Things To Do With The Kids in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is undoubtedly one of the most charming and enjoyable cities on the planet.  Few places can match its history, variety and world-class facilities.  It is all the more impressive to have such variety in a city that is such a manageable size: the population of Edinburgh is less than 500,000 and you can comfortably travel from one side of the city to the other in 30 minutes (so long as you avoid rush hour).

Things To Do

The Royal Mile

The Royal Mile is simply loaded with tourist attractions, many of which are suitable for the children.  Edinburgh Castle and The Scottish Storytelling Centre are must-visit venues, and depending on how easily your children scare they may also enjoy the Dungeons!  Camera Obscura at the top of the Royal Mile is good fun too, with a world of illusions to pass through on the way up.  You can read more about the Royal Mile here.

Edinburgh Zoo

The two most famous inhabitants of Edinburgh Zoo are the giant pandas, but the penguin parade is perhaps most popular with children.  Children under the age of 3 gain free admittance and it's open all year round.

The Ocean Terminal

This popular shopping centre is located in the Leith area of the city.  In addition to the shops (which include the kids' favourite Build-A-Bear workshop) there is a good-sized soft play and a cinema.

Edinburgh is a popular place for family breaks with a wide range of accommodation to suit every budget.

Places To Stay

The Apex Grassmarket Hotel

This offers good value 3-star family accommodation and has an indoor heated swimming pool.  The location is terrific for exploring the city on foot and the grassmarket is one of Edinburgh's most favoured places for socialising.  It can get a bit loud at weekends mind you!

The Radisson Blu, Edinburgh

This is a very well equipped 4 star hotel on Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile, which has a huge range of tourist attractions and is well serviced by the nearby Waverley Train Station.  Very popular with families.

For more on where to stay and things to do in Edinburgh, Visiting Scotland is full of useful information.