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The only piece of furniture I could look at |
So I will tell you that there wasn't much lounging, just a quick guzzle and then we had to leave, but if you're a fan of Missoni you won't want to miss cocktail hour at this glittery and energetic bar. Hotel Missoni holds court at the prime crossroads of the Royal Mile and George IV Bridge, and the cocktails and people watching don't get any better in the center of the Old Town. Both little C&Gs were very sad when I dragged them out of their super comfortable and over designed Italian chairs after just one drink (and no snacks).
Hotel Missoni is the perfect destination after spending the day at the incredible (and free) National Museum of Scotland. Just a five minute walk from each other down the George IV Bridge, you'll get in quite a bit of sightseeing on your way between the two. Stop and rub the nose of the infamous Greyfriars Bobby, the Skye Terrier known for guarding his owners grave in 19th century Edinburgh.
There's a small storefront selling gelato next to a little cafe called The Elephant House. You may not recognize the name right away but chances are your avid readers will. It's the "birthplace" of Harry Potter and the coffee house where single mom J.K. Rowling would sit and write all those years ago.
For amazing burgers, milkshakes, and cocktails (without the brain scrambling Missoni prints) make Bar Kohl your destination for lunch, drinks, or dinner. The cocktail menu is longer than the food menu (my kind of place) but the cozy bar serves up delicious in-house made Aberdeen Angus burgers and there's a special menu for the kiddos. Big C&G loved his kid sized burger and ordered his chocolate milkshake with extra oreos.
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Don't miss the chance to perfect your catapult |
As you enter the building, the right side covers five floors showcasing the history of Scotland, early people, land, kingdoms, the rise of industry, and life in the 20th and 21st centuries. Swords, shields, bloodied flags, and precious jewels are all on display and illustrate the complicated history of Scotland. We all thought this was the more interesting part of the museum and there are plenty of hands on activities for the kiddos to try.
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The one and only Dolly. Yes, that Dolly. The cloned sheep. |
The National Museum of Scotland is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 (17:00) pm. Admission is always free and their website has some great resources for visiting with children. If your kiddos have their own iPhones, iPods, or iPads (or you don't mind them borrowing yours) you can download the Museum Explorer app for a special scavenger hunt. They have to find nine mystery objects around the museum and it's a great way to keep them entertained and engaged until you're ready to head out for cocktails.
Thanks for the great info! Bookmarking it now.
ReplyDeleteThe Tower Restaurant (http://www.tower-restaurant.com) on the 5th floor of the museum is one of the top fine dining places in Edinburgh. The menu shows off local and sustainable ingredients and they also do brunch and afternoon tea. It's a bit too fancy even for the little C&Gs but I had planned on going there for cocktails. They have a gorgeous outdoor terrace but it was closed due to rain (no surprise) when we were there. If you have good weather it's a perfect spot for treating your teens : ) cheers, Laura
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