Scotland with kids

[Marcinabolan]

Hi all,

I’m looking to take my kids to Scotland for half term next February. Planning on staying in Perth. What are the best places to go? They are 10 & 14 year old girls, into shopping, animals and museums. Bit of sightseeing would be cool also. I searched on here already but a lot of it was outdoorsy/climbing and they’re not really into that (neither am I, truth be told!) but I don’t mind walking a little to see some seeing stunning views. I will be driving so have access to a car.

Please can any Scots or anyone in the know throw ideas at me as I am clueless. Have only ever been to Glasgow for concerts and shopping.

Thanks in advance guys x

 

[Telly Fanatic]

Edinburgh Zoo , the Natural History Museum in Edinburgh it's really good and free.. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Dungeons there is the Underwater Sea world at Queensferry and Blair Drummond Safari Park all the places I have mentioned are in the east coast near Perth...if you pop over to Glasgow there's the Transport Museum it's free it's good and you can go on a old ex fishing boat for free..The Science Centre Glasgow.. there's lots of museums in Glasgow..M&D's theme park Motherwell...

 

[Marcinabolan]

Edinburgh Zoo , the Natural History Museum in Edinburgh it's really good and free.. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Dungeons there is the Underwater Sea world at Queensferry and Blair Drummond Safari Park all the places I have mentioned are in the east coast near Perth...if you pop over to Glasgow there's the Transport Museum it's free it's good and you can go on a old ex fishing boat for free..The Science Centre Glasgow.. there's lots of museums in Glasgow..M&D's theme park Motherwell...

Thank you so much! That’s a huge help. I didn’t know where to start x

 

[Snippysnips]

Edinburgh is probably the best place since it has the mix of shopping, museums, the attractions etc although it's quite a drive from Perth, are you OK with city driving? It will be quite expensive as well to park, what I normally do is park at ingliston Market near Edinburgh Airport an get the tram into Edinburgh, you can get a all day ticket an it also stops off at a small shopping centre on the way into Edinburgh

There's also St Andrews an Dundee as well, it's been a while since I was at both, St Andrews has lovely sites an weather permitting could be nice to walk around, Dundee has some museums as well am sure an also could be lovely to walk around, there's also the stirling area which has their town with the castle an monument an the shopping centre which is ok, most shopping centres here have been hit hard with big names going unfortunately, an there's the safara Park as well just at Blair drummand

I'd also look up whats going to be open when you come, scotlands half term may not be the same dates as England an Wales, we don't share the same dates with a few holidays like the summer holidays as we break off much earlier an go back before England an Wales and February will be classed as being off peak which means many things won't be open as they are seasonal, so if you are coming when schools are on here then some things may be closed

Also bring a ton of warm things, further up you go the colder it will be, you could also be looking at it being mostly raining an windy as well, not sure where you are from but we Scots aren't kidding when we say the weather gets rough here, you might even have snow in February as well

 

[EasterEggs]

The Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel are a good day trip.

Edinburgh has the Castle, old town, Harry Potter stuff, the Zoo, red bus tour, portrait gallery, modern art gallery, the royal yacht Britannia, the museum of Scotland, Calton Hill/the observatory and Dynamic Earth (great for kids!).

Glasgow also has a red bus tour, Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the science museum (amazing!), the tenement house and the Mackintosh house.

Dundee has the V&A and the Discovery. Close to St Andrews so could do both in one day. I really like St Andrews but there’s not a lot there tbh - good for a mooch and for kids to run around on the beach.

The crannog centre is near Aberfeldy (Perthshire) and very interesting according to my mum. Aberfeldy and Dunkeld are nice wee villages for looking around. I don’t know Perth itself very well but I think Scone castle is meant to be interesting!

 

[Snippysnips]

The Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel are a good day trip.

If OP is pushed for time I wouldn't bother with these, as a local they are both a bit overrated, the wheel an cafe/shop are really overpriced an most of what they offer like the segway an canoeing may be closed as its seasonal, they have a park but really for the younger kids

There isn't anything really at the kelpies aside from the cafe an shop again which may be closed an a playpark that's mostly climbing things plus it's sorta stuck around nothing, the car boot sale may be on on the Sunday which is at the stadium accross the road if you are there for a weekend though

The town has pratically nothing in it (there is a harry potter themed shop I adore but Edinburgh has these as well) an I think the Callander house will be closed so you couldn't really make a full day out with falkirk

An if anyone says you can walk from the kelpies to the wheel, that is a HUGE walk, it is doable but they are not close an it isn't a easy route as there's barely any signposts to keep you right, you'd need to know yourself where to go as kelpies is near Grangemouth an the wheels the other side of Camelon, even following the canal will be hard an is much longer than other ways, honestly I have no idea why they have a map at the kelpies making it out like the wheel is a short easy walk

 

[Marcinabolan]

Thank you for the suggestions so far! I love the idea of the Edinburgh park and ride so thank you for the suggestion. I’m okay with inter city driving but I would rather avoid where possible. I have been scarred for life by the one way system trying to get into Glasgow for some reason I always miss the turn in. The three of us love shopping so I think it will be a safe bet to do that.

We will be doing Sunday-Wednesday so have a few days to play with, and I don’t mind driving out of the area to find something worth doing. I appreciate the comment about the half term not being the same as ours. It is the week of 20th Feb that we have half term so I will have to check before going in case I won’t be able to do certain activities.

 

[Snippysnips]

I have a feeling the 10th of feb is half term here or around that, am not 100% but I don't think ours was ever as late as the 20th so I'd definitely look up what you want to go for just to see if it will be open so you aren't dissapointed an check times as some might be open but less hours than normal, also double check if they need to be booked in advance, some places still prefer limited crowds or try an break crowds thoughout the day so not everyone is going in at once

I might be wrong but I think Edinburgh is a bit easier to get into than Glasgow, it's been years since I drove into Edinburgh as I get the tram but I do know Glasgow is horrendous an right now it's even worse as the main moterway into the city is being worked on an they close roads after a certain time at night, think its like 9pm or 10pm but its a bit of a nightmare right now with the 4 lane basically being squashed into two lanes an some junctions closed off, it could be worth driving to a close(ish) train station an getting the train into Glasgow if you are going

 

[Telly Fanatic]

I'm from Glasgow there loads of ways to get here in all directions you can't go wrong

 

[chocolatepanda6]

How to Get Here — Rothiemurchus

OPENING HOURS Farm Shop Open 7 days from 9.45am – 4.30pm. The Barn The Barn is currently undergoing a refurbishment of the kitchen and toilets so we are operating ‘The Barn Outside’. We’ll be serving you outside with delicious sausage rolls, pastries, soups, Cullen Skink, one-pot dishes, and...

rothiemurchus.net

This is further North but I’ve heard good things about from friends who have stayed in the area, if you go on the page and look at the activities section as the link I shared is more about directions .

 

[PoopooKaKa]

Where's good to move in Scotland permanently we want to relocate

 

[Snippysnips]

Where's good to move in Scotland permanently we want to relocate

Depends on the budget really, what your looking for an the general area i.e north, central, south etc, Scotland might be nice taking vacations in but living here is totally different, you might want cheaper housing but close to a good town which won't be easy, most people pick the towns outside city's because they can just jump on the motorway but the town itself is tit

I am assuming you are English or Welsh? An not overseas