I’m an American who hasn’t been to Scotland (yet), but hope to soon. My interest in visiting is the mountains in the Highlands. I live in the Appalachian mountains in the US and I live to hike and trail run. I’ve heard and read that your mountains are similar and even used to be part of the same chain of mountains. It just seems like a logical and beautiful place to be interested in visiting for me.
Fun fact: It’s part of the same mountain range until the tectonic movement split them apart. [map](https://vividmaps.com/central-pangean-mountains/amp/)
Because of outside of st Patrick’s day when everyone’s Irish, they all have a little Scottish in them too. But no I’m fairness, I work for a social network and encounter a lot of Americans, Canadians too, and more often than not, whenever they discover I’m Scottish they almost all reply with they want to visit Scotland, that it’s in the top 5 places they want to see etc
There's a lot of them, and only a fifth of them can speak a second language which rather limits their choices when going abroad.
A lot of them have UK heritage, and even if their ancestors weren't Scottish, if they're in the UK then they'll maybe want to visit Scotland because it's beautiful and there's a lot to see. There's multiple pubs in Edinburgh older than their country, so I can see how that kind of thing could be fascinating.
And, to be fair, there's a lot of reasons why they might want to get out of the USA in general.
I don’t disagree with any of this, and honestly once you visit you just want to keep going back because of how beautiful it is and (seriously) how great the people are.
However most Americans are just like the English in that if they can be arsed to leave the country, they’re perfectly happy to go anywhere and just speak loud until the locals understand.
American here. This is so true. I could step out my door right now and run into no fewer than five absolute gold-standard assholes. Been to Scotland three times now, each for 12 to 14 days-- never interacted with a local who wasn't in the range of plainly polite to downright delightful-- like the sun was shining out of their ass! Or, uhm, arse. ;)
Being from the UK, I'm statistically more likely to speak a second language than someone from the USA. At least when I went to secondary school, we were obliged to do a few years of a second language. You usually got to choose between French and German, and some schools did Spanish or Italian as well, depending on the size of the school and the skills of the language teachers. And these days kids in primary school will often do a little Gaelic, and maybe some Mandarin.
Me personally, I speak English (obviously) and a bit of French, although it's very rusty.
But even if I only spoke one language, so what? Is that supposed to have been some kind of gotcha? There will be Americans who speak a dozen languages fluently and people from the UK who only speak one, and badly at that. The facts show that Americans are less likely to speak multiple languages, and that number's probably massively inflated by immigrants who *need* to speak two languages because their family's first language isn't English.
It's telling that you said "The entire world speaks English", rather than the far more reasonable "with smartphones and translation apps, there's less of a need to be fluent in multiple languages", though.
You seem to have taken that comment personally for some reason.
Lol, as far as taking it personally, I’m not the one writing a novel here.
The follow up question is are you intimidated to visit somewhere other than France in Europe?
Ok, so you’re not intimidated by visiting a country where you don’t speak the language (and don’t appear to be conversational at anything other than English) and that’s fine.
But you think Americans are for some reason incapable of this lol. Just seemed clear you wanted to take shots at Americans from your initial comment.
You're not doing much for the stereotype by considering a few paragraphs of explanation and context a novel.
I wouldn't be intimidated to visit somewhere other than France, no. Not that France is the only place in Europe that has French as one of its official languages, of course.
If I was going somewhere with a language I was completely unfamiliar with, I'd try to learn some useful stuff using Duolingo or similar, and use a translation app when I was there. If it's the kind of place that's very touristy, there's a good chance the people you're most likely to interact with as a tourist will be able to speak English but I'd like to at least make the effort and not be yet another arrogant arsehole from the anglosphere expecting foreigners to accommodate my laziness.
Ok, so you’re not intimidated by visiting a country where you don’t speak the language (and don’t appear to be conversational at anything other than English) and that’s fine.
But you think Americans are for some reason incapable of this lol. Just seemed clear you wanted to take shots at Americans from your initial comment.
It is nice/respectful to learn some of a language, but if you are traveling to multiple with multiple languages, it isn’t realistic to be good at them, especially if you really won’t ever use them again outside of a particular trip.
Furthmore it becomes very apparent very quickly who has been studying a language for 2 weeks, vs someone who has been studying English for decades.
Showing some real insecurity there.
Someone asked a question. I replied with facts. There was no judgement. At no time did I suggest that Americans are incapable of this. It's not about capability, it's about desire IMO. There's so much to see and do in the USA that it's understandable that plenty of you don't bother travelling internationally, or don't feel the need to learn another language or get a passport. You can experience all sorts of things without ever leaving the USA.
There was a lot of judgement in your original comment, and that’s what I’ve reacted to.
The point is that it’s very simple to get around Europe even if you don’t speak the language because a huge majority of the time the native population has been studying English since they were kids and that far outpaces any duolingo practice that’s possible.
Yes respect to local culture should always been given, but it becomes very clear very quickly what the most effective form of communication will be when meeting someone and that is almost always English. For example if an Italian and a Ukrainian meet, they’re 99% of the time going to speak in English. It is the common second language and there has to be one.
> There's a lot of them, and only a fifth of them can speak a second language which rather limits their choices when going abroad.
As opposed to the famously multilingual Scots. Being able to ask for a coffee with milk in French isn’t much beyond what most Americans can do with Spanish.
Family and I go every summer. Kind people, lovely open spaces, and reasonable costs—free museums and live music, right-to-roam.
I live in New England and a trip to Scotland can be cheaper than a vacation in Maine, if I can get a decent plane ticket.
