Edinburgh with toddler

[Mamofoneboy]

Can anyone recommend accommodation in Edinburgh?

We will be travelling by train with a toddler. We plan to visit the zoo but have no further plans.

I have spent hours on google looking for somewhere that is fairly central (I don’t like the idea of a big walk with a toddler and a suitcase) but quiet enough to not interfere with DS’s bedtime. I would love to hear others experiences or any top tips for toddler travel.

I’d get a serviced apartment or Airbnb type property because if you get a hotel and they go to bed early evening you’re also stuck in the dark going to bed early!
it’s a hilly city so what appears a short distance could be short but steep. To avoid dragging luggage up hill I’d look along princes street, queen street and the streets in between. From the station to the royal mile and streets to the south of it is very up n down!

Hi OP,

We went to Edinburgh a few years ago, it’s a beautiful city. We went to the zoo with our 6 month old baby and took a pram. Unfortunately it was a nightmare, the hills are very steep, and it was exhausting for us to push and also to walk up. We actually gave up and ended up going somewhere else.

We did the usual tourist attractions (castle etc) but we were able to travel via car although parking was also abysmal.

Generally speaking I would be very aware of the steep hills as they are everywhere, and perhaps plan one outing/activity per day, and then a lot of relaxing or winding down after. We tried to cram a lot of stuff into one day and ended up completely shattered.

We did a Harry Potter tour that was free at the time and pretty low impact, and visited a place called Dynamic Earth, which your toddler may like. Not sure if they are still around as we went a number of years ago.

That’s a fair point about the zoo being hilly, it’s very step in places and hard work with a buggy or for small kids! That said, I don’t think the city centre is so bad that you need a recovery plan.

We go to Edinburgh often as we have close family there. We usually stay in Airbnbs around Rose Street. Soon going on our first post Covid visit and will do the same. Airbnbs are great because you’ve got separate rooms, but the downside is I’m yet to see one with a lift as they are normally in big converted terraces, and the staircases can be steep - luckily our relatives are meeting us there to help manoeuvre with 2 small children.

People going to a city that’s hundreds of years old and complaining about the lack of parking and lifts 🙄

Yes its hilly, but not really bad - come to Derry/Londonderry if you want steep hills :)

60's and we are heading off tomorrow. Went last year, put in 25000 steps a day up and down hills not a bother - good walking shoes are a must ( imo ) dont go for fashion and if you are just taking a stroller you should be grand

You dont need a car in Edinburgh, its a compact city, easily walked and public transport is good

We do budget, so we stop at the Travelodge in St Marys St, which is just at the bottom end of the Mile and 10 min walk from Waverley Station. Its quiet but central and suits us

I think with young children it’s something you do have to think about. We walked a lot and went to most places but kids can get very tired. It’s a fair point to have to consider suitable parking and lifts to manage your expectations and prep when visiting another area. We drove from England, and needed to put the car somewhere! Although I appreciate that isn’t relevant to the original poster.

Nobody is saying Edinburgh isn’t great, I would go back again for sure. We have also been to Istanbul with two very young children and managed with doing a lot of tourist activities and then winding down, for a few hours later by going to a park. The streets there are very steep and cobbly, so again tricky to navigate with a pram.

No issues or complaints here, just talking about practicalities.

Unless your toddler is really into animals I'd postpone the zoo trip for another visit. As PP, it's a big, hilly site.
It's such a shame Gorgie Farm and Butterfly World have closed as they were great for toddlers.
Try:

• Chamber Street Museum
• Our Dynamic Earth
• Holyrood Palace
• Camera Obscura
• Botanic Gardens
• Yacht Britannia

There's been a massive clampdown on AirBnB but it's the best option when you have a toddler.

Rude. Where did I complain? It’s an important thing to note when you are potentially carrying a small child and a pram. FWIW our next airbnb is on the 3rd floor and we know there isn’t a lift. We are ok with that and know to expect it. I imagine it might come as a shock to people who don’t expect it, and some people might struggle.

Agree with all of these. There’s also a dinosaur themed crazy golf at Fountain Park, not sure how old a toddler you have but mine would love this.

I wouldn't bother with Edinburgh zoo for a toddler to be honest. Five Sisters Zoo and Almond Valley Heritage Centre, both in West Lothian are better suited. The latter is definitely worth a visit for a day if you had a car with you.

In Edinburgh, I would go to the National Museum on Chambers Street. Its free, plenty to see and do, some interactive spaces for kids, there's a room with funny mirrors, musical instruments etc.

I love very close to Edinburgh and have taken my kids when in prams and it's fine , Cockburn st is a killer but even with out a pram
It's a killer lol. The zoo is very hilly and I were never that impressed with it . Five sister zoo is fab but your really bees a car to get there as not In Edinburgh museum on chamber st is great for kids and free also continue along chamber st and your at grey friars Bobby . Camera obscure is also great . I'd avoid the castle very expensive and not that much fun for a toddler .
There are travel lodges on rose st which is very central , at the back of princes st and not a long walk from train station . Love Edinburgh one of my favourite cities

Thank you all for the advice. He’s 2.5 and loves animals. We’ve done Edinburgh a few times before DS and once when he was very small so I’m ok (ish) with the hills.

There’s a fabulous, huge soft play in the city. Will have a quick google. Best our grandchild has been to.

Can’t do links: called WonderWorld.

@Mamofoneboy I’m actually a bit shocked at all these responses 🙈 We live a couple of hours from Edinburgh and have been and stayed with DS a good few times. It’s his favourite place 😂🙈 He’s now 3.5 and asked all the time when we’re going back! It’s really not that hilly lol.

What kind of budget are you looking at for accommodation? We have stayed at the Radisson Blu on the royal mile which was fab but a more expensive option. More recently we stayed at the Apex Grassmarket which was also fab. No issues with noise at either despite being central. Both had pools which was nice as DS loves swimming.
DH and I don’t mind doing the whole quiet hotel thing in the evenings though 🤷🏻‍♀️ We take the laptop or tablet and have movie night 😊 One night we ordered pizza from Civerinos (highly recommend!) and ate in the room while DS was asleep.

I honestly wouldn’t recommend the zoo. Last time we were there it just wasn’t great at all. Enclosures not in the best condition, lots of enclosures empty etc and the animals that were there really didn’t look that healthy 😩 Blair Drummond Safari Park was much better!

At your DSs age mine loved:

• National Museum
• Dynamic Earth
• Camera Obscura
• Riding the tram

Is DS a decent eater? We had a lovely meal at Wahaca that DS still talks about (he calls it Waco Taco 😂). They gave him his own special box of “build your own tacos” and he loved it.

There's a holiday inn right beside the zoo. And you can get the bus from outside into the city centre. There's parking at the hotel if you have a car.

I like the zoo. The penguins are cute. But I like Five Sisters better if you are driving.

The museum on Chambers Street is a must. Camera Obscura. Climb Calton Hill.

If he likes trains the new extension to the National Gallery on the Mound has fab big windows where you can watch the trains. I spent an hour at the windows with my 3 yr old nephew last time he was visiting us.

And if you are staying at the zoo you could get the number 26 bus to Portobello to play on the beach. Lots of cafes on the beach, amusement arcade, Civerino's pizza shop for eating on the beach.