One of the few things that many traveling to Iceland with kids end up skipping is the hike to Solheimasandur Beach. For obvious reasons, making the four mile hike to Solheimasandur Beach with kids may not be everyone’s idea of fun and, I can only imagine that Iceland’s whimsical weather causes its own fair amount of disruption. Luckily for me, my trip to Iceland with kids involved only one kid and, at nearly nine years old, I knew that barring extremely inclement weather, we would be able to make the hike out to the downed navy plane on Solheimasandur Beach.
In 1973, a United States Navy DC plane ran out of fuel and crashed on Solheimasandur black beach, on the south coast of Iceland. Everyone on the plane survived and it appears the reason for the crash was that the pilot switched over to the wrong fuel tank. The remains of the wrecked plane are still on the sand and when planning our trip to Iceland, I knew this was one stop that I definitely wanted to make.
As you may recall, my original hope was to visit Solheimasandur on the drive from Reykjavik to Reynisfjara on our arrival date. I under estimated how tired we would be after a red eye flight from Washington, DC, so, with my son completely passed out in the backseat of the car, I decided to skip the hike on drive south. I did, however, pull off into the large parking lot to do a bit of reconnaissance. I was happy to have done so as the sign informed me that the hike was 4 miles out and back and suggested that we plan to spend 3-4 hours for the round trip.
I wish we could have taken the hike on our arrival date as the weather was gorgeous. But alas.
The morning of our return journey from our beach cottage on Reynisfjara to Reykjavik, I was thrilled to see that the rains had mostly stopped. I decided then and there that we would be making the hike to the plane wreck.
The hike itself was not extraordinary. It’s basically a flat two mile walk out to the plane on a rocky path. Although the rain had stopped, it was still extremely cold and windy so my son and I were glad to be bundled up and he was glad to have a warm hat on. The air was moist so we ended up slightly damp, even though there was no rain.
For most of the hike there was nothing to see but then all of a sudden, the plane appeared in the mist. It literally is right out there in the middle of nowhere.
If you look closely, you can just spot the plane and the other visitors in the distance.
Personally, my favorite thing about the whole experience was that we could explore the plane.
My son loved climbing in and around the plane and checking out all the nooks and crannies. We spent about 15 minutes checking out the plane before turning around for the cold walk back.
Pro-Tips:
There are absolutely no facilities – no bathrooms, no emergency phones, nothing. So be sure you have what you need and are in good condition for a 4 mile out and back walk.
There was a steady stream of other hikers the entire time and about 15 other people at the plane when we were there.
The sign (close up below) recommends allotting 3-4 hours for out and back hike, but my son and I completed the entire thing in about 90 minutes. The cold weather definitely helped us walk quickly.
Overall, I was glad that the weather cooperated sufficiently for us to take the hike. Although clear blue skies would have been preferable, it was well worth the stop and definitely something you should cross off your bucket list!
Jökulsárlón is a glacier lagoon in southeast Iceland, filled with chunks of glacial ice and one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. When booking our trip last November, the first thing Catherine mentioned when suggesting must-see destinations was Jökulsárlón and taking a glacial boat ride quickly became the excursion that I built the rest of our trip around. Here are my tips for experiencing Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon with kids!
On Saturday morning, our first full day in Iceland, I woke up ready for our long scheduled glacial boat ride at Jökulsárlón. I had reserved our tickets in March (2+ months prior to our arrival) and the plan was to make the 2.5 hour drive from our cottage on Reynisfjara with plenty of time to take in a number of stops along the way. Our boat ride was scheduled for 1:10pm and I had long since planned on an early departure to allow us plenty of time to meander and check out the sites, which included Eldhraun Lavafield, Fjaðrárgljúfur, and Vatnajökull.
Unfortunately, overnight, the rains had poured in so it was extremely dreary outside. So dreary in fact that we could not even see the beach from our rental cottage located less than 5 minutes walking distance from the beach. My son looked at me with heavy anticipation, clearly inquiring as to what our game plan would be. Having grown up in Los Angeles, rain is my absolute least favorite weather, so I wasn’t too keen on making a bunch of stops along the way and ending up damp and wet for the long day in the car. I also wasn’t necessarily looking forward to a boat ride on a glacial lagoon, but since I had already pre-booked our tickets (which were no longer refundable), I decided to push back our departure time and skip the various pre-planned stops along the way, in the hopes that the weather would be tolerable for our boat ride.
Our 2.5 hour drive went pretty much according to plan. The intensity of the rain varied throughout our drive such that at times, it was so violent I could hardly see despite having our windshield wipers on high. On other occasions, the rain seemed to stop and/or barely sprinkle down, so I was hopeful that our boat ride might still take place.
Glacier Lagoon Cafe
At around 11:45, we arrived at Glacier Lagoon, an outfitter that provides amphibian boat tours. I quickly parked and walked to the ticket book located immediately to the left of the dining room/cafe. I confirmed our reservation for 1:10pm, but then inquired as to whether there were any earlier scheduled tours with availability. Fortunately, there just happened to be two spots left for the 12:40pm boat ride, which I happily exchanged our 1:10pm reservations for.
With less than an hour to kill, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat inside the Glacier Lagoon cafe.
The self-help counter at the Glacier Lagoon Cafe.
Not fancy by any stretch of the imagination, the Glacier Lagoon cafe contains pre-made sandwiches, two soup offerings, a few other pre-packaged/pre-prepared food items, and your choice of beverages. I picked up a ham sandwich for my son and chose to try one of the soup offerings for myself. Our two items cost just over $20 ($13 for the soup and bread, $10 for the sandwich). Not fancy by any stretch of the imagination and certainly costing well more than they were worth, the fact that we were actually able to get something to eat was not lost on me as I’m not sure where the nearest restaurant alternative would have been.
After finishing up our simple meal and using the restroom, we went back to wait in the car. By then, the rain had slowed to a mist. Considering the deluge we had woke up to, this was really the best of all possible circumstances.
Five minutes prior to our scheduled tour, I saw the amphibian boat pull up to the free-standing stairway and we walked over to line up. An attendant checked our tickets, handed us life vests and we were quickly off. It took less than 2 minutes to get from the boarding area into the water and a short 15 minute boat ride later, we were well surrounded by floating glaciers. My son really enjoyed taking pictures on the journey out and once stopped, a john boat that was following behind us approached and handed the tour guide a large chunk of glacial ice.
The ice hand off.The guide’s explanation of lagoon formation and ice transitions.
The guide explained that the lagoon was formed by glacial melting and that the lagoon gets bigger every year as the glaciers continue to melt. The different colors of the ice are typically a result of how long the ice has been floating in the water and how much of that ice has been exposed to direct sunlight. The guide cut off pieces of glacial ice for everyone to taste and also handed out a large chunk for people to hold and pose for photos with.
The guide, handing my son his own small chunk of ice.
My son really enjoyed getting to touch the large chunk of ice and getting to taste the small chunk of ice that the guide cut off. After about 10-15 minutes, the boat started up again and we returned to shore. The entire experience lasted approximately 40 minutes.
While the weather on the day of our visit was not ideal, Catherine and her family got a better view of the surrounding area, and particularly, Vatnajökull, Iceland’s largest icecap, on their trip to Jökulsárlón last year. They also saw icebergs washed up on the shore of the black sand beach located on the other side of the Ring Road.
Pro-Tips:
Our one adult/one child ticket cost $77. While there is no discount for advance purchase, you are subject to availability if you show up the day of. I didn’t want to run the risk of not being able to take a boat ride, thus, I purchased our tickets well in advance of our trip.
Individuals must be seated while the boat is driving, but once the boat is in the water, passengers are free to get up and walk around.
