Travel
Flight
United Flight - UA 118 | Departing 6:45 p.m. from O'Hare Airport | Chicago, Illinois
The flight linked above is for August 27 - September 3. After lots of research, these seem to be the cheapest dates to fly, and this is the best flight for the best value that we could find! We were super excited to find a direct flight from Chicago to Edinburgh. Charles and I are on this departing flight, so if you choose this, you'll be flying out with us!
Hotel
Premier Inn Edinburgh City Centre (Princes Street) hotel
This is the hotel Charles and I are staying at! It's located right downtown in Edinburgh's New Town on Princes St, and it's going to be super convenient for transportation and getting around the city. Plus, the Princes St. Gardens are right across the street and you might even get a castle view. You can add on breakfast for your stay or just walk next door to the Starbucks. We choose this hotel because it has great reviews online and it's a super walkable option. Feel free to book a room here or do your own thing with an Airbnb, hostel or other hotel!
Travel Note
Getting Around Edinburgh
The public transportation in Ediburgh is excellent! When Charles and I traveled there in 2023, we used the bus system frequently and we recommend it. If you go this route, you can download the m-tickets app (linked) to your phone and buy single or day tickets to ride the buses. You can also download a separate app that helps you find your routes or use Google or Apple maps to help you plan your trips. Truly, this is a quick, easy, affordable and reliable way to get around the city for site-seeing. You can also use their wonderful cabs! They aren't as big on things like Uber or Lyft, but their taxis are driven by super friendly folks who do this as a career because they are actually treated and paid well. You can call them at 0131 228 1211
Travel Note
PASSPORTS + VISAS
Please make sure you have a valid passport for travel prior to the trip next year! You can find information on how to get or update your passport at link below. There is a new rule that is set to go into effect for 2024 requiring that all travelers to the UK fill out an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) in order to visit Scotland. This is slowly being introduced throughout 2024 with people visiting from each country in the world being required to fill out the ETA prior to visiting by the end of 2024. Right now, we don't know when this will become an official requirement for Americans. However, the process looks like it will be fairly simple - you will need to fill out an online form, which will take about 3 days to process, and then you will receive an email approval which will be good for up to 2 years. It should cost only about 10 pounds (around $15). Here's a link to learn more about the ETA, and we will share more info here as it becomes available in 2024: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta