tylerdonna: Yes, Cameron House is wonderful - I've stayed there 3 times for 5 to 7 days each time. U

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Hello, We would like to take our 9 year old boy to Scotland next Summer. He loves Harry Potter and we have not been to Scotland yet (We have been to London a few years ago). I need help putting a viable itinerary with the items highlighted below. Also, we only have about a week or so to spend in Scotland:
The rest of your plan is all over the place -- it doesn't take 2 days to see Glencoe. And what to do in Mallaig -- you simply wait for the train trip back to Ft William. There is only about 90 minutes so eating or just walking around a bit will fill the time.
As for Alnwick - I love the place (was last there just 4 weeks ago) - but that is hardly a 'side trip' It is about a 2.5 hour drive each way so you'd be spending car rental san clemente california 5 hours in the car to see Alnwick . . . I know I know -- quidditch and all.
Oh - no, you really car rental san clemente california don'y have time to visit Glamis as well. Do you have a decent map of Scotland/Northern England? Edinburgh/Alnwick/Glamis/Ft William are all in very different directions and you only have 6 days (5.5 if day 1 is your arrival day)
I forgot to say, we are just back from Edinburgh and did 2 very good walking tours. Another person in our group booked them so I don't know the name of the company. However, their meeting car rental san clemente california point is just outside Starbucks on The Royal Mile, I'm pretty sure you could turn up and book on the spot. Ours were a tour of Edinburgh itself and then the next day we did a tour of Edinburgh castle. Both started at the Starbucks meeting point.
Normally I would say that the trips are too much but with a 9 year old, it is well and truly worth the 80 mile drive to Alnwick. The A1 is anything but a country car rental san clemente california road and once you are out of south Edinburgh is is very easy driving. I would spend the night down in Northumbria as their are many historical sites and epic castles.
For a nine year old it may be worth skipping the highlands, it could be worth seeing Hadrian's wall and the many castles of the borders. With maybe a loop round to Arran and the Clyde coast which is beautiful, spend a night in Glasgow then back to Edinburgh.
Cathie, thank you for your suggestion, I am glad to hear you had a great trip. While I was browsing online yesterday I think I found the walking your you used. I don't remember the name but I wrote it down at home.
I was in Edinburgh last Sat-Mon, car rental san clemente california Glasgow Mon-Wed and now in Loch Lomond. Don't have kids with me but the Kelvingrove Art Museum in Glasgow was great for kids -- lots of exhibits aimed at kids, encouraging children car rental san clemente california to engage car rental san clemente california with the art. And it's eclectic -- there is a dinosaur bone and other similar animal exhibits, all sorts of art, design, etc. The tranport or transportation museum on the river gets very highly rated as top museum in Europe and the concierge encouraged us to go as it was their favorite but we didn't make it there. Ox Finch is near the Kelvingrove and was a good place to eat -- they serve "small" plates but they filled us up. We did the literary walk -- meet in front of Writer's museum at 1:30 and I think 11:30, on the royal mile (down a close not far down from the castle) and loved it though it's not aimed at kids. They take you buy the pub/restaurant JK Rowlings did lots of writing in (not the Elephant Room but another) as well as lots of stuff on Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson. We did the evening "Witches" tour but didn't like it. The free tours at the castle were well-done. We are staying at Cameron House in Loch Lomond and there is lots of kids here -- a pool with huge water slide, mini golf, some other games as well as beautiful places to walk, canoe, ride bikes, take seaplane, etc. It's only 45 minutes from Glasgow. Have a wonderful trip!
Re Dickie_Gr's post -- It is full of good ideas - but I assume the Jacobite/Mallaig/Glencoe is a 'must' due to the 9yo and Harry Potter. So Arran and the Clyde coast and even Glasgow would be too much too far in the 'wrong' direction. If you want to see Alnwick, Edinburgh and the Jacobite you can but it will be a rush.
tylerdonna: Yes, Cameron House is wonderful - I've stayed there 3 times for 5 to 7 days each time. Unfortunately the OP doesn't have the time to go in that direction unless they drop one or more of their 'musts'.