Things to do in Edinburugh

[Hello1290]

Just seen the Dublin thread so thought I would ask about Edinburugh as we're off there for three nights next week. The Botanical Gardens are on our list and The Royal Mile. Any other suggestions plus places to eat with a 12 year old please.

The Edinburgh Fringe festival is on at the moment, OP - good timing!

The festival will be on so there will be lots of shows to choose from but expect it to be very very busy around the Royal Mile area. The National Museum is good, and the Museum of Childhood. The zoo is a good day out too.

Camera Obscura by the castle. Great for older kids too. I think it's open till 10 in the evenings as well when it might be a bit quieter.
Portobello beach? Climb Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill? Calton Hill is smaller but with equally great views and a cafe and art gallery at the top.

Definitely Camera Obscura.

If you are meat eaters then seek out one of these. I am still smarting from being there at Christmas and feeling too ill to tackle one

We really enjoyed the Royal Yacht down at Leith. Surgeon’s Hall Museum - slightly macabre! Dean village, Stockbridge and the Colonies are good place s to potter about.

I'll maybe see you there, I head there soon too.
The Royal Mile will be crazy busy, but there will be loads of street performers to entertain!

I really enjoyed the Edinburgh Dungeon when I was there last year, I think a 12 year old would love it.

Depending on the 12 year old, the art galleries are great (but appreciate most 12 year olds would not appreciate them)

It’s the festival. Town is mobbed, so are all the tourist attractions and restaurants. There’s so much to do though, literally thousands of shows

There's about 4000 things to do in Edinburgh in August. Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh book festival. Proper tourist things like the castle, camera obscura, national museum, art galleries all over then place, parks and a lot of excellent restaurants. With a combination of planning your fringe festival tickets and some time wandering about you will literally fall over entertainment.

Go to the Virgin half price hut - we bought some really random tickets but they were all enjoyable, and walking to all the locations scattered round the city was interesting too. There's an App with all the performances/times/acts on to help you decide what you'd like to do. We also bought a deal with a bus pass/royal yacht/holyrood/castle entry which was good.

I hope you have already booked accommodation!

The kelpies in Falkirk. Magnificent. And the Falkirk Wheel.

Plus in August, loads of Fringe shows on.

I recommend Brave Macbeth for dcs over 6 years.

Yes, accommodation already booked it was all planned a long time ago so the Fringe had totally slipped my mind - I'm definitely not on the ball with this trip but some great suggestions for things to do. Camera Obscura looks interesting and I hadn't considered Portobello Beach.

Btw there's only one u in Edinburgh.

Portobello beach has quite a few places to eat and drink along the prom, also along the High Street theres a nice Greek pastry shop, a fantastic bagel shop and various pubs.

West Edinburgh also has a beach, Silverknowes. Theres great wee cafe at Silveknowes end, at Cramond nd theres a few cafes, walk up the river Almond or even out the causeway to Cramond Island ( keep an eye on tide times)

The Museum in Chambers Street is free, as are the Modern Art galleries at Belford Road.

Get day tickets for the Lothian buses then you can go on and off all day

If he Fringe is still on just wander around the city centre, there will be buskers, acrobats... you name it.

Last Saturday in August sees Porobello Prom taken over by buskers of all sorts, in the totally unofficial Big Beach Busk.

It’s the festival - don’t try to get anywhere or do anything specific. The only way to survive is to go with the flow.

Edinburgh is great for just wandering around. I really liked the food at Makars gourmet mash bar. All the mashed potato you could ever want 😍

I love mashed potato

We went to Blackness castle which was nice.

Edinburgh is one of those towns that it’s just nice to stroll around.

City bus tour is good to get around and see the sights. Tattoo is probably on too, if you can get returns. You can book the fringe as you go for all but most popular of shows. Lots of previews and street theatre around the Royal Mile. Be prepared for it being vv busy and noisy into late evening. Princes Street and beyond is the quieter area.

Go up the Scott monument if it is a nice day. The views are great.

The museums are free, the National Museum of Scotland is especially good with an interactive science museum on the ground floor and huge exhibitions on the upper floors. It's across the road from Greyfriars Kirkyard too. The Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile is also brilliant.

The art museums are also free, and there is a free shuttle bus between them. The one on Princes Street has a kind of stage outside with free shows and music all day long. The front museum normally has paid exhibitions but the smaller gallery behind is free and has everything from Van Gogh to Scottish art.

The ghost walks are fantastic at night time too if your DD is up for it.

It will be stupidly busy and literally hundreds of free shows and street entertainment to choose from.

If you fancy something a bit quieter think of a trip to North Queensferry and taking the boat to Inchcolm Island and see the bridges, wildlife and wander around the old abbey.

You could walk the whole of the Royal Mile, from the Castle down to Holyrood. If you get on to the Castle Esplanade, look out for the Witches' Memorial which is a plaque on a wall.
The Museum of Childhood might be worth a look (it's on the Royal Mile).
If it's a nice day, Dunbars Close, again on the Royal Mile, has a lovely garden.
Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament are at the bottom of the Royal Mile.
If you like good curries and eating cheaply/quickly, then the Mosque Kitchen is a good bet (Nicholson Square, not on the Royal Mile but not that far from about the middle of it) - absolutely no frills (no booking, you have to queue to get your food, long communal tables and expect it to be mobbed).
Mimi's Little Bakehouse on the Canongate (lower part of the Royal Mile) where you can have coffee and a cake. Or Clarinda's tearoom at the bottom of the Royal Mile, but that's maybe a bit chintzy. (We love it!)
Have a great time!

We loved the ghost bus tour, not too scary so would be fine or a 12 year old. It's was so much fun!!

Thanks everyone. So much to do - I wish I was staying longer. I'm so looking forward to it.