Just like today, there were loads of great things for Edinburgh kids to do in the 1990s, but sadly many of the places are no longer with us.
Thinking back, it was definitely a simpler time where kids of the day were impressed by things that children nowadays pretty much expect. That said, there are quite a few places that were around in the '90s that we reckon today's youngsters would've absolutely loved.
Let's take a closer look at 12 places we all loved as kids back in the '90s - and do let us know in the comments if you think there are any we've left out that deserve an honorary mention.
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Deep Sea World
Back in 1994, when Deep Sea World opened up to the public for the first time we'd never seen anything quite like it. Located a short drive from Edinburgh, the North Queensferry attraction gave us all the chance to encounter exotic fish and other marine specimens that would otherwise have cost us thousands in plane tickets to see up close and personal. To this day it's still one of the best transformations of an old disused quarry out there.
Little Marco's
The quintessential 'soft play' centre for '90s kids, Little Marco's on Grove Street was brilliant fun back in the day. Every year there always seemed to be at least one kid from your class who would have their birthday there.
UCI Cinema
Out-of-town multiplex cinemas have a bad rep these days for having contributed towards the slow death of smaller venues, but back in the '90s we kids didn't give much thought to such things. As Edinburgh's first multiplex, the UCI at Fort Kinnaird was quite simply the biggest cinema any of us had ever seen and a trip out there was considered a real treat when it first opened.
The Disney Store
It's hard to describe to kids today just how exciting it was when the Disney Store first opened on Princes Street in the '90s. The bombastic frontage and incredible toy wall that seemed to be crammed full of every Disney character you had ever seen was just amazing. Mum and dad didn't seem to take too kindly to the prices mind you...
Koko's
Another lost Fort Kinnaird attraction that we all loved in the '90s was Koko's. An out-of-town rival to Little Marco's, Koko's had the added attraction of being close to Megabowl and Wimpy burger.
Megabowl
Speaking of Megabowl, the American-style tenpin bowling alley was another must-visit attraction at Fort Kinnaird. For many of us back then, this was our first experience of the bowling phenomenon. Megabowl sadly no longer exists in Edinburgh but there are alternatives such as the popular Tenpin at Fountain Park.
Blockbuster
Visiting the video shop sounds a strange thing to get excited about, but back in the '90s there was nothing better than getting to watch movies that had only recently appeared in the cinema in the comfort of your own home.
Most Saturday's families would head to their local Blockbuster to pick out a film for the night. It was always a hard task picking something everyone was happy with - and there were so many films to choose from.
The region had several Blockbuster branches. But by the end of 2013 all UK stores were closed.
Leith Waterworld
With its variety of different pool areas, artificial flumes and water slides, 's an absolute travesty that Leith Waterworld is no longer with us. The council-operated facility was the stuff of dreams when it opened in the early 1990s. The site is now occupied by a soft play centre.
Alien Rock
Before Alien Rock, the only way to practice rock climbing in Edinburgh was pretty much to go and find a real cliff face, which is not exactly kid-friendly. The Alien Rock at Newhaven opened in 1994 and is thankfully still on the go.
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Laser Quest
Laser tag is still a thing, but back in the '90s this was a novel enterprise indeed. The Laser Quest on Bread Street was a popular place for birthdays and we can only imagine the fun the staff had dressing up in Alien and Predator outfits and making 10-year-olds cry. Quasar Universe at Slateford Road was another popular laser tag haunt in those days.
Dalkeith Country Park
Okay, it's not technically Edinburgh, but seeing how pretty much every '90s kid who had an EH postcode has fond memories of the place we thought it would be remiss not to include Dalkeith Country Park. The OG adventure playground was quite different to the one that's there today and included - what seemed liked - the world's tallest death slide. If you fell from that you were definitely breaking something.
Commie Pool
Yes, the Royal Commonwealth Pool is most definitely still with us, but in the 1990s we had an added bonus - the legendary Commie flumes. There were several flumes to choose from, starting with the fairly gentle River Rapids right up to the break-your-neck watery death slide that was the Stingray. Long gone but not forgotten.
The City Art Centre
This might sound like an odd choice for a family day out, but back in the '90s the City Art Centre put on a string of blockbuster exhibitions that had us kids enthralled time and time again. We'll never forget the robotic dinosaurs and rare fossils on show at Dinosaurs Alive!, nor the sheer brilliance of the Star Trek exhibition a couple of years later that was attended by Scotty actor James Doohan himself.
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