We each wore thermals with rain pants layered over our thermals. We also wore heavy duty fleece and rain jackets as our outer layer. Unfortunately, we did not pack gloves, which I sorely missed, although for the short time we were out on the water, it was fine. There were many individuals there who were very poorly dressed and clearly freezing and/or getting drenched. Although the rain was mild (nothing more than a slight drizzle), it was cold enough that being damp was unpleasant.
After our boat ride, we simply turned around and drove back to our cottage. It may seem slightly insane to drive 5+ hours for a 40 minute boat ride, but it was well worth it. I’m glad we didn’t let the rain deter us (it helped that we didn’t have anything else planned) and I was glad that the rain seemed to be more mild down near Jökulsárlón than near Reynisfjara. On the way home, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up spaghetti supplies just to have handy. I’m glad I did as the rain picked up and after having showered and put on dry and warm clothes, we had no desire to make even the short 5 minute walk or 1 minute drive down to Black Sand Restaurant for dinner. Our spaghetti supples (sauce, noodles, and ground beef) cost less than $12 total, so it was a cheap and satisfying way to end our day.
When I decided to take a trip to Iceland with kids, I never imagined that the opportunity would present itself for my older son and I to take a solo mommy-son trip. We were super excited for our trip to Iceland as it was really a stolen weekend of sorts. My 3.5 year old was spending the week with his grandparents and this really gave me and my eight year old an opportunity to bond and enjoy each other’s company.
Our Wow Airlines Flight from Baltimore to Keflavik:
The night before our departure, I eagerly logged on at exactly 23 hours and 59 minutes to check in for our flight. I was prompted to enter our passport information and within seconds, confirmed that we were checked in and seated next to one another. Wow did not give us the option of changing seats or even seeing the seat map to ascertain how full the flight was. But, I was pleased to have been seated next to my son (in a window and aisle seat – our preferred and default seating arrangement when traveling just the two of us).
The drive from our home in Alexandria, VA to Baltimore Airport took nearly 90 minutes, so I was very glad to have left with plenty of time to accommodate the heavy traffic. Upon entering the airport, we quickly dropped off our one checked bag and made our way over to The Club BWI, which I was able to enter for free using the Priority Pass membership that comes with my Chase Sapphire Reserve Card.
Although The Club was very full, we were able to secure two adjacent seats and I was more than willing to take advantage of the complimentary beverages, including not one, but two manhattans (it was a long drive up there after all)! After about 30 minutes at The Club, we made our way over to the boarding gate, noting, along the way, a few extremely family friendly features about the Baltimore airport: playground and nursing pods, like the ones they had at Kidspace in Pasadena.
The kids’ playspace at BWI
Once on board, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was ample leg room and available charging ports. A lot of people complain about the fact that Wow doesn’t provide free beverages but I just picked up a bottle of water at a shop on my way to the gate. I also planned to purchase a meal for my son as it was essentially our dinner time, and the $15.99 WOW Deal was perfect.
I appreciated that for $15.99 my son could get a pizza, drink, and a candy bar (which we shared) and to my surprise, the flight attendants did not heat up the pizza until after we ordered, so it was basically as fresh as it could be given that we were up in the air.
The only negative thing I can think of to say about Wow is that the boarding and deplaning process was extremely slow. I’m not sure what the issue was, but on both legs of our flights, there was a lot of waiting on the boarding bridge and then a lot of sitting after the plane doors opened before we could get off the flight. Nevertheless, given that I went into the Wow experience with bated breath, I was pleasantly surprised by just how enjoyable the experience was. In fact, the standard seat we were assigned seemed just as roomy if not roomier than some of the most recently revamped American and United flights I’ve been on.
Our arrival at Keflavik Airport and Viking World:
Everyone gushes about how amazingly beautiful Iceland is, but I certainly did not expect to be greeted with an arrival rainbow.
Our arrival rainbow at KEF
The customs experience and baggage retrieval was standard and within an hour of our arrival, we found ourselves in a shuttle on our way to the rental car. Picking up the rental car was a seamless process. They quickly found our reservation and went over the terms of the agreement with me. I was moderately perturbed by the excessive bolded warnings that damage from wind, hail, and gravel was not included in the provided insurance as… well, Iceland is the land of wind, hail, and gravel. I was also surprised when the rental agent recommended that I take photos documenting the car prior to leaving the agency and then again on my return back. I had read before that Iceland takes its rental cars very seriously and this was clearly the case.
I really enjoyed driving an X1 around, despite the heartburn over every possible flying rock that might hit the car and cause me to incur additional liability.My rental came with a broken rear view mirror, which I documented heavily prior to departure.
Once I had taken about 100 photos of the rental car, we made the 10-15 minute drive over to Viking World, which has an exact replica of a famous Viking ship as well a Viking millennium exhibition produced by the Smithsonian Institute called Vikings: the North Atlantic Saga. Importantly, Viking World also opens at 7am and has a cafe. Having not slept, at all, on the red eye flight, I desperately needed something other than a 2.5 hour drive down to Reynisfjara to wake up a bit.
Knowing that I needed something to eat, I signed my son and I up for the Breakfast Buffet, which includes museum admission. For a total of ~$32USD, we spent the next hour snacking and wandering around the museum.
The breakfast buffet that I was thrilled to nibble from.
My son’s favorite part of the museum was, as expected, the replica ship that we could actually walk on to and explore.
On board the Icelander.
Personally, I loved the Settlement of Iceland exhibit, which deals with archaeological findings from the Suðurnes/Reykjanes region, including remains from the oldest occupation on Reykjanes peninsula from the ninth century.
icelandic burial at sea?
After spending about an hour indoors, we went to check out the traditional Icelandic settlement located just outside the museum’s doors. Unfortunately, it was so bitter cold that we really could not stand to spend much time outside. I’ll also note that there did not seem to be much by way of explanatory information, so we were clueless as to what we were looking at.
The outdoor viking settlement.
Our drive from Keflavik to Reynisfjara:
After nearly freezing our tails off exploring the outdoor settlement, we piled back into the car and began the journey down to Reynisfjara. I knew that it would be a long drive with multiple stops along the way, but I was not really prepared to find that most of the attractions were on the second portion of the drive. In other words, although the scenery was beautiful, it was a long hour to 1.5 hours before we hit the first item on our list: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.
My son quickly fell asleep in the backseat of the car and I had to pull over a full times and step outside just to wake myself up and get some air. Luckily the scenery was so gorgeous that I didn’t mind the detours and stops.
Taken on one of my many “fresh air” stops.
By the time we reached Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, I was tired enough that I knew we weren’t going to be able to get out and explore every item on our original list of things to do. I parked and took a quick peek at the waterfall and was happy enough that my son stirred enough to go “oooooo…waterfall!” In other words, despite Seljalandsfoss being one of the waterfalls that you can walk behind, we did not actually walk to the falls. We just enjoyed it from the parking area and were happy to continue on our journey.
Despite the novelty of walking behind a waterfall, I also really did not want to get wet, so opted to just enjoy the waterfall from the parking area.
The next stop on my list, Eyjafjnallajokull, the site of a major 2010 volcanic eruption that required the evacuation of 800 people living in the town immediately below the volcano. Although there used to be a Visitor’s Center, which featured artifacts and a 20 minute video of the eruption, the Visitor’s Center is now closed, with no signs of reopening. We were only able to enjoy the information signs located outside the Visitor’s Center, which is located across the road from Eyjafjnallajokull.
View of Eyjafjnallajokull from the now shuttered Visitor’s Center.
View of the area surrounding Eyjafjnallajokull.
