Things I did and loved in Edinburgh:

• Hike up Arthur’s Seat! It’s free (which makes it awesome), you’ll get a view of all Edinburgh, and it’s an extinct volcano (which makes it awesome-er). Make sure to wear good walkin’ shoes.

• Do a ghost tour in the underground vaults of the city. Starts cheesey, gets historical, ends scary.
• There are a number of themed bars here, and who doesn’t love a theme? Find the beach bar, Barbados, with the sand-covered floors, or the country bar with haystacks for seats (the name escapes me but I think it’s on Victoria Street).
• The Kickass Hostel is situated at the base of the Edinburgh Castle, has a great staff, and a nice restaurant/bar area up top (though if you planning on snoozin’ up in the bar until you’re able to check in, be prepared for non-stop Nickelback. They love their Nickelback.)

Get out and around:

• The Megabus is your friend in the UK. There are overnight busses to and from London, Manchester, and really anywhere you’d want to go (plus free wifi).
• Once you’re in Edinburgh you won’t need to drive much. It’s a pretty walkable place.