WE ARE BEYOND THRILLED to announce:

Our very first Solo Moms Tour!!!
A project close to our hearts, and 3 years in the making

This NYE we invite you and yours to join us in Edinburgh
A tour designed in alignment with our Slow Travel Ethos which we believe is integral to traveling with children
Taking time to reflect, celebrate, and rejuvenate and of course accommodate our wee bairns, who we know have intense feelings, strange sleep schedules, and very specific preferences (so more or less, a lot like our normal introvert adults tbh)

Edinburgh is easily one of the coolest, most beautiful, most romantic cities in the universe. It’s small enough that you feel right at home in a day or two, and bold enough to host Hogmanay, the world’s greatest New Year’s celebration and one of the top 100 things to see before you die. Torchlight parades, ceilidh dances, and midnight fireworks turn the city into a winter fairy tale

Bundle up for a snowy stroll down Victoria Street (the inspiration for Diagon Alley) or warm your hands on some cocoa at the Christmas Market. Edinburgh’s Winter Fest will be on full display. The streets will be alive with bagpipes, laughter, and the magic of new beginnings

We’ve woven in plenty of festive delights - with just enough space to wander, wonder, and breathe in the quiet moments too

This is the balance we find best accommodates solo moms with children who want to see the world

Join us for a celebration as timeless as Edinburgh’s castles - and a trip your child will remember for the rest of their lives

Come See :: Come Be

sample itinerary**

DAY 1
Settle in and Relax

• Your private driver will be waiting for you at the airport

• Your AWT Tour Leader will be waiting to greet you at the hotel

• If you arrive before check-in you may stow your luggage at the hotel and go explore!

• This is considered a free day for early arrivals

• Welcome dinner together

• Settle into our centrally located hotel and perhaps have a night swim at the hotel pool
  

meals: dinner

DAY 2
Get To Know The City

• A Wizards Private Morning Tour

  • Even if you’re not a HP fan, this is a great way to get to know the city. There’s still plenty to entertain you on this lively and atmospheric tour, full of colorful characters from Edinburgh’s mysterious past. Suitable for families. Muggles welcome!

  • See where Lord Voldemort's father is buried

  • Take a trip down the real life Diagon Alley

  • Find out which house you would be in at Edinburgh's very own school of magic

  • A very important note on the writer who shall not be named: We partner with this tour operator not just because they are the best, but most importantly, because of their public stance against bigotry and transphobia. This is not an official HP tour and therefore none of its proceeds enlarge the HP estate or the writer who shall not be named’s coffers. In fact quite the opposite, a portion of proceeds go to support Trans Rights in Scotland.
    Their official statement

    “Our Commitment to Equality

    We at The Potter Trail want to say very loudly and clearly that we love and respect trans and non-binary people. You will always be very welcome on our tours.

    We think it’s important to stand in solidarity with the trans community and every year we donate a percentage of our profits to the Scottish Trans Alliance. They work to improve trans equality, rights, and inclusion in Scotland.”

• Lunch together

• Break/Rest

• Evening Jaunt to the Christmas Market at Princes Street Winterfest

  • Truly a delight for all ages, carousels, a giant ferris wheel, a Christmas Market still brimming with cheer (and delicious snacks) well after Christmas
    

meals: breakfast, lunch

DAY 3
Hogamanay!

• Edinburgh Castle - the dungeons are always a hit with the kids. Morbid little darlings.

• Lunch together

• Afternoon Free

• Bundle up for the world famous and ancient Hogamanay Torch Procession that kicks off the 4 day NYE celebrations in Edinburgh (One torch for mom, kids can help carry at her discretion, sign that liability release though fam, I am not kidding)

meals: breakfast, lunch

DAY 4
Fancy Day

• Tour of the majestic palace at Holyroodhouse, still home to the Royal Family and your tour leader, Nichole’s favorite castle/palace/rich-people-colonizer-home in all of the UK. We critique, but also kind of love :/

• Lunch together at the Holyrood Cafe, where all ingredients are sourced within 100 miles of the palace

• Private tour of the Chocolatarium, where we will learn about the chocolate factory and design our own personal chocolate bar

• Evening Free
  

• meals: breakfast, lunch

DAY 5
New Year’s Eve!