From Eyjafjnallajokull, my next intended stop was Gljufrabui Waterfall, which is partially hidden by a large rock wall. With my son happily snoring in the backseat, I had no desire to wake him up and go searching for a waterfall (which I was previously told required wellies to discover). I simply continued on driving to Skogafoss waterfall where we again admired the waterfall from a distance. My original intention was to walk the path leading to each and every waterfall (after all, when in Iceland…), but I don’t regret that we did not. We were literally so tired that my goal was just simply to get to our cottage in Reynisfjara in one piece.
View of land around Skogafoss.
As you can see, the country is so beautiful that simply being there and taking in the entire surroundings was plenty. From Skogafoss, I stopped quickly at Solheimasandur Beach to take a look at the walk and signs, knowing that the walk to the US navy plane wreckage would have to take place on our return journey, if at all.
After Solheimasandur, I decided that it was really time to get to Reynisfjara. Although it was only 1pm, that was a good 8 hours after our arrival at Keflavik airport after not having slept at all on the plane. Although the drive from Reykjavik to Vik is billed as 2.5 hours, the numerous stops and detours we had taken quickly added to the driving time and thus the late hour. Our cottage check in was not until 4pm, however, so my son and I spent a few minutes on Reynisfjara after locating our cottage, which was located just above the beach. In fact, I was thrilled to see that our cottage was one of three cottages that are the closest accommodations you could secure to Reynisfjara beach and would highly recommend it to anyone looking.
Our two nights at Reynisfjara were spent at the middle cottage.basalt columns at Reynisfjara
At the beach, I noted the existence of Black Beach Restaurant and filed it away as a possibility for the next night, our second night at the cottage.
Black Beach Restaurant, located within walking distance from our rental cottage and literally on the beach.
Given that we had some time to kill before we could check in, we ventured into Vik for lunch and some groceries.
Our cottage was only a short 15-20 minutes drive to Vik and just prior to entering the village, I spotted a sign indicating the existence of a brewpub, Smiojan Brugghus. A burger, fries, and a beer was just what the doctor ordered.
The service was great, with the servers offering me samples of their various brews before having me commit to one. My son devoured his burger and I relished very bite of mine. I ordered the combo meal, which included burger, fries, and a non-alcoholic drink and my son had the kid’s burger which came with fries. In addition, I ordered a beer (giving my soft drink to my son) and the total for our meal was approximately $45 USD. A tad steep for two burgers, fries, and a beer, but the quality was good.
After lunch, we stopped at the grocery store, Kronan, where we picked up a few essentials: milk, salami, crackers, and yogurt, before returning to Reynisfjara where we were luckily able to check in about 90 minutes prior to the stated 4pm check in. The cabin was small, but included everything we needed: a small kitchen, microwave, private bath, and wifi! My son was pretty energetic, having slept most of the journey down to Reynisfjara, but I really needed a nap, so I set him up on his iPad and took a very glorious 2 hour nap.
Upon waking up, we briefly contemplated what we wanted to do for the rest of the afternoon/evening, before deciding that we really just wanted to enjoy the quiet. Having had a large, late lunch, we decided to just snack on salami and crackers (luckily, I had a bottle of wine I picked up from the duty free shop on our way out of the airport).
Photo taken at 11pm at night – it never got dark!
Our evening at the cottage was peaceful and just what we needed. From our front window, we could gaze out at Reynisfjara beach and eventually, we noticed that sheep were wandering over and all around. That night, we slept with one window open and could hear the crashing waves and the sheep baa-ing well into the night.
Although there was a lot that I had hoped to accomplish on our first day but did not actually accomplish, I was so thankful to get us down to our cottage in one piece. Everything had worked out smoothly, I simply decided to just make up what we missed on Day Three, during our drive back up to Reykjavik. Fortunately, my son is pretty easy going and was perfectly content to be along for the ride. The fast wifi was definitely a bonus and he had no trouble hanging out and relaxing in the cottage with me.
The inspiration for We Go With Kids came last summer, as Catherine and I were busy sharing notes following our respective vacations to Iceland and South Africa. For years, I’ve been intrigued about traveling to Iceland, which numerous friends and family have recommended as an ideal honeymoon or baby moon location from the East Coast. My husband and I never quite made it to Iceland, however, largely due to lack of time and availability of fight options. In 2012, Wow Air, an Icelandic low cost air carrier, began offering incredibly affordable direct flights from Baltimore International Airport to Keflavik. As a serious miles and points junkie, however, I never seriously considered flying Wow Air until after reading about Catherine’s experience. Prior to reading about Catherine’s experiences, I truly did not consider Iceland with kids to be a viable option.
On a whim, last November, I happened to check for flights to/from Baltimore to Keflavik and found round trip flights over Memorial Day weekend for $225/person. Within a matter of hours, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to jet off for a long weekend with my oldest son, who would be just two weeks shy of his ninth birthday on our trip.
View of Reykjavik from Hallgrimskirkja
Booking Flights:
In November 2017, I booked two round trip tickets on Wow Air from Baltimore to Keflavik for $567.06. The total includes the $99.98 fee for checking a bag to/from, but otherwise, I did not pay for any other up charges or services, including advance seat selections or carry on baggage. The flight was scheduled to depart on Thursday night, arriving at Keflavik at 5am on Friday and departing Keflavik on Monday at 9pm.
Booking Accommodations:
With four full days and three nights to fill, I consulted with Catherine who strongly suggested I make it over to Jökulsárlón Lake. Luckily for me, I was able to take advantage of her Iceland With Kids: Suggested Itineraries post before deciding that we would spend two nights in Vik and one night in Reykjavik. At Catherine’s prodding, I also began looking into accommodations in Vik and Reykjavik around Thanksgiving of last year, which seemed extremely early to me, until I remembered that Catherine’s family experienced difficulty securing accommodations despite beginning their search five months prior to their trip.
Our rental cabin, taken from Reynisfjara beach
After a few hours of poking around online for options, I discovered that Catherine was quite correct and that numerous guest houses were showing up as rented through early May and up to mid-May. Spurred into action, I decided to book two nights at a cottage on Reynisfjara Beach and one night at a guest house in Reykjavik. Having previously had only a less than stellar experience with an Airbnb rental, I had originally hoped to stay at a hotel. But, there aren’t very many hotels and certainly none that were affordable. A basic Hilton in downtown Reykjavik was asking $300/night, whereas our one night stay at Nina’s Guesthouse was a much more affordable $185. Our two night stay at the cottage on Reynisfjara beach $515.99. Since both the cottage and our room at the guest house included a private bath and free parking, I decided they were our best bet and went ahead despite my initial misgivings.
Booking Rental Car:
I knew I wanted to rent a car to get around Iceland, instead of relying on tours or groups. After searching around online, I decided I wanted to rent from a local Icelandic rental car company (versus a national chain) and I ended up on the Holiday Autos website, which provided me with quotes for various local Icelandic rental car companies. I secured a vehicle from Route 1.IS via Holiday Autos. The rental for the four days, three nights cost $359.36, and provided for an automatic transmission, four wheel drive vehicle, which included taxes, airport fee, breakdown assistance, collusion damage waiver, personal accident insurance, third party liability protection, and unlimited mileage. Although there were certainly cheaper options, knowing that I would be traveling solo with my eight year old, I really did not want to have to worry about anything beyond ensuring that we were safe, so this seemed to offer the most security and peace of mind. Unlike most rental car reservations, however, Holiday Autos charged us at the time of booking (November 2017), but the cancellation policy provided for a full refund if the reservation was cancelled 24 hours prior to pick up.