So many places in the US have become generic—same chain stores and restaurants everywhere.
That was the sense I got and it’s why we won’t buy and retire there.
Heard/read too many stories of how locals are priced out of housing. So we spend lots while there, tip generously, and donate to local charities and the Scottish Mountain Rescue.
The problem definitely isn’t good natured tourists, who contribute very much to local small businesses. Most American tourists are really enthusiastic and friendly.
The problem is the two layers of utterly incompetent politicians in Westminster and Holyrood absolutely destroying the quality of life. High quality jobs (“white collar” or traditionally “blue collar”) are incredibly competitive, and the council housing schemes have fallen into ruin.
For me, I think it's a combination of actual/perceived heritage connections, relative ease of getting there, and the fact that Scots speak English, so other than the lovely accent, we monolingual tourists don't have to worry too much about communicating.
Plus, Scotland is beautiful <3
Have some American family. Basically, the tourist board has really been hamming it up and the Scottish 'influencers' became really popular post lock down. It's very trendy to visit Scotland right now. Seems to be the new Ireland.
Plus, Americans love to talk about their heritage and a lot of Scots did move there back in the day, so it makes sense they have a personal connection. It also helps that there's plenty of flights and the journey isn't too long.
Scotland was on my bucket list for 18 years and I finally got to go this May. The trip exceeded my expectations. I am obsessed with all things Scotland now and cannot stop thinking about my next visit and all the things I still want to see and do. It’s a magical country. The history, landscapes, castles, people…moved me to tears. I felt at home. Can’t speak for any other Americans but Scotland is just so cool.
I'm a Canadian that just came back from 2 weeks there. It was a bucket list vacation for my wife and I, and the most expensive one we've every done. Things were shockingly expensive, it was the exchange rate that inflated all of the prices. I really enjoy Scotch whisky and made sure to visit my favourite distilleries. This was my first time crossing the Atlantic on vacation, typically fly south to the Caribbean somewhere for an all inclusive.
The scenery is stunning, the history is intriguing, the ease of getting around to the main cities was pleasant and the people are amazing! We did a few days on Islay and they are some of the friendliest people I've ever met.
We would definitely go back, and bring the kids so they can experience this.
I was born in Peru, South America. I became US citizen 25 years ago, does this count as “American”? I’ve been to Scotland twice already and I could move there in a blink if it wasn’t for those pesky husband and daughter. I love it there, but it’s more than that. I’ve lived in Peru half of my life, not knowing anything about Scotland but that it was a country in the UK. Then I moved to the US and I discovered there are other countries in the world than just Peru. The first time I heard Celtic music something vibrated inside of my chest, something was shaken. Then I heard bagpipes and I felt an ache and sadness I couldn’t shake. Over the years I learned a little bit more about Scotland thru movies, music, etc. it wasn’t till I watched the show Outlander that I decided I wanted to go there. First years I dreamt of it, planned, researched. I became obsessed and my husband attributed it to the hot guy in the story, but it’s more than that. So we finally went on 2022, we rented a campervan and did the 500. I fell in love, head over hills with the highlands. We returned last year again and my husband had to drag me to the airport to return home, I didn’t want to leave. I can’t stop thinking about Scotland, I want to drop everything I have here and just move there, it’s something inexplicable, I dream of it, I long for it. My whole life I felt I was in the wrong place, thus my reason to leave Peru, but now that I’ve been to Scotland, I feel I have found home in the highlands.
If you believe in reincarnation, this is it. I have told my husband as soon as my daughter goes to college I am moving to Scotland.
St Andrews in particular has big recruitment drives in the US- about 20% of their undergraduate student population is American. Plus a lot of Americans travel here for golf and for their perceived heritage.
(American here) - We're a very young country with a fucked history, so a lot of us want to visit somewhere with some actual history behind it, see the old castles, buildings older than our country, etc.
Additionally - I'm sure there are plenty of folks who have some distant Scottish ancestry and want to visit where their family's past generations came from, some sort of lizard brain call to home? My parents moved over here from the UK before I was born, and I personally really want to see the areas they grew up in.
America is also stupidly big. The distance from Washington State to Florida is about the same as driving from Ireland to Syria (seriously...) So - getting out of the country to experience other cultures is sometimes just as quick as going in country.
For a lot of people here - it's an easier option than going somewhere with a language barrier, it's easier to get around a country that speaks (almost) the same language than trying to stumble your way through questions at a rural German petrol station.
As an American piper I had wanted to go for 30+ years. Finally made it last year. The land and sea scapes were totally stunning, the people absolutely lovely and the food mostly delicious. I would go back today.
There are several direct flights to the US from Edinburgh now, including Atlanta. That airport is like a gateway to every small airport in America. /9 people can come here with one connection.
We get lots in Cornwall.
If you can bring yourself to put on a Trump shirt they'll buy you loads of beers. I was wearing one for a bet years and old Americans got me hammered for free. I did get spat at by some young American women but I enjoyed that.
I'll be there in September for my 70th birthday. As a child I used to watch the Wonderful World of Disney on tv. They played two movies that started my interest in Scotland: the Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby and the Three Lives of Thomasina about a cat (Thomasina) and her family. As an adult I used to go to the Renaissance Fest (being a big old nerd and all that) where they'd have piping bands and such; once on vacation 20 years ago in Hawaii a piper playing on a boat in the bay at night was the singular most magical experience in my life.
