Day trips from Edinburgh with kids

[vinoandbrie]

Hello

My plans for this week have changed, and I am in Edinburgh just me and my two girls, age 5 and 9. We have the car, and I’m keen to take them out and about on a few day trips. I know Edinburgh quite well as a city, but the surroundings hardly at all.

Does anyone have any recommendations for day trips from Edinburgh?

Sincere thanks in advance!

We’ve enjoyed Portobello beach.

I’ve I had had the car with me, I’d have gone to Glasgow.

East Links.
Lots of lovely coastline in East Lothian.
Seven Sisters zoo near Livingston.

Ryze trampoline park near Dalkeith.
Dalkeith Country Park.
Roslin Glen/Chapel.

Dalkeith country park - Fort George is a great adventure playground and the Restoration Yard cafe is lovely.

Ratho Climbing Centre.

Stirling castle and seven sisters zoo :)

Glasgow would be easier by train. North Berwick, Dalkeith country park, east links and the rest of rural East Lothian.

Foxlake near Dunbar, it's an outdoor water/activity centre. Think there are age/height restrictions depending on activity though.

Bannockburn visitor centre & Stirling Castle!

Jupiter Artland

New Lanark is very interesting.

Dalkeith Country Park, with its awesome adventure playground. NB the food options are takeaway sandwiches or pricey cafe/restaurant.

Linlithgow Palace, easy by train.

Stirling Castle, also easy by train and in my opinion a better day out than Edinburgh Castle.

Aberdour Castle and gardens, easy by train, nice little village and beach.

Dirleton Castle and gardens.

Newhailes House plus Musselburgh. Newhailes has a cool wee adventure playground.

Tantallon Castle plus North Berwick or Dunbar. Good fun pool at Dunbar.

Yes, we have caned Historic Scotland membership.

Oh East Links Family Park is a cracking day out. Do the water fight last and take a change of clothes.

The Kelpies and Helix Park at Falkirk / Grangemouth.

Deep sea world
Zoo
Almond valley
Jupiter artland
Crammond promenade (cafe and nice sea front walk)

Museum (chambers st)
Butterfly world (near Dalkeith)
Craigies farm (play park, cafe, shop and a small selection of farm animals)
Conifox (adventure play ground, park, go karts)
Arthur’s seat (5k nice walk around it, all on path)
East links farm (East Lothian, lots of animal, park, adventure play ground but quite expensive)
Kelpies (cafe, good park and nice gentle walks, great for taking bikes or scooters)
Bo’ness railway (little rail museum and steam teams)
5 sisters zoo (petting zoo in West Lothian with soft play)
Ratho climbing centre (they have an aerial assault course and climbing related activities for kids)
Blair Drummond safari park
Secret herb garden (near ikea, cafe and public garden)
Craigtoun park in St. Andrews Fife (tractor rides and a little train, open from march)
Muiravonside farm (near Linlithgow, smallish free petting zoo with cafe)

Brilliant, thank you very much!

Kelpies and Helix park (take change of clothes and a towel for the water play area)

Dalkeith country park

5 sisters zoo

Blair Drummond safari park (a wee bit further and pricey but worth it)

East Links Family Park is fab with kids. They have animals, masses of play stuff, a huge pirate castle thing to play in and loads more. You could easily spend the full day there.

Briarlands farm if any one is near Blair Drummond but balking at the price. It's very close to Blair Drummond and much cheaper. A few animals and lots for kids to do. Ds 10 still happy there.