Scheduled Itinerary:
Having booked our flights, accommodations, and rental car, I mapped out the following itinerary:
Day One:
5am arrival at Keflavik Airport
Viking World, located just 15 minutes from the airport and opening at 7am
Driving to Reynisfjara Beach, visiting Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Eyjafjallajokull, Skogafoss, Solheimasandur Beach, Solheimajokull, Dyrhalaey rocky outcrop, and Reynisfjara sand beach along the way.
Staying at Reynisfjara cottage
Day Two:
Making the 2.5 hour drive to Jökulsárlón for the glacial lagoon amphibious boat ride, visiting Eldhraun Lavafield, Fjaðrárgljúfur, and Vatnajökull along the way
Returning to Reynisfjara beach cottage for the night
Day Three:
Driving back to Reykjavik and staying at the guest house
Day Four:
Tour of the Lava Tunnel, located 30 minutes outside Reykjavik
Although I had a long list of things I wanted to and hoped to see on the drive to/from Reynisfjara, I purposely did not over schedule our third day with activities, knowing it was extremely likely that we would not actually be able to see everything we hoped to on our first day. This ended up working out great, because after our red-eye flight, my son slept most of the way from Reykjavik to Reynisfjara on our first day, so we ended up using the third day to make up for what we missed on Day One.
Guest Blogger: Vanessa and Sergio are high school sweethearts from Austin, Texas who love traveling the world and experiencing new cultures and traditions with their daughter. To keep up with this international trio, follow along on Instagram or visit their website, TravelChicFam.
Our foodra truck ride outside the Musee d’Orsay!
Paris, France has always been a favorite city of mine. This one city holds the best of the best in art, culture, breathtaking sights and French cuisine. As the cherry on top, it’s also bursting with romance and, for those traveling with kids, children’s parks perfectly situated through the entire city!
While pregnant with my daughter, I thought traveling would no longer be possible, but I was wrong! After a year of not traveling, I began experiencing “traveling blues” and decided to plan our first family trip to take place when my daughter would be 20 months old. I excitedly and anxiously began planning our 10-day trip to Paris: flights, transportation, hotel, sites and destinations, family photo shoot, and so much more! Before having a baby, we would have likely booked two or three cities as part of one vacation, but decided to stick to one city for our first family vacation and see how baby girl would travel. As an added surprise, traveling with a child reminded us to slow down, to visit family friendly sites, and to value each moment, laugh, and experience. We also took as many photos as humanely possible so that we could document the experience. Our visit to Paris with a young child was not without challenges, but overall the experience was amazing and life changing. I can confidently say that my now three year old absolutely loves to fly, thrives when she spends quality time with her parents, and enjoys the different sites and children’s parks that we build into our adventures.
Without further ado, here are my Five Fun Family Activities for Paris With Kids!
#1. Disneyland Parks
In the many months I spent planning our trip to Paris, I knew that the one thing I wanted to do was to plan a stop at one of the most magical places on Earth: Disneyland Paris. It was the least we could do for our 20 month old, after dragging her to a different country. We were visiting in early September, which is considered off-season, so the crowds were minimal and wait times for rides was short.
Disneyland Paris is comprised of two parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. You can pay to visit one park or both parks. For this occasion, we chose to only visit Disneyland Park as our daughter loves princesses, and we knew that the big mid-day parade would be taking place at Disneyland Park. We arrived around 11am and were able to easily purchase tickets and ride a number of rides, including Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. We also visited Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, La Tinier du Dragon, Liberty Arcade, and Discovery Arcade. We made sure to stop and watch the famous Disney parade with all the princess characters, and we ate lunch at Au Chalet de la Marionette, which had a decent selection of food for adults and children.
By the time we left the park at 7pm, we were beyond exhausted. Although we wished we had seen the fireworks, we had a great experience and of course, left with Minnie Mouse ears, a Mickey Mouse balloon, Disneyland souvenirs, and a number of chocolate treats. If I had to do it all over again, I wish we could have arrived a little earlier so that we could visit both parks and stay for the fireworks, but given the one hour distance from our hotel to Disneyland and my daughter’s age, we were just thrilled that she had an amazing experience.
Pro-Tip: We took a taxi from our hotel to Disney, but you can also take the Metro. We chose a taxi because it was much faster and easier for our little family. Prices vary, depending on location and transit time, so be sure to price check all your options.
#2: Jardin du Luxembourg
The Jardin du Luxembourg is a true gem located in the center of Paris. It covers 25 hectares (over 60 acres) of land filled with beautiful gardens, open-air cafes, puppet shows, rides, slides, musical performers, and sailboats in the pond by the Luxembourg Palace. On a sunny day, you can grab lunch and relax on the green or in one of the many chairs sprinkled throughout the park as you watch your little one run around to release some much needed energy.
Our favorite activity was the miniature sailboats, which are available for rent or purchase if you don’t happen to have your own to bring! There were many vendors located along the pond and we rented a miniature sailboat that came with a large stick, to use to push the sailboat out and onto the pond. My daughter could not push the sailboat on her own, but my husband was happy to oblige and help maneuver the boat. He had just as much fun playing as all the kids. This is a must visit family friendly park for all to enjoy. By the looks of the native French speaking crowd around us, this is local favorite and so a great way to experience real Parisian family life.
#3: Parc Zoologique de Paris
The Parc Zoologique de Paris a great place to visit with children, especially if they love animals. Admission is pricey at 20 € per adult / 15 € per child (ages 3-12) but well worth it. The zoo’s landscape is designed to showcase the animals in their native ecosystem and is home to around 180 species and over a thousand animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. During our visit, we saw a variety of birds, monkeys, fish, jaguars, zebras, and giraffes. And, judging by the crowds, this is another spot that most local Parisians take advantage of with their families, and we were again fortunate to have no trouble with crowds.
#4: Musee de l’Orangeries & Musee d’Orsay
When one thinks of a museum in Paris, I’m sure the Louvre comes immediately to mind. The Louvre is amazing, but also full of tourists and crowds. Although definitely a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime, I was not sure that it was the best place to take a baby or toddler. For this special trip, we decided to visit the Musee de l’Orangerie and the Musee d’Orsay, which showcase fantastic works by Monet, Van Gogh, and many others, but without the tourist appeal of the Louvre.
We visited the Musee de l’Orangerie first, where we viewed Claude Monet’s famous painting of the water lilies. The mural and all sides of the walls were so incredibly breathtaking, I had to stop and just enjoy the experience. While I was busy being awed by the beauty of the art, my daughter paced all the rooms of the museum with her daddy. We then went upstairs and enjoyed a quick bite to eat before heading to the Musee d’Orsay.
At the d’Orsay, we saw Ballet Rehearsal by Edgar Degas, Blue Water Lillies by Claude Monet, Self Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, and countless others. The museum is large, but we had an idea of what we wanted to see before arriving, which helped make our experience more manageable.
Pro-Tip: It is 9 € to visit one museum, or 16 € to visit both, so we chose to visit both and save some money.
#5: Eiffel Tower
Last, but definitely not least, the most iconic site of all, the Eiffel Tower. Although you can pay to go up to the top of the tower, I personally think the best view is the free one from the bottom. There are two children’s parks at the North side of the tower that are fenced in for security and, happily, there are vendors nearby who sell an assortment of snacks and gelato for the children (and adults!) to enjoy a tasty treat.
Picnicking on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower.
While viewing the Eiffel Tower, we spied a carousel across the street, which many children enjoy riding, including my daughter who rode it up to four times! On a beautiful sunny day, be sure to take some time to have a picnic on the green near the Eiffel Tower. It’s easy to pick up a baguette or a tasty sandwich and a bottle of wine and enjoy the beautiful view, while the little ones stretch their legs running around outside. We have a wonderful time and will cherish our memories forever.
Riding the carousel… for the fourth time!
Final Thoughts?