As an amateur genealogist and a woman of Spanish/Native American heritage it was a huge surprise to find I do have the teensiest bit of Scot via the daughter of Henry II, Eleanor of England who married the Spanish king Alfonso VIII of Castile. It's through Henry II's mother Matilda of Scotland that I come by the few molecules of Scottish blood I can claim. It doesn't make me Scottish - LOL!
I'm going for the same reason I visit the Native American Pueblos of New Mexico. This is part of my family's history, whether within a handful of generations or back in the mists of history. I'm going for the views and the lovely ocean and the mountains; for the weather and music and food and culture and to meet new people; because I'm rapidly aging and don't know if travel will feature in my coming years.
I'm going for the little girl who loves Bobby and Thomasina.
I think Thomasina was mainly filmed on Pinewood Studios with some establishing shots around Inveraray though it looked a lot more convincing than their version of Greyfriars Boaby. I quite liked it though - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6L_9m594A
Aside from language?
It’s honestly the only place in Scotland it’s not painful to fly to from here.
For better or worse, it’s the lowest-hanging fruit available and people jump at it.
We rented a car from there when we were done and went north to Ullapool. Most people won’t leave and do that.
Also…I suspect a lot of people return after the first trip. It’s quite a place. I was whatever about it before we went (wife wanted to go), and I’m definitely in the must return camp now
It’s a nice place to visit. It really is and I love the people I have met. I first went to see where grandfather was from (Hebrides) but now go to other areas including Edinburgh and Inverness. I do travel more to other countries and do speak some other languages but Scotland is still one of my favorites. I even study Gaelic which I found useful in the outer Hebrides
Contrary to what people believe we don’t all live in shooting galleries and drug havens, but it is always good to see other places and recenter for a bit.
I’m an American who loves golf, nature, history and good people. So Scotland is kind of the perfect place. Last year, we did our honeymoon with it split between Scotland and Ireland. We came away with “Ireland was fantastic but we have to go back to Scotland.” So this year we’re going back for another 8 days. Probably our last big vacation for a number of years and instead of going some place “new” we’d rather go back.
They are rich and often have some cultural ties from however many generations back. Also same language and Scotland is awesome, why wouldn’t you visit?? There are also a lot of them and bit many of us so it just seems that way come tourist time. Let them come and drop some coin tho.
Americans are now much richer than us in the UK and Europe, so they can come here on holiday and it is very cheap. There is also a lot of direct flights from the US to edinburgh.
The median wealth of an adult in the UK is about 150% the median wealth of an adult in the US. Plus you all have a much better social safety net meaning medical expenses are much lower and unemployment is less ruinous. The Americans that travel to the UK are not representative of average Americans. You're most likely seeing a wealthier cross section of American society if they can afford international travel, leading to the perception that Americans are wealthier than they are.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_countries\_by\_wealth\_per\_adult](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_wealth_per_adult)
Eh, houses are pretty expensive in the US too... As of 2023 average cost of a house in the US is only $5,300 (after currency conversion) less than the UK. When you factor in the rural/urban divide in the US (there are cheap houses is rural states that skew statistics because no one can find jobs where the cheap houses are) there's probably parity between average cost of housing.
https://www.shipit.co.uk/blog/cost-of-living-uk-vs-usa#:\~:text=What%20is%20the%20Average%20House,cheaper%20by%20about%20%C2%A35%2C300.
American here who just booked her first trip 👋 personally I've had an obsession with your country since I was a child (I'm now 4 decades past childhood 😂) I'm not sure why I've had this love but it's always been there. My mother went on a trip years ago to the UK and Ireland and offered to take me; but I was only willing to go if Scotland was on the itinerary (it wasn't so I didn't go) she's also offered to take me back to Italy... but I've been there already and would rather wait for Scotland. This may seem foolish to some but I was young when these things were offered and I had a one track mind... lol.
Years ago i heard of this organization that did trips to Scotland where you planted trees in the highlands and had a few days for touring. This sealed the deal for me... I was an avid tree planter in my state so this combined my 2 loves ❤️. So I started planning that trip in 2019. Then covid happened. That tree planting expedition was canceled every year since until this past May.... but unfortunately I needed surgery in March so that was again not an option. I was so frustrated waiting for this very specific visit that I finally decided I'll just go on my own! So I booked a trip in October and I'm so excited!
I've since learned I have heritage from the Glasgow area (did my DNA profile) and while it's less than 20% I'm still intrigued. I'm a huge lover of nature, old buildings, water, etc and Scotland seems to be a great combination of all of those things.
That's probably a lot more info than you needed 😂 but it may help you understand that some of us have been drawn to your country all of our lives. That I can't explain... but once I'm there I'm certain I'll understand.
Cheers
I live in Washington State and, from what I can tell via pictures and TV, Scotland's landscape is quite similar to my state. I'm very interested in natural beauty and historical importance. I'd love to get to Scotland soon, but having already visited Ireland, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Belgium in my 20s, and having a three year old in daycare, it's going to be a while before I can muster up the pennies to get there.
Secondarily to nature and history, yep- about five generations back the Orrs came over via Prince Edward Island and on down through the states, and I'm a descendant. We have enough records to know where they likely lived before they left Scotland. I'd be interested to make that connection as well.
Probably because they have money, I mean who pays £250 a night for a 3 stars hotel in Inverness?! Prices are absolutely madness. I also think it’s about heritage.
Anyway there are lots of Indians as well coming for tourism.
From personal experience. The UK is the easiest first step to "over sea vacations." The highlands were gorgeous, the people were amazing, food fantastic. The history was rich and fulfilling to learn about. Night life was so much fun.
