25 Things To Do With Teenagers in Glasgow (2026 Family Guide)

Things to do with Teenagers in Glasgow

Glasgow is a fantastic city. There’s plenty of great museums and galleries, bars and restaurants, shopping, games and entertainment. There’s also plenty to do for football fans and active teens too.

Many of the museums and attractions in Glasgow are free. You could spend days here and not spend a penny.

Read on for lots of things to do with teenagers in Glasgow. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, there’s something all teens will enjoy!

Glasgow Highlights

Short on time? Here’s a quick round up of top attractions for teens. 

• Free Attractions: Visit the Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel and Kelvingrove Art Gallery for a cost-free educational experience.
• Outdoor Activities: Meet the ghosts of Glasgow on a Walking Tour, discover Glasgow on a bike tour or see Glasgow from a different perspective on a powerboat. 
• Indoor Fun: Enjoy interactive exhibits at Glasgow Science Centre, play retro video games at R-cade, challenge friends and family to indoor mini golf or axe throwing, relax at the cat cafe, or try an escape room.
• Sports and Adventure: Try axe throwing, go karting at Skotkart, or climb at Glasgow Climbing Centre.
• Football fans: Glasgow offers a tours of the Ibrox Stadium, Celtic Park Stadium and the Scottish Football Museum
• Budget Option: Take the hop-on-hop-off bus tour to see Glasgow’s landmarks affordably while learning about the city’s history or keep to a budget and grab a bargain at Barras market.

Glasgow Science Centre

Glasgow Science Centre is a popular day out for families with kids of all ages. There are lots of interactive exhibits.

Highlights for teens include the bodyworks section. See dissections of parts of the body. Partake in experiments and simulations which show how the body works.

The planetarium and Glasgow Tower are both an extra cost but well worth it for teens. Teens will love the amazing views from the top of Glasgow’s 415 ft tower.

Additionally there’s an IMAX cinema on site, an independent cinema where you can watch exciting blockbusters as well as immersive full length films that will have teens on the edge of their seat.

The Glasgow Ghouls, Ghosts & Gruesome Tales Guided Walking Tour

Why not try a ghost walk and take your teen on a journey through the city’s dark past.

Led by a local comedian, this eerie yet entertaining tour takes you through haunted spots like the Ramshorn Graveyard and the Tron Theatre, while sharing chilling stories of grave robbers, witch trials, and even ghostly animals.

Explore iconic sites like Strathclyde University, Glasgow Cathedral, and the Necropolis and uncover sinister secrets hidden in Glasgow’s streets.

The tour concludes at a famous (and possibly haunted) pub, rounding off an unforgettable night of laughs, scares, and fascinating history.

Scottish Football Museum

The Scottish Football Museum in Glasgow is a must for teenage football fans but also great fun, even if you don’t particularly like football!

It’s based at Hampden Park, the national stadium of football in Scotland. On the stadium tour, visit the underground roadway, team changing rooms, strike a ball in the Hampden Hotshots gallery and have the speed of your shot electronically measured. Walk down the tunnel, and then climb the stairs to the cup presentation area.

Other highlights include the world’s oldest national football trophy, the Scottish cup.

R-cade – A retro video game arcade hosting 5 decades of video games consoles from Atari to Xbox. Buy a pass at rcadeglasgow.com and enjoy access to over 1,500 games for an hour. Who will win at Mario Kart, Space Invaders and more?

Embark on the Gothic Glasgow Walking Tour

Get teens interested in the history of Glasgow with a spooky evening walking tour of the city.

Your experienced host Vincent (The Man in the Hat) guides willing participants through the ghostly, dark history of Glasgow by night. Discover Dracula’s Scottish connections. Meet the Ghosts of Glasgow. Enter the macabre world of body snatching. Learn about Glasgow’s most notorious murderers and much more!!

It’s excellent value at just £12 per person. 

See Glasgow from a different perspective with a Powerboat Ride on The River Clyde!

Super fun and great for an adrenaline filled activity! 

Hop On and Off Bus Trip

The hop on and off bus trip is a great way to see all Glasgow’s landmarks and get an overview of the city. There’s recorded commentary so you learn all about Glasgow and its history as you travel. You can enjoy the tour in one go or hop and off at the stops along the way.

Book Your Hop on – Hop off Bus Tour

Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel

The Riverside Museum is an award winning museum which is free. There are over 3000 exhibits which feature everything from skateboards to locomotives, cars, trams, bikes and toys.

