And more Scotland questions

[georgeglass]

The threads below got me interested in a Scotland trip this summer. It's been years since we have gone. I booked ten days for me, H, and b/g twins that will turn 16 on the trip (assuming they don't kill each other before then). I'd love recommendations for what to do/where to eat in the following areas. We will have a car.

Itinerary so far:

Edinburgh - 3 nights (booked airbnb)
Fort William - 1 night (thinking of a castle stay)
Isle of Skye (Portree) - 2 nights (booked airbnb)
Inverness - 2 nights (?)
St. Andrew's or Stirling (?) - 1 night
Edinburgh - 1 night


It's all late July/early August, but we will be gone before the Military Tattoo stuff in Edinburgh. 

[pittpurple]

Depending on the date you will probably catch the start of the Fringe festival.

No idea what teenagers do generally so what are they into? Where's the airbnb in Edinburgh and I'll see what's around there we like.

It's a lot of moving around but I'm assuming teenagers are easier than little ones for that so I'd guess you'll be fine!

And I like St Andrews a lot more than Stirling but Stirling Castle is super impressive - have a look and see if it's a must-see.

[Vespasia]

We just stayed in Edinburgh and did day trips but I have (mostly food) suggestions!

We did a lot of the usually touristy stuff in Edinburgh. Definitely recommend the free walking tour and the National Museum. You can get to the roof of the museum for some great views. 

Food in Edinburgh:
Oink
Gurkha Cafe (Indian)
Whiski Rooms
Chaophraya (Thai)
Brew Dog (I thought their food was better than their beer but I feel like I must have picked the wrong beers because they're incredibly popular)

I really liked St. Andrews and wish we had more time there. 
We played "mini golf" on the Himalayas. Technically part of the course. It was a lot of fun even though none of us are golfers. www.standrewsputtingclub.com/
Lunch at Forgans: www.forgans.co.uk/st-andrews/
Tour and tasting at Eden Mill: www.edenmill.com/ Their gins and beers were fantastic. Maybe not a real option with teens?

[georgeglass]

Dec 10, 2019 11:41:17 GMT -5 pittpurple said:

Depending on the date you will probably catch the start of the Fringe festival.

No idea what teenagers do generally so what are they into? Where's the airbnb in Edinburgh and I'll see what's around there we like.

It's a lot of moving around but I'm assuming teenagers are easier than little ones for that so I'd guess you'll be fine!

And I like St Andrews a lot more than Stirling but Stirling Castle is super impressive - have a look and see if it's a must-see.

They're interested in a little of everything - super not helpful. Eager to see castles, but hate boring tours. A little bit outside, a little bit history. The Ebinburgh airbnb is on the Royal Mile - near Lawnmarket and George IV bridge.

We're used to moving around - and it does get easier as they get older!

Thanks! I'll book somewhere in St. Andrews vs. Stirling, but check out the castle as we drive back to Edinburgh.

[georgeglass]

Dec 10, 2019 16:16:38 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

We just stayed in Edinburgh and did day trips but I have (mostly food) suggestions!

We did a lot of the usually touristy stuff in Edinburgh. Definitely recommend the free walking tour and the National Museum. You can get to the roof of the museum for some great views. 

Food in Edinburgh:
Oink
Gurkha Cafe (Indian)
Whiski Rooms
Chaophraya (Thai)
Brew Dog (I thought their food was better than their beer but I feel like I must have picked the wrong beers because they're incredibly popular)

I really liked St. Andrews and wish we had more time there. 
We played "mini golf" on the Himalayas. Technically part of the course. It was a lot of fun even though none of us are golfers. www.standrewsputtingclub.com/
Lunch at Forgans: www.forgans.co.uk/st-andrews/
Tour and tasting at Eden Mill: www.edenmill.com/ Their gins and beers were fantastic. Maybe not a real option with teens?

Thanks! I usually plan all of our vacations around food, so this is very helpful. H specifically asked for Brew Dog and we love Indian and Thai. We'll drag our teens to whatever tastings - no worries there (unless, of course, they're not allowed). I love the mini golf idea and restaurant recs. Thanks!

[definitelyO]

We hiked up Arthur's Seat when we were there and it was fun (easy) and an amazing view. nice outside activity. Our hotel was on the Royal Mile so we walked to and up Arthur's Seat. It's an extinct volcanco at not tall at 822' (250m)

[lolo]

Dec 10, 2019 18:44:33 GMT -5 definitelyO said:

We hiked up Arthur's Seat when we were there and it was fun (easy) and an amazing view. nice outside activity. Our hotel was on the Royal Mile so we walked to and up Arthur's Seat. It's an extinct volcanco at not tall at 822' (250m)

This has been a highlight for everyone I've taken to Edinburgh.

Black Medicine Cafe is great for coffee and right below Spoon, where JK Rowling wrote parts of Harry Potter.

