Edinburgh- do I need a car? + any help appreciated

[WhoSaid]

Hi!

I'm visiting Edinburgh for a weekend in November with my 2 dd's - (6 months & 10 years)

Am going to book the zoo when they release tickets & want to go to the Christmas markets .... I have a few questions though if anyone could help :-)

• do I need to hire a car? Or is it doable with cabs / busses etc
• is it freezing? (I'm in the SE of England)
• are there any hidden gems / things to do on our 2nd day?

-any recommendations for restaurants etc?

Thank you so much for any help! Really want to make this trip special for my eldest who has dreams of going to the zoo so have booked it as a surprise!

Parking is a nightmare in edinburgh, research buses they are pretty good, you should be able to get a family ticket - Lothian buses
Dynamic earth my kids liked but Edinburgh castle is fab too. I’ve not been to do the tourist stuff for years, went to uni there and boyfriend is from edinburgh.

To add to the above, it most likely will be bloody freezing. Definitely hats and gloves weather.

The Christmas market is incredibly expensive for everything.

Buses and trams are good for getting around, an not too expensive.

Dynamic Earth is good, as is the castle.

Not exactly hidden gem but the Camera Obscura is great.

The zoo is incredibly easy to reach by bus.
I found it fairly straightforward to navigate Edinburgh by bus but I often used a sling instead of a buggy. Obviously with a buggy it's the same issue you get anywhere that you would maybe have to fold it up

You can do a hop on , hop off bus tour which takes in the zoo. There is a transport office next to the Wetherspoons outside Waverley station.

Did you know that you get free entry to the castle on St Andrew's weekend (check the exact dates online, but it's end of November)?

We found the buses in Edinburgh really easy to navigate. The Christmas market is in the city centre, so very easy to get to.

Buses stop right outside the zoo.
The city centre in Edinburgh is very compact and you can walk to most places.
You don't want a car, will be a pain to find somewhere to park and very expensive.
Beware, there are a lot of cobbled streets though that may not be great with a buggy!

The main museum on chambers street is lovely and you can walk past Greyfriars bobby statue (kids generally love this). At the west end of Princes street they used to have a carousel and reindeer but not sure what will be around. There is also a playpark so it's quite a good spot to stop for an outdoor lunch if weather permits.

I'd say definitely no car. Public transport is good and plentiful and people are helpful plus the bus stops have lots of info on them.

Weather could be doing anything to be honest. Snow unlikely but could be cold and most likely windy, and maybe wet. On the other hand it could just be crisp and sunny...

It's a stunning city, I'm sure you'll have a lovely time.

As for restaurants, it depends what you like, I'd just plan something near where you are planning to be at meal times. Can't beat an Italian with kids I would say.

Thank you all so much! I feel so much more prepared now

Definitely won't be hiring a car then :-)
Have got her small buggy and a sling so will bring both as the buggy is good for the airport with her having a nap

I think I read that because of covid the Christmas markets and fun park are going to be spread city wide this year. So you will want to research that nearer the time.