There are many interactive displays. Things to do include:

• Climbing aboard a train, tram or bus and get a real feel for old public transport
• Walking through a recreation of an old Glasgow street and go inside the shops.
• Touring the tall ship outside the museum.

You can also take the hop on and hop off bus to get here

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is free and is Glasgow’s most popular attraction. The beautiful building opened as a museum in 1901. It features a wide range of exhibits from Renaissance art to medieval weaponry. Some of the highlights include Sophie Cave’s spooky floating heads, all sporting eerie human expressions. Another must see is Dali’s Christ of St John of the Cross which is truly amazing.

The art gallery is located next to Kelvingrove Park where you can stroll by the River Kelvin. There’s also a skatepark here which may interest some teens.

Shopping in Glasgow

If your teen likes to shop til they drop, here’s a quick lowdown on shopping in Glasgow:

Buchanan Street is Glasgow’s main pedestrianised shopping street. It includes the original House of Fraser department store – founded in Glasgow in 1849. There’s also the Apple Shop and Nike which teens might like. At the top of Buchanan Street find Buchanan Galleries with lots of high street shops for all budgets including H&M and John Lewis.

Buchanan Street also connects Argyle Street and Sauchiehall Street with shops including Superdrug and TKMaxx.

Royal Exchange Square – this is immediately adjacent to Buchanan Street and has nice shops and cafes. You’ll find Sweaty Betty here. If you fancy a break from shopping and your teenager likes art, nip into the Gallery of Modern Art which is also located here.

Princes Square – this is where to find top brands such as Sheila Fleet, Ted Baker, Kurt Geiger, Dower & Hall

West End or Shawlands in the South Side – this area has more independent and smaller shops including vintage clothing.

Barras Market – for something a bit different, head to The Barras Market in the East End. This iconic weekend market is great for teens who love vintage fashion, streetwear, music stalls and quirky finds, with a lively atmosphere that feels very different from the city’s high street shopping.

Like most UK cities, there are plenty of escape rooms to choose from. One to look out for is Escape Glasgow. It has 5 different rooms. The themes include witchcraft & wizardry and detective work.

Jungle Rumble brings indoor crazy golf right to the heart of Glasgow. Two exciting adventure golf courses with glowing lights make it a great activity for people of all ages including teens. Perfect for when it’s cold or raining!

Bike Tour of Glasgow

A bike tour is a brilliant way to explore the city with teenagers. This small-group Glasgow bike tour (limited to just 8 people) takes you on a 3-hour guided ride through the city’s historic past and modern highlights, using safe cycle paths and quieter roads. Along the way, you’ll stop at key sights including Glasgow Green, Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Necropolis and University of Glasgow, as well as street art spots and riverside views.

The mix of storytelling (think folklore, local legends and quirky history), regular photo stops, and a midway café break keeps teens engaged throughout. With standard or e-bikes available, it’s suitable for most fitness levels and a fun, active way to get an overview of Glasgow without it feeling like a “tour.”

More Fun Activities For Teens in Glasgow

Here is are 7 more super fun that Glasgow has to offer that teens will love

Axe Throwing: Teens will love throwing axes at a target. No experience is necessary. Try it out at Game of Thrones, Glasgow.

Cat Cafe : For teenage animal lovers, a visit to the Meow cat cafe will be the perfect thing to do. Enjoy a treat and watching the cats at the same time.

Cinema : if you fancy seeing a movie while you’re in Glasgow try the Glasgow Everyman. Kick back on sofas, have drinks and snacks brought to you. Watch all the latest releases.

Go Karting: You can go kart at the Skotkart Go Karting in two different locations either Clydebank or Cambuslang. They’re both about 20 to 25 minutes out of the city centre by car.

Laser Tag:  Laser Quest Glasgow is based in the heart of Glasgow, next to The Climbing Academy and a short walk from Kinning Park Subway station. There’s plenty of free parking too.

Indoor Rollerskating: Rollerstop is a rollerskating disco which is ideal for teens especially on a rainy day.  There are rollerskating sessions and themed events for everybody here. Friendly staff can help you get started. Disco lights and upbeat music make rollerskating extra fun.

Another suggestion for teen football fans is a tour of the Ibrox Stadium which is home to Glasgow Rangers. It’s a beautiful listed building at the front. On the tour see the home and away dressing rooms, climb the marble staircase and explore the illustrious Trophy Room.

There is also a Rangers Museum where you can explore the rich history of the club and includes interactive activities.

