Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, offers a range of kid-friendly opportunities for families with all types of interests. From exploring Edinburgh Castle to listening to bagpipers, taking a free Harry Potter-themed tour, enjoying urban hiking and playing with interactive exhibits at city museums, there is much to delight visitors of all ages.
Here are seven attractions that will help clients fill their days with family fun.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle, arguably the city’s epicenter, towers at the top of the Royal Mile. And while it is a kid-friendly tourist attraction, visitors with little ones would be wise not to walk up to its gates on the day of their visit and expect to get in. The 900-year-old site hosts about 2 million visitors annually, so a rigid timed and ticketed entry process dictates visitation.
To have the most enjoyable experience with kids, book the first entry time of the day, when the museum is sure to be less crowded and clients can quickly queue and hustle short legs through the gates. Fewer guests will also give kids a better view of astounding castle features such as Portcullis Gate, the Royal Apartments (where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to King James VI) and the awe-inspiring medieval Great Hall with its impressive coats of armor.
National Museum of Scotland
Did you know that you can see dinosaurs in Edinburgh? Kids will certainly never forget visiting the National Museum of Scotland, located just up the hill from the popular retail and dining area of Grassmarket. Inside the massive free museum, kids will find a life-size skeleton cast of a Tyrannosaurus Rex found in Montana in 1988.
Great for a rainy day (if Edinburgh’s weather is gloomy or wet while clients are there), the museum’s diversions don’t end with Jurassic distractions. An entire floor is filled with animal entertainment in the Wildlife Panorama, which includes life-size depictions of everything from a hippo to a pride of lions. When attention spans dwindle, head to the family galleries on the first floor; the museum’s hands-on activity center; or the Adventure Planet gallery, which also has interactive options for children.
Greyfriars Bobby
A short walk from the National Museum of Scotland, this sky terrier immortalized in bronze is worth a stop. It stands in loving memory of Bobby, the watchdog of Greyfriars Church in the heart of the city’s Old Town.
Animal-loving kids will appreciate the city’s statue of Bobby the sky terrier.
Credit: 2024 Forever EdinburghWhen nightwatchman John Gray was assigned Greyfriars in the 1850s, the little dog became his companion. The story goes that after Gray passed away from tuberculosis and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard (or graveyard), Bobby stayed by his master’s grave for 14 years until he died himself, on January 14, 1872. The statue is a symbol of love and loyalty that many kids can appreciate.
The Royal Mile
Edinburgh’s main thoroughfare is an exciting and tourist-heavy place to promenade; street buskers perform for large crowds here during summer’s Fringe Festival and beyond. Be sure to help young visitors find and listen to a bagpipe busker. The Royal Mile typically has a handful of them playing at any given moment, and their bleating instruments and tartan kilts make them easy to spot. Anyone is welcome to make a song request, but be mindful that this is how these street performers make a living, so hand kids a pound or two to pay the pipers for putting on a show.
If clients are here in August, there’s even more bagpipes to be heard during the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Festivities include a performance by approximately 1,000 musicians and dancers on Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade; it’s a loud spectacle that will thrill some children while overwhelming others. For those in the former group, plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before showtime to take your seats for a heart-pounding, two-hour performance. If the kids are more wary but still want a taste of the fun, hang out at the Royal Mile to see some of the pipers as they exit the castle gates. They’ll still be playing at full tilt for a joyful afterparty performance well into the evening.
The Harry Potter Tour
Harry Potter fans know that author J.K. Rowling was hugely influenced by Edinburgh. She wrote parts of her hit book series in this city, and so it’s filled with great Easter eggs for young fanatics to spot.
The writer’s son on the Potter Trail walking tour
Credit: 2024 Kinsey GidickRather than attempt to discover all of Rowling’s secrets on their own, clients might try the Potter Trail walking tour. It’s entirely free, save for a tip for your guide, and the tour takes fans through all the city sites in the stories. For instance, Tom Riddle’s grave is an actual grave in the city, and it’s a tour stop. Guides know their audience well and keep the intrigue moving while not walking too fast for tiny feet.
Calton Hill
Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcano that towers above Edinburgh, is the most popular urban hiking option in the city. But Calton Hill, a similarly famous view, is well worth the trek, especially for energetic young travelers. The hill is home to neoclassical structures and feels like an open-air sculpture gallery. Be sure to stop by the National Monument, the circular Dugald Stewart Monument and the towering Nelson Monument. Children will appreciate the liberty they have here, free from the busy city streets below, to walk and play around the outdoor art or to simply take in the overwhelming view.
Calton Hill is home to multiple monuments far from the city’s busy streets below.
Credit: 2024 Forever EdinburghCamera Obscura and the World of Illusions
It might come as a surprise, but Edinburgh’s oldest purpose-built attraction is the Camera Obscura museum. Housed in a building that dates to the 17th century, clients will find five floors of interactive illusions for kids, as well as kids at heart. There’s a mirror maze, a vortex tunnel, examples of early photography and a magic gallery where kids can learn about electric currents. Another lovely feature of the site is its rooftop terraces, which allow visitors to appreciate the city with a 360-degree view.
Much like Edinburgh Castle, this is a hot destination; to ensure children have ample opportunity to experience the site (and that adults don’t have to experience a potential meltdown), book entry to Camera Obscura well in advance.
