Edinburgh next week: tight budget. Can anyone help?

ptyks

Hi, there

We are going to Edinburgh next week due to my business trip. My employer has paid for my accommodation (novotel city centre) for 2 nights. I decided to take my family with me. We will be there for 3 days. I will have 1 free day and 2 free afternoon to explore the city. Any recommendation for 2 adults and 2 boys (4 and 7)?

We're thinking about Edinburgh castle, parliament, palace. Never been there before.

I know a day bus ticket is £2.50, but is it worth to go for the bus tour?

I have some budget for £100 to spend for 3 days (not including accom, food and flights). Do you think which place we can go or should go for the 100ish.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion.

cazziebo

They are the right age for Dynamic Earth which is a fab attraction. Might be an expensive entrance fee..

Castle is good, and Camera Obscura on the Royal Mile is fun (and quite cheap if I remember rightly). I don't see the attraction of the parliament or the palace tbh.

I think young kids like the open top bus anyway, never mind how good the tour is!

Have a great time!

Bravetart

I live in Edinburgh and enjoyed the open top bus, I don't think it cost that much and you can use your ticket all day from what I remember.

Another vote for Dynamic Earth, I took my girlfriend there and we both enjoyed it. If you get the weather the Zoo is definitely worth a visit, though is fairly expensive, around the same as the Castle (about £10 for adults). Depending where you're staying it's probably a bus ride away too.

The parliament is a hideous looking building, probably a good attraction for non-Scots to laugh at how much we spent on the thing!

scottishlass

What about the Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh completely free admission and on the royal mile so you could always walk up towards the castle or down to the parliament building.

mymatebob

Castle admission prices

Adults £11.00 Children £5.50 Concession £9.00

Dynamic Earth prices

Adult/Disabled £9.50 Child (3-15yrs) £5.95 Junior (Under 3 yrs) Free Student/UB40/Senior £7.50


You could always take the train to Glasgow one day - off peak so cheaper - and visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery (Scotlands most visited free attraction) which is across the road from the museum of transport.

Some of the schools will have broken up for the summer by Wednesday so that might make some places busier.

oramgepekoe

We liked going round the Royal Yacht Brittania.
http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/


Also the National Museum of Scotland has a great variety of things including some hands-on stuff for children. And it's free.
http://www.nms.ac.uk/nationalmuseumhomepage.aspx

ptyks

mymatebob wrote: »

You could always take the train to Glasgow one day - off peak so cheaper - and visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery (Scotlands most visited free attraction) which is across the road from the museum of transport.

Some of the schools will have broken up for the summer by Wednesday so that might make some places busier.

I like this idea of going to Glasgow. We have family railcard. So will go there too.

Many thanks.

mymatebob

If you do go through - get the underground from Queen Street, right next to where you arrive to Kelvinhall and walk along to the Museum.
Nice big park there as well.

Can give you more info if you decide to do it.

mvteng

I second the national museum of Scotland. Its free & really good for kids.

ptyks

oramgepekoe wrote: »

We liked going round the Royal Yacht Brittania.
http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/


Also the National Museum of Scotland has a great variety of things including some hands-on stuff for children. And it's free.
http://www.nms.ac.uk/nationalmuseumhomepage.aspx

Thanks for this info.

We've just planned like this:
24 june - Glasgow (no idea where to go or which train station -- will find out more later)
25 am: not available until 11 then will go to national useum before lunch
25 pm: Royal Yacht Britania then waking along the royal mile
26 am: not available
26 pm: Dynamic earth

I've changed my booking from Novotel to Express at Holiday Inn. Though Novotel is much better quality, but I want more bursary left for the nice meal. Got £500 from my employer to spend.

Moreover, I found out the discount from link from Holiday inn website too. So will go to some attractions with kid go free vouchers. Please see http://www.expressdaysout.co.uk/hotellist.php?region=7 Credit from this thread.

Just want to thank you for the info from another thread in this forum. Quite useful info too. http://www.expressdaysout.co.uk/hotellist.php?region=7

Many thanks for everyone. hope we will have few good days there.

mymatebob

You will probably get the train to Queen Street station in Glasgow

There is an underground station less than two minutes walk which will whisk you round the city.

Couple of other places you may want to consider visiting

The Science Centre and The Tall Ship

The science centre has an IMAX attached.

You cant get to them via the underground unfortunately but there are buses that go there. The main bus station in Glasgow is Buchanan Street (You can also get the bus through from Edinburgh as an alternative)

For shopping when you are at Queen Street station you are next too Buchanan Galleries and Buchanan Street which is one of the best shopping streets in Glasgow