21 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh With Kids + Top Tips
We recently got back from a road trip in Scotland and we had an absolutely amazing time. We started our family trip to Scotland with two days in Edinburgh and then continued on to spend 5 days on the Isle of Skye with kids.
I went into our visit to Edinburgh not expecting to be too dazzled, but I was absolutely blown away. Edinburgh quickly became one of my favorite European cities I’ve ever visited.
I quickly felt the magic that J.K. Rowling must have felt as she wrote Harry Potter while living there. There are colorful buildings around every corner, an epic castle towering over the city, and delicious food everywhere (not to mention delightful locals).
And the best part is that while Edinburgh is a large city- it does not feel overwhelming like so many popular European cities.
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Is it Worth it to Visit Edinburgh with Kids?
Definitely! If you are looking for a good city to visit with kids in Europe, then Edinburgh is a great choice. It’s actually one of my favorite European cities we’ve visited as a family!
Edinburgh is a lively city with lots of things to do, but it’s WAY more manageable than visiting somewhere like Paris with kids (which we’ve also done). There are a lot of fun things to do in Edinburgh with kids (which you’ll find in this post) and parents will love it too.
You can even book this private and personalized Edinburgh tour for families (how cool is that?!). If you’re kids love some good storytelling and you want to get as much out of your visit to Edinburgh as you can, you’ll definitely want to check out this private tour.
One downside to Edinburgh is that there are a lot of hills (which can make pushing a stroller a little tiresome). But just come prepared with a good attitude and it will be ok.
Where to Stay in Edinburgh as a Family
I recommend booking accommodations in Edinburgh Old Town. We rented an Airbnb in the Old Town just a 5-minute walk from the Grassmarket area and Victoria Street (some of the cutest areas in Edinburgh). And a not-much-longer walk to the entrance to Edinburgh Castle.
It was really nice to be so close to some of the main things to see in Edinburgh and not have the stress that comes with traveling into the city each morning.
You’ll definitely want to book accommodations months in advance if you want to find a good place available in the Old Town.
Are There Family-Friendly Tours of Edinburgh?
Yes! You can book this 4-hour, private Edinburgh tour designed specifically for families where you get to walk through Edinburgh with a local guide visiting all of the places that YOUR family want to visit. You can choose places in the Old Town, go hiking to Arthur’s Seat, or do anything else that you think would be perfect for you. Just let the guides know and they’ll make it happen.
You can check out the family-centered Edinburgh tour here to see if it looks like a good fit for you and your kids in Edinburgh.
Map of Family-Friendly Things to Do in Edinburgh
*Use this interactive map to explore the best things to do with kids in Edinburgh, Scotland. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*
21 Things to Do in Edinburgh Scotland with Kids
1. Explore Edinburgh Castle
One of my favorite things about Edinburgh is that from almost anywhere in the city, you can look up to find Edinburgh Castle looming over you. Edinburgh Castle was built over 900 years ago atop an ancient, extinct volcano and is known today for being one of the oldest fortified places in Europe.
Much of our experience at the castle was walking along the cobblestone path leading up to the castle and around the various buildings on the castle grounds (like a chapel, the crown jewels, the room Mary Queen of Scots gave birth in, and other various museums).
You have some great views of the city and Arthur’s Seat from Edinburgh Castle. And if you are into cannons, the castle has some great displays for you. You can see Mons Meg, a six-tonne siege gun that could fire up to two miles away, or witness the firing of the one o’clock cannon which is a modern field gun fired each day at 1 pm.
A good thing to know when visiting Edinburgh Castle with young kids is that the castle is hardly stroller accessible. You can make it be if you want, but it’s going to be a lot of pushing up a large hill on cobblestones. We ditched our stroller and opted for the baby carrier which we were happy with.
There is also a great castle gift shop with some gems of gifts for kids. We came away with a cute picture book, but I would have loved to have purchased more.
Castle tickets often sell out months in advance (really, they do) so be sure to get online and book your tickets with plenty of notice.
If your kids are up for it, you may want to book this totally customizable Edinburgh tour for families. You can choose any venue/area of the city to visit. I’m sure the guide would have some great stories to tell the kids about Edinburgh Castle.
2. Play at the Castle Playground in Princes Street Gardens
One of our favorite things we did in Edinburgh with a toddler was playing at the cute castle playground at Princes Street Gardens. Before we travel anywhere, I meticulously research playgrounds in the area so that we have places to visit that I know with 100% surety our kids will love.
