At Gleneagles, falconry is more than for the birds

At Gleneagles, falconry is more than for the birds

Margo is a Harris Hawk at the British School of Falconry here on the grounds of the historic Gleneagles Hotel, the first in the country and extremely popular with kids. In fact, we had an audience as I was learning to hold Margo and let her fly.

Gleneagles: a world-famous golf resort, now family friendly

Gleneagles: a world-famous golf resort, now family friendly

Of course, Gleneagles is known for golf — it is home to three of Scotland’s best championship courses and it is where the 2014 Ryder Cup was played. But today, only 30 percent of guests play golf — and some of them may be kids taking lessons.

Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland – a foodie paradise

Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland – a foodie paradise

What is vacation without good food and Gleneagles Hotel certainly delivers. It is home to Andrew Fairlie, chef of Scotland’s only two Michelin-starred restaurant. But the other restaurants offer something special as well—maybe trying Scottish food for the first time.

Gleneagles: Famous for golf but beloved by UK and US families

Gleneagles: Famous for golf but beloved by UK and US families

Gleneagles is known for golf—it is home to three of Scotland’s best championship courses but today, only 30 per cent of guests play golf and Gleneagles is a kid-friendly resort that draws families from the United Kingdom as well as the United States back year after year

At Scotland’s Fort George: a youth bagpipe band

At Scotland’s Fort George: a youth bagpipe band

Tour buses took us to Fort George, where the Inverness Youth Band with 30-plus members –drummers as young as nine and led by adults are “Beating Retreat,” performing a traditional military ceremony 16th Century England.

At sea with Windstar – connecting families and generations

At sea with Windstar – connecting families and generations

Of the 204 passengers, there are 117 who have sailed Windstar, some as many as 11 times. While you may think of this as a cruise line for adults, I’ve been thinking of this as a way for grown and mostly grown kids to connect with parents and grandparents, sharing new experiences.

A hidden gem of a restaurant in Scotland

A hidden gem of a restaurant in Scotland

Three Chimneys Restaurant and six-room inn is on an out of the way stretch of road on the Isle of Skye where you brake for sheep crossing the road and the fish you eat for lunch might have been caught that morning, the lettuce just harvested.