Here’s a “wish list” of sorts, adapted from http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/travel/tourists-flock-to-scotland-s-magnificent-seven-attractions-1-4039181#ixzz41ScsirTe

Been there in 2015, will go back in 2016: A total of 1.57 million people paid to visit Edinburgh Castle during 2015, though the other places attracting a million visitors were free to enter.

The National Museum of Scotland was the second most popular tourist site in Scotland in 2015, followed by the Scottish National Gallery and (saw the outside in 2015) St Giles Cathedral.

In Glasgow, (maybe 2016?) Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which ten years ago, undertook a three-year, £27.9 million refurbishment, was the most popular place for people to visit, attracting 1.26 million visitors in 2015.

Loch Lomond Shores in Balloch was the remaining site to pass the one million mark.

Professor John Lennon pg Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “Scotland is clearly punching above its weight in visitor attraction performance.”

In the list of the top ten paid for attractions, Stirling Castle also performed well, attracting 458,932 visitors last year.

In the non-paid for category, after (want to see, maybe 2016?) Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens, which saw 836,755 visitors flock through its doors in 2015, Gretna Green’s Famous Blacksmith’s Shop was the next popular, with 775,868 tourist visits.

The Helix Park in Falkirk, which features the Kelpies horse head sculptures and the Falkirk Wheel provided a combined appeal to 1.3 million visitors to Scotland. Other top paid-for sites included Edinburgh Zoo, (Been there in 2015) Edinburgh Bus Tours, Glasgow Science Centre and (Been there in 2015, completely by accident) Urquhart Castle in Drumnadrochit.

The Royal Yacht Britannia and the Scotch Whisky Experience, both in Edinburgh, the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick and Culzean Castle and Country Park in Ayrshire completed the top 10 paid-for list.

We’ll see what 2016 holds and maybe add on a 2017 trip?

Right now our 2016 trip includes 3 days in Edinburgh to see the Edinburgh Tattoo again (HOORAY!).   Hopefully I will be able to get to the top of Edinburgh Castle to see the Scottish National War Memorial where my grandfather’s name is listed as a war hero.

Then, we move on to Glasgow for 7 days.  No real plans yet, but we’re taking a side trip to Lockerbie, a trip I’ve wanted to make for several years.

Someday, I would love to visit Eilean Donan Castle, the one that’s in the Piano Guys video This is Your Fight Song…