33 Amazing Things To Do With Teenagers In Edinburgh

Whether your teen is a thrill seeker, likes science, enjoys shopping, is a foodie or loves scary attractions – there is something in Edinburgh for them.

Explore a world of illusions, journey back in time at Edinburgh dungeon, shop til you drop or try a chocolate tour…. whatever you teen wants to do (and there is so much) they’ll have a brilliant time.

Being a hilly city, there are numerous places in Edinburgh to experience stunning views. This gives teenagers an opportunity to snap Instagram-worthy pictures for their friends, family and followers.

Read on for a multitude of things to do with your teens in Edinburgh

Discover Edinburgh Castle

If you are in Edinburgh for the first time, the castle is a must. It’s packed with interesting history and it’s worth a visit for the breathtaking views alone.

Venture through the narrow walkways and royal rooms and see Scotland’s crown jewels. A highlight for teens will be Prisons of War, where visitors can experience a recreation of the cramped and dark spaces where hundreds of prisoners were kept during the 1700s and 1800s.

Top tip: If you plan on visiting a few historic sites around Scotland, invest in a Historic Scotland pass. It will save money in the long run.

Journey Back in Time at Edinburgh Dungeon

If your teenager enjoys learning about gruesome history, the Edinburgh Dungeon will appeal.

Walk the streets of 1645, learn about the murderous duo Burke and Hare and even face trial. The dungeon experience involves live actors, an underground ride and special effects.

Experience Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions

Photo: The Vortex Tunnel at Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura is a unique attraction with 5 floors of interactive exhibits themed around optical illusions. Lose yourself in the puzzling mirror maze or try to keep your balance in the exhilarating vortex tunnel.

Make sure you book so you don’t miss out on the 160 six-year-old camera obscura in action. The Victorian spectacle is a unique way to see Edinburgh and cannot be missed.

Also, don’t miss the view of the city from the turret at the top of the building.

Find out more at the Camera Obscura website 

Walk along the Royal Mile

The Royal Mile in Winter

The Royal Mile runs from Hollywood Palace up to the cliff-top Castle. It’s well worth a walk along with your teenager. It’s often described as the beating heart of Edinburgh and is an excellent place to sense medieval Edinburgh.

There are many small museums which have free entry and are super interesting. It’s home to many independent shops, Gothic churches and historic pubs.

Shopaholics might want to pop into the Royal Mile market. It’s a great place to pick up a souvenir. You’ll have no trouble getting a kilt. Nearby, teenage shoppers will enjoy the shops along Cockburn Street, Victoria Street and Northbridge.

The Royal Mile often has free Street acts including magicians, musicians, artists and bagpipers.

Go Underground at The Real Mary King’s Close

Photo credit : The Real Mary’s Queen Close Facebook

Teenagers are going to love going underground to learn about Edinburgh’s deepest secret. Concealed beneath the Royal Mile is a maze of hidden ‘closes’ where actual people lived, worked, and died. They were forgotten and abandoned for centuries…until now. A guide takes you on a tour of the close and imparts lively information about the residents, the plague and local commerce.

Discover the Dark Side of Edinburgh in the Underground Vaults

Another underground adventure in Edinburgh is a guided tour of underground South Bridge Vaults. The dimly lit vaults are located underneath the streets of Edinburgh’s old town and date back to the 1700s.

On a guided tour, learn about the history of the vaults and how they provided squalid living conditions for the poor and homeless.

The underground vaults are also widely considered to be haunted. Wander through the candle lit areas and hear stories from your guide about the infamous Burke and Hare murders and the persecution of witches.

Visit a Museum

National Museum of Scotland

National Museum of Scotland. Photo Credit: Mike Mcbey

This free attraction is a great option for a rainy day. It’s one of the best indoor attractions in Edinburgh. There are over 20 000 unique artefacts to see and there’s something for all ages and interests.

Teenagers like the technology area and there is a wide selection of hands-on activities throughout the museum. If it’s sunny, make sure you head up to the rooftop terrace to enjoy views of Edinburgh Castle.

Find out more at the National Museum of Scotland website. 