• Historic witches tour of Edinburgh - adorable and educational!

• Home to dress fancy (if you want, no pressure)

• Late Afternoon Tea - a delight for all ages

• Edinburgh’s Hogmanay! (while children under 12 are not permitted at the late night street party there is plenty to do all day and night all over the city)

  • Feel free to stay with the group or wander on your own

  • Enjoy entertainment throughout the city centre, including live music, DJ’s, Giant Screens, International Street Theatre, Pipers, Drummers, funfair attractions, and street food

  • Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle!

meals: breakfast, afternoon tea

Day 6
Free Day

• Late breakfast (enjoy a sleep in after the night’s festivities)

• Free Day

  • Just enjoy the day to yourselves OR

  • Keep celebrating the New Year with live music throughout the city

  • Maybe do some vintage shopping? We are a huge fan

  • Perhaps some Galleries or Museums?

  • Whatever you want we are here to help you find it

• Farewell Dinner
  

meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 7

• Tour ends at Checkout

  • But don’t worry, your Avalon Tour Leader will be on hand to see you safely on your way, and maybe enjoy one last cuppa together before you go

• Private airport transfer to get you to your transit point safely and on time

• Fond Farewells ;(
  

Scotland will miss you, and so will we
Until we meet again!

Introducing our AWT Tour Leader for this Journey

Nichole Hohn!
Nichole is our Head Tour Leader
She is a Seattle-based stay-at-home mom to 2 mostly darling angels.
She joined our team after going on 2 tours with us (Türkiye and Iceland). Did you know we hire leaders from past guests? We sure do.

In her past life, Nichole was a tour manager for a famous touring musician, so she is well-equipped to deal with any and all travel-related hiccups.
She is wickedly funny and an absolute joy to be around. Nichole likes some quiet time, like all the introvert girlies, but has enough adult-onset adhd to keep her excited when she is on the go. Nichole is truly your best adventure buddy waiting to happen.
She laughs easily and cares deeply.
We would, quite literally, be lost in this world without her.

What is Included?

• An experienced solo-female AWT Tour Leader ready to show you the adventure of a lifetime

• Private airport pickup and drop off

• Local guides for all city and day tours

• All Accommodations

• Half Board ~ 2 Meals per day

  • Breakfast Daily

  • Lunch/Dinner/Afternoon Tea where specified

• Tips & Gratuities for all local guides and included meals

• Private Wizards Tour of Edinburgh

• Edinburgh Christmas Market

• Witches Tour

• Chocolatarium Tour and chocolate making

• Edinburgh Castle

• Holyrood Palace

• Fancy Afternoon Tea

• New Year’s Eve Winterfest Celebrations

• Hogmanay Torch Procession

• Collaborative digital photo album

• Memories to last a lifetime and some amazing new friends!

What is not included?

• Flights

• Travelers Insurance - Here is a handy dandy insurance search tool

• Alcoholic beverages at meals

• Meals not listed on our itinerary

• Hotel room service, mini-bar or hotel add-ons beyond the night’s accommodation

• Tips & gratuities for housekeeping, portage, AWT tour leaders - all at your discretion

• Any required visas (UK does require Visas for North American’s - see below for details)

• Babysitter- your AWT Tour leader is not a babysitter, your child(ren) are entirely your responsibility at all times

• Anything else not listed on the IS INCLUDED list

AVALON WOMEN’S TRAVEL

is pleased to partner with

ONE TREE PLANTED

We take our environmental impact seriously.

To us “sustainability” is not just a trending keyword.
AWT pledges a full 5% of our profits to reforestation efforts all over the globe. The largest profit percentage in the travel industry.
Read more about our partnership with One Tree Planted here

And read about our travel philosophy here