When the sun is shining and the weekend is upon us, the big question is always ‘what are we going to do this weekend?’
If you live in Edinburgh and want to get out of the capital for the weekend, then we have the perfect place for you. Whether you are a fan of history, architecture, watersports and other outdoor pursuits or are simply looking for things to do with the kids this weekend, Dunbar has you covered.
Just 30 miles from Edinburgh, Dunbar is famous for its sunshine, coastline and 60+ things to do for all interests.
A beautiful beach near Edinburgh
If Sun, Sand & Surf are your goals then the rugged coastline and beautiful beaches of Dunbar is the solution. For watersport fans looking for a weekend getaway or daytrip, you can drive from Edinburgh and be in the water well within the hour. And if your watersport interests don’t involve the North Sea, there is wakeboarding and the Lakeside Cable Park to try.
Watersports & Activities for Edinburgh Daytrippers:
- Surfing
- Wakeboarding
- Paddle Boarding
- Coasteering
- Diving
- Kite Surfing
- Kayaking
- Foxfall
- Indoor Swimming Pool
- Coastal Rowing
- Boat Trips
- Fishing
Family Things to do near Edinburgh
While the kids can get involved in so many of the water activities mentioned above, there are loads of things to do with the kids in Dunbar as part of a day trip at the weekend. And 30 miles from Edinburgh is an easy/quick journey in the car so you shouldn’t hear ‘are we nearly there yet’ too often.
Get out of Edinburgh for the day with the kids, visit Dunbar and check out some of these great activities:
- Wildlife Tours
- Farm Themed Adventure Park
- Rockpooling
- Kids Treasure Trail
- Seal Spotting in the harbour
- Strawberry Picking
- Muddy Buddies Playgroup
- Playparks
- Kite Flying
- And more…
For the History & Culture fanatics
Not everyone looking for day trips outside of Edinburgh have kids or even like watersports. For some, they want to explore the history, culture and monuments of our past. And Dunbar has them all in spade loads.
Steeped in history, Dunbar is where John Muir, the American naturalist grew up. So to kick things off, you can visit the very home he was born in. Dunbar has so much to see and do and its history and culture can easily be explored by foot.
There is the:
- Town House Museum
- Dunbar Castle
- Dunbar Harbour
- Belhaven Brewery
- Guided & Self Guided Historic Walks
- Backlands Community Gardens
- Original Fortified Artillery Battery
- The Dun’Bear’ Sculpture
Beautiful Walks to get away from it all
For some, it isn’t about seeing or doing. It is all about ‘being’. Which is why Dunbar is the perfect place for beautiful and soul searching walks. Get out of Edinburgh for the day and walk barefoot along the sandy beaches. Or take in the ‘Clifftop Trail’. It is a great hour and a half (give or take) walk along a path that runs along the coast towards Belhaven Bay. With stunning views of Bass Rock, the clean fresh sea air and views of Scotland will do you good. The Clifftop Trail is actually part of a rather special walking route. Dunbar is at the end of the 134 mile coast to coast route called ‘The John Muir Way’. Going from West coast to East coast, it links Helensburgh in the West to Dunbar in the East.
And if 134 miles seems a bit daunting for a weekend day trip from Edinburgh, then perhaps the Herring Trail is more to your liking. At 28 miles long, the outdoor walk dates back to the 18th & 19th century when salted herring was carried from Dunbar to the markets in Lauder for winter food.
And last but by no means least, we have some rather interesting geological walks. For Geological fans living in Edinburgh, pop over to Dunbar and discover an East Lothians coastline filled with rich geological features ranging from sandstone to limestone. Near Dunbar, the Barns Ness Geology Trail has fossils formed 350 million years ago! And if that wasn’t enough of an excuse for a day visit, one of the world’s more important geological sites, Hutton’s Unconformity at Siccar Point is just a stones throw away.
So whether you want to let your hair down and get it wet surfing in the sea, let the kids run and explore the great outdoors or stretch your own legs on a country walk or historic tour of Scotland, then Dunbar is the place to go. Just 30 miles away from the capital, it is the perfect place to go for those looking to get out of Edinburgh for the day, or the weekend, or the bank holiday weekend, or even as a full blown holiday getaway. Whichever it is, there is plenty of things to see and do in Dunbar.