Things to do in Musselburgh with Kids

Things to do in Musselburgh with Kids – Just minutes outside Edinburgh, Musselburgh makes a great base in its own right, plus it’s an affordable gateway into Scotland’s capital. We took our kids to a hot tub lodge and made the most of this East Lothian town.

Wake Up at the Drummohr Holiday Park

A huge draw to Musselburgh is the Drummohr Holiday Park. While tents and campervans are welcome, and glamping pods are options too, we indulged in a two-bedroom hot tub lodge (three-bedroom lodges are available too). We cooked on the barbecue, saving some money, plus there was a furnished kitchen, a huge lounge, plus a small TV room for the kids. Read a full review here. Admittedly, the hot tub was bliss.

Day 1 – Things to do in Musselburgh

Visit Inveresk Lodge & Gardens

The National Trust for Scotland Inveresk Lodge Garden is a calming oasis in the smart village of Inveresk (a 15 minute hike from Musselburgh High Street). From floral greenhouses, fruit trees, beehives, a lake and wee fairy houses, there’s a surprising amount to see. [We drove here and left our car in Inveresk for the day.]

Follow the River into Town

Leave Inveresk Lodge Garden and stroll through the attractive village, house-spotting as you go, and follow the river towards town and Eskmills.

Eat at Company Bakery – Things to do in Musselburgh

Company Bakery is known for its sourdough, but it’s situated near the river at Eskmills, which used to make fishing nets. Now this handy pitstop is a great place for coffee and a cake, or fancy baked goods, such as an asparagus and parmesan pastry.

Enjoy Luca’s Ice Cream – Things to do in Musselburgh

We then carried our walk into town and got dessert at Luca’s. Always a treat, Luca’s ice cream is a local institution. While we picked up our cones and sat outside in the sun, the queue for the café was long but people didn’t seem to mind, obviously worth the wait!

Visit the Musselburgh Museum

FREE Diagonally across the road from Luca’s is Musselburgh Museum. This small local museum has friendly staff, and it covers the history, heritage and culture of the town, cleverly inserting Musselburgh history into national timelines. I didn’t think my lads would particularly engage but they spent ages at a collage wall covering historical moments from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Their dad had to talk through endless iconic key moments, so a surprising hit for us! [We then walked back to Inveresk Lodge Garden to collect the car.]

Visit Musselburgh Beach & Fisherrow Harbour

FREE Our final stop of the day was a quick drive to the shore. A harbour has been in Musselburgh since Roman times and it’s still a photogenic spot. It’s right next to the beach, which is always a boon on holidays.

Things to Do in East Lothian

 

Day 2 – Things to do in Musselburgh

Prestongrange Industrial Museum

FREE Right next to Drummohr is the Prestongrange Museum, which showcases buildings linked to Musselburgh’s industrial past, including salt and brick-making. The staff in the visitor centre are super helpful too, and they sell a lowkey range of snacks. As this is a mainly outdoor space it’s a good place for kids to stretch their legs. Tours can be booked if you’d like more indepth info. From here, we dipped down to the shore to join the John Muir Way.

Walk the John Muir Way & Wild Swim at Cockenzie

If you wish to get more active the Musselburgh is on the epic John Muir Way. We hiked the easy-to-follow and well signposted coastal section towards Prestonpans where we stopped for snacks. The walk is notably scenic. Then we carried on to Cockenzie, which has a lovely bay popular with wild swimming, so my other half and Junior had a dip too. Obviously you could swim anywhere that appeals to you.

A handy snack pitstop is local Bayne’s bakery for a cheeky steak pie or sausage roll, which has branches in Musselburgh and Prestonpans. Their products sustained us beautifully for lunch!! We then caught the No26 bus back to Drummohr, handy because it drops you at the bottom of the road (so remember your YoungScots cards for the kids, if you have them). Returning to our hot tub lodge after a relatively long walk in the sun felt like such a treat.

East Coast Fish & Chips – Things to do in Musselburgh

Because we cooked at Drummohr dining out wasn’t a priority, but I’ve heard good things about East Coast Fish & Chips. Ideal if you fancy a break from cooking and dishes! Yes, it’s a sit down restaurant and/or takeaway.

And remember, the delights of Edinburgh are just a bus or train ride away. I hope this helps you plan a rewarding short break with your family in Musselburgh.

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