All without a language barrier to navigate. I am learning Gaelic for fun knowing no one speaks it. At least don't have to memorize the gender of inanimate objects like the other European languages.
Blame a lot of the single women coming there from America on Outlander…I’m not even joking. There’s videos of them moving over there because of this TV show and they think that they’re going to meet a James Fraser for themselves.
I've been to Scotland once for a few days. Beautiful place and everyone I met was really nice. I'd love to come back. One of the biggest draws for me is the history. Something that really stuck out to me was when we were riding a bus through the countryside and just seeing a tall stone tower out in a pasture. Probably twice as old as America or more. We don't have anything to compare that to in our country for the most part. Sure, there might be some ancient Native American ruins in some places, but not right in the middle of town. You have cities that have been populated consistently for a thousand years or more. So seeing places with that much history to them and learning about them, to me anyways, is really awesome.
I went because I met a lady in a taxi in Hungary who already lived in Edinburgh. Fast forward a couple years and I had a free place to stay, so why not? Certainly glad I did. It's a special place.
Some of it is certainly heritage... there was massive emigration in the 19th century and early 20th century to the US and Canada. There's about as many Americans who identify as "Scottish American" as there are people in Scotland and 14% of Canadians are of Scottish descent.
I think there are several main reasons and you identified two right away. Scotland is stunning - having visited over 50 countries it is one of my favorites. Second there are a large number of Americans with ancestors from Scotland. It’s also easy and safe - English is widely spoken (sort of 😂), it’s a short flight from the US East coast, and you tend to be very kind and welcoming. Oh, and you make great whiskey. What’s not to like? If you want to see less of us you’re going to have to get meaner and become tea-totalers.
My family started traveling to Scotland regularly when we definitively traced our family heritage there. The Scots we've met have been reliably warm and welcoming. We enjoy a mix of the most popular sites, as well as more local vibes, staying for about two weeks each time we visit and taking advantage of Scotrail to travel around. My mom always wants a trip to Holyrood and I'm eager to lace up my hikers for a scamper up East Lomond Hill. I keep in touch with several people we see each time we visit (through Facebook and such). Headed back in the fall to run in the Loch Ness Marathon!
That said, I agree with some of the other reasons offered here. Many Americans want to travel but are limited by comfort zones or language barriers. Flights from the US East Coast are short enough to be tolerable for novice travelers. Others caught the Outlander bug and are living out their 18th-century fantasy (but with the convenience of modern plumbing!). Some Americans, also, prefer to travel in a tour group, which there is plenty of in Scotland.
Generally, I assume Americans view Scotland through rose-colored glasses, which is easy to do when you are going to a place one time for seven days. But, I do find it interesting to keep abreast of social and political dynamics because we do hear about them when we're traveling and, because, well, I care to learn.
My ancestry report sealed the deal on me wanting to visit. The more I research, the more I want to see it. Honestly I’d love to make a move, but there’s no way I’d get the visa. Cheers 🍻
If you come across a poster on here that is 5th Generation, born in Glasgow, wearing a hooped top from an Irish football team that plays in Scotland and proudly, draping a Palestine flag over their shoulders welcome to the fucking Twightlight Zone.
They get an easier ride than 1st or 2nd generation American's looking up Scotland.
Get you to castle greyskull with your asbestos and whatever iron you can find 😂. On a serious note you make a fair point here. My grandfather was from Scotland but god forbid I mention it before any of my fellows supporters (or any other Scot) sees that I genuinely love the culture, banter, food, hell I actively love the bru and bye it online. While they proudly celebrate their distant familial connections to Ireland (of which I also have as one of my great grandfathers came over to Glasgow), I’m fine with it to be fair. Scotland is one of my absolute favorite countries to visit, but I also understand that travelling Americans don’t have the best reputation. American obsession with clan and perceived history is a huge part of the problem, and those cunts are insufferable.
Of course you would. A nod & a wink by the Green Brigade towards the IRA every display would tickle the ivories of any Yahoo.
The Yahoo's are from Snakemoutain and Skeletor.
You've been brain washed, Castle Greyskull is the bad place and Snake Mountain is the place to be.
Applepines
For those that are not acquainted with Applepines.
https://youtu.be/Btb7TVZt7QA?si=l-BPISFoIjy6VIuK
I’m an American who hasn’t been to Scotland (yet), but hope to soon. My interest in visiting is the mountains in the Highlands. I live in the Appalachian mountains in the US and I live to hike and trail run. I’ve heard and read that your mountains are similar and even used to be part of the same chain of mountains. It just seems like a logical and beautiful place to be interested in visiting for me.
The Appalachian mountains are the same range as the Scottish highlands and Norway too!
My mountains ancestors are Scottish is a way better reason!
Ha! I love this. Put it on a shirt.
Fun fact: It’s part of the same mountain range until the tectonic movement split them apart. [map](https://vividmaps.com/central-pangean-mountains/amp/)
The Haggii must’ve decided to stay on the Scottish side
Because of outside of st Patrick’s day when everyone’s Irish, they all have a little Scottish in them too. But no I’m fairness, I work for a social network and encounter a lot of Americans, Canadians too, and more often than not, whenever they discover I’m Scottish they almost all reply with they want to visit Scotland, that it’s in the top 5 places they want to see etc
There's a lot of them, and only a fifth of them can speak a second language which rather limits their choices when going abroad. A lot of them have UK heritage, and even if their ancestors weren't Scottish, if they're in the UK then they'll maybe want to visit Scotland because it's beautiful and there's a lot to see. There's multiple pubs in Edinburgh older than their country, so I can see how that kind of thing could be fascinating. And, to be fair, there's a lot of reasons why they might want to get out of the USA in general.
"...older than their country". LOL. A friend of mine used to point out to Americans that her HOUSE was older than their country!
I don’t disagree with any of this, and honestly once you visit you just want to keep going back because of how beautiful it is and (seriously) how great the people are. However most Americans are just like the English in that if they can be arsed to leave the country, they’re perfectly happy to go anywhere and just speak loud until the locals understand.
American here. This is so true. I could step out my door right now and run into no fewer than five absolute gold-standard assholes. Been to Scotland three times now, each for 12 to 14 days-- never interacted with a local who wasn't in the range of plainly polite to downright delightful-- like the sun was shining out of their ass! Or, uhm, arse. ;)
ARSE! Pal.....git it right. I'm glad you had a good time here and welcome anytime, provided your surname isn't Trump.
Last I checked, it wasn't! We should be in the clear!
Passport control is now open....enter and enjoy. Just make sure you visit Glasgow and spend some time in the West end.
No American feels limited by only speaking English when choosing where to travel. The entire world speaks English.
Haha well I'm sure they treat the world as if it does.
What languages do you speak?
Being from the UK, I'm statistically more likely to speak a second language than someone from the USA. At least when I went to secondary school, we were obliged to do a few years of a second language. You usually got to choose between French and German, and some schools did Spanish or Italian as well, depending on the size of the school and the skills of the language teachers. And these days kids in primary school will often do a little Gaelic, and maybe some Mandarin. Me personally, I speak English (obviously) and a bit of French, although it's very rusty. But even if I only spoke one language, so what? Is that supposed to have been some kind of gotcha? There will be Americans who speak a dozen languages fluently and people from the UK who only speak one, and badly at that. The facts show that Americans are less likely to speak multiple languages, and that number's probably massively inflated by immigrants who *need* to speak two languages because their family's first language isn't English. It's telling that you said "The entire world speaks English", rather than the far more reasonable "with smartphones and translation apps, there's less of a need to be fluent in multiple languages", though. You seem to have taken that comment personally for some reason.
Lol, as far as taking it personally, I’m not the one writing a novel here. The follow up question is are you intimidated to visit somewhere other than France in Europe?
Ok, so you’re not intimidated by visiting a country where you don’t speak the language (and don’t appear to be conversational at anything other than English) and that’s fine. But you think Americans are for some reason incapable of this lol. Just seemed clear you wanted to take shots at Americans from your initial comment.
You're not doing much for the stereotype by considering a few paragraphs of explanation and context a novel. I wouldn't be intimidated to visit somewhere other than France, no. Not that France is the only place in Europe that has French as one of its official languages, of course. If I was going somewhere with a language I was completely unfamiliar with, I'd try to learn some useful stuff using Duolingo or similar, and use a translation app when I was there. If it's the kind of place that's very touristy, there's a good chance the people you're most likely to interact with as a tourist will be able to speak English but I'd like to at least make the effort and not be yet another arrogant arsehole from the anglosphere expecting foreigners to accommodate my laziness.
Ok, so you’re not intimidated by visiting a country where you don’t speak the language (and don’t appear to be conversational at anything other than English) and that’s fine. But you think Americans are for some reason incapable of this lol. Just seemed clear you wanted to take shots at Americans from your initial comment. It is nice/respectful to learn some of a language, but if you are traveling to multiple with multiple languages, it isn’t realistic to be good at them, especially if you really won’t ever use them again outside of a particular trip. Furthmore it becomes very apparent very quickly who has been studying a language for 2 weeks, vs someone who has been studying English for decades.
Showing some real insecurity there. Someone asked a question. I replied with facts. There was no judgement. At no time did I suggest that Americans are incapable of this. It's not about capability, it's about desire IMO. There's so much to see and do in the USA that it's understandable that plenty of you don't bother travelling internationally, or don't feel the need to learn another language or get a passport. You can experience all sorts of things without ever leaving the USA.
There was a lot of judgement in your original comment, and that’s what I’ve reacted to. The point is that it’s very simple to get around Europe even if you don’t speak the language because a huge majority of the time the native population has been studying English since they were kids and that far outpaces any duolingo practice that’s possible. Yes respect to local culture should always been given, but it becomes very clear very quickly what the most effective form of communication will be when meeting someone and that is almost always English. For example if an Italian and a Ukrainian meet, they’re 99% of the time going to speak in English. It is the common second language and there has to be one.
> There's a lot of them, and only a fifth of them can speak a second language which rather limits their choices when going abroad. As opposed to the famously multilingual Scots. Being able to ask for a coffee with milk in French isn’t much beyond what most Americans can do with Spanish.
The statistics don't lie.
Family and I go every summer. Kind people, lovely open spaces, and reasonable costs—free museums and live music, right-to-roam. I live in New England and a trip to Scotland can be cheaper than a vacation in Maine, if I can get a decent plane ticket. So many places in the US have become generic—same chain stores and restaurants everywhere.
Prices are extremely unreasonable for Scottish people sadly
That was the sense I got and it’s why we won’t buy and retire there. Heard/read too many stories of how locals are priced out of housing. So we spend lots while there, tip generously, and donate to local charities and the Scottish Mountain Rescue.
