Glenturret Distillery
2 miles north on B8062 · tours from £18 · open daily
The Glenturret distillery on the River Turret is Scotland's oldest operational whisky producer — there is evidence of illicit distilling here from 1763, and the legal distillery has run continuously since 1825. The site now includes the Famous Grouse Experience (an interactive blending facility) and The Lalique restaurant. The distillery is compact and the tours are genuine rather than theatrical. If you are going to one Highland distillery on a Perthshire golf trip, this is the most efficient choice.
Drummond Castle Gardens
3 miles south on A822 · adult ~£8 · open May to October
A formal terraced garden on the scale of Versailles but Scottish, which means surrounded by highland hills rather than French geometry. The parterre below the castle — which has been here since 1630 and was extensively redesigned in the 1820s — is best seen from above, from the castle terrace. The St Andrew's Cross pattern was cut into the garden in the 19th century and is still the dominant motif. One of the finest formal gardens in Scotland.
Crieff Hydro Spa
Hill above Crieff · day visitor rates available
The Crieff Hydro opened in 1868 as a hydropathic resort — the Victorian precursor to the modern spa — and is now a 900-acre country house hotel with multiple swimming pools, a spa, an equestrian centre, and activities from mountain biking to laser clay. Day visitor rates give access to the pools and some spa facilities. It is the correct answer to 'what do we do on a cold October day in Perthshire'.
Strathearn Valley Walks
In and around Crieff · free · year-round
The paths along the River Earn south of Crieff and into the farmland of Strathearn are quiet, flat enough, and increasingly attractive the further from town you walk. The Crieff to Comrie route (7 miles one way, or drive to Comrie and walk back) follows the river through one of the more agreeable corners of Perthshire. Comrie village is worth the journey in its own right.
Auchterarder & Gleneagles
10 miles east on A824 · free to explore · spa day rates at the hotel
Auchterarder is the village adjacent to Gleneagles Hotel — a long high street of independent shops, a handful of good cafés, and none of the resort pressure. The Gleneagles Hotel itself is open to non-residents for the spa (day rates) and the restaurants. If the golfer is playing at Gleneagles, the non-golfer can walk the village, use the hotel spa, and meet for dinner. The hotel is large enough to absorb day visitors without difficulty.