Edinburgh - do I need a car?

[WhoSaid]

Hi!

First time going to Edinburgh with my 2 dds (6 months & 10 years)
Going for the weekend in November ... I've booked the zoo & want to go to the Christmas markets

• Do I need to hire a car? Or is it do-able with cabs / busses
• Are there any hidden gems / other things for us to do on the 2nd day?

-Any recommendations for restaurants?

• Also, is it freezing in November? Lol

Thank you for any help! As I'm so lost and want to make it amazing for my eldest

Edinburgh has fantastic public transport so there's no need to hire a car. I never take the car when visiting as parking can be tricky.

I would post this in Scotsnet as you'll get a lot of local knowledge there.

@AbandonedCharacter thank you so much! I'll go looking for it now :-)

We went in the summer with an 11 and 7 year old.
Stayed in the centre- York Place.

Definitely don't need a car. The public transport was absolutely amazing.

I downloaded 2 apps- have attached the pictures below. These were fab for helping which bus or tram to catch etc.
One app plans the route, the other you can buy your ticket on. Make sure you activate the ticket before boarding, then you just show the phone screen to the driver or ticket inspector.

We did the zoo- really good day, we took a picnic with us.

Also did Camera Obscura- that took a couple of hours and was really good.
The castle was ok- but probably wouldn't rush back to that- it was very heavy on Scottish military history.
The royal yacht Brittania was brilliant- so much better than I was was expecting. That took a couple of hours too- and is actually accessed through a shopping mall that had places to eat in.

There was an Italian restaurant just near York Place called Mama Roma- it's probably the best restaurant we've ever eaten at. Very friendly for children too.

We were lucky with the weather but did take layers and waterproofs just incase.

It is really congested , lots of traffic lights, filter lanes and 20 mph limits, but buses and tram well connected so you can manage fine without a car.

In the App Store search "Transport for Edinburgh" - they should pop up.

I live in Edinburgh. It will likely be cold in November. Best not to bring a car as you'll just end up leaving it at the hotel car park. Bus system is good - the number 26 will take you directly to the zoo and/or taxis and ubers are not expensive.

Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile
Portrait Museum (portraits maybe not that exciting for children but the interior is amazing, usually quiet so good for a breather and v nice cafe)
Portobello or Cramond for a beach walk?
Holyrood Palace
Dynamic Earth

You won't need a car but buses can get very busy at that time of year. If you're planning on taking a pushchair there's usually a limit of one or two buggies only on the buses so I would recommend taking a lightweight umbrella type pushchair that doesn't take up much room and can be easily folded. Bus drivers and moaning OAP's don't like handles sticking out in the isles!

I'd also recommend wearing baby in a sling around the Christmas market because it gets rammed at peak times.

Thank you all so much

We have a doona pushchair for travelling so it's very small - but will bring her sling too.

Definitely won't be hiring a car then!

National Museum of Scotland is well worth a visit too, lots of interactive stuff for your older child and plenty to see for the little one.
Also I'd try and get in to the Dome for lunch or even a drink, their christmas decoration is amazing every year, truly magical

Wouldn’t bother with the car, buses are good.

Bring clothing options- it will be cold but may be freezing, possibly v windy, maybe torrential rain, maybe snow and ice. Who knows?

Christmas markets- last time we’re super busy with massive queues so if going to be there for a few days definitely avoid peak times.

Portobello is lovely if weather is calm.

Chamber st museum is good if weather bad- could easily spend most of a day there.

Think the museum of childhood is closed which is a shame.

Castle beat viewed from outside, bit dull inside.

Dynamic earth is good

Loads of places to eat and mostly child friendly too.

Really just echoing what PP have said. You absolutely do not want or need a car in Edinburgh. Accommodation with parking is few and far between in the city centre and the bus service is excellent. You can now pay by contactless card on the bus - £1.80 to go anywhere and it caps at a max £4.50 day ticket fare. Read their website about paying for a child contactless, if you pay cash you need the correct change. There's a buggy space on all buses.
Definitely take a picnic to the zoo, the food offering is pretty poor. There's plenty of local supermarkets around the city centre to pick up supplies.
The Christmas markets get really congested at weekends, they might not be much fun for the kids.
With a 10 yr old I'd do the Camera Obscura and National Museum.

You definitely don't need a car, parking is a bloody nightmare. PT or walk, you'll be grand.

The Real Mary King's Close
I second the Royal Yacht Brittannia. It was much more homely than I expected.

I’d second Dynamic Earth especially if the weather’s a bit lousy. Have a google. You ‘go back in time’ in lift to prehistoric times and go through multiple zones experiencing earthquake volcano, ice age (film and then real touchable ‘ice berg’ etc, a rain forest ( real rain) etc. Plus one ride, a 3D film (snow falls) and another film at end.