Best things to see and do in Edinburgh

[Monr0e]

We are going to Edinburgh in May, myself, DH, DS age 11 and DD age 8. My dad is also joining us and we are looking for things to do for the 4 days we will be there.

I have been pricing up different things and a lot of the organised activities e.g. Dynamic Earth, Mary King's Close all cost around £60 for the 5 of us so looking for ideas that may not be so pricey!

We are happy to just mooch around also and take in the sights if anyone can recommend some nice walks or areas that would be interesting. Thank you.

[EscapistTendencies]

Don't bother with dynamic earth, it's rubbish. The museum on chambers Street is well worth a visit, something for everyone and it's free. Just around the corner you have the meadows, a really nice green space with great playparks. Also 2 min walk from the museum is greyfriars bobby where you can walk down to the grass market and then up Victoria Street to the high street. A walk through Princes Street gardens is lovely this time of year. If the weather is rubbish there's lots for kids to do at fountain park just west of the city centre, they have crazy golf, bowing, trampoline park, cinema and restaurants. Camera obscura is also a fun day out for all the family. There's lots more but all the above suggestions are within close proximity to each other.

[EscapistTendencies]

Oh and you can go up to the roof terrace at the museum and get great panoramic views of the city or climb Arthur's seat next to dynamic earth if you're feeling fit! All free.

[Groovee]

The museum at chamber street is free and the museum of childhood.

Camera Obscura is fab. It may be worth using Tesco vouchers.

Arthur's Seat is lovely too to walk and climb.

[ruby1234]

Walk down the Royal Mile to Holyrood House. You can go in the Scottish Parliament buildings for free, mildly interesting and the large parliament chamber room is well worth a look.
You can climb up Arthur's Seat from there too, or if you don't want to climb all the way up there is a nice walk to the left round a lake with swans.
There is a Bank of Scotland Museum which is free - they have a million pounds of £20 notes in a pile, which is good to see, and they also have some touchy feely bank/money things to do in the museum.

[Mistressiggi]

The museum has enough to interest my 10 year old (if you go to the right bits!) plus a great roof terrace where you can see around the city. It’s in the centre (Chambers Street) and is free. From there you could walk for about five minutes south and be in the Meadows, which has arguably the best playground in the city. Further north the Botanic gardens (bus from centre) are also free (except the big green houses) and is lovely on a sunny day. Walk down the royal mile and you can see the Scottish Parliament (I think you can go in there for free but check website) and see outside Holyrood Palace without going in (£) and go into Holyrood Park - climb Arthur’s seat if you have the energy!
Just for walking areas - royal mile (sometimes called High Street), grassmarket, Meadows, George street for posh shops, princess street for less posh shops and a nice park on the other side. Could get a bus out to portobello for the beach.

[CherryBlossom23]

Camera obscura is great for kids and adults. If you're up for a short train ride, I find Stirling Castle to be a lot better than Edinburgh - less crowded with tourists, better views from the top and lots of interactive stuff for kids. Also has a really nice cafe.

[SatNavRequired]

The Dome for lunch

[Rhubardandcustard]

There’s a free Harry Potter walk, starts at Greyfriars Bobby. Was good fun, takes you round a few sights in town, only have to contribute a few pounds at end if you think it was a good walk/tour. Good to do with kids if they into potter.

[SenecaFalls]

Also 2 min walk from the museum is greyfriars bobby where you can walk down to the grass market and then up Victoria Street to the high street

One of my favorite walks in Edinburgh, including a meander around the Kirkyard first and a visit to Bobby's grave to see things people have left.

[Rhubardandcustard]

Also if you not up to climbing Arthur’s seat. Go up Calton Hill, great views over to Arthur’s seat and Leith. A few monuments up there, National and Robert Burns. It wasn’t open when we went, due to renovations, but the observatory is up there too.

[Monr0e]

These are all perfect, thank you

We are all Potter fans so that walk sounds great and visiting Greyfriars Bobby was always on the list so nice to combine the two.

The Meadows and Princess st gardens sound lovely too.

Will check out the free museums and camera obscure, thank you

[KingLooieCatz]

Second what everyone else has said, don't bother with Dynamic Earth. I probably would bother with Mary Kings Close or a similar tour if it doesn't break the bank, just because it is a very Edinburgh specific thing, quite fascinating and memorable (in my opinion). There maybe cheaper under the streets tours than the Real Mary King's Close. They all advertise in the High Street from St Giles Cathedral (free as well now I think of it) to the Tron.