[pittpurple]

So in Scotland, if you're with your parents and having a meal at 16 you can actually order a beer, wine or cider - not sure if this is helpful information for you but might be a treat for your kids!

There are ghost tours in Scotland - they take you down into the closes and tell you terrifying stories from the past - a bit of history but might be more interesting for teens?

I've been on this one (not a ghost tour, more history based) - www.realmarykingsclose.com/ and it was really interesting.

In no particular order, just places I like -
devilsadvocateedinburgh.co.uk/
www.whiskirooms.co.uk/
www.theoutsiderrestaurant.com/

Fabulous cafe on the royal mile with the best cakes ever
mimisbakehouse.com/

So this is a chain but it's delicious - great for an easy dinner or lunch. There are several in the city but this is very close to you
www.pizzaexpress.com/edinburgh-george-iv-bridge?utm_source=google&utm_medium=Places&utm_campaign=edinburgh-george-iv-bridge

If you want to leave your kids at home one night and visit some pubs / bars let me know (if you get dinner at a pub you can bring your kids, but the licensing rules are complicated and confusing so I'd have to check specific places to see when the kids would have to leave - sometimes it 8pm, sometimes 10pm, sometimes it's based on if you're eating - it's really random)

For castles you should obviously go to Edinburgh Castle, but there's also Craigmillar Castle just outside town (and on many bus routes) - www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/craigmillar-castle/

(It's actually just by my house!) - right next to the hospital so not great views or anything, but it's a lovely ruin and super easy to get to, gives another sort of castle experience. There's a park next to it so you can walk around a bit as well.

Definitely worth climbing up Arthur's Seat. Did you want any recommendations for hiking?

and you won't need the car in Edinburgh itself depending on your plans so might be worth picking it up on the way out of town - driving in the city is difficult and in the festival prep there are constant road closures and random events popping up all the time.

[georgeglass]

Thank you, pittpurple!!!

[pittpurple]

georgeglass, just tag me if you have more questions!

[Vespasia]

Oh, I just looked and you're staying near where we were so I have more suggestions.

There's a French bakery called La Barantine Victoria that is fantastic. We stopped in for croissants a few mornings. On Grassmarket, check out an ice cream shop called Mary's Milk Bar.


This thread and the Amsterdam one are killing me. I wish I had more time and money so I could revisit the locations we loved but it's hard when there are so many new places to see!

[marytini]

We took our 18 yo nephew to Scotland the same time of year you are going. While in Edinburgh, we did a bike tour of the Trossachs National Park. We used electric bikes, which made the hills easy peasy. We used this guy, who we loved. He also has tours that stay within Edinburgh or closer by.
tartanbiketours.co.uk/

He also really enjoyed hiking the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye (he went all the way up, DH and I only made it half way). I think he liked our visit to Urquhart Castle too.

Like PP said, don't need a car in Edinburgh. We stayed there first, then took the bus back to the airport to pick up a car and went to the Highlands from there.

[georgeglass]

Thanks all!

The deal I booked was through United Vacations (flight + car) and it was (way) cheaper than booking the flights alone. I am hopeful that we will be able to reduce the number of days for the car, but even if we can't, the first Edinburgh airbnb has a parking spot we can use (a mile away at a different rental).

Grateful for the recommendations - please keep them coming!

[dutchgirl678]

In Edinburgh I really enjoyed climbing up the Scott monument and then hiking up Calton Hill. The National museum of Scotland was great. I had been to Edinburgh Castle before, but that is always a good stop too.

On Skye, we loved the Fairy Pools hike. On our last trip we didn't stay there so I didn't see more than that. We saw the old man of Storr from the road but I remember that hike from another trip and it was lovely too. Portree was a cute little town.

We stayed in Fort Augustus and drove to Skye from there. Made a stop at Eilean Donan castle on the way. It has been the backdrop for many movies (Bond, Entrapment, Highlander). We also drove to Fort William from there and Glenfinnan (where you can see the viaduct from the Harry Potter movies, as well as the lake used as a backdrop for Hogwarts and the dragon scene in the Triwizard tournament, if your kids are into HP). It is also a relatively short drive to Inverness which we did as a day trip. Stopped at Fort George and Culloden that day as well. And we went to Urquhart castle which is on Loch Ness, just a short drive north of Fort Augustus.
We also drove to Aviemore for a day and visited the Highland Folk museum. It was used for some scenes in Outlander and it was fun to see the different houses and people dressed up in period clothing.

Some food recs:
Edinburgh: Brewdog
Spoon

Others:
Fiddlers restaurant, Drumnadrochit
The Lock inn, Fort Augustus
The Winking Owl, Aviemore (locally brewed beer and great food)

[pandora89]

In Edinburgh we hiked out Arthurs Seat and had so much fun, definitely recommend with the teens. We did the ghost walk/closes tour and it was pretty interesting. We did the SANDEMANS free walking tour around Edinburgh (its free but recommended that you tip the guide at the end of the tour. Was a lot of fun.

