Edinburgh end of August.

[Bodgedboxdye]

Hey.

Does anyone know what Edinburgh will be like due to COVID at the end of august? Will places be open? (Castle, shops)

Thank you.

I think most already are. There will probably still be a limit on how many people can enter and you will most likely have to prebook your activities and wear masks indoors. The festivals are not running so I imagine it will be quieter than usual.
I haven't actually been to the centre since March so can't give you any up to date info!

@Callisto1 thank you.

Is it ideal for children? (8 and 13) or would you say it’s more an adult city?

Sorry, I don’t mean to chew your ear off. (:

There is usually loads to do in terms of activities in August, the Fringe has a lot of family friendly shows. There will be none of that this year, but there is the Zoo, botanic gardens, Castle, museums, Dynamic Earth etc to go to. And if the weather is good you can go to the beach or Dalkeith, Jupiter Artland. Plenty still to do just be organized and book!

I think Nicola Sturgeon was hinting earlier that we might not move to phase 4 yet.

It's definitely not "business as usual" - places like the Botanics are pre-booking only in advance, and most indoor attractions are closed.

The city centre is eerily quiet.

Yes, it is a bit strange in the city. We've been to the zoo and you have to prebook as they are only allowing restricted numbers in. I enjoyed it much more than normal though as it meant there weren't crowds in front of the enclosures and you didn't have to queue to see the pandas. Late August would probably be a good time to visit the Castle and the Palace of Holyrood if they are both open as they would be a lot quieter than usual.

In general it’s a fantastic city to visit with children of any age, everything quite central, good buses, lots and lots of attractions. Nobody has a crystal ball for whether we’ll get locked down again or how hard it is to get tickets but bookings for the botanics are easy to get.

It is different from normal, but provided you pre book your tickets to attractions, then most things are open. I've already been to the zoo and the Botanics since they reopened. Off to dinner with a friend inside shortly as that's now allowed as well.

I would in fact say it's a good time to visit as it will be a lot quieter than normal as usually rammed with tourists in August.

You will need to prebook things. Town centre is still eerily quiet.

It's a very family friendly city, lots to do.

Thanks everyone.

We’re looking at stuff to book.

Am I right in thinking there won’t be any of the tours going ahead? (The Harry Potter one and the one regarding the past of Edinburgh)

I highly doubt the tours would be running.
Also remember that your 8 year old will need a mask for shops/ indoor spaces too. The rules are different up here.

I am sure I saw an advert for the afternoon tea bus which doubles as a Harry Potter tour. Must be opening soon.

@FelicityPike thank you. Will that apply for adults too? (:

@DollyMixtureLulus thank you. That sounds pretty cool, I’ll give it a look. (:

Everyone over 5 has to wear facemasks in shops and on public transport. I also realized that the museums are not opened yet, I though they were supposed to on 15th July, but both Dynamic Earth and National Museum of Scotland say until further notice. Hopefully that will be in time for your visit.

So far we’ve booked “the dome” for afternoon tea, and “Edinburgh Dungeon”

I tried to book the castle but they’re rolling dates out weekly so will have to book that before we go.

What can I expect with the weather, please.

Thank you everyone for getting back to me. (:

Weather...I would always plan for rain.

The castle is opening just before Scottish schools go back!
infuriating

@FelicityPike haha. Great. Will pack the waterproofs. 🤣

Weather is mixed so bring a raincoat but it shouldn't be too cold at end of August.
If you have a car Jupiiter Artland is a good day out.

Kakibot gives a quick roundup

Camera Obscura is open. Edinburgh is quiet but places where there's clusters of restaurants in pedestrian areas (Rose St, Grassmarket, some around Shandwick Place) have a bit more life. The bus tours started last weekend. More things will hopefully be open by the end of August.

The weather is unfortunately anyone's guess!

This is quite a good website for Edinburgh stuff:

everythingedinburgh.com/

Pretty sure they are on Facebook too?

Thank you everyone for getting back to me, it’s really appreciated.

@Willitneverend is that the museum with all the optical illusions?

@skeemee I’m not on Facebook, but I will give the website a browse. Thank you.

Camera obsura is open, bookings only, same for the zoo.

Museums are still closed.

It is a bit of a weird vibe at the moment. You won’t really get an Edinburgh experience in that respect.

Personally, I would keep going a bit further north if you can. End of August the state schools are back and you could probably get a cottage/hotels in the Highlands....