Cheap flights from San Francisco to Edinburgh from £246

If you are looking to save on accommodation, look for hostels or small hotels in the Cowgate area, at the bottom of the Royal Mile and its lanes. There are also many guesthouses in Edinburgh; most of them are around Newington Road and Minto Street and on Pilrig Street and Newhaven Road. The most central and favourite streets among tourists are Royal Mile and Queen Street.

Scotland is the birthplace of Scotch whiskey. When you are in Edinburgh, take a few hours to visit The Scotch Whiskey Heritage Center, which is at the top of the Royal Mile. Here you can sign up for a tour, learn about the history of whiskey and distillation methods, as well as taste the best whiskeys, and buy a bottle or two at affordable prices.

If you're a Harry Potter fan, head from Edinburgh to the Lochaber area. For example, you can see the railroad on the high Victorian Glenfinnan Viaduct bridge that the Hogwarts Express raced across. Or admire the Loch Shiel lake, over which Harry Potter flew a hippogriff in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie. Other filming locations in the area include Loch Arkaig, Loch Eilt, Loch Morar, Steall Falls, Rannoch Moor, and others.