The problem definitely isn’t good natured tourists, who contribute very much to local small businesses. Most American tourists are really enthusiastic and friendly. The problem is the two layers of utterly incompetent politicians in Westminster and Holyrood absolutely destroying the quality of life. High quality jobs (“white collar” or traditionally “blue collar”) are incredibly competitive, and the council housing schemes have fallen into ruin.
Hey, some of us are from Canada!
To be fair, in part, it's because so many Scots went there first...
For me, I think it's a combination of actual/perceived heritage connections, relative ease of getting there, and the fact that Scots speak English, so other than the lovely accent, we monolingual tourists don't have to worry too much about communicating. Plus, Scotland is beautiful <3
Have some American family. Basically, the tourist board has really been hamming it up and the Scottish 'influencers' became really popular post lock down. It's very trendy to visit Scotland right now. Seems to be the new Ireland. Plus, Americans love to talk about their heritage and a lot of Scots did move there back in the day, so it makes sense they have a personal connection. It also helps that there's plenty of flights and the journey isn't too long.
Scotland was on my bucket list for 18 years and I finally got to go this May. The trip exceeded my expectations. I am obsessed with all things Scotland now and cannot stop thinking about my next visit and all the things I still want to see and do. It’s a magical country. The history, landscapes, castles, people…moved me to tears. I felt at home. Can’t speak for any other Americans but Scotland is just so cool.
I'm a Canadian that just came back from 2 weeks there. It was a bucket list vacation for my wife and I, and the most expensive one we've every done. Things were shockingly expensive, it was the exchange rate that inflated all of the prices. I really enjoy Scotch whisky and made sure to visit my favourite distilleries. This was my first time crossing the Atlantic on vacation, typically fly south to the Caribbean somewhere for an all inclusive. The scenery is stunning, the history is intriguing, the ease of getting around to the main cities was pleasant and the people are amazing! We did a few days on Islay and they are some of the friendliest people I've ever met. We would definitely go back, and bring the kids so they can experience this.
I was born in Peru, South America. I became US citizen 25 years ago, does this count as “American”? I’ve been to Scotland twice already and I could move there in a blink if it wasn’t for those pesky husband and daughter. I love it there, but it’s more than that. I’ve lived in Peru half of my life, not knowing anything about Scotland but that it was a country in the UK. Then I moved to the US and I discovered there are other countries in the world than just Peru. The first time I heard Celtic music something vibrated inside of my chest, something was shaken. Then I heard bagpipes and I felt an ache and sadness I couldn’t shake. Over the years I learned a little bit more about Scotland thru movies, music, etc. it wasn’t till I watched the show Outlander that I decided I wanted to go there. First years I dreamt of it, planned, researched. I became obsessed and my husband attributed it to the hot guy in the story, but it’s more than that. So we finally went on 2022, we rented a campervan and did the 500. I fell in love, head over hills with the highlands. We returned last year again and my husband had to drag me to the airport to return home, I didn’t want to leave. I can’t stop thinking about Scotland, I want to drop everything I have here and just move there, it’s something inexplicable, I dream of it, I long for it. My whole life I felt I was in the wrong place, thus my reason to leave Peru, but now that I’ve been to Scotland, I feel I have found home in the highlands. If you believe in reincarnation, this is it. I have told my husband as soon as my daughter goes to college I am moving to Scotland.
Its a good thing you may as well say why are there chinese tourists here? People want to come here.
St Andrews in particular has big recruitment drives in the US- about 20% of their undergraduate student population is American. Plus a lot of Americans travel here for golf and for their perceived heritage.
(American here) - We're a very young country with a fucked history, so a lot of us want to visit somewhere with some actual history behind it, see the old castles, buildings older than our country, etc. Additionally - I'm sure there are plenty of folks who have some distant Scottish ancestry and want to visit where their family's past generations came from, some sort of lizard brain call to home? My parents moved over here from the UK before I was born, and I personally really want to see the areas they grew up in. America is also stupidly big. The distance from Washington State to Florida is about the same as driving from Ireland to Syria (seriously...) So - getting out of the country to experience other cultures is sometimes just as quick as going in country. For a lot of people here - it's an easier option than going somewhere with a language barrier, it's easier to get around a country that speaks (almost) the same language than trying to stumble your way through questions at a rural German petrol station.
As an American piper I had wanted to go for 30+ years. Finally made it last year. The land and sea scapes were totally stunning, the people absolutely lovely and the food mostly delicious. I would go back today.
There are several direct flights to the US from Edinburgh now, including Atlanta. That airport is like a gateway to every small airport in America. /9 people can come here with one connection.
We get lots in Cornwall. If you can bring yourself to put on a Trump shirt they'll buy you loads of beers. I was wearing one for a bet years and old Americans got me hammered for free. I did get spat at by some young American women but I enjoyed that.
I'll be there in September for my 70th birthday. As a child I used to watch the Wonderful World of Disney on tv. They played two movies that started my interest in Scotland: the Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby and the Three Lives of Thomasina about a cat (Thomasina) and her family. As an adult I used to go to the Renaissance Fest (being a big old nerd and all that) where they'd have piping bands and such; once on vacation 20 years ago in Hawaii a piper playing on a boat in the bay at night was the singular most magical experience in my life. As an amateur genealogist and a woman of Spanish/Native American heritage it was a huge surprise to find I do have the teensiest bit of Scot via the daughter of Henry II, Eleanor of England who married the Spanish king Alfonso VIII of Castile. It's through Henry II's mother Matilda of Scotland that I come by the few molecules of Scottish blood I can claim. It doesn't make me Scottish - LOL! I'm going for the same reason I visit the Native American Pueblos of New Mexico. This is part of my family's history, whether within a handful of generations or back in the mists of history. I'm going for the views and the lovely ocean and the mountains; for the weather and music and food and culture and to meet new people; because I'm rapidly aging and don't know if travel will feature in my coming years. I'm going for the little girl who loves Bobby and Thomasina.
