Perthshire
Date ideas in Perth
Updated
Perth sits on a bend of the Tay with a big park at each end of the city centre, so a date here can be as simple as a long walk by the river. The museum and art gallery are free, Kinnoull Hill gives you one of the best views in Scotland, and Scone Palace and the woods at the Hermitage are a short drive away. Here's where we'd take someone, on a first date or long after you've lost count.
Our picks in Perth
Kinnoull Hill
Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, on the east side of the river
Address: Jubilee car park, Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, Perth PH2 7LN- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
Walk up through the woods to the cliff-top and the little folly tower, with the Tay winding below you towards the Highlands.
Why it's a good date: You'll have earned the view by the time you reach the top. Take a flask and something to eat, and keep well back from the cliff edge.
Photo: Colin Kinnear, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
A walk by the Tay
Tay Street to the North Inch, city centre
Address: Tay Street, Perth PH1 5LQ- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer
Stroll along Tay Street past the riverside sculptures, then carry on up the North Inch, the big park by the river at the north end of town.
Why it's a good date: It's flat, it's free and it's never far from a coffee, so it suits a first date. Go late on a summer evening, when the light comes low across the water.
Photo: habiloid, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Perth Museum
King Edward Street, city centre
Address: St John's Place, Perth PH1 5SZ- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
See the Stone of Destiny, the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings, in the museum that opened in Perth's old City Hall in 2024.
Why it's a good date: It's free and dry, and you'll be a few feet from a stone that's been fought over for 700 years. Book your free timed slot for the Stone at the front desk when you arrive.
Photo: Seasider53, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Perth Art Gallery
George Street, city centre
Address: 78 George Street, Perth PH1 5LB- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Look round the domed gallery's Scottish paintings and the rooms given to J.D. Fergusson, the Scottish Colourist, and dancer Margaret Morris.
Why it's a good date: It's small enough to see properly in an hour, and Fergusson and Morris's story is a love story in its own right. Check which days it's open before you go.
Photo: John H Darch, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Scone Palace
Scone, about 10 minutes' drive north of Perth
Address: Scone Palace, Perth PH2 6BD- Trip
- Mid-price
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Culture
- Out of town
Tour the palace, stand on Moot Hill where Scottish kings were crowned, and try to find the middle of the star-shaped beech maze.
Why it's a good date: You get history and gardens in one trip, and the maze tends to get competitive. The palace is open spring to autumn, so plan it for the warmer months.
Photo: Wandernder Weltreisender, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized)
Perth Theatre and Concert Hall
Mill Street, city centre
Address: Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth PH1 5HZ- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Big night
Catch a play in Perth Theatre's restored 1900 auditorium, or a concert across the road at the Concert Hall.
Why it's a good date: Between the two venues there's theatre, orchestras, comedy and a Christmas panto, so there's usually something you'll both like. Book dinner nearby first and make an evening of it.
Photo: Gillaween, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Branklyn Garden
Dundee Road, on the lower slopes of Kinnoull Hill
Address: 116 Dundee Road, Perth PH2 7BB- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Spring, Summer
Wander the winding paths of a small hillside garden full of rare plants, from rhododendrons to Himalayan blue poppies.
Why it's a good date: It's small and tucked away, so you may have the paths nearly to yourselves. It opens from spring to autumn, and early summer is when the blue poppies flower.
Photo: Shaun Ferguson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Black Watch Castle and Museum
Hay Street, at the edge of the North Inch
Address: Balhousie Castle, Hay Street, Perth PH1 5HR- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
Explore 300 years of Scotland's oldest Highland regiment inside Balhousie Castle, then have lunch in the castle café.
Why it's a good date: The stories are personal and well told, and there's a good rainy-day café when you're done. Your ticket works as a year's pass, so you can come back.
Photo: william, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Perth Farmers' Market
South Inch car park, by the city centre
Address: South Inch Car Park, Shore Road, Perth PH2 8BW- Activity
- Outdoors
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Foodie
Graze the stalls of Perthshire soft fruit, cheese, bread and meat at the monthly farmers' market on the South Inch.
Why it's a good date: Set yourselves a small budget, buy a picnic between you and take it down to the river. It's on the first Saturday of the month, and the best stalls sell out, so go early.
The Hermitage
Near Dunkeld, about 25 minutes' drive north of Perth
Address: The Hermitage, Old Military Road, Dunkeld PH8 0JR- Trip
- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Out of town
Walk through tall Douglas firs to Ossian's Hall, a folly built over the Black Linn waterfall on the River Braan.
Why it's a good date: Step inside Ossian's Hall and the waterfall fills the view in front of you. It's a short, easy walk, and Dunkeld's cafés are just down the road afterwards.
Photo: Richard West, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Perth Racecourse
Scone Palace Park, about 10 minutes' drive north of Perth
Address: Scone Palace Park, Perth PH2 6BB- Event
- Outdoors
- Mid-price
- Best in Spring, Summer
- Big night
Dress up for a day at the jump races, in the parkland of the Scone Palace estate.
Why it's a good date: Pick a horse each on name alone and see whose luck holds. Racing runs from spring to autumn, so check the fixture list before you plan it.
Dates in Perth: quick answers
What are good rainy-day dates in Perth?
Perth Museum and Perth Art Gallery are both free and a few minutes' walk apart. The Black Watch Castle and Museum and a show at Perth Theatre or the Concert Hall are good indoor choices too.
Where can we see the Stone of Destiny?
At Perth Museum on King Edward Street. Entry to the museum and the Stone is free, but you'll need a timed slot for the Stone, which you can book at the front desk.
What's the best view in Perth?
The top of Kinnoull Hill, by the folly tower on the cliff edge, looks right down the Tay valley. It's an uphill walk through woodland from the east side of the river.
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