Glasgow Greats for Kids

The Hilton in Glasgow was just a £3 taxi ride from the train station. We entered the large lobby with its giant chandelier, electric candles burning, and lovely Christmas tree still decked out for the season. I noticed a portrait of the Queen's husband on one of the walls. A very nice restaurant that offered a fabulous, though expensive, buffet was here—a small bar was also available. There was a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and spa to meet all adult creature comforts, while also giving children who might be traveling with you a place to swim and unwind. I bought postcards from the small gift shop.

How was our room? Our executive room had plenty of space for our son's single roll-in bed. Our window looked down on the glittering strings of traffic moving on the highways below us. I spent a good deal of time working at the desk while the room's teapot heated up. (Internet access from the room was £15 for 24 hours, at the time of our visit.) There was lots of floor space in the bathroom, and we were all quite comfortable.

Anything extra worth mentioning? As part of our rate we had access to an executive lounge where we enjoyed wine in the evenings and a decent breakfast each morning. Although I had a laptop with me, I noticed there was a computer available here. The staff was friendly and helpful—service was wonderful. The hotel was also not far from several family-friendly restaurants and a movie theater for evening entertainment. This cinema complex was called the Quay, which was pronounced, the key.

Bottom line? I would stay here again if I was traveling for work or pleasure.

Frankie and Benny's is actually part of an American chain of restaurants that started in New York City's Little Italy. It was suggested as an affordable family dining restaurant, near the cinema in the Quay in Glasgow, so we decided to give it a try before taking in a movie.

What was the atmosphere like? Upscale and casual but very affordable, the restaurant is full of dark woods, comfortable seats, a long bar, and a wall of brick arches through which you can see men in white chef uniforms cooking pizza and pasta. There were several other families eating, and our waitress was quick and efficient.

What was the food like? The menu was what you'd expect, basic Italian American. I enjoyed my penne pasta dish, while my son had a mozzarella pizza. My husband liked the chicken parmigiana. We were both amused when, after a pint, the waitress told us the very popular beverage in Scotland, Irn Bru, was perfect to combat a hangover.

Bottom line? This is a good choice for reliable family dining.

Harry Ramsden's was recommended as a reliable restaurant for family dining. Established in 1928, this is a well-known chain in Great Britain. Pink and blue balloons are tied to the register up-front, and a series of small chandeliers are accentuated by plaster medallions on the ceiling. There are chalkboard menus, yellow paper cloths on the tables, and a bright red accent wall in this Glasgow location. The place has a friendly, casual atmosphere to offer.

What was on the menu? A lot of seafood was available: haddock, shrimp scampi, cod, swordfish, salmon, hake. Steak and mushy peas were the order for my son, although there was a children's menu from which he could have made a selection. He was fascinated with the fact that there was a plaque up-front that said Harry Ramsden's had made The Guinness Book of World Records for serving 11,964 orders of fish and chips on May 7, 1992.

Bottom-line? I think the description we got of this place back at the hotel was completely suiting: "It's cheery and cheap."

Tip: There's a cinema in the Quay complex across the street from the restaurant if you want to eat and then take in a movie.

The Glasgow Science Centre was my son's very favorite attraction in the whole of the United Kingdom. Shaped like silver bubbles floating near the River Clyde, the buildings are covered in titanium. A giant, 300 foot, observation tower reaches up to the sky. After a series of museums where "Don't touch!" is the phrase most heard by a child, this interactive attraction is a bonanza of hands-on fun. In fact, there are three floors of experiments that beckon the little scientist.

Our kid sprinted from a display on optical illusions, to a lever system for lifting big weights, to a reproduction of the Rosetta stone complete with explanations about how its code was cracked, without so much as getting winded. He delighted in all of it. We also enjoyed a show on electricity in a small auditorium, an IMAX film in 3D, and the challenge of the egg drop.

What was that last bit, you ask?

Our family team was given an assortment of materials with which we were instructed to build a flight- worthy craft that would keep our egg astronaut alive upon landing. This was easier said than done, but my son was very proud that his egg didn't splatter. It suffered only a small crack in its shell. "A mere flesh wound!"

How long could you spend here? Frankly, my kid could have stayed here all day long, but my husband and I tired of the centre after 3-4 hours. If we had seen the longer Harry Potter film in the IMAX, a longer stay would have been necessary. We were also disappointed that the observation tower was closed at the time of our visit. I bet the view was marvelous. We did grab a sandwich lunch at a cafe in the centre, near the gift shop, so you really could stay for a very long time.

Cost? There are different combo tickets available. For instance, just the center without the IMAX or the tower is cheaper than seeing everything. You're looking at around $50 for a family of four to really enjoy the centre. However, if you factor in the amount of time this covers, I didn't think this was unreasonable at all.

My husband can trace part of his family back to a clan that once called Dumbarton home, so we decided that while we were in Glasgow, we should take the train out to have a look around. Here we would find Dumbarton Castle, a pretty place with high battlements that offered a lovely view of the water and the town. Mary Queen of Scots stayed in this historical home for a short while as a child, right before she sailed to France to honor her engagement to the Dauphin.

Alas! When we came to the castle, we found it to be an impenatrable fortress. On Thursdays and Fridays, the gates are locked. If it had been opened, entry would have been less than £5. We were told at our hotel in Glasgow that the castle is an oft neglected site worthy of a couple of hours, so we were doubly disappointed to not be able to see it closer. We had to satisfy ourselves with a walk in the field in front, where my husband and son had a small snowball fight.

If you want to visit Dumbarton Castle, get off the train at the Dumbarton East stop rather than Dumbarton Central. Here you only have to walk a couple blocks to get to the castle, so you won't need a cab. We also grabbed a decent pizza lunch at the Stags Head Pub, which was right by this train stop.

Even though we were disappointed about our bad timing, we were happy to have at least seen the outside of the castle.