You could spend a lot of time just wandering up and down the High Street/Royal Mile and adjoining area, especially Grassmarket and round to Greyfriar's Bobby.

I wouldn't bother with Edinburgh Castle, it's expensive and not the most interesting. It's better seen from outside. You can go right up to it (great views from the esplanade), over the drawbridge and into the first courtyard without paying though. If you fancy a castle and have time I second Stirling castle, easy train journey and a bit of a walk, cheaper to get in and a lot more interesting. Linlithgow palace is another out of town historic attraction that is pretty easy to get to.

The water feature outside Parliament is a nice place to rest your limbs, possible picnic. If you're looking for a cheap-ish meal in the centre Serenity Café is close to Holyrood/Parliament (look it up, it's hard to find) is a proper bargain and friendly service, stack of books for kids.

Botanic gardens free entry. Museum of Edinburgh free entry (it's a shade dull IMHO but there is a good audio-visual history of Edinburgh).

Comfy shoes and lightweight layers for changeable weather. Whatever the weather looks like when you set off in the morning, it is unlikely to remain that way all day.

Have a great time.

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

Second all the above.

Also Victoria st, the grassmarket and up candlemaker row for another wander before greyfriar’s bobby. Most of the high street and don’t miss st Giles cathedral (also free!). Even the New Town is interesting on your way to the Botanics, maybe via Broughton st with its cool cafes.

Plan for a wet day but if it’s nice then make the most of it. There are loads of museums for wet days - all good. Museum of childhood is also great and the Scottish storytelling centre usually has stuff on.

If you need to escape the city then it’s an easy bus ride to Roslin chapel (of da Vinci code fame).

Def comfy shoes a raincoat and snacks!!

[ApplePenPineapplePen]

It is Princes St not Princess St :)

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

Until I was 15 I thought it was “princess street” and was devastated to discover my error

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

I used to be a local and would often just walk from the bottom of the high st to the top and would get waylaid by little
Shops or closes or hidden pubs and gardens.

Fabulous.

Arthur’s seat and Salisbury crags is a great walk and do-able for the kids if good trainers, a warm jumper and snacks. Stunning view at top.

[youmeandconchitawurst]

The national gallery at the bottom of the mound is free to get in and has some really good stuff (when the kids were small we used to do the whole "count the dogs" type thing).

The national portrait gallery on Queen's Street is free in, and usually has interesting stuff on ("when we were young" is great and is on until 13th May). The cafe there is really good, too. mmmm - cake.

The National Museum is really good - you can kill hours in there for no cash at all.

If you're into the gory, the museums at Surgeon's Hall are worth a look - not for the faint hearted. It's about £7 per adult,, £4 per child. iF you happen to be around on 26th May the anatomy museum (in the university medical school on teviot place) is worth a look. It's usually closed to visitors, but it's open that day. The other uni things are also worth a look (the music museum is excellent).

Any day apart from Sunday the Central Children's Library (on George IV Bridge) is open. There's usually something on in there and it's handy if you need somewhere to hang out that isn't trying to sell you something.

You could try this walk - start at Princes Street East End (opposite the Balmoral), then walk up Calton Hill to get a great view over Edinburgh and across to Fife. The kids can climb up on the Athens-y stuff - you can too, I can't because I'm old, fat and have reasonable expectations about what'll happen when I try to get down. Then walk down onto London Road, through to Elm Row - go and browse in Valvona & Crolla, pick up some nibbly bits (or have lunch), then head down Leith Walk. There are loads of interesting shops and places to eat. Really good Pasteis de Nata in the portuguese cafe on the left hand side. This isn't twee Edinburgh though. When you get to the foot of the walk go down Constitution Street and you're in Leith proper. Don't head for the Britannia (it's dear), but you could join up with the water of leith path and then walk up that for about an hour to get you back into Stockbridge, which is another nice place for a walk about, and then walk up through the New Town back to where you started. You'll see some interesting architecture, bits of Edinburgh that visitors don't generally get to, and if its all too much you can just get a bus back into town from anywhere (apart from the water of leith path). If the whole thing is getting tiring by the time you get to Leith there are loads of places to stop to eat and drink (mimi's bakehouse is popular with kids. I prefer the Malt & Hops but kids aren't allowed inside because they don't do food).

