If you ever visit Scotland, Edinburgh is an obvious stop. But do not miss exploring the rest of the country. I need to say that upfront, because this post is going to be very biased toward one city and I don't want anyone thinking that's all Scotland has to offer.
That said: Edinburgh will always have my heart.
The first visit
We first came to Edinburgh in January 2024. We'd spent the New Year in Scotland (a tradition we'd started the year before), and Edinburgh in winter is a different city from Edinburgh in August during festival season. It's quieter. Darker. The cobblestone streets are slick with rain and the castle looms over everything like it's been there since the beginning of time. Which, by Edinburgh standards, it practically has.
I remember walking up the Royal Mile on our first morning, Calvin and Millie bundled in every layer we owned, and thinking: I could live here. Not in the tourist way, where you love a place for a weekend and then go home. In the actual, practical, what-would-rent-cost way.
That feeling didn't go away.
What makes Edinburgh different
I've been to a lot of cities. Edinburgh has something I haven't found anywhere else: it's beautiful without trying. There's no manufactured charm. No "old town" that's really a shopping district in costume. The buildings are actually old. The closes (the narrow alleys between buildings) are actually mysterious. The views from Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill are actually breathtaking.
And the people. Scots in Edinburgh are warm without being overwhelming. They'll chat with you at a pub or help you with directions but won't insert themselves into your day. As someone who has spent years making small talk in campgrounds across America, I appreciate a culture that's friendly but also respects your space.
Edinburgh with kids
The castle is an obvious hit, and it delivered. Calvin spent two hours exploring the military exhibits (his dad's influence showing). Millie was more interested in the views from the battlements and the gift shop, in that order.
The Gallery of Modern Art surprised us. I didn't expect the kids to engage with contemporary art, but there were several interactive installations that kept them occupied while James and I actually got to look at paintings for more than thirty seconds. That alone made it a highlight.
The playgrounds in Edinburgh are excellent. Princes Street Gardens has a playground with views of the castle, which is the kind of thing that makes you feel like you're parenting in a movie. The kids don't care about the castle view. They care about the climbing frame. But I care about the castle view, and I'm the one writing this.
Winter Edinburgh
As a traveling family, this was our second time visiting Scotland in winter. While you might think we're crazy, I think we're actually geniuses. Edinburgh in January means your pick of Airbnbs. It means reservations at the best restaurants. It means the castle without the crowds. Yes, it rains. But it's Scotland. It always rains. At least in winter you're prepared for it, and those sunny days feel that much better.
The short days take adjustment. Sunset at 3:30pm is aggressive. But there's something cozy about a city that goes dark early. The pub culture makes sense. The warm drinks make sense. The twinkly lights strung across the streets make sense. Edinburgh in winter is designed for lingering, and we are excellent lingerers.
Why it stayed with us
Edinburgh was where Scotland stopped being a place we visited and started being a place we could imagine living. It planted the seed that eventually grew into a cottage on the Isle of Skye, which is about as different from Edinburgh as you can get while staying in the same country. But the seed was planted here, on these rainy streets, in the shadow of this castle.
We'll be back. We're always back. Edinburgh has that effect on people.
