scheduled guests canceled, but our host, John, didn't miss a beat. We visited 4 great pubs with interesting, and/or sinister histories. John was welcoming and funny, and answered any questions we had about Edinburgh. He also gave us a great revommendation for fish and chips after. All of the suggested beverages were a hit, especially the traditional ale at Grey friar's Bobby. Would highly recommend this experience.”
Glasgow Scottish Rogue whisky walking pub crawl: River Clyde stroll, historic pubs, award-winning bar, and a members-only tasting.
“My friend and I only had a few days in Glasgow and wanted to experience its world of whiskey. Neither of us are well versed in scotch/whiskey and prior to this it was likely my last drink of choice (lol). However my friend and I thought “well! When in Scotland!”. We learned a lot, both about the alcohol and the city, as it was a walking tour as well. You can tell that Neil is incredibly passionate about the business they have created and the city of Glasgow! Would recommend to anyone looking to learn a bit about the city’s history of distilleries and sipping on a scotch… or a…”
A guided Edinburgh night out with Scottish ceilidh dancing, gothic Frankenstein Pub, live Irish music, and a nightclub finish, with shots and photos.
“Very fun to experience meeting new people and seeing some awesome bars that we even returned to the next night!”
Adult-only Edinburgh Harry Potter walking tour with a small group, top city sights, and a local pub drink to wrap up.
“Jackson, our tour guide was amazing. Jackson was so energetic and was oozing so many Harry Potter facts. My 29 year old son was more the Harry Potter fan during the tour, but I now feel it necessary to go home and study the ways of Slytherin. Great tour and I highly recommend it.”
A 2-hour Edinburgh whisky tasting at the historic Waverley Bar with storytelling, 4 single malts, and take-home notes for $49.38.
“Great information and insight into the Whisky world. John was fabulous at delivering the facts in a very interesting way including stories and history.”
Leith craft beer tour with Emily, sampling Scottish styles from small breweries and ending at Campervan Taproom. 3.5 hours, $61.70.
“This is our now our 3rd booking on one of the craft beer tours and yet again what a great time we all had!”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
