to consider a break in Edinburgh in December

[LuLuuuuuuu]

Just that really

I am wondering if anything is open as its not tourist time and not going in the week leading too, or after, Christmas .

Any Edinburgh MNs around to tell me there are things to do ?

TIA

The winter of 2010 — 11 was horrific.

It was. But it also wasn't normal. That winter we had snow on the last weekend of November and it didn't melt until after Christmas. The school was closed for a week. I've had kids in school here since 2008 and that's the only time it's happened. I was also in school myself in Edinburgh for 13 years and remember one day only that we were sent home from school because of snow.

2010 was horrendous but exceptional. Having lived in the south of England though there is a general perception of Scotland from people who haven't been that it is VERY cold from October through to March, that it always snows and that going to Scotland in December practically guarantees a white Christmas. They seem to think it's a bit like Lapland.

Good grief, it's a capital city, of course it will be "open"! They even have shops, you know. Might be too nippy for your delicate southern sensibilities though, so you might be best off sticking to Oxford Street.

I love Edinburgh. The Christmas market is beautiful as is George Street. The castle is fascinating and the Royal Mile is so amazingly historic.

Dammit. I want to go now.

Yes Poppy it was exceptionally bad and not the norm at all. I've been up here since 1997 and haven't seen anything like it before or since.

Yes completely not the norm. But worth a chuckle to talk about the way thread has gone.
I think it was actually the coldest in 30 years if I remember right. Cold to my bones. Was in bed at 7:30pm

dead we had foot long icicles hanging off the roof.. I remember leaning out of DS window to try and snap one off (I couldn't). We made a lot of snow men and went to the local scotmid on a sled!

It's perfect in winter. The Christmas market is amazing. Lots of mulled wine to keep you warm. I adore Edinburgh, it's possibly my favourite city in the world, we almost moved there for good. It's just a shame the weather isn't better.

YABU and bloody mad. ❄⛄

Ok this thread went a bit crazy.

We're planning on going to Edinburgh in February with 2 young DSes (3 and 6).

I've scoured previous MN threads and have come up with:
Botanic gardens
Jenn's Den Café
Ocean Terminal (there's a softplay?)
Dynamic Earth
Museum on Chambers
The castle
Camera Obscuro
The Scott monument
The Jelly Club
Clambers

Anyone got any comments or other recommendations? (we don't want the zoo - we've been to several recently)

When you say "cold" how cold is cold? (we don't live in the UK)

We're also considering getting a train to go to York for a night. I want the boys to see the Yorvik Viking centre and DS1 ADORES trains so the National Train Museum...

Oh and softplay is a real treat for my boys as it doesn't exist in our country

There is also a Chinese lantern event on at Edinburgh Zoo at some point in December / January. The market is fabulous as others have said.

Atlantic Waves, you need more than one night in York. It's a fabulous place to visit.

Jenny's Den is now Turtle Dove Cafe.

The school was closed for a week
Ah, happy memories

www.holiday-weather.com/edinburgh/averages/february/

Average temperature in Edinburgh in February is 4C or 38F. Remember that's an average though.

Depending on the age of your kids I'd also recommend the Royal Yachy Britiannia which is right by Ocean Terminal, lots to see and special audio guides for youngsters. My 8 year old loved it.

I wouldn't put Ocean Terminal on any list of Edinburgh must-sees. It's basically a big mall.

I wish people would stop being so nasty to the OP for asking if it's "open". It's not unreasonable to ask if it's worth going somewhere outside the tourist season. If you've not been to Edinburgh you may well not know how lively it is in the winter months. In fact it is packed all year round (maybe not in January but I've not been so I don't know - any other time I've been it has been very busy).

We went to Northern Ireland at the end of September and a lot of the tourist attractions were closed or had severely restricted opening hours. Admittedly we didn't go into Belfast. That was September, not the winter.

"The jock's" (sic) ????

Knotty
I take it you didn't see Ops ranting insulting sweary post then?

recommendations - Portobello Beach!

Portobello beach is very nice but possibly not the best place to visit in the winter!

Knotty if you have to ask whether the capital city, which is a cultural centre and popular tourist destination is "open in the winter" you deserve a bit of ribbing.

Besides, if you can post on MN you could save yourself the potential embarrassment and just google it.

@AtlanticWaves there's now a roller derby/skate park at ocean terminal if the kids are old enough and need something to do. Personally don't see the appeal of that place. It's just a shopping mall surrounded by docks.

There's also a trampoline place called Gravity at fountainpark which is near centre of town.

You have a good list though .

Knotty ash, I don't think you can compare Northern Ireland, by your own admission not visiting Belfast, with the capital city of Scotland.

OP deserves to be pulled up. No one has been nasty, other than the OP

I know it will be cold but a trip to Mary's Milk Bar is well worth it. It sells gorgeous ice cream and is a great little place for a coffee. Based at bottom of the castle hill.

Note though, my ds eats ice cream year round!

Our school was closed for 2 days in the snow!