Edinburgh with kidsEdinburgh with kids, without the stress.
Edinburgh with kids means free museums, a zoo on a hill, a volcano to climb and a beach a bus ride away. Here are the family things to do in Edinburgh, and the practical bits that make it easier.
Edinburgh with kids: what to expect
Edinburgh with kids is easier than the steep streets suggest. The centre is compact, the best museums are free, and there's a beach, a zoo, a volcano and a castle within a short bus ride of each other. Most family days here mix one big thing with a lot of running about, a snack stop and an early night.
A few things are worth knowing before you come:
- It's hilly. The Old Town sits on a ridge, with steps and steep closes dropping off it. Little legs tire quickly, so plan shorter walks and use the buses.
- The weather changes. Keep an indoor plan ready for every day. Our rainy day in Edinburgh guide has a full list.
- Plenty is free. The national museums and galleries are free to enter for their main collections, and parks and beaches cost nothing.
- Busy times are busy. August, with the Fringe, and the run-up to New Year are lively and full. Spring and early autumn are calmer with children.
This guide covers family things to do in Edinburgh, from museums and the zoo to beaches and festivals, plus the practical side: prams, stairs, cots and where to stay. If you're still deciding when to come, our best time to visit Edinburgh guide walks through the year, and the Edinburgh visitor guides link everything together.
Edinburgh with kids: the best museums
National Museum of Scotland
The one to do first. It's on Chambers Street, free to enter (some special exhibitions charge), and has four galleries made for families:
- Imagine on Level 1, for younger children: sound, dressing up, a story corner and a play area for babies.
- Explore on Level 1: science you can try, from launching hot air balloons to robots, and a photo with Dolly the sheep.
- Animal World on Level 1: see if you weigh more than a chimpanzee.
- Adventure Planet on Level 5: a mini submersible, dinosaur remains and hands-on challenges.
A T. rex cast stands at the entrance to the natural world galleries. The family galleries have buggy storage, seating and quiet spaces for a break, and there's a rooftop terrace for a look over the Old Town.
The galleries
The Scottish National Gallery on the Mound has free trails for under-fives and over-sixes and an art trolley with drawing materials. The sculptures in the grounds of Modern One on Belford Road are a good way to get children looking at art outdoors.
Smaller museums
The Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile is closed for refurbishment and expected to reopen in January 2027. The Museum of Edinburgh and the People's Story on the Canongate are free and short enough for a quick visit with older children.
Museums make good wet-weather plans, and most have cafés with space for families. For more indoor ideas, see our things to do when it rains.
Edinburgh Zoo and Dynamic Earth
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo is on Corstorphine Hill in the west of the city, and is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, a charity. It's home to more than 2,500 animals, including koalas, penguins, red pandas, lions and pygmy hippos. Lothian buses 12, 26 and 31 stop outside and can be caught in the city centre or near Haymarket and Waverley. Our getting around Edinburgh guide explains buses and day tickets.
The zoo is genuinely hilly. Some routes involve steps or steep slopes, so download the accessibility map before you go to plan the easier paths. There's a free mobility vehicle for visitors who need it, with space for a pushchair. With small children, start at the top and work your way down, and allow a full day if you want to see it all.
Dynamic Earth
Edinburgh's science centre and planetarium, on Holyrood Road at the foot of the Royal Mile, next to Holyrood Park. The main experience takes about 90 minutes and is all indoors: a planetarium dome, an earthquake you can feel, a real iceberg and a rainforest with a monsoon. It's a strong choice for a wet day, or before or after a walk in the park.
Both are popular in school holidays, so booking a time online saves queuing. Check times before you go. If you're staying in the west of the city, the zoo is closer than you'd think; our where to stay in Edinburgh guide compares areas for families.
Parks, gardens and beaches for families
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
About a mile north of the city centre, with more than 70 acres of lawns, woodland and a rock garden. There are two gates: the East Gate on Inverleith Row and the West Gate on Arboretum Place. The historic Palm Houses are reopening in October 2026 after years of restoration, with timed tickets; other glasshouses remain closed for now. Inverleith Park next door has big open grass for running about.
The Meadows and Princes Street Gardens
The Meadows on the Southside is the city's back garden: flat paths, play areas and space for a kick-about. Princes Street Gardens sit under the castle, with views up to the rock and paths that are easy with a pram.
Portobello beach
Edinburgh's own beach, with a long sandy shore and a promenade that's good for scooters and buggies. Lothian buses 12 and 26 run there from the city centre. It's lovely in summer and bracing the rest of the year.
North Berwick
About 35 minutes by train from Waverley, on the East Lothian coast. ScotRail describes Milsey Bay as a family favourite, with a little boating pond and views to the Bass Rock, and the West Beach is good for paddling and picnics. The Scottish Seabird Centre has an indoor discovery experience with live cameras on the Bass Rock gannet colony, and seasonal boat trips. The station is step-free but has no baby changing. You can stay by the sea in one of our North Berwick homes, and our day trips from Edinburgh guide covers the coast in more detail.
Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle with children
Arthur's Seat, with care
Arthur's Seat is the remains of a volcano in Holyrood Park, and the summit is 251 metres above sea level. Climbing it is a highlight for many families, but it's a real hill, not a park path. The upper slopes are steep and rocky, the top is exposed, and it can be slippery and windy in wet weather.
- Pick a route that suits the youngest walker. The gentler approaches are longer but less steep.
- Keep small children close near the crags and the summit.
- Wear shoes with grip and bring a warm layer, even on a mild day.
- Turn back if the weather closes in. The view will still be there tomorrow.