I’ve even created an entire post about all of the best playgrounds in Paris near top Paris attractions (if you also plan to head there with your kids).
But anyway, the Princes Street Gardens playground is a total hidden gem and an awesome thing to do with your kids in Edinburgh. It’s a pretty large play structure designed to look like a castle. The best part is, the castle playground is sitting in the shadow of the real, Edinburgh Castle up on the hill!
I love a playground with a good view because then everyone in the family is happy. The rest of Princes Street Gardens is also a nice place to walk through and there are even some kiosks selling treats/drinks if you want to stick around for a while.
Right near the playground is Ross Fountain, a beautiful cast-iron fountain from the 1800s (and a filming location for the film Eurovision).
4. Take a Pic of the Castle From Vennel Viewpoint
I couldn’t get enough of the epic Edinburgh castle views from different vantage points in Edinburgh. A popular viewpoint called Vennel Viewpoint is located in the Old Town area up a staircase. It’s a quick detour for a nice photo opportunity.
You could also get some ice cream from Mary’s Milk Bar (more on that below) at the base of the stairs and take your ice cream up the steps to enjoy it with a view.
5. Take a Family-Friendly Harry Potter Tour of Edinburgh
If you are visiting Edinburgh as a Harry Potter-loving family, then you need to book a guided Harry Potter Tour of Edinburgh. This 2-hour Harry Potter tour in Edinburgh is a family-friendly tour suited to both kids and adults. You can pass top Edinburgh attractions while also seeing the inspiration for Hogwarts and the final resting place of he-who-shall-not-be-named.
Or an even better option for your kids may be to book this private tour of the Potter Trail. This way you and your kids will have the space to customize the tour and to ask any questions you may have and hopefully have a better chance for your kids to be (and stay) engaged in the tour.
7. Visit Greyfriars Kirkyard to See Thomas Riddell’s Grave
Greyfriars Kirkyard is a must-visit for any Harry Potter-loving child visiting Edinburgh. This churchyard is famous for being home to the tombstones of Tomas Riddell, Potter, McGonagall, and more.
Of course, it is thought that J.K. Rowling received a lot of inspiration from this specific graveyard as she has been quoted for collecting names she likes from all sorts of places.
Take some time to (respectfully and quietly) do a scavenger hunt with your kids to see who can find the most Harry Potter-related names on the tombstones at the Greyfriars Kirkyard.
8. Window shop on Victoria Street
One of my all-time favorite streets in Edinburgh was Victoria Street. Victoria Street is located in Old Town Edinburgh and it is said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley from Harry Potter. (If you want an entire tour dedicated to Harry Potter in Edinburgh check these tours out).
Anyway, Victoria Street is a super cute, curved street with the most colorful storefronts with *actually* cute shops (think local shops- not crazy tacky tourist shops).
One of the most popular shops on Victoria Street is called Museum Context which sells a curated collection of Harry Potter items plus other unique gifts.
You can also visit the Victoria Street Viewpoint (just up a set of stairs near the end of Victoria Street) to see the adorable street from above.
9. Play at the National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland is a great place to take your family to in Edinburgh. It’s a huge museum with all sorts of different collections. There are taxidermied animals (including the first cloned sheep, Dolly), dinosaur exhibits, Formula 1 racing cars, and even play areas created for young kids.
The museum is (surprisingly) free and a great Edinburgh attraction for kids to have in your pocket in case of rain. We visited the museum around lunchtime and picked up lunch at the museum’s cafe before playing for a couple of hours.
10. Listen for Bagpipers in Edinburgh
I always love when we come across people playing music on the street and the best part about this is Edinburgh is that it’s usually a bagpiper. We saw bagpipers in two different spots of Edinburgh and I think they can commonly be found there.
The first location was coming down the hill from Edinburgh Castle as the road turns into the Royal Mile. The second location was at the base of Scott Monument near Princes Street Garden. The bagpiper near Scott Monument packed up while we were there but he was quickly replaced with a new bagpiper.
This makes me think that bagpipers rotate through these locations throughout the day (especially in peak tourist season). So if you’re on a bagpiper hunt- look in those two spots!
11. Enjoy the Views From Calton Hill
There are a lot of great viewpoints in Edinburgh (like Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, and Scott Monument). And another one to add to the list is Calton Hill. Calton Hill is a popular place for walking with a relatively easy walk to the top of the hill (compared to say hiking Arthur’s Seat).
