Fife

Deep Sea World – Sharks, Seals and the Forth Bridge

A few hours.

The route

Deep Sea World is Scotland's national aquarium, tucked into an old quarry right under the Forth Bridge, and it makes a lovely wet-weather morning with small children.

A moving walkway carries you through an underwater tunnel with sand tiger sharks and rays gliding overhead, and the harbour seals outside have their own pool and talks. It's pram friendly almost the whole way round, and lunch is in its café, looking out at the seals and the bridge.

Before you go

Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
8 miles awayWest End MuseSleeps 4 9 miles awayOld Town ChambersA place to stay 9 miles awayMoment George IV BridgeSleeps 2 10 miles awayThe Scott HotelA hotel

The day

North Queensferry

Sharks over your head, seals at their lunch, and then your own, all under one roof beside the Forth.

About three hours

Deep Sea World
Deep Sea World sits in Battery Quarry below the Forth Bridge at North Queensferry, signed in brown from Junction 1 of the M90, with its own free car park. It's open every day except Christmas Day, from 10am to 5pm, with last entry an hour before closing; closing is earlier on some winter days, so check the opening-times page before a late start. Tickets can be bought online or at the door, with no time slot to book, and under-3s go free. A loop of the underwater tunnel takes about nine minutes, with four big sand tiger sharks and rays overhead, and the harbour seals of Seal Rock are fed at 11.30am and 3pm, with a talk. The whole aquarium is pram friendly except the moving walkway: leave the pram in the pram park beside the tunnel, and there's another at the front door. Some ramps on the way out are steep, and there's no lift. It's quietest before 11am and busiest at weekend lunchtimes when it rains. Allow one and a half to two and a half hours.
The Bridge Café
Lunch
Lunch is in the Bridge Café inside the aquarium, with the seals' pool and the Forth Bridge outside its windows. It serves Lavazza coffee, filled baguettes and pastries, burgers, stone-baked pizzas and fish and chips, with a kids' menu and churros, every day from 10am to 4pm, though the hours can change, so ask at reception. Baby changing is in the corridor leading to the café. Tables go first to people buying food here; if you'd rather bring a packed lunch, there are picnic tables outside and the party room can be used.