Haven’t discovered Edinburgh yet? 6 reasons why families must-see this magical city!

July 2017
Family Travel, Travel, Travel With Kids, Scotland

You can feel it, as soon as you set foot into Edinburgh it hits you… something magical. It’s almost tangible; it’s an energy I haven’t felt anywhere else. You would never question where you are, it doesn’t look, smell, or feel, like any other city; it is undoubtedly Edinburgh. On the first day we arrived there was singing, dancing and bagpipes being played up and down the streets. The merriment was palpable. I’ve read plenty about Edinburgh, but nothing had prepared me for this.

We have taken our kids to many big cities, but I wasn’t sure how Edinburgh was going to stack up for family travel. As we journeyed through this city I was amazed at what a fantastic family destination Edinburgh turned out to be! If you are looking for fantastic family friendly accommodations in Edinburgh check out my previous post here. Here are just a few of the reasons you must visit Edinburgh soon with your family:

The Beauty

Let’s start off with the obvious. Edinburgh is a gorgeous city and I believe even kids can appreciate this; if only to the extent that it is fantastic to hang out outdoors. Edinburgh really is a feast for your eyes, you will find amazing statues, green spaces, flowers and beautiful architecture everywhere.

Edinburgh is quite possibly the most photogenic city we have visited and I can’t wait to get back and get more photos! Speaking of being photogenic leads me to my second reason you must see Edinburgh…

Edinburgh Castle

Castles are always striking, but stick a castle up on a huge rock and you have something so much more than just striking. From below or above Edinburgh Castle is definitely one of the best castles I have seen. It is one of those “can’t miss” sites in Edinburgh as it sits perched above the city. Kids will love playing at the playground below pretending to be a queen or king of their own castle.

The magic of this castle doesn’t end on the outside, be sure to book tickets to check out the whole castle here!

(Isn't it just striking?!)

Scott Monument

Another hard to miss site, this amazing statue sits on Princes Street for all to see. This statue dedicated to Sir Walter Scott was designed by George Meikle Kemp (1795 – 1844). It is over 200 feet high, with 287 steps to four levels from which you can have spectacular views. The foundation stone was laid on August 15th, 1840, Scott's birthday, and the inauguration ceremony was held six years later on the same date.

(Super happy waiting to ride around Edinburgh! Booster seats for kids provided for free!)

Rabbie's City Tours

I love a good city tour and Rabbies is the best in Edinburgh! No one really wants to drive in a city, especially when it is so walkable. That’s why you use Rabbies and they do the driving for you! This fantastic tour will take you all round Edinburgh and introduce you to the whole city with family-friendly audio commentary done from the perspective of a spritely local.

(Easy to snap photos as we drive through the city!)

Our kids absolutely loved this tour and couldn’t get enough of the open top coach. Also be sure to check out the other tours that head outside of the city to explore more of Scotland!

(Great way to see events happening in the city, we drove past a salsa dancing competition in the center of the city)

Scottish Storytelling Centre

Is there anything more Scottish than storytelling and folklore? At the Scottish Storytelling Centre you can immerse yourself in the Scottish culture and really become a part of it.

With live storytelling, theatre, music, exhibitions, family events and workshops happening all year round this is sure to be a hit for the whole family! Be sure to head over here to see what they have going on!

(Insider tip: Make an afternoon of the area by also checking out the Museum of Childhood right across the street from the Scottish Storytelling Centre)

Camera Obscura

I don’t even have words for how amazing this place is. You will need at least a whole afternoon to really soak in Camera Obscura so be sure to plan accordingly! Camera Obscura is six floors of interactive hands-on fun and a place that can’t be missed on your journey in Edinburgh.

(Kids will love the optical illusions!)

When you first walk in you are given a ticket and told it is good for the whole day. This means that if you get tired or little ones get cranky you can leave and come back later that day! Camera Obscura is filled with optical illusions, games, educational information (disguised well, as fun) and so much more!

Head six floors up and you will find a mysterious Victorian rooftop chamber, from inside this room you see live moving images of Edinburgh projected onto a viewing table through a giant periscope. Pick people up on your hands, squash them to a pulp and even make the traffic climb over paper bridges. Kids will get a real kick out of this!

(Binoculars provided on the roof for kids and adults to look out further)

The Camera Obscura show has specific times, but I highly recommend heading up to the roof a little earlier than your show time to check out the amazing views. From the top of Camera Obscura you can look out over all of Edinburgh and really soak in all the beauty.

Head over here to check out how amazing your trip to Camera Obscura can be!

After all these amazing activities you’re bound to be starving! While there are many great restaurants in Edinburgh I highly recommend the Hard Rock Cafe. I know, I know, there are Hard Rock Cafe’s everywhere, but this one has a vibe, a Scottish vibe.

This makes it by far the best Hardrock you can visit! The food is great and comes in incredibly large portions, kids can be as loud as they want and it makes for an incredibly fun family dinner! Items on the kids menu come in a guitar!

These are just a few of the reasons you and your family should visit Edinburgh, there is so much to this magical city and it truly can’t be put into words or described, it must be seen!

So head over here to start planning your trip to Edinburgh and get wrapped up in this amazing city!