When you love Outlander and your spouse doesn't
How to plan a movie stop the non-fan will love too
For the spouse who never watched Outlander, the teen who doesn’t care about Harry Potter, or anyone who’s just along for the ride.
One person is practically bouncing with excitement. "I want to see the castle from Outlander!" The other smiles politely, already wondering how many hours they're going to spend looking at a castle from a show they've never watched.
I know that look. It means: I'll go. I'll be supportive. And I'll probably be checking my phone by 10:30.
But here's the good news. You can absolutely include movie and TV filming locations in a vacation without boring the people you're traveling with. In fact, some of those stops might end up being everyone's favorite part of the trip.
The trick is choosing the right places and planning the day so everyone has something to look forward to.
I start with places that are interesting even without the movie
A lot of filming locations were worth visiting long before any camera crew showed up. Those are the ones I look for first.
Doune Castle in Scotland is a great example. Outlander fans know it as Castle Leoch. But it's also a castle from the 1300s with a great hall that's in really good shape, and it's also where they filmed Monty Python and the Holy Grail. There’s an audio tour which has Sam Heughan (Jamie in Outlander) and Terry Jones from Monty Python, so you both get something to listen to.
Culloden Battlefield is a little different. It's not a filming location. It's the real place where the battle happened, and that's what makes it so moving. If you've watched the show, you'll know exactly why it matters. If you haven't, it's still a fascinating place to visit. It was the last big battle fought on British soil, and the visitor center does a great job of explaining what happened there.
Clava Cairns, ancient burial cairns and standing stones that are about 4,000 years old, are just ten minutes away. They're probably the inspiration for Outlander's mysterious stone circles. I like to put the two together in the same morning. Even if you don't know who Claire is, it's a pretty special place to walk around.
My rule of thumb: if I'd still want to send you there without the movie connection, it makes the itinerary.
I plan something for the other person, too
This is the easiest way to keep everyone happy. For every movie stop, I add something nearby that the non-fan will enjoy.
Doune Castle and a Loch Katrine cruise. The loch is about 40 minutes away, so after the castle I’ll book you on the Sir Walter Scott, a steamship that’s been carrying passengers across the water for over 100 years.
Culross and the Fife coast. Culross is a village from the 1600s that played Cranesmuir in Outlander. Afterward, I can arrange a tee time or plan a walk along the coast. St Andrews is less than an hour away.
Highclere Castle and its Egyptian exhibit. This is the real Downton Abbey. The Earl of Carnarvon who lived there helped pay for the discovery of King Tut's tomb, and there's an exhibit about it right in the castle. It's only open part of the year, so I'll build your dates around it and get tickets before they sell out.
Hobbiton and the Green Dragon. I'll book your tour so you end at the Green Dragon pub, then leave the afternoon open for the New Zealand countryside.
That way the fan gets their moment, and the other person gets something they actually want to do. And sometimes the second stop ends up being everyone's favorite part of the day.
I don't let it take all day
Fans can spend hours in one courtyard. I say that with love, because I've done it myself.
I usually plan movie stops as half-days. Castle in the morning, something else in the afternoon. I also check how long the drive really is, because that's where a lot of people get tripped up. Two places might look close on a map, but on narrow Highland roads, a "quick 40-minute drive" can easily take up the afternoon you were supposed to spend doing a meet-and-greet with Highland cows.
If the fan wants more time, I'll build in an extra hour just for them while the other person relaxes at a café or back at the hotel. That way nobody's standing by the gift shop wondering when lunch is.
I match you with the right kind of tour
A movie tour can be a lot of fun for a big fan. A good guide knows exactly where each scene was filmed and has great behind-the-scenes stories. But six hours of filming trivia might be a bit much for someone who's never seen the show.
So I'll usually pick one of these instead:
A shorter tour. Two hours is usually plenty, and you still have the rest of the day.
A private guide. This is what I like best for couples. I work with guides who can mix in history, food, and pretty scenery along with the filming spots, and you can move on whenever you're ready.
A few hours apart. There's no rule that says you have to do everything together. I can book the movie tour for one of you and golf, a museum, or a spa appointment for the other. Then you'll have plenty to talk about at dinner.
I find out what you'll actually see
Not every filming location looks like it did on screen. Before I plan a day around one, I check a few things so you're not disappointed.
Can you actually go in? Midhope Castle, which plays Lallybroch, is on private property, so you can only see the outside. If you love the show, it's worth a quick photo. If you don't, it's a long drive to look at an old building. I keep stops like this short and plan them on the way to somewhere else.
How much was movie magic? Some places were dressed up with sets or computer effects. I'll let you know ahead of time if something looks smaller or plainer in person.
Does timing matter? If you want to see the Jacobite steam train (the Hogwarts Express) go over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the timing has to be right. It only runs part of the year, so I plan your Highlands days around the train schedule so you're there when it crosses.
A beautiful castle or village is worth the trip either way. A street corner that was on screen for eight seconds? I'll usually steer you away from that one unless you're a superfan.
I make the movie one part of the trip
A lot of times, the non-fan ends up loving the place, even if they never watch the show. When I plan a Scotland trip with Outlander in mind, you also get the Highlands, the history, the whisky, the castles, and the food. The show is just one part of it.
This works in a lot of places:
The Sound of Music in Salzburg. Salzburg is Mozart's hometown, with beautiful old churches, mountain views, and really good apple strudel. It's also an easy day trip on a lot of Danube river cruises, so I can work it in as an excursion. The fan gets to see the gazebo, and everyone gets to see Austria.
Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik. I'll plan time on the old city walls above the sea, then a kayak trip or boat ride along the coast. You don't need to know a thing about the show to love it.
Harry Potter in the Scottish Highlands. Along with the Glenfinnan Viaduct, I'll route you past Loch Shiel and some of the prettiest drives in Scotland.
The Lord of the Rings at Hobbiton. Hobbiton was built for the movies, and the guided tour is all set up ahead of time, so the non-fan knows exactly what to expect. The gardens and little hobbit houses win over a lot of people who never even finished the movies.
What an Outlander day could look like
Here's a day I might plan for a couple staying in Stirling:
Morning: Doune Castle with the audio tour. One of you hunts for the kitchen scenes from Outlander. The other one looks for the Monty Python coconuts.
Lunch: Deanston Distillery. I'll set up a tour if you want one, or just a good lunch.
Afternoon: Culross. Walk the cobblestone streets, see the yellow palace, and check out the walled garden. It looks like a movie set because it was one, but people have been living there for 400 years.
Evening: I'll book dinner somewhere cozy with a fireplace and a good whisky list. No filming locations needed.
What it's really about
One of the things I love most about travel is how often people end up enjoying something they didn't expect.
Maybe you go to Scotland because you've always wanted to see the places from Outlander. But your spouse ends up loving the Highlands, the history, and the little pub where you stopped for lunch.
Or you visit Salzburg because of The Sound of Music, and the thing you both remember most is a great meal, a beautiful view, or something fun you discovered along the way.
The movie might be the reason you put that stop on your itinerary, but it doesn't have to be the best part of the day.
And that's really what I try to do when I'm planning vacations for my clients. I want to know what everyone is excited about, not just where they want to go. Then I can put together a trip that includes those special interests, with the tours, transportation, and activities that make it all work. Your spouse may never become an Outlander fan. But that doesn't mean they won't fall in love with Scotland.
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