Paris has so many different things to see and do, but these are truly my top Five Fun Family Activities to take advantage of in Paris. As I continue to explore the world with my daughter, I learn more about her personality and try to incorporate her interests and wishes as well. My goal, as a mommy, is to take my daughter to one new country a year. Our first was Paris, and we also have Rome and Barcelona on the agenda. Traveling with a child has its challenges, but seeing their smiles and the memories we create as a family are priceless.
Guest Blogger: Jade and Ryan were busy planning a month long trip away from home when they found out Jade was expecting. They didn’t let that deter them – they just brought along their three month old… For more on the Davies family, from East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, follow them on Instagram.
In April 2017, we spent six glorious days in Tuscany with our three month old infant, Henry. Our time in Tuscany was at the end of a month long vacation that began with five days in New York City and 14 days in the UK visiting family.
Who spends a month living out of a suitcase with a three month old infant?
We had just started planning our month long trip when we found out I was pregnant. Although we did pause, many times, and wonder whether we should just wait and take the trip when the baby was older, we really had no option to turn back or cancel the trip as we were traveling with family, and they had already booked their flights. So, we plowed on and continued making plans even though the trip would ultimately require us to live out of a suitcase for a month with a three month old infant!
How did we prepare for a month long vacation?
Prior to having kids, we had traveled extensively, but most of it was of the backpacking variety that did not require much prior planning or organization. Knowing that I would be traveling around the world with an infant, I thought maybe I should have more of a plan. So, I began first by researching transportation options to figure out the logistics of flying and traveling with an infant and all the items required. My biggest concern was how to transport our family while traveling with an infant – train? bus? taxi? car hire? We opted to rent a car and mostly used it to get around although buses and cars were our usual mode of transport before kids.
How did we get to and get around in Italy?
We flew from Bristol, UK to Pisa, Italy with Easyjet Airlines on an early morning direct flight that took just over two hours. This gave us a whole day of travel upon arrival. I happily grabbed the window seat, which I prefer as it tends to give us a little more room to stretch out, and Henry slept the whole way. I had already booked a car for pick up at the airport, and the rental car company provided a car seat, which we were able to install ourselves. Car seat laws differ by country and rental car companies don’t always provide car seats, so we inquired ahead of time.
It was a one hour drive from the airport to where we were staying, and the car came equipped with a navigation system, which provided super easy instructions in English. Henry does not mind the car, so he slept most of the way.
Where did we stay?
We rented a gorgeous two-bedroom apartment on a hilltop overlooking Tuscany, located in Uzzano, a commune in the province of Pistoria. The apartment was truly amazing – it came equipped with a full kitchen, laundry, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. We had plenty of space, which was great, as my parents were also traveling with us. The only downside to the apartment was its location – about an hour long drive to Florence and an hour to Pisa, so while this would not have been ideal if we had only been in Tuscany for a short time and/or did not want to rent a car, this was a great location for us because of the space and the amenities. We also spent one day in Uzzano, exploring the small town that consists of about four streets and a big church on the top of the hill. Henry needed a rest day after our day trip to Venice, so Uzzano was a great place to have a relaxing, low key day.
Our apartment complex
View from our home base.Our rest day in Uzzano.
What did we do?
Given the location of our accommodations and our use of a rental car, we decided to break out trip up into small day trips. Over the course of six days, we took day trips to various destinations around Italy. Although we frequently found ourselves wishing we had more than one day to explore any particular city, it was a good overview and having a designated place to sleep was nice, given that we were traveling with an infant.
1. Pisa
Our first adventure was to visit Pisa, a small walled city. We literally followed the road signs saying “Leaning Tower of Pisa” and the paid parking signs…. which led us to a parking spot right across the road from the famous tower. We paid 15 € to park there for the day and just took our stroller with us. The city was flat and easy to get around with the pram. We wandered around the Leaning Tower and the surrounding buildings and took all the cheesy tourist photos that you would expect… it had to be done. There was a one hour wait to get into the building itself, so we just looked from the outside. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch of pizza, pasta and breads, from a restaurant on the street leading away from the tower. After lunch, we strolled the streets and just enjoyed the beautiful architecture, before grabbing gelato and heading back to the car.
We had to!
On the way back to the house, we stopped at Villa Garzoni, the beautiful home where Pinocchio author Carlo Lorenzini spent his childhood. It was about 22 € per person to enter, but well worth it. Collodi, the town where Villa Garzoni is located, is roughly one hour driving distance from Florence, but would also be a great day trip, especially for those traveling to Italy with older kids as there is a Pinocchio gallery to visit as well.
Villa Garzoni
2. Florence
The city center of Florence is a no drive zone, so we had to park outside the city and walk. We parked at a parking lot near the train station, which cost about 20 € for the day. Knowing we would be doing a significant amount of walking, we took the stroller and used it heavily, including on the 15-20 minute walk from the train station into the heart of the city
Our first stop in Florence was the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, a city square that features Santa Maria Novella, a Gothic Renaissance basilica completed in the 14th century. We picked up a coffee before heading over to San Lorenzo Market. As we meandered along the winding streets, we stumbled across many beautiful buildings and churches.
Once we arrived at San Lorenzo Market, we all enjoyed delicious pizza made from the fresh produce sold at the downstairs market. It was exciting to be in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the marketplace and we loved every minute of it. After lunch, we went on a mission to find the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, a Renaissance Palace that I learned about in school and was eager to visit. The Palace is now the seat of the Metropolitan City of Florence as well as a museum, and I was thrilled when we spotted a local artist showing her work in the downstairs gallery.
San Lorenzo Market
From the Medici Palace, we went to Santa Maria del Fiore (commonly known as the Duomo), which unfortunately, was completely booked and had a 2.5 hour long wait to tour. Traveling with an infant, we did not think it would be wise to wait, so we just enjoyed the beauty of the Duomo and adjacent Florence Baptistry from the outside. We were also disappointed that we did not get to tour Uffizi Gallery, which was closed for renovations.
The magnificent Duomo
During our day in Florence, we also crossed the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River. We loved walking along the river, getting lost in the beauty, architecture, and culture of Florence. We made sure to enjoy gelato from one of the many shops around the city.
Ponte VecchioGelato – yum!
We also saw the replica of Michelangelo’s David at the Palazzo Vecchio. The original was originally placed at the same location but moved indoors to the nearby Galleria dell’Accademia for conservation.
Pro-Tip: We visited the first week of April, and there were so many tourists that we got blocked out of visiting many locations, like the Duomo. Be sure to pre-book any items that are on your bucket list to ensure the opportunity to visit.
3. Cinque Terre
La Spezia is located in the Liguria region of Northern Italy, and is the start of the Cinque Terre, a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera that consists of five villages. It was a 90 minute drive from our house to La Spezia, which took a good chunk of time out of our day. Once we arrived in La Spezia, we took the train that departs from La Spezia station every 20-30 minutes and stops at every town along the Cinque Terre for those who don’t want to or can’t walk it. With an infant, we had no illusions of walking it and used the Ergo 360 on this day trip instead of the stroller for ease of maneuverability.
Our first stop was at Monterosso al Mare, which happens to be the last town on the Cinque Terre line and the only town that has its own beach. We strolled the historic old town at our own leisurely place and enjoyed popping in to visit beautiful old churches.
From Monterosso al Mare, we boarded the train to Vernazza, the quintessential Cinque Terre town. We enjoyed lunch at one of the restaurants leading down tot he waterfront and afterwards, walked up the cliff side overlooking the town.