Alternatively tour Celtic football club’s stadium, Celtic Park. On the full guided stadium tour, take a journey through the history of the club and visit the Celtic Park boardroom, tunnel, dressing room and dugout.

Glasgow Afternoon Tea on a Vintage Bus

Hop aboard a vintage bus with hungry teens for an afternoon tea tour of Glasgow. Run by Red Bus Bistro Company Limited, this 90-minute ride takes you around the city on a classic red double-decker while you tuck into a traditional afternoon tea of sandwiches, cupcakes, scones and mini quiches.
You’ll pass top sights like Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and People’s Palace, with light commentary along the way, all while relaxing in comfy seats.

The Hunterian Museum at the University

The Hunterian Museum is small but worth popping in if your teen is interested in the exhibits. It’s more of a traditional museum rather than one with interactive elements.

It has a good mummy collection, dinosaurs and dinosaur egg displays. The exhibits are varied and include items such as a 17th century Chinese map of the world and Roman relics from the Antoine wall.

Teens might like the body parts in glass jars. Slightly gross but interesting.

While at The Hunterian be sure to check out the university campus, said to be the inspiration behind Hogwarts!

Glasgow Police Museum

Glasgow Police museum is small, friendly and free. It’s staffed by volunteer ex-police officers who engage visitors with their storytelling. Learn about the history of policing in Glasgow from 1779 to 1975. For example did you know that Glasgow was the first organised police service in the Commonwealth?  Its International Room has uniforms and insignia from every country in the World and there are lots of fascinating crime stories on display. A great budget activity to pass an hour with your teenagers.

Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis

The cathedral and necropolis are located next to each other. Let’s face it, a lot of teens are going to moan about being bored. But if you can persuade them, they are both amazing to look around.

The Glasgow Necropolis a hidden time capsule of Glasgow, where approximately 50,000 people are buried.

It is essentially a graveyard but very impressive and well worth a visit. It has a creepy element which may persuade your teenager and makes it a good Halloween activity for older kids. There are some great views from the top of the Necropolis which may persuade some teens to climb up. It’s the final resting place of some wealthy Victorians. Looking at their grand tombs helps understand how rich they were.

Glasgow Climbing Centre

Glasgow Climbing Centre has some brilliant climbing routes for all ages and stages. Whether your teen is a regular climber or has never tried it before, the Glasgow Climbing Centre has something for everyone. You can hire equipment here. There are family climbing sessions so you can all have a go together.

Xsite at Braehead

Xsite is about a 25 minute drive out of Glasgow city centre. Or you can take a bus which is about 30 minutes. Teens will love it here. There’s an indoor ski slope, good adventure golf, climbing and high wire activities, a trampoline park, virtual reality, bowling etc, and lots of places to eat.

For something a bit different, head to Fayre Play – a brilliant food and fairground games venue. It’s normally open for adults and older teens (usually 18+, so best for older teenagers). However on Saturdays under 18s are welcome before 3pm and before 6pm on Sundays.

This colourful, Instagram-worthy space combines nostalgic fairground-style games with a modern twist, where you can challenge each other to competitive arcade-style challenges and win prizes. There’s also a great selection of  food  and drinks. It’s ideal for teens who love a bit of friendly competition!

Green Spaces

If your teen fancies some time out from the city, Glasgow has many green spaces. Here are a two highlights:

Pollok Country Park

The park is Glasgow’s largest park and is the only Country Park within Glasgow. It has extensive woodlands and gardens. If your teenager likes walking or running, there are some great trails through the park.

The park is also home to the world famous Burrell Collection.

Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Glasgow Botanic Gardens are located in the West End of Glasgow. There are many exotic places to see inside the greenhouses. There are plants from various habitats, jungle, prairie and desert. Teens may enjoy the carnivorous plant section (slightly gross but interesting!). There is also small pond with guppies, and other warm water fish

The Gardens also have Heritage Trail with almost 30 points of interest taking you down to the Kelvin Walkway and the Gardens Arboretum.

Where To Eat Out With Teens in Glasgow

Here is a quick list of some good places to eat out with your teenager:

Topolabamba – Authentic mexican street food. Located on St. Vincent Street.

Bread Meats Bread – A great place for a burger. They won Scotland’s Best Burger of 2016 & 2018.

Loop and Scoop – An ice cream parlour on Great Western Road is the place to go for fab takeaway deserts.

Black Vanilla cafe – great for coffee, cakes, afternoon tea and burgers.

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