Highlights include interactive activities in the robotics exhibition on the top floor, the keyhole surgery machine and the death mask of Burke (Burke and Hare).

It’s also worth checking out the blackened lungs – it will put your teen off smoking and vaping for life!

Teens will also enjoy the blood and guts walking tour which includes free entry into the museum.

There are several other museums in Edinburgh to enjoy. They include:

Museum of Childhood

Museum of Edinburgh

Museum on the mound (a money museum)

Enjoy a hot drink and a piece of cake, while admiring the cute kitties.

There’s also a Chihuahua cafe in Edinburgh, for teens who prefer dogs!

Take a Walking Tour

In Edinburgh, you can embark on several walking tours. It’s worth going on at least one. With a haunted tour, a literary tour, a ghost walk and lots more, there’s something for everyone. Here are three that might appeal to teenagers.

Harry Potter Walking Tour

The Elephant House – the cafe where JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books. 

You can take a free Harry Potter walking tour (tips are obviously appreciated!) If your teenager loves the Harry Potter books, this is a must. See where JK Rowling wrote the books and the locations that inspired the characters and scenes in the stories.

Find out when and where they set off at the Harry Potter walking tour website. 

Ghost and Gore Walking Tour

Edinburgh is renowned for its gruesome history. Teenagers love this Cadies and Witchery walking tour that focuses on ghosts and gore. It’s very entertaining, full of surprises and informative. Highly recommended and has a 5 star rating on TripAdvisor.

The Greyfriars Cemetery Tour

A fascinating tour of Edinburgh’s most famous graveyard. Hear historical tales of the people behind the gravestones. Discover the story of the lecturer who taught Charles Darwin, the actor buried in full theatrical costume, the enigmatic Miss Cathcart and the First World War ace pilot.

Did you know Greyfriars Cemetery is associated with golf, the moon, and turnips? The cemetery is the resting place of many fascinating characters. Learn about the man who fought a duel in Hyde Park in London. Find where a 1770s bestselling novelist is buried. Also, discover the graves with Harry Potter connections (although Harry Potter is not the primary theme of the tour).

Book your Greyfriars Kirkyard Tour

Visit Greyfriars Cemetery

Greyfriars Cemetery

You can also visit to Greyfriars Cemetery without going on a tour. If your teen is a Harry Potter fan, it’s an interesting place to walk around as you can stop the names on the gravestones that inspired the names of the characters in the Harry Potter book.

Climb Arthur’s Seat

Sunrise from Arthur’s Seat

A fantastic hike in Edinburgh, even for teenagers, is Arthur’s Seat (a volcano which is now extinct.) Teenagers can admire the stunning views. The hike isn’t difficult, so it should be fine for most teens. If you can get them out of bed early enough, it’s a great place to watch the sunrise. 

Go on an Interactive Adventure at Dynamic Earth

Dynamic Earth is both fun and educational for the whole family so if you have young children as well as teenagers, this is a good option. Some teenagers might find it a bit young but others may enjoy a visit.  The interactive adventure takes explorers on a journey through space and time to learn how the forces of nature shaped Earth over millions of years.

There’s often a host of events for kids to enjoy, so it’s worth checking out what’s on before you go at the Dynamic Earth Website

A 90 minute guided tour is so much fun. Discover how chocolate is made and make your own custom chocolate bar to take home. Also, make sure you don’t miss the session in the tasting room with over 40 different kinds of chocolate.

Find out more at the Chocolatarium website

See the Animals at Edinburgh Zoo

If they like animals, a trip to Edinburgh zoo should be on your list of things to do with your teenagers. It’s the only zoo in the UK with pandas. Another favourite at the zoo is the Australian section with wallabies and koala bears. The penguin parade is also brilliant.

Just one thing to bear in mind, visiting the zoo involves lots of walking up big hills.

Book your tickets to Edinburgh Zoo

Discover Underground Caves at Gilmerton Cove

Gilmerton Cove

A short drive out of Edinburgh is Gilmerton Cove. Teenagers love the adventurous and eerie nature of this attraction. Discover the underground caves, hand carved passages and chambers once used as a smugglers’ layer and secret drinking den. With tales of ghosts and spirits, it feels a little haunted which adds to the thrill of the attraction.