Going up the Scott Monument on Princes Street does cost but isn't dear and has a great view. I've been told this by my kids (see old and fat comment above)

My kids love love love the Camera Obscura - it's dear but they think it's worth it even third time around.

If you're around over a weekend try The Filmhouse for kids' screenings if the weather is rubbish - they're less expensive than the other cinemas.

If the weather is good (it's Edinburgh in May, what could possibly go wrong????) - get a number 10 bus from Princes Street (on the same side as the Castle) to Torphin. Get off at the terminus and there's a path ahead of you which takes you up to walk in the Pentlands. There are loads of paths to follow, great views over Edinburgh and Fife. You can walk up onto the Hills and then head East (well, left, but I think it's East) and come back down from the hills into Bonaly and then catch the bus back into town. In effect you end up back where you started, but about a mile further down the road! You can find maps and stuff here: www.edinburgh.gov.uk/pentlandhills/info/15/routes_and_trails

Or you can get the bus (44) out to Balerno and then walk along the water of leith path back into town (it's quite a long way though!). Stuff about it here: www.waterofleith.org.uk/walkway/

You could also take the 41 bus out to Cramond and then walk out to Cramond Island. You'll need to check the tides first, but it's a nice walk and there's interesting WW2 stuff to look at. Be careful with the tides becuase if you miss it you'll end up stuck there.

Buses in Edinburgh don't give change. They do a family day saver ticket that gives 2 adults and up to 3 kids unlimited travel for £8.50. Single's are £1.70 per adult journey; 80p per kid journey and an extra iunlimited adult day ticket would be £4 per day (£2 per kid).

Hope that helps a wee bit.

Have a nice break.

[Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow]

Leith Walk?!

Actually, down by the shore is lovely now but think IMHO there are nicer ways to get there. Even if there are portugese cafes

[VioletCharlotte]

I absolutely love Edinburgh! Lots of good ideas on here already, but I would suggest -
Open top bus trip, you can get a family ticket and jump on and off as much as you like. It's an easy way to see the sites, learn about some of the history, and really helps to get your bearings.
Walk up the Royal Mile and take in all the sites and sounds. Visit the museum of childhood (free).
Walk around Greyfriars Cemetery to spot the names on the gravestones which inspired J.K. Rowling for some of the names of the Harry Potter characters.
Victoria St - inspiration for Diagon Alley
Princes St gardens
Climb to the top of Arthur's seat, a bit of a hike, but he views are amazing.

Also, your children might like the ghost bus trip and the Edinburgh Dungeons, we didn't do these, but I'd imagine kids that age would enjoy them.

[Monr0e]

Princes Street 🙈 apologies everyone.

Brilliant tips, thank you. Can't wait to go now

[ratspeaker]

Check out Lothian Buses for route maps and ticket prices.
lothianbuses.co.uk/assets/files/Network-Map_180225.pdf

£4.50 for day ticket , you can jump off and on as many Lothian buses as you want.
Or £8.50 for family day ticket.

If you go to Cramond you can walk out to the island, you can only get across at low tide so check times.
There's also a nice walk up the banks of the river Almond there. Ruined mill, weir, the odd kingfisher.
Or along the seafront from Cramond to Silverknowes
Theres the Boardwalk Cafe there

There's the river of Leith walkway, if you join it at Stockbridge you can walk past St Bernards Well, under the Dean Bridge see Dean village then cut up to the Museum of Modern Art

There's a prom at Portobello with sandy beach , plenty places to eat in Portobello High Street or on the prom itself.

There's the Botanic Gardens, they're free with charges for the glasshouse.

Great views across the city from Blackford hill, walk up past the observatory to the top of the hill


www.edinburghspotlight.com/2013/01/edinburghwalks/

[ratspeaker]

Oh and the original cafe JK Rowling wrote in is opposite the Festival theatre in Nicolson Street

www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/edinburgh-cafe-s-claim-to-be-true-birthplace-of-harry-potter-1-4487109

[CraftyGin]

My DD is at Edinburgh University. When I visited her, we did freebie trips to Calton Hill, and the Botanic Gardens.

[BrashCandicoot]

I wouldn’t bother with the Dome for lunch, the food’s really gone downhill for the price in the past year or so.

[WickedGoodDoge]

I thought the Dome was shit last time I went in January. The service was awful and rude and the food just mediocre.

I love the Botanics! I used to work round the corner and spent most days wandering around it at lunchtime.