Edinburgh with teens

[daisymay133]

Hi looking to book a 3 day trip to edimburgh early August with 2 teenage dds 15&13
Just after some ideas of things to do given all the restrictions ? Me and dh last went pre kids about 18 yrs ago but dds haven’t

Not interested in museums etc - happy to see castle but after a bit more excitement really!

Any nearby trips or events? We like many things but they won’t thank me for anything ‘educational’!
They’ll be happy shopping and eating but could do with a couple half day things - anything very local? It’s a 4 hr drive to get there so ideally don’t wanna drive to much when there

Thanks!

Camera obscura is great for all ages and better than the website looks I would say, the views from the roof are brilliant too. The national museum of Scotland really surprised us when we went, we went to kill two hours before our train but could have spent at least twice as long there even though we aren't really museum goers.
Accommodation wise we always stay at the Apex Waterloo place which is always one of the cheapest on booking.com but is fab (rated 9 I think) they also have a hotel in the old town you could look at though which has equally good reviews.

@IKEA888

pop on the train to Glasgow.. fantastic city. Edinburgh is too touristy and fake. you don't get a feel.for the real.place

There's a reason we get most of the tourists

Thanks again

Love the look of The Witchery tho it’s quite pricey! Anything similar as love the style? Any other theme or unique restaurants like this?

There's the Jekyll and Hyde pub

Strongly re-suggest 3 birds/apiary/educated flea for food too
Also:

A room in Leith
Holyrood 9a for decent pub grub
Hula in tollcross for lunch
Ostara
First coast for seafood
Indaba for tapas
Howies for Scottish food
Roseleaf

None of them have the atmosphere of the Witcher but also not the crazy prices!

Oh also Frankenstein's on George IV bridge - not sure what the food is like but it's a quirky venue

Walk over the old forth road bridge, if you think they will like it deep sea world is underneath the bridge.
Camera obscure is great, not sure if current restrictions will change that through.
We are not a museum family but love the national museum in chamber street, you can do that then a 2 min walk to greyfriars bobby statue/graveyard then over to the meadows to walk through.
Not sure if there's anything at hill end these days? They used to do tubing which was good for teens.

I wouldn't drive to Portobello as parking is hard, but you can get the bus for a short journey or cycle.

Parking is absolutely fine in portobello, even in normal times you can park there but at the moment tumbles is closed and use the car park - the bus takes forever and it's quite a long cycle.

Mary kings close definitely now open. A friend went the other day. I think your teens would be keen. Personally I'd not recommend camera obscura for teens. My dc are growing out of it now at 10 and 7 and it's quite pricey.

Check your accommodation has parking if you're going in the car, the city centre is all residents permit and pay & display.
Port Edgar does watersports activities but I don't know if they're open. Likewise Ratho indoor climbing arena which may or may not be open by then.
There's a company does guided bike tours if that would appeal?
www.edinburghbiketours.co.uk

Edinburgh is too touristy and fake. You see so much sheer thickness in this site these days but that really is going for it.

Where do you book the ghosts tours?

I know Mercat tours is one
(Www.mercattours.com)

You mentioned bike hire.
There's Just Eat bikes available around the city that seem very popular.

Just eat are great but you need to be 16..

Oh, and we found a scavenger hunt type thing online which was quite good, takes you round Edinburgh with clues to find certain things.
We enjoyed it for an afternoon, I'll see if I can remember/find the details.

This was it:

www.treasuretrails.co.uk/what-to-do/lothian/edinburgh

Ordinarily I’d have said the fringe and all the stuff that happens alongside it....but it’s all cancelled
That's been my biggest disappointment of all my cancellations! First time I e missed in 23 years.
Op
My kids loved the Dungeons. It's right next to waverley station.
The Scott memorial is worth a climb up but only on a good day when you can see for miles.
Arthur's seat is a nice walk.
Just wandering round the old town exploring for a bit is good fun as well. You really need a 3D map!!!😂

Edinburgh is too touristy and fake.

If Edinburgh is fake, at least it's fake from several hundreds years ago. Very authentic fake.

It is touristy in the touristy bits. The locals tend to get on with their lives despite that.

Seriously

just my opinion. I love historical places who havnt gone all tartan and bagpipy that's all.
I've yet to find a part of edinburgh that doesn't take the mickey out of Scotland.

calling an opinion Thick is ummm Thick.
dear goodness.

Loads of restaurants in Edinburgh doing the help to eat out scheme, Monday to Wednesday and believe includes the Witchery. My teens love topalabamba (Mexican tapas) and coro the chocolate cafe which are also listed as taking part.

Have done the Harry Potter themed escape room bought through Itison which was great, they also do potion making.

www.itison.com/Edinburgh/deals/magic-potions-or-escape-room-at-department-of-magic-old-town--32242830-2610-4495-891a-2de5615c8cf4/activities

IKEA888, you are an attention-seeking bore.

We walked over the causeway to Crammond Island with our late teens yesterday and they loved it. Just enough jeopardy. Plentiful free parking, just be sure to be very aware of tide times!

Indoor climbing at Ratho is fabulous but council run so I am sure closed.

Greyfriars Church yard has lots of names your DC will remember from Harry Potter if they were fans. It is great just now because it is so quiet - normally full of tourists but we went in the rain and it was empty apart from us and very atmospheric.

@Persephonecall the causeway to Cramond island is closed due to too many idiots requiring rescued during lockdown.

Sorry meant to say isn't it still closed