Step 5 · Pencil in an evening or two

Venues in and around Aberdeen

Eight places worth building an evening or a day around — galleries, stages, a stadium, a park and a clifftop castle.

These venues were chosen because they shape how visitors spend their time in and around Aberdeen. Each page covers where the venue is, what kind of events it hosts, a short history and practical visitor notes, plus advice on which part of the city makes a convenient base. Highland Stays is independent of all of them: always check programmes, opening times and tickets on each venue's own website.

  • The colonnaded granite front of the Cowdray Hall and Aberdeen Art Gallery on Schoolhill
    City centre

    Aberdeen Art Gallery

    The city's main art gallery, a granite building on Schoolhill that pairs a Victorian core with a modern rooftop extension. Changing exhibitions, permanent collections, talks, family activities and concerts in the adjoining Cowdray Hall.

  • The granite facade and green dome of His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen
    City centre

    His Majesty's Theatre

    An Edwardian theatre designed by Frank Matcham, and the city's main stage for touring productions. Touring drama, musicals, opera, ballet, comedy and a long-running annual pantomime.

  • The columned portico of the Music Hall on Union Street, Aberdeen
    City centre / West End edge

    The Music Hall

    A Georgian granite landmark on Union Street whose great hall has hosted concerts for well over a century and a half. Orchestral and choral concerts, folk and traditional music, contemporary gigs, comedy, ceilidhs and festival events.

  • The angular modern exterior of P&J Live at The Event Complex Aberdeen, lit at night
    North-west edge of the city, near Aberdeen Airport

    P&J Live

    The region's largest indoor arena, part of a modern events complex on the outskirts of the city. Large concerts, comedy tours, family shows, sporting events, exhibitions and conferences.

  • The modern glass frontage of Aberdeen Maritime Museum on Shiprow
    City centre / harbour

    Aberdeen Maritime Museum

    The story of the city's long relationship with the sea, told in a building that joins a sixteenth-century house to a modern glass wing. Permanent displays on shipbuilding, fishing and the North Sea, with temporary exhibitions and learning events.

  • Flower beds at the ornate gates of Duthie Park, Aberdeen
    Ferryhill, south of the city centre

    Duthie Park & David Welch Winter Gardens

    A Victorian riverside park with one of Britain's best-loved collections of indoor gardens at its heart. Open parkland, play areas, boating pond, summer outdoor events and year-round indoor gardens.

  • Dunnottar Castle on its grassy headland above the North Sea
    Kincardineshire coast, south of Stonehaven

    Dunnottar Castle

    A ruined fortress on a sheer-sided rock above the North Sea, and the most dramatic short day trip from Aberdeen. Self-guided visits to a ruined fortress, coastal walking and photography.

  • Pittodrie Stadium seen from the Broad Hill, with the North Sea beyond
    Between the city centre and the beach

    Pittodrie Stadium

    The long-time home of Aberdeen Football Club, set between the city's old streets and the sea. Professional football matches and occasional other events.

Planning around events

Large concerts, conferences and home football matches raise demand for rooms across the city. If your trip is built around a particular event, secure tickets first and book your stay soon after. Read what to look for before you book and getting around for the practical side.