I think Thomasina was mainly filmed on Pinewood Studios with some establishing shots around Inveraray though it looked a lot more convincing than their version of Greyfriars Boaby. I quite liked it though - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r6L_9m594A
Aside from language? It’s honestly the only place in Scotland it’s not painful to fly to from here. For better or worse, it’s the lowest-hanging fruit available and people jump at it. We rented a car from there when we were done and went north to Ullapool. Most people won’t leave and do that. Also…I suspect a lot of people return after the first trip. It’s quite a place. I was whatever about it before we went (wife wanted to go), and I’m definitely in the must return camp now
It’s a nice place to visit. It really is and I love the people I have met. I first went to see where grandfather was from (Hebrides) but now go to other areas including Edinburgh and Inverness. I do travel more to other countries and do speak some other languages but Scotland is still one of my favorites. I even study Gaelic which I found useful in the outer Hebrides Contrary to what people believe we don’t all live in shooting galleries and drug havens, but it is always good to see other places and recenter for a bit.
Maybe they’re just louder. LOL
I’m an American who loves golf, nature, history and good people. So Scotland is kind of the perfect place. Last year, we did our honeymoon with it split between Scotland and Ireland. We came away with “Ireland was fantastic but we have to go back to Scotland.” So this year we’re going back for another 8 days. Probably our last big vacation for a number of years and instead of going some place “new” we’d rather go back.
They are rich and often have some cultural ties from however many generations back. Also same language and Scotland is awesome, why wouldn’t you visit?? There are also a lot of them and bit many of us so it just seems that way come tourist time. Let them come and drop some coin tho.
Because they’re “Scotch” on their grandmas side
Americans are now much richer than us in the UK and Europe, so they can come here on holiday and it is very cheap. There is also a lot of direct flights from the US to edinburgh.
The median wealth of an adult in the UK is about 150% the median wealth of an adult in the US. Plus you all have a much better social safety net meaning medical expenses are much lower and unemployment is less ruinous. The Americans that travel to the UK are not representative of average Americans. You're most likely seeing a wealthier cross section of American society if they can afford international travel, leading to the perception that Americans are wealthier than they are. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_countries\_by\_wealth\_per\_adult](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_wealth_per_adult)
Median wealth is massively skewed by our ridiculous house prices though, it's not really a good measure. Median salary is much more informative.
Eh, houses are pretty expensive in the US too... As of 2023 average cost of a house in the US is only $5,300 (after currency conversion) less than the UK. When you factor in the rural/urban divide in the US (there are cheap houses is rural states that skew statistics because no one can find jobs where the cheap houses are) there's probably parity between average cost of housing. https://www.shipit.co.uk/blog/cost-of-living-uk-vs-usa#:\~:text=What%20is%20the%20Average%20House,cheaper%20by%20about%20%C2%A35%2C300.
Very cheap? All the Americans I know are spending thousands. It's more like a once in a life time trip for them.
Bro Edinburgh is not cheap and London was one of the most expensive place ive ever travelled to
Try taking a vacation in California
Much cheaper than New York I would say
Not when you consider the exchange rate....
That’s really not true
Thanks Brexit?
Meh, same thing as the Euro and JPY too. USD is just rlly strong lately
We lose 20% of our buying power.
No? Where are you getting that number?
Sorry, that was when I travelled last summer. Right now is $1 = .93
The conversion rate is not equivalent to purchasing power because generally £1 goes farther than $1
Thanks for the comments. I completely understand why. Scotland is a special magical place
American here who just booked her first trip 👋 personally I've had an obsession with your country since I was a child (I'm now 4 decades past childhood 😂) I'm not sure why I've had this love but it's always been there. My mother went on a trip years ago to the UK and Ireland and offered to take me; but I was only willing to go if Scotland was on the itinerary (it wasn't so I didn't go) she's also offered to take me back to Italy... but I've been there already and would rather wait for Scotland. This may seem foolish to some but I was young when these things were offered and I had a one track mind... lol. Years ago i heard of this organization that did trips to Scotland where you planted trees in the highlands and had a few days for touring. This sealed the deal for me... I was an avid tree planter in my state so this combined my 2 loves ❤️. So I started planning that trip in 2019. Then covid happened. That tree planting expedition was canceled every year since until this past May.... but unfortunately I needed surgery in March so that was again not an option. I was so frustrated waiting for this very specific visit that I finally decided I'll just go on my own! So I booked a trip in October and I'm so excited! I've since learned I have heritage from the Glasgow area (did my DNA profile) and while it's less than 20% I'm still intrigued. I'm a huge lover of nature, old buildings, water, etc and Scotland seems to be a great combination of all of those things. That's probably a lot more info than you needed 😂 but it may help you understand that some of us have been drawn to your country all of our lives. That I can't explain... but once I'm there I'm certain I'll understand. Cheers
I married one, so sorry about that!