Unfortunately, by the time we stopped to check our watches, it was time to jump back on the train to La Spezia and drive back home for a late dinner. I wish we had one extra day to explore the other towns, but the distance from our home base was just too great. I was glad to use the carrier, rather than the stroller because most of the towns along the Cinque Terre were on the side of a cliff and maneuvering the stroller on/off the train would have been not only tricky, but exhausting.
4. Venice
Our day trip to Venice was long as it began with a one hour long drive from our house to Florence, and then a two-hour train ride to Venice. Henry hated the train and was very upset during the entire ride, which I spent walking him up and down the aisles to try and calm him down.
We arrived in Venice at 10 am, which gave us plenty of time to explore and take our time strolling around the canals and taking in the stunning architecture. There were tons of restaurants and churches on every corner, so definitely take your time and enjoy the sights. One easy way to cover a lot of ground is to go on a gondola ride, but we found on a previous trip that it was beneficial to negotiate with a vendor instead of just using the first one that you see, as they will likely spot that you’re a tourist and charge you quite a bit more than if you just put in some leg work.
Pro-Tip: Avoid taking your stroller to Venice, if possible. We brought our stroller because of forecasted rain and cold temperatures but had trouble managing with it over the bridges and stairs. It would have just been easier to use a baby carrier instead. It can be extremely expensive to stay in Venice, but take a look at main land options and consider catching a ferry/boat or train across to spend the day in Venice.
5. Montecatini Terme and San Gimignano
We spent our last day in Tuscany visiting the towns of Montecatini Terme and San Gimignano. Montecatini was close to our home base in Uzzano, so we thought this would be a great location to visit. The town was filled with stunning old bath houses and the landscape was gorgeous; unfortunately, they were still closed for the season. I would highly recommend visiting Montecatini and its bath houses in the summer.
On a whim, we decided to drive to San Gimignano, because it was so close to Montecatini. WOW, am I glad we did! San Gimagnano is a small walled medieval town perched on top of a hill. We took advantage of the public parking (5-10€ for the day), but you can also just catch a bus into the city or walk. We arrived just in time for lunch and ate at a restaurant in the Sant’Agostino Square. The weather was absolutely brilliant, so we sat outside and had pizza and drank vino. Afterwards, we walked the streets and did some last minute shopping, while on the hunt for the world’s best gelato.
Final Thoughts
We ate a lot of pizza, wine, and gelato during our time in Italy, but we love Italian and the food was amazing. While we did eat a lot, we also felt like we did so much walking that we burned off quite a few calories. Because we visited touristy locations, we did not experience any language barriers. It was easy to buy diapers and wipes locally. If we went back, we would prefer to stay in metropolitan areas and spend more time exploring each city. The rental car was convenient, but we might try exclusively using trains next time. Although we did a lot of driving, we loved every minute of it and definitely recommend exploring Italy with kids.
Guest Blogger: Ophélieis originally from France but moved to Belgium from McLean, Virginia five years ago. She and her husband have found that kids didn’t have to stop them from doing what they love. Instead, they shared their passion for travel and the outdoors with their young son and daughter. Ophélie can be found on Instragram and Facebook.
Located only five hours by car (or two hours by train) from Paris, Alsace is a cultural region in eastern France, which, since 2014, has been part of the of the Grand-Est administrative region. Due to its location along the French/German border, Alsace has been the center of a centuries long tug-of-war. Our visit to Alsace in winter was a lovely family vacation.
Today, when you visit the region, you can see how the influence of the two empires has affected the area in all aspects, including architecture, language, and gastronomy. Alsace is a land of transition, overflowing with history and half-timbered houses and ruins of medieval castles abound. While Strasbourg (the largest city in Alsace) and Colmar (the third largest commune in Alsace) may seem like obvious and attractive places to visit, there is so much that Alsace has to offer, and I highly encourage you to explore the entire area. Indeed, the Alsace Wine Route is located between Strasbourg and Colmar and offers a mosaic of landscapes, including vineyards, forests, picturesque villages, and old castles. Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, we decided to explore the region. With a mix of many of our family’s favorite activities, including hiking, small towns, gastronomy, and wineries, this was the perfect destination for a family trip.
Many villages along the Alsace Wine Route are part of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France), a small association dedicated to promoting tourist appeal of small rural villages with rich cultural heritages. These charming and colorful villages definitely deserve to have their own title and the Alsace Tourism Center lists 18 iconic villages along the Wine Route. Because we were only there for a few days, we could not visit every single village. Instead, we visited fewer places but took the time to get lost in the small streets to immerse ourselves in the magical atmosphere of those small villages.
Although the Christmas market season had ended, the Christmassy vibe of cheerful songs, festive decorations, and seasonal food was still present. We particularly loved Ribeauvillé, a medieval village steeped in history, Kayserberg, a fairytale village surrounded by vineyards with forested hills rising above the town, and Riquewihr, the must-see fortified wine-making village. From mid-November to mid-January, these villages offer treasure hunts with game booklets that are available at the Office of Tourism, which has an office in each village. This was such a fun, interactive, and entertaining way to visit these stunning villages as we were able to roam the illuminated streets of Riquewihr and Kayserberg on the trail of a Christmas treasure while also unraveling several riddles. Our quest brought us away from the main tourist streets and into small narrow streets, where we learned about the history of the place. After a 1-1.5 hour sightseeing walk, we had gathered all the clues and returned to the Office of Tourism with our “mystery word.” All “winners” were offered a reward, which included an Alsatian seven family game, an artisanal Christmas decoration, a wine glass, a local story book, and much more. It was so hard to choose! My kids loved the whole process from finding the clues to picking out a gift, and the treasure hunts are one of their favorite memories of the trip! We did not do the treasure hunt in Ribeauvillé because we were there for less time. Overall, I highly recommend you look into this as an activity if you find yourself visiting around the holidays.
Pro Tips:
Most of the towns are closed to traffic, unless you are a resident. Luckily, there is paid parking outside of the villages and the parking is less than a five minute walk to the village.
The treasure hunts were FREE!
I highly recommend that you visit the tourist office website to check out the calendar of activities in each village as they tend to offer different activities and events through the year. You can also visit the tourist office desk when you arrive at the village. As a bonus, the tourist office is staffed with friendly people with handy tips to share and free public restrooms (my kids always need to go at the worst possible moment, so I thought this was worth mentioning!).
#2: Vineyards and Wineries in Alsace With Kids
The best way to discover the countryside is to hike it. We followed the “Grand-Crus” Wine Trail, which crosses several villages and is punctuated by signboards, explaining the work happening in the vineyards and the wine making process. Hiking through the Pays de Riquewihr, we were immersed in the heart of the vineyards and, along the way, we discovered the three castles of Ribeauvillé (the Saint-Ulrich, the Ribeaupierre, and the Girsberg) and witnessed the medieval way of life. The old castles truly are a great way to keep the kids motivated and excited while hiking!
If we enjoy very much walking in the vineyards, it’s almost a certainly we will love the final product even more! Raised in a family of wine-producers, I adore traveling to wine regions to discover small producers and taste their wines, while learning about region specific wine making processes. Appellation d’Origine Contrellé (AOC) laws govern French vineyards to ensure consistent and highest-quality winemaking and Alsace has been designated four grape varieties that meet the Grand-Cru AOC designation: reisling, gewürztraminer, pinor gris, and muscat. Along the Alsace Wine Route, many small producers offer degustation (wine tasting) menus and, after trying the amazing Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Reisling at one dinner, we opted to try the Fux-Fuchs GAEC in Zellenberg, a small-family owned production. The tasting room happened to be located next door from our hotel (the Au Riesling Hotel). Although it is tempting to try out the region’s amazing wines at every pit stop, we don’t drink and drive so finding a wine tasting spot within walking distance of our hotel was great – a win-win situation all around.