We opted for the views from Calton Hill as we did not have time to hike the Salisbury Crags or Arthur’s Seat, but if we would have time I think we would have enjoyed the views more from there (maybe?).
On Calton Hill, you do get views of both Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat which is nice. There are also areas to visit on top of Calton Hill like an observatory, restaurant, and a tower to climb for even better views.
I wasn’t blown away by Calton Hill, but it’s a nice area to walk. Also, the Edinburgh LEGO store is very near Calton Hill which was a good stop for our kiddos on our way back down into the city.
12. Hike to the Top of Arthur’s Seat (an Ancient Volcano)
If you’re looking for something adventurous to do on your trip to Edinburgh with kids, then hiking Arthur’s Seat is for you! Arthur’s Seat is the main peak you see in a group of hills on the edge of Edinburgh. It’s an ancient volcano and it offers some beautiful views of the city.
There are multiple routes to get to the top of Arthur’s Seat, but you can start your research by checking out this 2.4-mile route on All Trails. Without kids, people say it can take 1.5-2 hours to hike to the peak and back. However, if you’ll be hiking with kids I’d definitely plan on 3-4 hours (depending on the age of your kids).
If you don’t want to hike all the way to the top but you still want some good views, consider hiking to the Salisbury Crags.
13. Climb to the top of Scott Monument
Scott Monument is a very unique landmark in Edinburgh dedicated to the writer, Sir Walter Scott. It’s located right on the edge of Princes Street Gardens making it easy to spot.
You can climb the steps to the top of Scott Monument, however, we opted to stay at the bottom and listen to the bagpiper playing nearby instead. I’ve heard there is almost always a bagpiper near Scott Monument, which is supported by the fact that when we saw one bagpiper packing up, another one quickly filled his spot.
14. Walk the Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is probably the most popular street to walk in Edinburgh as it is the main thoroughfare connecting Edinburgh Castle with Holyrood Palace. The street is lined with various historical sites, shops, and restaurants and, as the name implies, is about one mile long.
15. Tour Palace of Holyroodhouse
Palace of Holyroodhouse is The King’s official residence in Edinburgh and home to much of Scotland’s royal history. You will find it at the opposite end of the Royal Mile with Edinburgh Castle on one end and the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the other.
The Palace is a great place to visit with kids! It has a relaxing, fun space designed specifically for families fittingly called, “The Family Room” with stories, dress ups and games. You can also complete fun activities with their interactive ‘Family Activity Trail’ or join one of their kid-friendly weekly workshops.
Learn more about visiting Palace of Holyroodhouse with kids here.
16. Stroll up Cockburn Street (Filming Location for Avengers: Infinity War)
Cockburn Street is another super cute Victorian street in Edinburgh (with similar vibes to Victoria Street). Some even say that this street was also the inspiration for Diagon Alley. It’s got cute coffee shops, restaurants, and local boutiques which then connect you back to the Royal Mile.
Cockburn Street was also a filming location for Avengers: Infinity War if you are into seeing filming locations. What is now The Milkman Coffee Shop was converted into a Hüsnu Kebab Shop for the movie.
17. Stroll Through Peaceful Dean Village
Dean Village is a very quiet and quaint area of Edinburgh just a short bus ride from the city center. It’s mainly a lovely place to walk through and find some peace away from the traffic and other noise that comes with a city.
The Water of Leith flows right through Dean Village and creates some pretty picturesque views with the old grey and colorful buildings lining the river. There is also a walking path that goes along the Water of Leith if you want to enjoy the sound of the river for longer.
There is a verrrrrry small playground (if you can even call it that) in Dean Village. It’s a little bouncy ladybug toy for tiny kids, a bridge leading to nowhere, and three balancing beams.
However, there are also some benches and it’s in a small gated-off area surrounded which does make it a good resting point if you have some small kids that want to run around.
Our 4-year-old was able to have a good enough play session on the limited play toys along with us doing some major imaginative play. You’ll find the play area (is that what I should call it) on the corner after you go down the hill and cross the bridge across the Water of Leith.
You can find Dean Village by putting it in Google Maps. You can also put Bell’s Brae Bridge into Google Maps and it will take you directly to the bridge over the Water of Leith where so many photos of Dean Village are taken.