Not up for the summit? The lower park is lovely on its own, with the ruins of St Anthony's Chapel and Duddingston Loch, a sanctuary for waterbirds. Dynamic Earth is right by the park for afterwards.
Edinburgh Castle
Children usually love the castle: the cannons, the Honours of Scotland (the Crown Jewels), the prisons of war and the One o'Clock Gun. The castle advises booking tickets online in advance, as they often sell out.
Plan for the terrain. The main route up to Crown Square is cobbled and steep in places, and inside there are plenty of stairs, including 70 stone steps at the prisons of war exit. The castle can't store prams or pushchairs, so a baby carrier is easier for little ones. A mobility vehicle can take visitors who need it up to Crown Square.
Both are a short walk or bus ride from the Old Town. If you'd like to be close to them, browse our Edinburgh homes.
Practical tips: prams, cobbles, stairs and cots
Edinburgh with kids takes a bit of planning on the practical side. Here's what we tell families who stay with us.
Prams and cobbles
The Old Town is cobbled, steep and full of steps. A light buggy with good wheels copes better than a big travel system, and a baby carrier is handy for the castle and the closes. The New Town, Stockbridge, the Meadows and Portobello are flatter and easier with wheels.
Stairs and tenement flats
Many Edinburgh homes are in tenement buildings, up a shared stone stair, and many older buildings have no lift. If you're bringing a pram, lots of luggage or a grandparent who finds stairs hard, ask about the floor and access before you book. Shared stairs have quiet hours from 10pm, which suits families who are in bed early anyway. Our guest guide has the house rules.
Cots and highchairs
Some of our homes have a travel cot or a highchair and some don't. Ask us which homes have one before you book, and we'll point you to the right ones. You can message us through our contact page.
Getting around
Buses and trams have space for buggies, though it fills up at busy times. The tram runs from the airport through the centre to Leith and Newhaven. For trains, ScotRail has offers for children travelling with an adult, such as Kids for a Quid; check the terms before you travel. Our guide to getting to and around Edinburgh has the detail.
Arriving with tired children
Self check-in means you're not waiting at a desk. You verify your ID before the stay, then get the code. If an earlier arrival would help, you can request early check-in in the app up to 24 hours before; it's confirmed once accepted and paid.
Family festivals in Edinburgh
Edinburgh's festivals are not just for adults. Several are made with children in mind, and others have strong family programmes.
Edinburgh International Children's Festival
Usually held in late May and early June, with theatre, dance, circus, music and puppetry for children and young people, from toddlers to teenagers. In 2026 it ran from 30 May to 7 June. It's a calmer time to visit than August, and a lovely introduction to live performance.
Edinburgh Science Festival
Usually in April, around the Easter holidays, with hands-on events and shows for families. Check the programme when it's published.
The Fringe in August
The Fringe has a large children's programme, from magic and puppets to comedy made for kids. The free street events on the Royal Mile and the Mound are a highlight: buskers, living statues and street performers, many of them aimed at children. The Fringe advises keeping your contact details on your children and telling a member of the Fringe Street Team, in orange tops, if you get separated. The 2027 Fringe runs from 6 to 30 August. Our Fringe visitor's guide has tips for families.
Christmas and Hogmanay
Winter brings lights and seasonal events around the city centre. Hogmanay is busy and late, so many families choose the earlier events and watch the fireworks from somewhere quieter. See our Hogmanay visitor's guide for how it works.
Rainy-day options for families
It will probably rain at some point. With children, the trick is to have two or three indoor plans ready, so you can switch without a meltdown.
- National Museum of Scotland: free, huge, with four family galleries and buggy storage. Easily a whole morning.
- Dynamic Earth: about 90 minutes of indoor science, with a planetarium and a rainforest.
- The Real Mary King's Close: a guided tour of a 17th-century street under the Royal Mile. Better for older children who like a story; check their age guidance before you book.
- Royal Commonwealth Pool: run by Edinburgh Leisure, with the city's only 50-metre pool, soft play, and inflatable AquaDash sessions at weekends and in school holidays. Family swims can be booked ahead.
- Scottish National Gallery: free, with family trails and an art trolley for drawing.
- Scottish Seabird Centre: if you're in North Berwick, the indoor discovery experience works in any weather.
A home helps on wet days too. You can come back for lunch, dry everyone off and let the children play before heading out again. Our rainy day in Edinburgh guide covers more indoor ideas, and our food and drink guide covers markets and family-friendly areas to eat.
Staying in a whole home vs a hotel with kids
For many families, a whole home works better than a hotel room. It's not about luxury. It's about how the day actually goes with children.
| What matters | Whole home | Hotel room |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Separate bedrooms and a living room | Usually one room |
| Bedtime | Children sleep, adults have the evening | Everyone goes quiet at 7pm |
| Food | A full kitchen for breakfast, snacks and simple dinners | Eating out for most meals |
| Laundry | Many homes have a washing machine | Laundry service or none |
| Arrival | Self check-in with a code | Front desk |
A hotel has its place: a lift, a front desk and breakfast cooked for you. But for more than a night or two with children, the space usually wins. Every home we let holds a short-term let licence.
Things to ask before you book
- Which floor is it on, and is there a lift?
- Is there a travel cot or highchair?
- How are the beds set up?
- How far is it from a bus stop or the tram?
Ask us any of these and we'll answer. Our guest team replies to messages from 9am to midnight every day, with an emergency line 24/7 during your stay. One cost to know about: stays in the City of Edinburgh carry the Edinburgh Visitor Levy of 5% on the first five nights, but not in East Lothian. Browse all our homes, read what other guests say on our reviews page, or see our homes by the sea in North Berwick.
By the Stays In team, Edinburgh. Checked 1 October 2026: times, prices and programmes change, so check before you go.