Pro Tips:
Most wineries are open for visiting and tasting Monday through Saturday (9am – 12pm, 2pm – 6pm) without prior reservation.
Access to vineyards is restricted during harvest season and the month beforehand. Check with the local Tourist Office before planning a visit during the harvesting months (August to October).
For the wine lovers among you, I highly recommend you check out the Winefolly page on Alsation wines.
Fux-Fuchs is a family-run wine producing company, with nine hectares (or 22 acres) of vines. They don’t have a website, but you can find their contact information on the Alsace tourism website. I highly recommend you try the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Riesling!
#3: The Haut Koenigsbourg Castle in Alsace With Kids
The Haut Koenigsbourg Castle cannot be missed during any trip to Alsace. Built in the 12th century, this incredible monument has witnessed the course of European history – constant rivalry between lords, kings and emperors. At the beginning of the 20th century, the German Emperor Wilhelm II (Alsace was controlled by Germany back then!) decided to renovate the castle that had been besieged and destroyed during successive battles. From 1900 to 1908, the Château du Haut Koenigsbourg was restored to its original glory.
Up on the heights of the village of Orschwiller, located a short 25-minute drive from Ribeauvillé, the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle is just a small detour from the Alsatian Wine Route. Perched on a rocky hill at an altitude of 757 meters, the Castle offers incredible views of the vineyards along the Alsatian Plains. A must see if you are in Alsace!
Pro Tip:
Free parking is available along the road leading to the castle. There is then a two to 15 minute walk before you reach the castle.
Plan to spend at least 90 minutes visiting and exploring the Castle.
Because of stairs (and the terrible freezing air flow in the winter), I recommend you use a baby carrier rather than a stroller.
Entrance fees are: Adult 9 € (~$11USD), Child 5 € (~$6USD), Student 7 € (~$8.50USD). Kids under six are free.
#4: Gastronomy in Alsace With Kids
Alsace is a foodie heaven with countless culinary specialties. The symbol of Alsatian cuisine probably is the delicious choucroute: sauerkraut accompanied with pork meat. While my kids (who are usually not picky eaters) are not big fans of choucroute, they appreciated the flammenkuche (or tarte flambée), a thin tart covered with cream, fried onions, and bacon. Tradition Alsatian specialties also include street foods such as bretzels (fresh baked and soft pretzels, sometimes found with melted cheese on top or accompanied by smoked salmon or ham), and kougelhopf (a sort of brioche and leading symbol of Alsace), to name a few. We sampled as many specialties as physically possible after two days of Christmas family meals. Alsatian food is delicious, but definitely not light!
WHERE TO STAY & WHEN TO VISIT ALSACE WITH KIDS
We stayed at the Hotel Au Riesling, in the heart of Alsace’s vineyards, and we loved it. Au Riesling is a family-owned and run hotel located in the traditional village of Zellenberg along the Alsace Wine Route. Situated between Ribauvillé and Riquewihr, the hotel is ideally located to visit everything in the area. From the terrace, the hotel provides an unrestricted view of the vineyards and a glimpse of the faraway Black Forest and Vosges Mountains. The staff is very friendly and you can feel the warmth that is typical of family-owned and run hotels. The Hotel’s restaurant offers both classical French cuisine and Alsatian specialties, with a selection of local wines. We love our children to try new food and be sensitive to fine food, so we were really pleased that Au Riesling offers a “Children’s Menu,” which is actually half-portions of the regular menu! The time between courses was a bit long, but that is the French way and next door to the restaurant is a room with board games, books, and a television where kids can relax in between meal service.
The Christmas season is really magical in Alsace and therefore is one of the busiest periods of the year in terms of tourism. Consider booking your stay during the week to avoid overcrowding. Between May and October, Alsace’s natural landscape is simply stunning. During this time, the vineyards display shimmering colors, from tender green to deep orange. Apart from the enchanting postcard villages, the Alsatian vineyards really are the charm of the Alsace Wine Route.
Ophélie travels to some stunning locations and this post on Alsace has us wishing we could tag along on their next family adventure! If you find yourself similarly inspired, be sure to check out Ophélie’s other posts on WGWK!
London has so many of the world’s most recognizable tourist landmarks, and many of our favorites are world-famous sights that scream “photo op” while others require the better part of a day to fully explore. Here are our 15 top attractions in London for families:
Things to Do in London With Kids
#1: Big Ben and Houses of Parliament With Kids
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are probably London’s most recognizable landmarks. Big Ben was the #1 must-see on our seven year old son’s list. We took the Underground to the Westminster Station on our first day in the city so that his very first view of central London upon emerging from the Tube would be Big Ben. It was definitely a surreal experience that left him completely in awe. He asked to re-visit Big Ben on our final day in London, and it remains his favorite London landmark.
We have always enjoyed hearing Big Ben’s chimes regularly during our visits to London. Renovation work began on the clock tower in 2017, and the bells will be silent until the early 2020s except for special occasions like New Years Eve and Remembrance Sunday.
The House of Commons and House of Lords meet at the Houses of Parliament, which is also known as the Palace of Westminster. The current Gothic Revival structure was designed by Charles Barry after the prior building complex was destroyed by fire in 1834.
View from across the River ThamesThe Elizabeth Tower
Big Ben Facts: Big Ben is actually the name of the bell and not the clock tower itself. “Big Ben” honors Benjamin Hall, who was the commissioner of works when the tower was completed. The clock tower was officially designated as the Elizabeth Tower to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. However, I’m pretty sure that even the Queen will have trouble getting people to refer to the clock tower as anything other than Big Ben.
#2: Tower of London With Kids
The Tower of London is a historic castle with an infamously bloody past. If the Beefeater tour guides, inner battlements and White Tower are not enough of a draw, the Crown Jewels and Royal Armouries collection are housed here. This may be our favorite place ever for hands on history. Check out our Spotlight for a comprehensive overview of our day visiting the Tower.
The White TowerExploring the walls of the Tower of London
Tower of London Facts: Two of King Henry VIII’s wives were executed on Tower Green. Also, based on a superstition from over 500 years ago that the British empire would fall if ravens ever left the Tower of London, seven ravens are kept on site at all times.
#3: Tower Bridge With Kids
The Tower Bridge was built in the late 19th century and specifically designed to be raised when necessary to allow ships to pass. Most visitors aim to take photos of this iconic bridge, but make sure to check the lift schedule if you want to see the Bridge in action.
Tower BridgeView of Tower Bridge from the Tower of London
Tower Bridge Facts: Tower Bridge is such an iconic image of London that it is often confused with London Bridge, which is famous because of the song and not its image. London Bridge has actually been replaced several times – the current London Bridge was completed in 1973.
#4: London Eye With Kids
The London Eye opened in 2000 as the world’s tallest Ferris wheel to commemorate the millennium. Passengers ride in one of 32 egg-shaped capsules that hold up to 25 people each, and the wheel turns so slowly that a single revolution takes about 30 minutes. The London Eye offers riders an amazing view of the River Thames, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
It has been known as the Coca-Cola London Eye since 2015 when Coke paid an undisclosed sum for naming rights. My husband and I rode in the London Eye in 2005 but have not yet taken the kids due to long lines and so many other attractions.
The London EyeOur ride on the London Eye
London Eye Facts: While three taller Ferris wheels have now surpassed the London Eye, it remains the tallest in Europe and the world’s tallest cantilevered Ferris wheel.
#5: Trafalgar Square With Kids
Trafalgar Square is a large public space with Nelson’s Column at its center. Nelson’s Column was constructed in the mid-19th century to honor Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died in 1805 at the Battle of Trafalgar.
