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Edinburgh · Garden
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh with kids
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a free city stop for families who are happy to walk, stop often and look closely. Tarmac paths, benches and cafes make it easy to go at your own pace. The Palm Houses have reopened as a separately ticketed indoor extra, but most of your visit is still outdoors.
- Best ages
- Toddlers, preschoolers & mixed ages
- Cost
- Free Garden · separate Palm Houses tickets
- Weather
- Mostly outdoors · short indoor extra
- Allow
- Around 1.5–3 hours
Our family take
There is plenty of space to slow down, a wide range of planting to look at, benches when little legs need a pause and cafes when adults need one too. You can leave after a short wander or keep going if the weather holds, so it works well between busier Edinburgh plans.
- Palm Houses only. The Palm Houses reopened on 2 October 2026. All other Glasshouses remain closed during restoration.
- With active children. Running, footballs, bicycles and scooters are not allowed. Choose it for a slower walk rather than a run-around.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- Opening times
- Open daily from 10am. February to October: 10am-5pm; November and January: 10am-4pm; December: 10am-3.30pm. Closed 25 December and 1 January. Extreme weather can close the Garden.
- Free entry and Palm Houses
- The Garden is free. Palm Houses admission is separate: adults aged 16–64 pay £4.95 (£5.50 with an optional donation), and ages 65+ pay £4.20 (£4.70 with donation). Children 5–15 enter free but need a ticket booked with an adult, concession or carer ticket; under-5s need no ticket.
- How long to allow
- A flexible outdoor visit: allow around 1.5-3 hours, depending on how much of the garden you explore and whether you stop for cafe time.
- Address and entrances
- West Gate: Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ. There is also an East Gate on Inverleith Row, so check which entrance suits your route.
- Parking
- Metered on-street parking is available near the West Gate on Arboretum Place. Six Blue Badge spaces are beside the West Gate, with three more opposite the Inverleith Park entrance.
- Prams and access
- Most paths are tarmac with marked accessible routes, but some are steep or cambered. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are free to borrow for up to two hours per booking; book ahead.
- Weather and Glasshouses
- The Palm Houses are open; all other Glasshouses remain closed. The Garden is mainly outdoors and can close in severe weather. Follow signs for temporary access changes.
ParkingCafé or restaurantGift shopAccessible toiletsToiletsStep-free access
4 October 2026
Check current visitor information (official)A little more detail
Make it work for your family
A slower walk with children
What children can do
Children can look for unusual leaves and trees, follow paths through the Rock Garden, Arboretum and Woodland Garden, and stop at a bench whenever they need one. In the Palm Houses, ferns and palms fill the restored glass buildings, with ladybirds among the plants.
If a seasonal trail, family activity or tour is running, it can give the visit more of a hook. Check What's On rather than assuming there will be a child-focused activity on every visit.
Best ages and family fit
Toddlers and preschoolers fit best when they enjoy short bursts of walking, looking and stopping. Free entry makes it easier to cut the visit short if needed, while cafes and benches give you places to reset.
Older children can enjoy the scale, city views and plant collections if they are happy with a slower visit. Choose a different attraction for children who need rides or constant activity.
Palm Houses: tickets and timing
Allow around 15–30 minutes inside the Palm Houses, plus roughly 10 minutes to walk there from the East Gate or 15 minutes from the West Gate. Choose a time slot that leaves room for that walk with little legs.
Book ahead to secure your preferred time; same-day tickets depend on availability. RBGE members enter free but still need a time slot to secure entry and proof of membership. A free accompanying carer ticket requires another ticket in the booking and valid proof; check the official eligibility details.
There are benches inside, but the nearest public toilets are about 300 metres away near the East Gate. Make a toilet stop before heading in.
Palm Houses visitor information · Checked 2026-10-04
Prams, access and facilities
Most paths are tarmac and marked routes are available, but some are steep or cambered. A pram may be workable on the main routes; check the route first if a particular buggy or wheelchair setup matters. The Palm Houses have step-free visitor areas reached by ramps and paved surfaces.
Free wheelchair and mobility scooter loans are normally limited to two hours per booking, with extensions depending on availability. Book ahead with Visitor Welcome. Accessible toilets are at the West Gate visitor centre, East Gate Lodge and centrally in the Garden. If baby changing is essential, call 0131 248 2909 before setting off.
Weather and time to allow
Choose a dry or mixed-weather day for the Garden. The Palm Houses offer a short indoor visit, but the rest of the Glasshouses remain closed and restoration work still affects access. The Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden and Alpine area currently open only at weekends, weather permitting. Check access updates if these are part of your plan.
Allow around 1.5-3 hours. Toddlers may be ready to leave sooner; add cafe time, more garden sections or a seasonal activity if you want to make it a slower half-day.
Entrances, parking and food
The West Gate brings John Hope Gateway, Visitor Welcome, the Gateway Cafe and the shop together, with the main access support nearby. The East Gate on Inverleith Row has its own cafe and bus connections.
For drivers, plan around metered on-street parking near the West Gate and read the signs before leaving the car. Blue Badge spaces are available beside the West Gate and near the Inverleith Park entrance.
The Gateway and Terrace Cafes offer food and drinks; the East Gate Shop & Cafe is handy for a snack. Conifer Corner is seasonal, so check its hours before relying on it. Picnics are not allowed in the Rock Garden, and you need to finish or put away food and drink before entering the Palm Houses.
When to choose somewhere else
Choose it for a free, calm outdoor wander in Edinburgh, especially between busier plans. You can leave after a short visit or stay for a couple of hours with cafe time, but it is unlikely to fill a whole day on its own. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
For wet weather or a more structured indoor visit, National Museum of Scotland is the stronger free alternative. Dynamic Earth is the better comparison when the family wants a paid, story-led science attraction.
Plan the rest of your day
Comparison guide
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