Booking in advance is essential.

Check out the website for more information.

Hop On the Edinburgh Open Bus Tours

Edinburgh bus tours are a fantastic way to acquaint yourself with the city. There’s onboard audio commentary and you can hop on and off as you wish to visit the different attractions. Conveniently they have an app with live bus times so you can keep up to date with when the next bus will arrive.

Tigerlily is a firm favourite for afternoon tea for those who like gorgeous decor and lighting for some lovely Instagram pics.

Red Bistro Bus serves afternoon tea on a vinatage bus. It’s not just tea but an experience. Travel along pretty streets and famous landmarks while indulging in delicious savory and sweet treats.

Palm Court within The Balmoral Hotel offers a high end 5 star experience for afternoon tea. The setting is beautiful and the scones could be some of the best you’ve ever had.

The Witchery by the castle is a very atmospheric place to eat Choose between afternoon tea in the secret garden dining room or the candlelit original dining room. The Witchery is also a great place to go for a special meal.

Climb to the Top of Scott Monument

The Scott Monument is the largest monument ever dedicated to a writer (Walter Scott). You can go up inside and climb 287 steps to the top. There are different viewing levels as you go up. At the very top, enjoy the wonderful views of old Edinburgh.

Alien Rock have two indoor climbing venues in Edinburgh. One is for roped climbing, the other is for bouldering. They run groups and courses for people of all abilities. If your teen has never climbed, why not try a taster course, designed to introduce newbies to fun of climbing?

Find out more on the website. 

Play Dodgeball at Ryze Xtreme Air Sports

It’s a little way out of the city, but the physical nature of this attraction will to appeal to some teenagers. It’s perfect for adrenaline junkies. Test your skills on the crazy obstacle courses. Challenge your family and friends to a game of dodgeball and have a go on one of the many trampolines.

For more information and to book check out their website.

Take a Cycle Tour of the City

If your teenager likes cycling, they will enjoy a bike tour of Edinburgh. The bike and helmet is included in the price. There are a number of different cycling tours you can take part in.

For teenagers under 16, try the family tour. Teenagers over 16 who are confident on their bike can take part in a longer city tour of Edinburgh.

Older teens (16 and over) can go on other bike tour beyond Edinburgh to places like Portobello beach. Find a list of all the Edinburgh bike tours here.

More Ideas:

Axe Throwing  – axe throwing is the new craze to hit cities throughout the UK. Coaches will advise you on how to throw, then have fun throwing axes at the target. Find out more at Black Axe throwing.

Foot Golf – foot golf is a fun thing to try especially if you’ve never given it a go. It’s exactly what you’d expect it to be – a bit like golf but with a football. Can you kick the football into the hole. Find out more about footgolf in Edinburgh

VR Arcade – For teens that want to experience the thrill of virtual reality like never before. They can travel to an arctic wasteland and fight off endless hoards of zombies. The Realm VR is an excellent choice for teens interested in VR

Boom Battle Bar – go to Boom Battle Bar before 7pm and take your pick from several fun games. Try augmented reality darts, shuffleboard, axe throwing, American Darts or crazier golf. It’s great for a bite to eat too. Please note that after 7pm it’s a strictly over 18s venue.

Roxy Lanes – a similar venue to Boom Battle Bar, Roxy Lanes Edinburgh has a whole host of activities from bowling to shuffleboard to curling. There’s also a karoke bar. Under 18s are allowed until 5pm on Saturdays and 7pm on every other day with a supervising adult.

Go Ape – experience a tree top adventure at Go Ape Dalkeith. It’s about 25 minute drive from the city centre. Enjoy an exhilarating high ropes course with zip lines.

The top rated Edinburgh Escape rooms on Trip Advisor is Escape Reality. Solve a series of puzzles to escape the room in 60 minutes or less!

Some of their themed rooms at time of writing are Tortuga Pirates and Alcatraz. Check out their website for more information.