5 days in Edinburgh with kids

5 days adds Dynamic Earth, a Harry Potter walking tour, and a day trip to the beach at Portobello.

Family Score · 83/100 for Edinburgh

5-day family trip to Edinburgh

5 days adds Dynamic Earth, a Harry Potter walking tour, and a day trip to the beach at Portobello.

Day-by-day

  • Day 1: Royal Mile + Camera Obscura
  • Day 2: Castle + National Museum
  • Day 3: Arthur's Seat + Dynamic Earth
  • Day 4: Harry Potter walking tour + Victoria Street + Elephant House photo
  • Day 5: Portobello beach day (tram in 20 min) + sunset at Calton Hill

Where to stay for a 5-day trip

Mid-length trips split the difference — central but not necessarily the most expensive block.

📍 Old Town (around Grassmarket)

Walk to the castle, the Royal Mile and chippy dinners. Noisy at weekends, perfect weekdays.

📍 New Town (around Rose Street)

Flatter, more pram-friendly, closer to the gardens and the National Museum.

📍 Stockbridge

A proper neighbourhood — playgrounds, Sunday market, 15-min walk to the castle. Best for a longer stay.

Budget for 5 days — family of 4

Mid tier estimate

£1,400–1,900 for 3 nights (3-star central hotel, castle fast-track, Dynamic Earth, 2 restaurant dinners).

Saving tips (apply to any trip length):
  • 💡 National Museum of Scotland is FREE — one of the great family museums in Europe
  • 💡 Royal Botanic Garden is free; glasshouses have a small fee
  • 💡 Lothian Buses day family ticket (£10) covers 2 adults + 3 kids city-wide
  • 💡 Lunch deals at pubs are £8–10 vs. £15–20 dinner mains

Best time for a 5-day Edinburgh trip

When: May–Sep (summer, long daylight), Oct half-term (classic), Dec (Christmas markets + Hogmanay)

Getting there: Edinburgh Airport (EDI) → centre by tram in 35 min, direct and step-free. Direct flights from most UK + European hubs (1–2.5h).

Build this trip around your kids' ages

Famila takes your dates, your kids' ages, and your budget — and writes a Edinburgh itinerary that actually fits your family. Not a feed of generic "family-friendly" places.

Plan my Edinburgh trip — free →

No signup required · takes about 2 minutes