Loved St Andrews, we were there for an afternoon and were able to do most of the touristy things but wish we stayed a bit longer. We had a night in Stirling and the castle was nice to see but didnt do much else there (we left the next day for the Ireland leg of our trip).

In the Isle of Skye we hiked the Quirang, The Storr and did the Fairy Pool walk. I think we were there 2 nights and then did the Fairy Pool walk on our way to our next stop. Highly recommend each of these. They were all so beautiful. Parking for the Fairy Pools was a bit hard (only a tiny lot but such a popular spot to visit) but if you get there early enough its fine. I think some people ended up parking up and down the side of the tiny one lane road when we were leaving.

In terms of food, we tried a few nice places in Edinburgh but nothing that stood out. At all our other stops we just ate at small mom & pop places or whatever was on the way. Most dinners we had were at the hotels we were staying at. We started our days early and got out around breakfast time so we were able to get to our spots before the big crowds did and then spend the evenings at our hotels just relaxing/reading/drinking. 

H had so much fun driving the country roads in Scotland. He didnt have a hard time adjusting from driving on the other side of the road. We made sure our rental was an automatic. Scotland has been our favourite trip to date. We cant wait to go back once the kids are older. Have the best time!

[wise_rita]

The Edinburgh Fringe is more than just the Tattoo.

There are pre-shows a few nights before it officially starts, which looks like the 7th.

I'd aim to be out of town by the 5th, preferably 4th if you can. It's just too mental (and expensive) when the city doubles (triples?) in bodies!

[georgeglass]

Dec 12, 2019 17:13:21 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

The Edinburgh Fringe is more than just the Tattoo.

There are pre-shows a few nights before it officially starts, which looks like the 7th.

I'd aim to be out of town by the 5th, preferably 4th if you can. It's just too mental (and expensive) when the city doubles (triples?) in bodies!

And... awesome - we are supposed to spend the night of the 6th and fly out the 7th. Maybe we'll stay out of town... Our flight leaves at noon on the 7th.

In good news, I found what I hope is a very cool airbnb in St Andrews and they let us book it for one night.

[wise_rita]

Dec 13, 2019 9:02:18 GMT -5 georgeglass said:

Dec 12, 2019 17:13:21 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

The Edinburgh Fringe is more than just the Tattoo.

There are pre-shows a few nights before it officially starts, which looks like the 7th.

I'd aim to be out of town by the 5th, preferably 4th if you can. It's just too mental (and expensive) when the city doubles (triples?) in bodies!

And... awesome - we are supposed to spend the night of the 6th and fly out the 7th. Maybe we'll stay out of town... Our flight leaves at noon on the 7th.

In good news, I found what I hope is a very cool airbnb in St Andrews and they let us book it for one night.

If you've got accommodation already sorted then you'll be fine.

In fact, the 2 nights before the official start a lot of shows do soft launches and sell/give away cheap tickets on the street. It is fun to see some random shows you wouldn't plan on or pay full price for...if you've got a place to stay!

[mrsukyankee]

Dec 13, 2019 9:02:18 GMT -5 georgeglass said:

Dec 12, 2019 17:13:21 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

The Edinburgh Fringe is more than just the Tattoo.

There are pre-shows a few nights before it officially starts, which looks like the 7th.

I'd aim to be out of town by the 5th, preferably 4th if you can. It's just too mental (and expensive) when the city doubles (triples?) in bodies!

And... awesome - we are supposed to spend the night of the 6th and fly out the 7th. Maybe we'll stay out of town... Our flight leaves at noon on the 7th.

In good news, I found what I hope is a very cool airbnb in St Andrews and they let us book it for one night.

You'll be fine. Definitely go to a show or two - they are fun and you can get in for free to a lot of them (or about £5).

[georgeglass]

Dec 15, 2019 3:08:45 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

Dec 13, 2019 9:02:18 GMT -5 georgeglass said:

And... awesome - we are supposed to spend the night of the 6th and fly out the 7th. Maybe we'll stay out of town... Our flight leaves at noon on the 7th.

In good news, I found what I hope is a very cool airbnb in St Andrews and they let us book it for one night.

You'll be fine. Definitely go to a show or two - they are fun and you can get in for free to a lot of them (or about £5).

Thanks - we have a couple of rooms booked at a hotel by Charlotte Square. Now I'm on to the very important "spreadsheet of restaurants" - ha!

[pittpurple]

The Fringe can be super fun - looking at when it started past years, it will probably start on the 5th. Just make sure you leave PLENTY of time for driving around, it will be a madhouse most places. You'll likely be here for the half price preview shows -

www.edfringe.com/

Besides the shows though there will be hundreds of street performers / art exhibits / etc. I really love it.