We bussed to Dean Village from the National Museum of Scotland and walked back to our Airbnb in the Old Town from there.
18. See Toys From Throughout History at the Museum of Childhood
The Museum of Childhood is Edinburgh’s museum dedicated to all things related to childhood. It has exhibits items dating back to the 1800s and up to the current day of children’s toys, clothes, games, dolls and books.
The museum seems to have less toys to play with and more toys on display, but your kids may still love seeing toys of days gone by!
19. Take Chocolate Factory Tour at The Chocolatarium
I so wish we would have been able to visit The Chocolatarium in Edinburgh, but alas, kids must be ages 6+ to visit which our kids are not.
The Chocolatarium is a chocolate factory in the heart of Edinburgh that you can tour as a family to learn about where chocolate comes from, how it’s made and you even get to make your very own chocolate bar at the end.
And if that’s not great enough, you get to do a chocolate tasting where you can choose from over 40 chocolate flavors in the Tasting Room!
You’ll find the Chocolatarium just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Watch the video below for a glimpse of what your experience can be like!
20. Experience Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
A great rainy-day activity with kids in Edinburgh is to visit Camera Obscura & World of Illusions. It’s located right at the base of Edinburgh Castle and actually has some great castle views from the rooftop (might be worth it to visit just for that).
Camera Obscura has five floors of fun with 100+ interactive exhibits that are fun for the whole family. Take some crazy pics, check out some mind-bending optical illusions, and take a virtual tour of Edinburgh all from the same place.
21. Visit The Real Mary King’s Close
Older kids may enjoy stepping back in time to visit the Real Mary King’s Close. Real Mary King’s Close (or alley) is Edinburgh’s only preserved street from the 17th century.
You can take a 1-hour guided tour through the winding alleyways and steps below the Royal Mile with guides in costumes telling stories of the time. One of the ‘residents’ you will meet is the plague doctor (dressed up with the black, beaked mask) and stories are told about disease and death.
You’ll just want to check out their website here to see if it’s a suitable experience for your family at the stage of life they are in.
Places to Eat in Edinburgh Scotland with Kids
1. Cold Town House
- Amazing Rooftop Seating with Castle Views
- $$
- Vegan and Gluten-Free Options Available
If you can pick only one place to eat in Edinburgh with your kids, definitely choose Cold Town House. Cold Town House is amazingly located at the base of Edinburgh Castle in the Grassmarket area of Old Town Edinburgh and is a must-visit.
Cold Town House serves delicious Neopolitan pizzas in a custom-made pizza oven along with burgers, fries, and lots of other items. I ordered the ‘Meadows’ pizza with a basil pesto base, roasted broccoli, rainbow tomato, mozzarella, and hazelnuts (it was crazy good). My husband got a fennel sausage pizza and the kids shared triple mac & cheese.
But here’s the best part about Cold Town House- the hidden gem of the restaurant is an absolutely amazing rooftop terrace covered in flowers with views of Edinburgh Castle. You would never know it exists just by looking at the outside of the restaurant, but it’s there and it’s amazing.
Because of the popularity of the rooftop tables, it’s recommended to book a table online in advance. However, you can always visit Cold Town House and choose to sit inside. You may even get lucky and catch a rugby match on the screens.
If the weather is a bit chilly, they have plenty of heaters and blankets on the rooftop to help make it a cozy experience. And they also have plenty of vegan and gluten-free options if that applies to you. The top things that come to mind are vegan cheese for the pizzas and gluten-free crusts.
2. Mary’s Milk Bar
- $
- Vegan options available
The gelato at Mary’s Milk Bar is literally some of the best gelato/ice cream I have ever had. It’s located across the street from Cold Town House in the Grassmarket area of Old Town Edinburgh and it often has a line forming out the door (for good reason).
Mary, the owner, trained in Bologna, Italy at Carpigiani Gelato University at makes the gelato fresh each morning until 11 am. She has some of the most unique flavors I’ve ever seen, like goat’s cheese and peach or marsala wine and pear, along with classic flavors like dark chocolate or hazelnut.
Take your ice cream around the corner and up the stairs to the Vennel Viewpoint or across the street to the lawn at the base of Edinburgh Castle.
3. Oink
- $
- Can be served without a roll for gluten-free needs
Oink is perfect if you are looking for a quick stop with your family for a takeaway sandwich to take to a park or eat on the go. There are three different locations in Edinburgh so you will probably not ever be too far from finding one.
