Edinburgh Ideas Please

zagubov

TrixieB wrote: »

I know it's not free and not sure your 3yo would like it but I really really REALLY enjoyed Camera Obscura - if you can get a money off voucher from somewhere would highly recommend it - lot of stairs tho!

I agree- it's in a hologram museum near the Royal Mile if I remember correctly. It's still there in some form or other but I saw it yonks ago.

Not a touristy thing ut when we last visited, my kids were fascinated by the various bridge streets where one street crosses others at right angles so when you look down you see another level of shops and shoppers, buses and cars etc. several floors below. They said it was like a kind of computer game! I don't think you get many other cities in the UK arranged like that.

But then I don't know many cities that have a big cliff like Arthur's seat in the city centre!

Enjoy your visit!:beer:

nutty1

you can get vouchers for the camera obscura with tesco points if you have any.
i went to edinburgh for first time in july and really enjoyed it, we stayed in travelodge central.
i am definitly going back to visit

welsh_mummy

Can highly recommend the zoo which I think you can get tickets for through your tesco clubcard points. We went when my son was 3 and he loved it especially the jeep rides to the top of the zoo as it is quite hilly!

Kate27M

Thank you. The zoo is already on our list as a friend says Santa has a visit there. Really thinking about the camera obscura as an option as well. Kathrynt, we're staying at the travelodge central was it easy to get to everywhere? Thank yyou all agin for your help xxx

nutty1

yes the travelodge central is in a great location, you can easily walk to the musuem, its only a few streets away, and the royal mile is less then a minute away. and the bus to ocean terminal is right outside the travelodge.
i was worried when i booked the travelodge as some bad reviews, but it was ok, we are staying there when we next go.

zagubov

welsh_mummy wrote: »

Can highly recommend the zoo which I think you can get tickets for through your tesco clubcard points. We went when my son was 3 and he loved it especially the jeep rides to the top of the zoo as it is quite hilly!

Do come back to the zoo after 2012- kids love pandas!

regprentice

You should be prepared for the weather, early december last year my wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant and i was trying to dig over a foot of snow out of my driveway just in case. Last two years have been bad around this time, but more likely than not just going to be cold and overcast.

a few free things you might like to try...

Gorgie city farm http://www.gorgiecityfarm.org.uk/home/ is a free petting zoo which is around a 45 min walk from princes st or a 10 min bus ride. Its free (Though they encourage donations). This is close to the fountainbridge complex where there is a cinema/bowling/softplay to make good use of your time, though none of these are particularly cheap.

The botanical gardens are free http://www.rbge.org.uk/ (though i seem to remember some glasshouses required payment of a fee) 30 min walk from princes st (5-10 min bus) would be very nice in snow. Walk would probably take you through Stockbridge which is a nice shops/cafe area.

A cafe called the elephant house is just that ... a cafe... but its also where JK rowling wrote some of the early harry potter novels as a single mum. http://www.elephanthouse.biz/ . Nothing too exciting here (it not a harry potter theme cafe by any means) but some articles on the walls and a very nice view of the castle out of the back window. Very popular with locals . The back right table has the best views.

You might want to visit south queensfery where the iconic rail bridge and road bridge cross the forth of firth. Again nice shops and cafes also, though not particularly cheap. In the summer i would recommend having an icecream/fish and chips on the beach, but perhaps not in December. Might take 30 mins on bus to get here. http://web.undiscoveredscotland.com/queensferry/southqueensferry/

Other free entry places http://www.dofreestuff.com/edinburgh.html

Lothian buses offer an exceptionally good service throughout the area http://lothianbuses.com/ . some services run as frequently as every 5 mins, and you can expect a bus stop to tell you when the next few buses are due. There are a few bus companies ('First' being the other main one) but stick to lothian's red or burgandy buses.

Depending how long you are here, you might feel you have time for a day somewhere else, in which case you could easily jump on a bus to glasgow from the city centre. Blue and Yellow citylink 900 service starts at the bus station then travels out along the corstorphine road past the zoo - hail to stop. Think its around £10 return for and adult. Takes 45-90 mins depending on traffic.

The zoo is expensive but very good, word of warning its on the side of quite a steep hill and exposed to the elements so wrap up warm. There is a 'train' which will take you to the top of the hill and then you can make your way down the hill. If yo go to the zoo, its a short walk away from corstorphine where there is a 'historic village' (old buildings) but also a nice array of shops and family pubs/carvery/cafe.

You might want to check for xmas events at weekends closer to the time at the list website (given previously) or the local paper http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/. There is also a tourism office not far from your hotel who will be helpful (on princes street on the ground floor deck of the princes mall). Edinburgh tourist information http://www.edinburgh.org/

Kate27M

Thank you so much regprentice for your help and the fantastic links. Getting very excited now fingers crossed the snow stays away!!!! xxxx

nutty1

which way do you go to get to arthurs seat. is that the place where thers a momument and that one oclock tower

ILoveChocolate

I would recommend doing the open top bus and I love Victoria Street and the Grassmarket area. visit www.scotlandcityguide.com which I have used for travelling round scotland. Have fun in Edinburgh wrap up warm it will be cold.:D