My wife and I are from Boston and will be visiting our daughter in Edinburgh early September. Since we are going to be in that part of the world we thought we'd include visits to London and Dublin as well. Looking for advice as far as logistics go. Does it make sense to fly in and out of the same city? Any recommendations with regards to flying in between the various cities? We're looking to spend 3 days in London and Dublin and 5-6 days in Edinburgh. Any particular order of visiting these cities? We thought we'd start in Edinburgh and then Dublin and London but looking for input.
Also looking for any golf recommendations close to Edinburgh. Doesn't have to be any of the famous ones- something more value oriented with the links feel. Finally hotels in Edinburgh- new town or old town?
Looking forward to this trip very much- any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Washington DC
28247 posts
London's 4-1/2 hours by train from Edinburgh. Airfares into or out of London are usually among the cheapest available from the US, but 2-1/2 days in London is a really, really short visit. I'd want a lot more time than that on what I assume is a first visit.
Dublin is either a flight (and the usual airport annoyances and early-arrival requirements) or a slog by ferry, with (I think) both the departure and arrival ferry ports not being towns you'd normally choose to visit. The result is that the ferry trip is effectively very long.
Flights between the US and Dublin can be very inexpensive, so it's definitely worth looking at a "multi-city" airline ticket rather than a standard round-trip ticket. Price out flying into Dublin and out of Edinburgh/Glasgow or London, then try it in reverse; airfares can be weird. With a multi-city ticket you will avoid having to travel between Ireland and the UK twice, which would be a really painful waste of time.
I would not go to Ireland for whatever part of 3 days you have left once you get there. I'd make this a Great Britain trip. In fact, I'd make it a just-Scotland trip. There's tons to see in Scotland, and you'll already be there, visiting your daughter. Including London or Ireland will just convert part of your limited time from sightseeing time to transportation time.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8157 posts
I agree with acraven - I'd just focus on Scotland. Spend as much time in Edinburgh. In terms of golf, there are a lot of people who golf at Cruden Bay, which is a beautiful location and only a couple of hours drive from Edinburgh (and I would know because I just drove it today). :) I stayed at the St. Olaf Hotel and the woman there told me they get lots of golfers coming there to golf at the Cruden Bay Golf Club. And there are many other things to do in that area - and on the drive to and from Edinburgh, if you stick to the coastal road.
But if you do decide to include another city (of the two, I would go with London and give it the full 6 days), I would again agree with acraven and make it a multi-city (open-jaw) ticket. It's much easier, faster and cheaper when you consider the cost of transportation to get back to your arrival city.
Posted by
London
358 posts
What are the reasons for the different cities? That would drive the time spent. I wouldn't spend so long in Edinburgh - either take a couple of days for elsewhere in Scotland or add the days to London. I would also consider doing London - York - Edinburgh and drop Dublin.
For golf, Aberlady, Dunbar, Gullane number 2 would all give you that
The heart of things to do is the Old Town really - but as long as a New Town location isn't too far from there, it's fine. Edinburgh is not that big so staying central makes sense to avoid drifting into some unpleasant areas on the edges
Posted by
Downingtown, USA
2456 posts
We are doing a similar September trip but adding Paris. Anyway we have five days in Edinburgh then train to London per my husbands request and five in London then five in Paris. Flying US to Edinburgh and and home from Paris. We have done all these places before so that is why five days is enough. Three or four days in London and Dublin are not enough to do fhem.any justice and you would spend quite a while getting from one city to another. I would choose to use all your left over days in London. FYI Aer Lingua is having good sale for September.