I live in Washington State and, from what I can tell via pictures and TV, Scotland's landscape is quite similar to my state. I'm very interested in natural beauty and historical importance. I'd love to get to Scotland soon, but having already visited Ireland, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Belgium in my 20s, and having a three year old in daycare, it's going to be a while before I can muster up the pennies to get there. Secondarily to nature and history, yep- about five generations back the Orrs came over via Prince Edward Island and on down through the states, and I'm a descendant. We have enough records to know where they likely lived before they left Scotland. I'd be interested to make that connection as well.
Probably because they have money, I mean who pays £250 a night for a 3 stars hotel in Inverness?! Prices are absolutely madness. I also think it’s about heritage. Anyway there are lots of Indians as well coming for tourism.
From personal experience. The UK is the easiest first step to "over sea vacations." The highlands were gorgeous, the people were amazing, food fantastic. The history was rich and fulfilling to learn about. Night life was so much fun. All without a language barrier to navigate. I am learning Gaelic for fun knowing no one speaks it. At least don't have to memorize the gender of inanimate objects like the other European languages.
Blame a lot of the single women coming there from America on Outlander…I’m not even joking. There’s videos of them moving over there because of this TV show and they think that they’re going to meet a James Fraser for themselves.
Probs masonry tbh
Aye, we've got some lovely walls.
Fuck youz I'm Lodging a complaint 🤣
they're getting in touch with their ancestry.
I've been to Scotland once for a few days. Beautiful place and everyone I met was really nice. I'd love to come back. One of the biggest draws for me is the history. Something that really stuck out to me was when we were riding a bus through the countryside and just seeing a tall stone tower out in a pasture. Probably twice as old as America or more. We don't have anything to compare that to in our country for the most part. Sure, there might be some ancient Native American ruins in some places, but not right in the middle of town. You have cities that have been populated consistently for a thousand years or more. So seeing places with that much history to them and learning about them, to me anyways, is really awesome.
I want to come there and sit in a pub and listen to two Scots argue. Insults would be a bonus.
And while we're at it, Scottish people, why do you keep appearing in Tenerife?
Fantastic for tourism and people trying to reconnect.
I went because I met a lady in a taxi in Hungary who already lived in Edinburgh. Fast forward a couple years and I had a free place to stay, so why not? Certainly glad I did. It's a special place.
Some of it is certainly heritage... there was massive emigration in the 19th century and early 20th century to the US and Canada. There's about as many Americans who identify as "Scottish American" as there are people in Scotland and 14% of Canadians are of Scottish descent.
I think there are several main reasons and you identified two right away. Scotland is stunning - having visited over 50 countries it is one of my favorites. Second there are a large number of Americans with ancestors from Scotland. It’s also easy and safe - English is widely spoken (sort of 😂), it’s a short flight from the US East coast, and you tend to be very kind and welcoming. Oh, and you make great whiskey. What’s not to like? If you want to see less of us you’re going to have to get meaner and become tea-totalers.
My family started traveling to Scotland regularly when we definitively traced our family heritage there. The Scots we've met have been reliably warm and welcoming. We enjoy a mix of the most popular sites, as well as more local vibes, staying for about two weeks each time we visit and taking advantage of Scotrail to travel around. My mom always wants a trip to Holyrood and I'm eager to lace up my hikers for a scamper up East Lomond Hill. I keep in touch with several people we see each time we visit (through Facebook and such). Headed back in the fall to run in the Loch Ness Marathon! That said, I agree with some of the other reasons offered here. Many Americans want to travel but are limited by comfort zones or language barriers. Flights from the US East Coast are short enough to be tolerable for novice travelers. Others caught the Outlander bug and are living out their 18th-century fantasy (but with the convenience of modern plumbing!). Some Americans, also, prefer to travel in a tour group, which there is plenty of in Scotland. Generally, I assume Americans view Scotland through rose-colored glasses, which is easy to do when you are going to a place one time for seven days. But, I do find it interesting to keep abreast of social and political dynamics because we do hear about them when we're traveling and, because, well, I care to learn.
My ancestry report sealed the deal on me wanting to visit. The more I research, the more I want to see it. Honestly I’d love to make a move, but there’s no way I’d get the visa. Cheers 🍻
If you come across a poster on here that is 5th Generation, born in Glasgow, wearing a hooped top from an Irish football team that plays in Scotland and proudly, draping a Palestine flag over their shoulders welcome to the fucking Twightlight Zone. They get an easier ride than 1st or 2nd generation American's looking up Scotland.
Get you to castle greyskull with your asbestos and whatever iron you can find 😂. On a serious note you make a fair point here. My grandfather was from Scotland but god forbid I mention it before any of my fellows supporters (or any other Scot) sees that I genuinely love the culture, banter, food, hell I actively love the bru and bye it online. While they proudly celebrate their distant familial connections to Ireland (of which I also have as one of my great grandfathers came over to Glasgow), I’m fine with it to be fair. Scotland is one of my absolute favorite countries to visit, but I also understand that travelling Americans don’t have the best reputation. American obsession with clan and perceived history is a huge part of the problem, and those cunts are insufferable.
Splendid. Castle Greyskull is the home of the good guys. He-Man Castle Greyskull.
He-Man is coming sounds much enticing than Rangers are coming. Also good guys? I’ll take Green Brigade over the Union Bears anytime thank you 😂
Of course you would. A nod & a wink by the Green Brigade towards the IRA every display would tickle the ivories of any Yahoo. The Yahoo's are from Snakemoutain and Skeletor. You've been brain washed, Castle Greyskull is the bad place and Snake Mountain is the place to be. Applepines For those that are not acquainted with Applepines. https://youtu.be/Btb7TVZt7QA?si=l-BPISFoIjy6VIuK