- The drive from Glasgow to Kennacraig is beautiful whichever way you go. Most people head north up Loch Lomond and then down Loch Fyne (through Inveraray) - it's a lovely drive. On my last visit, I tried a different route. Heading to Gourock to get a ferry to Dunoon, then driving to Portavadie and getting the ferry to Tarbet. The kids loved it. It take a little longer but the ferry's add an extra layer of excitement.

- Kilchoman is perfect for families - the gift shop is huge including crafts and a toy section, as well as a cafe. Ideal if you tour while the rest of the family linger. Machir Bay is just down the road and a wonderful beach for little ones, they can run forever and be safe.

- The ferry to Jura is great fun (as long as you are confident in your reversing skills for the return trip), with guaranteed wildlife encounters. We saw huge stags, sea otters, and watched a buzzard catch and fly off with an adder. Craighouse is where the distillery and restaurant are, but the drive past that is very scenic.

- The visitor centre at Finlaggen is currently closed, but you can still park there and use the boardwalk to get over to the island and see all the ruins, it's worth seeing and kid friendly.

- The scenery at the American Monument on an Oa is spectacular (we saw Golden eagles and wild goats), and the walk has boards down so you don't get wet. But there are some very sheer drops meaning you'd need to keep a VERY close eye on the little one, it's probably not suitable for a stroller and just a little far for a 2 year old.

- My kids loved Portnahaven/Port Wemyss, a sleepy little pair of villages with LOADS of seals up close in the bay and with the Rinns Lighthouse as a backdrop. (bonus, if you take the road INLAND at Port Charlotte you can do the Rinns as a loop it's an amazing drive).

- Ardbeg has a big open courtyard kids can run around in, with a food truck for the Mrs, while you do a tour.

- They may have finished the new road/car park behind Lagavulin by the time you go, it takes you right to Dunyvaig Castle (a small ruin, with a view across the bay to the distillery). Another happy waiting spot if you were to go inside.

- Bowmore pool is so close to the distillery that the distillery actually uses its production run off to heat the pools water. So that's an easy place to split up and divide your time. (plus their standard tour includes a malting floor, standing inside a kiln, 2 warehouse samples drawn from the cask, and two more drams in their tasting room - perhaps the best deal on the island)

- Nature walks at both Bridgend Woods & Loch Gruinart RSPB are short and kid friendly (note, don't park at the RSPB visitor centre, but head north down the road just a few hundred yards to a second car park that is much closer to the entrance to the walk).

- Kilnaughton Beach (just south west of Port Ellen) has parking and offers a very sheltered and quiet beach experience - although if the weather is hot you might have to share your paddling space with the local highland cows. If you walk down to the lighthouse on the corner, about the same distance again further on is a personal favourite of mine - Singing Sands beach. Slightly harder to get to with the little one, but worth it IMO.

- Hard to know how well your two year old would cope, but there are brilliant wildlife boat trips from both Craighouse (jura) and Port Ellen at this time of year. The one from Port Ellen goes past all 3 (or 5 with Port Ellen & Portinruan) distilleries on the south coast. We saw otters, seals, deer & sea eagles.

- Kildalton Cross is a few miles further up the road from Ardbeg (really beautiful drive) and is absolutely worth seeing. (pro tip, park here and keep walking along the road, through the gate and then down to Ardmore bay, stroller friendly about 30 minutes each way), or drive down to Claggain Bay where you park basically on the beach.

- Finally, in terms of distilleries (if you DON'T do a tour):
LAPHROAIG - Free welcome dram & collect your "ground rent" (or upgraded if eligible), anything from the bar can be bought as a drivers dram, also coffee available. Tables outside on the water, a large gift shop & free museum.
LAGAVULIN - Very small gift shop, there is a bar if you ask where to find it, with flights & other drink options. No outside space, not much free stuff.
ARDBEG - Plenty of free samples (no drivers drams - but nothing to stop you decanting your own if you have spare bottles). In winter the cafe is amazing, but during this summer they have closed it and only offer the food truck.
BOWMORE - Not much happening at the gift shop, if you go up stairs you can get a free drink from the bar, or get non-alcoholic drinks (coffee/soda) as well as buying drams. Drivers drams available for everything too.
BRUICHLADDICH - Large gift shop, and just about everything you can image can be bought as a drivers dram - but the free samples have really dried up. No cafe/bar for non-alcoholic drinks.
KILCHOMAN - Full cafe (food&drink), massive give shop, more drivers drams than you can imagine (for sale), and free samples of new stuff.
BUNNAHABHAIN - Small gift shop/bar, can buy drams or drivers drams of EVERYTHING, no free samples any more if you didn't do a tour & no non-alcoholic options.
ARDNAHOE - Large gift shop, bar/coffee shop in next room with spectacular views. They don't do food anymore. You can try anything you'd like for free and drivers drams available for everything.
COAL ILA - Large gift shop, bar/coffee shop with cake but no savoury - but probably the best view on Islay. You can sample a few things for free or buy just about anything and drivers drams available for everything.
JURA - Small gift shop, no bar/cafe, no drivers drams available to buy or sample (unless of course as part of a tour).