This counter-service restaurant has a limited menu of different sizes of pulled pork sandwiches and different toppings and sauces. They serve it up right from the roasted pork sitting in the window until 5 pm or they run out. I ordered the pork sandwich on a wheat bun with sage and onion topping and half apple/half bbq sauce (the apple side was my favorite).
We got our sandwiches with chips and their homemade shortbread (which was crazy good) and it was a perfect quick lunch.
4. Makars Mash Bar
- $$
- Vegan and gluten-free options are available
I really wish we would have had time to visit Makars Mash Bar, but alas we did not. Makars specializes in Scottish comfort food with mashed potatoes as the common base with your choice of different toppings.
Makars has a lot of options for meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, and those that need gluten-free items. I would have ordered the mashed potatoes with vegetarian haggis. We tried vegetarian haggis at a different location once we headed to the Isle of Skye as a family and it was so, so good.
I would have loved to have tried it as Makars as well. Makars is more of a traditional, sit-down restaurant and our kids weren’t in the mood for a sit-down eating experience when we were nearby. Instead, we headed to Oink for their takeaway pulled pork sandwiches.
5. Hula Juice Bar and Eatery
Hula Juice Bar and Eatery is just the type of place I like to find when traveling. They serve healthy breakfast, brunch, and lunch options in a super cute setting on Victoria Street. They serve smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, bowls, and more.
It’s so nice to have some healthy food options when on vacation and I can always count on our kids wanting a good smoothie! Hula Juice Bar and Eatery is perfect for just that.
6. Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar
If you want to visit a pub in Edinburgh, Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar is a good option. Out front is the famous statue of a Scottish Terrier that (as the story goes) spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner.
Anyway, Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar serves (what appears to be) delicious, traditional savory pies along with many other main dishes. They also have a children’s menu with things like chicken breasts and hamburgers.
We didn’t have time to visit, although Greyfriars Bobby Bar was on our list.
Tips for Visiting Edinburgh with a Toddler or Baby
- If you are coming with a stroller, be prepared to be pushing it up some big hills. It was still definitely worth it to have our stroller with us, but it did take a little bit of muscle occasionally to get us where we needed to go.
- One place you may not want to use the stroller is at Edinburgh Castle. I recommend either baby wearing or if your kids are old enough, just encouraging them to walk around and explore sans stroller.
- If you’re looking forward to eating some good meals in Edinburgh, but the kids aren’t up for going out to eat, you can use Deliveroo or Uber Eats to have meals delivered to your Airbnb or hotel. We do that often when we are traveling and it’s so nice.
- Be sure to bring lots of layers, including a rain jacket/windbreaker. Edinburgh gets a LOT of rain (even in the summer) and a bit of a breeze and clouds can make it feel chilly. We visited in early April and all were wearing sweaters with light puffy jackets, beanies, gloves, and wool socks.
Sample Two-Day Edinburgh Itinerary For Families
This is pretty much what our 2-day Edinburgh family itinerary looked like:
Day One:
- Morning:
- Window Shop on Victoria Street
- Explore Edinburgh Castle
- Afternoon:
- Picked up a takeaway lunch @ Oink
- Ate lunch at Princes Street Garden & play at the playground
- Evening:
- Rooftop Dinner @ Cold Town House with views of Edinburgh Castle
- Ice cream @ Mary’s Milk Bar while sitting on the steps of the Vennel Viewpoint
Day Two:
- Morning:
- Morning walk to Calton Hill for views of Edinburgh
- Swing by the LEGO store
- Look for a bagpiper at Scott Monument and/or climb Scott Monument
- Afternoon:
- Lunch at the cafe at the National Museum of Scotland
- Played at the National Museum of Scotland
- Find graves that inspired J.K Rowling at Greyfriars Kirkyard
- Evening:
- Take a stroll through Dean Village
And that’s everything I think you need to know for taking a family trip to Edinburgh. Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. I’ll be sure to get back to you!
Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:
- The Only Itinerary You Need For a Day Trip to Edinburgh (+ Map)
- The Ultimate Guide to the Isle of Skye with Kids: 21+ Things to Do & Top Tips
- 18 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting The Isle of Skye in Scotland
- 16 Helpful Tips That Make Driving in Scotland Feel Easy
- 3 Days in London with a Toddler: A Realistic Itinerary + Tips & Map
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