Edinburgh at Christmas

[superstar84]

Dh & I have booked 4 nights in Edinburgh the week before Christmas and will be taking Dc age 7 & 10

We're staying in the city centre near the main train station

Any top tips of places to visit, places to eat etc

We've booked the vip package for the zoo so we can see the animals, have some food then see the Xmas light show and see Santa!

Thinking of booking the Panto as well

Definitely make time for the Christmas markets in East Princes Street Gardens and Castle Street. There are normally fairground rides, ice sculptures and an ice rink at East Princes Street Gardens.
Go and see the Jenners Christmas Tree
Check out the lights on George Street and around The Dome’s pillars.

Panto at the Kings Theatre definitely.
Sadly Jenners is no more, shut its doors a while ago.

I didn't realise how expensive the panto would be! £125 for 4 tickets but I do think it would be a lovely treat and nice to sit in the warm

Are there any child friendly restaurants near by?

Oh Xmas markets sound perfect for a wander round with a hot choc!

We have a yearly trip to Edinburgh at Christmas; it's simply one of my favourite places on Earth

Given you'll have the children, I'd recommend Camera Obscura, Edinburgh Castle and also Our Dynamic Earth. It goes without saying that you'll probably spend a lot of time in the markets too. Rose Street has lots of family friendly restaurants. If you're happy to travel a little, a visit to Leith might be good too. There are some beautiful restaurants down there, but perhaps more of a treat for the adults than the children.

OP I'm tying to persuade dh to let me book Edinburgh in the run to to Christmas. I think he's 75% there

I want to do the zoo (not sure we can stretch to VIP though) and want to book afternoon tea at the dome. I've read the castle isn't worth the entrance fee.

Will be keep an eye on this thread

I live in Edinburgh and do the Panto every year, just a word of warning though there are lots of Edinburgh related jokes & strong accents!!!

For the Dome you need to book now! I just tried to get a November weekend date and couldn’t!

Hard Rock Cafe or TGIs great for food for kids, lots of pizza places in town too.

I’d second camera obscura.

The Vip thing for the zoo wasnt that much more expensive than the tickets for the day time and the lights but includes a 2 course meal and drink so seemed worth the extra cost

Worth looking at if anyone decides to go

Premier inn have really good deals on for December

I wasn't sure how much the zoo tickets were for the day as the website said it was discounted if you had tickets for the lights? Will definitely look into it though. It would be nice to make a special day of it.

There's plenty of afternoon tea availability at the Dome in the week before Christmas.

The Dome looks lovely but the kids would just make it a bit too stressful in such a special place! I'd feel on edge that they were being loud etc

Here's the zoo vip info if it helps

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/edinburgh-zoos-christmas-nights-vip-package-tickets-156709094119?eboga=258025097.1630664573&&_ga=2.58280234.1087613.1630832151-258025097.1630664573

The light show at the Botanics is nice if you’ve never done it before. They’ve not really announced what will be happening over Xmas yet. A lot was cancelled last year so sadly I would not bet on everything being how it was in a normal Xmas pre COVID.

We used to have our work Christmas do at the Dome, it wasn't a quiet venue, not in a rowdy way, in a your kids wouldn't shatter the calm way.

Panto at the King's is brilliant but, yes, some Edinburgh in January jokes. Lots of restaurants near the King's. Many of which we've been to with an excitable child and not had any issues.

I'm definitely going to phone tomorrow and book the panto, I think it will be nice to have something to do at night that's inside and warm!

Black Ivy is nice and is handy for the panto at the King’s.

The restaurant scene is in so much of a state just now with things opening, closing, temp closing because of positive tests - I think you'd be best waiting till November and starting a thread then about food recs.

The panto is great. Second the Botanics light show, it's lovely. There's usually some sort of large scale public light thing to walk down too, assuming life goes back to 'normal'.

As a resident I'm not a huge fan of the markets - I'd say go earlier in the day, they get so crowded, and be prepared to burn your cash within an hour.

The National Museum is great for kids and it's free - so definitely schedule an afternoon there. There are also a couple of nice independent cinemas - which is something I never think of on holiday but actually can be a good way to spend a cold rainy evening! Ditto swimming.

