2 days in Edinburgh with 2 teens and their slightly disabled mum

[TwigTheWonderKid]

I know it's crazy timing but I have stage 4 cancer and have to grab opportunities and so we have booked to stay in the centre of Edinburgh next Saturday and Sunday nights.

We'll have a full day on Sunday and probably until mid afternoon on the Monday.

DS2 is desperate to visit the zoo so we'll do that, probably for a half day.

Can anyone else suggest a good itinerary where we can see the highlights without totally knackering me out?

Also any suggestions for restaurants where I can sample proper Scottish food?

Hi. Good for you for doing this, but please be aware that Edinburgh Zoo is very, very hilly.

Best thing I can suggest is to go online and look at the map. Pick out the animals you and the kids really want to see. I'm disabled and really wanted to see the giraffes and zebras. Never managed it as they are right at the top of the hill. If the weather is hot it can be utterly exhausting. Pack light (I had a lot of water, packed lunches etc in my backpack and it really weighed me down) Allow a good few hours to get round with a couple of rests stops; packed lunch stop, ice cream stop.

I sort of hit unlucky as I went on that crazy day that hit almost 40 degrees in 2022.

You are really going to need a rest afterwards, so it may be prudent to do something gentle in the morning, and save the zoo for, say, 1pm that would allow you to have a rest afterwards. (Zoo is open 10 till 6 on a Sunday)

You can do evening ghost tours / daytime walking tours. There's one that includes the story of Greyfriars Bobby. Again, this might be a bit much in one day. Could be an option for the Monday before you leave.

A lot of Edinburgh includes walking (a bit like London, or any city for that matter) so be careful not to overdo it, or try to cram too much in. The castle is visible from the main streets, as is Arthur's seat so no need to actually trail around either. Perhaps an open top bus trip would be a good way to see some of the sights.

Best of luck and hope you all enjoy.

Oh, and one of my favourite things to do before I come home, is to pop to Harvey Nichols and treat myself to some bits from the food hall as we don't have one where I live.

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior that's really helpful!

DS wants to see the pigmy hippos and koalas so I'll plan out a route.

I think a bus tour might be a good shout for feeling like we've seen everything then we can just have a gentle wander. We've booked accommodation right in the centre so I can always pop back for a lie down if I need to.

Festival is still going and will be busy. It might be best to take a hop off, hop on bus tour and visit places like the Botanic Garden, Holyrood park and palace, Dynamic Earth which are slightly off the main areas. If you wanted to visit the Castle prebook a time now as it sells out. The National Museum is free and great for all ages, take the lift to the roof for a good view.

how old are the teens? if old enough they could head of to the royal mile for an hour or two while you had a rest. That should have fringe performers out and about at the moment.

I agree with using the hop on hop off buses for a great overview.

Edinburgh is very hilly.

How disabled are you? Are we talking need wheelchair access/can walk with sticks/ or need a rest after a couple of miles walking?

Wheelchairs are very problematic.

The staff at the zoo are great, if you ask when you go in they’ll give you a lift to the top of the hill and you can work your way back down!

,@Octavia64 I'm mobile. Not great with steps and a bit slow but otherwise just have a tendency to do too much and then be exhausted and grumpy. So trying to avoid that.

I think the hop on/off bus goes right into the castle but can anyone confirm please?

Also is it possible to just go round the outside of the castle without paying to go in? DH is desperate to visit cannon he sat on as a child 🤦 but I suspect the teens won't be bothered about going right inside.

So sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

We’ve been thinking about doing a similar trip and found this quite useful, it has some fun ideas -

The castle precinct will be set up for the Tattoo and you need an entry ticket to get into the grounds beyond. You can see/hear the one o clock gun fire from Princes Street Gardens below though.

The front of the castle is blocked for the Festival tattoo so you will need to walk up to it.

There's nothing to see outside at this time of year without getting a ticket to go in.

And sorry you need your pay to go in. Even for the one o'clock gun.

Have a look at the zoo website you may be able to hire a mobility scooter (the battery type ones) from them which will help.

If not from them you may be able to get one locally for a few days to allow much more freedom.

Buses are quite accessible in Edinburgh. They have trams too.

The royal mile and royal commonwealth pool area are great for a visit. My ds has been there to compete and it's a lovely area.

I've heard there's a mini bus type thing at the zoo that can take those less able up to the top

Get the tourist bus down to Leith and visit the Britannia ( I think that's what the Queen's ship is called). It's a nice gentle thing to do if it rains. Or the Scottish National Gallery on Princes St, which is much the same and free. Maybe not what teens might like though.

If you fancy a cuppa and cake and a decent rest after exertions, you could send the teens off to St Mary’s Close!

It’s the medieval old Edinburgh they levelled off and built on top of to make the wealthy Enlightenment city we have now. Tall narrow tenements, plague streets, it’s something my lot talk about 10 years on. You probably have to book at this time of year.

Contact the zoo, they have a mobility service and carers get in free, but you should contact them in advance so they are ready for you.

The same with any festival shows, ask for help, it can be exhausting queuing and never finding a seat in the crowds.

Have a lovely weekend.

You can hire free mobility scooters on a first come, first served basis, at Edinburgh Zoo
www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/visit/accessibility

We visited https://www.camera-obscura.co.uk/ when we went and it was a hit with everyone. We also did the zoo and a bus tour. We traveled by train which meant we could get 2-4-1 tickets to a lot of places. We stayed central and took the bus to the zoo which was really easy to do

One thing I did recently was take the tram out to Newhaven. Really enjoyed the tram ride seeing lots of Edinburgh and got great fish and chips in a nice restaurant overlooking the water. Did quite a lot of walking so also loved just sitting in Princes Street Gardens looking at the Castle - great view, and getting a coffee at a little cafe there. Enter from near M&S.

If you are going at festival time I would take a look at booking a show or two!

And for restaurants, especially if you are staying central, you will find it pretty busy. Some don't take advance bookings during the festival. So might be easier to eat a bit further out e.g. Leith area

Accessibility (edinburghzoo.org.uk) I've just remembered you can borrow a mobility scooter at the zoo. We did it with my mum and they are so easy.

And a quick google for more general hire came up with this - Mobility Scooter Hire Edinburgh - An easy way to see the sites!

Oh and download the Lothian Buses App.

As has been said Edinburgh is VERY hilly and has lots of steps. This was one day during the festival when we were there a couple of weeks ago... So yes, a hop on, hop off buss sounds like a very good idea.

Restaurants:
Wedgwood
Scran and Scallie
Angels with Bagpipes
Taisteal
The witchery
The little chartroom

All different price points - and you'll definitely have to book.
Bloom and wild at the top of the St James Quarter is a food court, but not as you'd know it.

As others have said the zoo staff are super helpful so please do speak to them, the hippos and koalas are in the mid-section of the zoo so there’s lots to see round about them without too much exertion. The sloths are fab and near the koalas too!

an open top bus tour round Edinburgh would be a good idea to see the sights without too much walking. It’s chilly and windy at the moment so bring layers.

where is your hotel?

there are lots of fab places to eat and drink, it’s very busy because of the festival so taxis are harder than usual at the moment, if we know where you are exactly it’d be easier to help with some ideas where you would be too far

hope you have a fab time 💐