Get wrapped up and climb Arthur's Seat too - it's a proper mountain in the middle of the city, kids universally love it.

@superstar84

Here's the zoo vip info if it helps

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/edinburgh-zoos-christmas-nights-vip-package-tickets-156709094119?eboga=258025097.1630664573&&_ga=2.58280234.1087613.1630832151-258025097.1630664573

Thanks, I did look at it, think it's out of our reach though, still trying to persuade dh to let me book

I've got my eye on have booked with free cancellation just in case a one bedroom apartment as I've completely reached my limit with sharing hotel rooms with the dc! They're a year older than yours though, they will be sad to be missing a premier inn breakfast but this way dh and I can have some privacy and we can have breakfast in the room to save some money, maybe get a take away one night too.

Need dh to hurry up and agree so I can book flights.

@WreckTangled, the castle is amazing. It's military based, but still set up as the community would have lived. There's a 12th century intact chapel. The prison is set up as it would have been. The dining room has actors reenacting the dances that were popular at the time of James birth. The birth chamber that Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James in, is open to the public, as are other private quarters. Then there's the crown jewels etc. I grew up visiting Wales and every castle, but was impressed by Edinburgh castle. Perhaps the person disappointed likes ruins.

OP if you are planning on visiting the royal yacht Britannia, think about 'hoop on, hop off' bus tour tickets.

Oh thanks for that, will definitely go then if we end up going. I'm slightly apprehensive in case there's another lockdown but my feelings are that it's probably just going to be restrictions (household mixing only etc) which we would be fine with.

Second the Botanics light show…we like it better than the the zoo but it’s a similar vibe. Would also recommend Dalkeith Christmas adventure (not sure what it is called) for the kids. Get them in their waterproofs because they will get muddy, but they will have a blast. Massive adventure playground with Christmas lights and festive music etc.

City sightseeing bus is worth every Penny and they have deals on all the time. Saves on walking and you'll get in the warm for a bit!

I wouldn't do the panto at that price really tbh.

Mamma Roma is fantastic opposite the playhouse and the cinema, there's a Cosmo in the omni Centre too.

The national museum is a must and have a coffee in the elephant cafe and graffiti in the toilets if you're Potter fans.

I'd do an evening underground ghost tour with kids that age too. Brilliant fun and spooky.

It's totally fine to take kids to the Dome OP, the challenge is getting a table depending on your dates tbh. If you want something easy near the panto, both Wagamamas and Byron Burger place within a few minutes walk. Not fancy, but both popular with the kids I go with.

If you have a free day it's worth a trip out to Dalkeith Country Park - they also have a light show, there's an adventure playground, shop, restaurant.

Bumping this as I've now booked flights and hotel. Can't wait! I've booked the Christmas nights at the zoo and afternoon tea at The Dome so far. Will also do the castle and hoping there'll be something festive on at the cinema for one evening.

The dominion cinema is fab, old fashioned, couches & recliner chairs (and a bar!).

Try eg Traverse theatre or Scottish Storytelling Centre - might have non Panto style festive theatre

Pretty much everywhere is child friendly to eat in Edinburgh. There's a much more open, Mediterranean type attitude to kids here than other parts of the country. It really depends what you want. My dc like las iguanas on George street but it's a chain place. Restaurants around the kings are more your independent, trendy or hipster type. A few things mentioned not open. Jenners has been closed a while and elephant cafe was badly damaged after a fire started in a neighbouring building.
The bus tours are a great idea as you can get good deals on 24 hour hop on/off tickets and they will take you to all the tourist spots and are entertaining in themselves on top of getting you around the city. The museum is fab and free as is the national gallery. My kids always love a walk around the gallery. The Xmas markets are the same few overpriced stalls on repeat and the rides are very expensive. It's an easy way to part with money very quickly with dc but is nice to walk around in the evening. Take a walk up Arthur's seat (or Calton hill if that is a bit too energetic) for great views and blow the cobwebs away. There's a restaurant at the top of calton hill too.