The National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery flank Trafalgar Square, and there is a view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament down Whitehall Street. Trafalgar Square used to be overrun with pigeons fed by tourists. However, in recent years, feeding was banned, and birds of prey were used to further discourage pigeons. Honestly, it’s much more pleasant to visit Trafalgar Square without the nuisance of pigeons. Our kids particularly enjoyed the street performers (aka buskers) and had a grand time posing with each of the four metal lions at the base of Nelson’s column. The nearest Underground Station is Charing Cross, which is what this area was called before Trafalgar Square.
Nelson’s Column and Big BenThe base of Nelson’s Column is a great place to pose
Trafalgar Square Facts: This area has been a landmark since the 13th century. Original plans for redevelopment were designed by John Nash in the 19th century but redesigned by Charles Barry after Nash’s death in 1830.
#6: St. Paul’s Cathedral With Kids
St. Paul’s Cathedral was designed by Christopher Wren and constructed at the turn of the 18th century. The Cathedral has one of the world’s largest and most famous church domes that is modeled after the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The English Baroque Cathedral is open at certain times of the day for sightseeing only and others for worship. We really enjoyed Evensong. Check the online schedule if you would like to attend a service. Note photography is not permitted inside the Cathedral.
View of St. Paul’s Cathedral from Tate Modern
St. Paul’s Cathedral Facts: Prince Charles married Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1981.
#7: Buckingham Palace With Kids
Buckingham Palace is Queen Elizabeth II’s official London residence. During our last visit, we watched the Changing of the Guard, which occurs at 11:00 a.m. in the spring and summer months according to this schedule. The Palace Guards dressed in scarlet tunics and black fury hats perform a musical military ceremony as they parade from Wellington Barracks to Buckingham Palace. It’s necessary to arrive early to stake out a good spot to watch the 30-minute ceremony.
Completely coincidentally, my sister and her family also scheduled a trip to the UK that overlapped ours. We were able to meet them at the Changing of the Guard. It was a pretty amazing experience for the six cousins to spend a day exploring London together.
Buckingham PalaceChanging of the GuardCousins taking a stroll from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square
Buckingham Palace Facts: If Queen Elizabeth II is at home in Buckingham Palace, the Royal Standard flag flies on the roof.
#8: Westminster Abbey With Kids
Westminster Abbey has been the site of all of England’s royal coronations since William the Conqueror back in 1066. It is also the setting for royal weddings and funerals. The current Gothic structure was completed in the 16th century. The Abbey is open for worship and tours.
Westminster Abbey Facts: Princess Diana’s 1997 funeral took place in Westminster Abbey, loosely based on plans prepared in case of the Queen Mother’s death. Prince William and Catherine Middleton were married here in 2011.
#9: Piccadilly Circus With Kids
Piccadilly Circus is a traffic junction that has featured illuminated advertisements since 1908 – just a few years after Times Square debuted electronic signage. While Times Square definitely dwarfs Piccadilly, this is still my favorite street corner in London. After a major renovation in 2017, Piccadilly Circus now features a single 4K LED digital screen.
LED signs at Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus Facts: Circus means circle, and the name remained after the intersection lost its circular shape in the late 19th century when Shaftesbury Avenue was constructed.
#10: Marble Arch With Kids
This triumphal arch was designed by John Nash as a state entrance to Buckingham Palace but moved to its current location on a large traffic island at the intersection of Oxford Street, Park Lane and Edgware Road in the 1960s.
Marble Arch Facts: When the Marble Arch served as Buckingham Castle’s main entrance, only senior members of the Royal Family and members of the Royal Horse Artillery and King’s Troop could pass through. Now, it is open to everyone, and “commoners” regularly pass through.
#11: Covent Garden With Kids
Covent Garden was the first planned square in London and was modeled on a Tuscan piazza. The Central Market was originally a fruit and vegetable market but has now been redeveloped into shops, cafes, stalls and restaurants.
Outside on the cobbled street, we saw a performance by contortionist Kenneth Greenaway who is popularly known as Yogi Laser. We also watched part of Laser’s mesmerizing performance next to the River Thames earlier in the trip.
Covent Garden Facts: My boys really enjoy reading Guinness World Record Books and discovered after our trip that Yogi Laser holds the Guinness World Record for fastest time to fit body into a 20″ by 17.5″ box.
#12: 10 Downing Street With Kids
10 Downing Street is the Prime Minister’s official residence. This Georgian townhouse is conveniently located right off of Whitehall Street on the walk from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament. The main entry is right off the street, so even when just passing by, you often can catch comings and goings of both presumably important people and lucky visitors. The actual entrance is cordoned off with a large iron gate.
10 Downing Street Facts: The front door has no keyhole and cannot be opened from the outside.
#13: Millennium Bridge With Kids
The Millennium Bridge is a steel suspension bridge for pedestrian use to cross the River Thames. The Bridge opened in 2000 to commemorate the millennium.
Millennium Bridge Facts: The Millennium Bridge was closed on its opening day and remained closed for two years to make modifications to eliminate its unexpected sway.
#14: Portobello Road Market With Kids
My husband, daughter and I met friends for a Saturday afternoon of window shopping at the Portobello Road Market while the boys spent the day with their grandparents. There are five main sections selling second-hand goods, clothing, household goods, produce and antiques. Saturday is the only day that all sections are open. We passed hundreds of stalls and shops selling wares of all sorts on our relaxing afternoon. Despite the crowds, we had no issues with our stroller, which is commonly called a pushchair in England.
Portobello Road Market Facts: Much of the filming of the 1999 movie Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant took place on Portobello Road.
#15: Hamleys With Kids
Hamleys is the world’s oldest and largest toy store in the world. If my boys were ordering this list, Hamleys might be at the top. They visited the Regent Street store with their grandparents, who gave them each a budget to find the perfect toy souvenir. It took them a few hours to make their selections as they explored every square inch of store’s seven floors.
Hamleys Facts: William Hamley opened a toy shop called “Noah’s Ark” in 1760.
The Tower of London is a historic castle with an infamously bloody past. Originally built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, this complex includes several buildings including the Royal Armouries collection and the Crown Jewels, defensive walls and even a moat. It’s not surprising that this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in London. On our last trip to London, our children were 10 months, five and seven and thoroughly enjoyed the Tower. Visiting the Tower of London with kids was a wonderful family outing.
Getting to the Tower of London
We traveled to the Tower of London by Underground to the Tower Hill station. From the station, the Tower of London was a short walk. The London Underground is an efficient way for families to travel, and kids under 11 ride free.
How to Tour the Tower of London
We booked our Tower of London tickets online and showed our receipt for at the ticket booth. After entering the Tower, we were greeted by one of the Yeoman Warders, commonly known as the Beefeaters, who began our extremely informative tour that focused on Tower of London history. Among other things, the tour highlighted the execution of two of Henry VIII’s six wives on Tower Green – Anne Boleyn in 1536 and Catherine Howard in 1542 – and the history of the ravens in the Tower of London. Over 500 years ago, King Charles II declared, “If the ravens leave the tower, the kingdom will fall…” and ruled that at least six ravens must be kept onsite at all times. Our whole family enjoyed our Tower of London guided tour.
Our tour guideOne of the Tower’s ravens
Kid Facts: King Charles II’s superstition is not one to be tested. Seven ravens are always kept at the Tower – six plus one spare. The ravens are cared for by the Tower’s Ravenmaster, and their wings are clipped so they can’t fly away.
Visiting the White Tower With Kids
The 11th century White Tower was the keep of the castle and is the most iconic image of the complex. The White Tower now holds the collection of the Royal Armouries and St. John’s Chapel, which was built for William the Conqueror. Expert warders provide guided tours of the White Tower.
The White Tower
Kid Facts: St. John’s Chapel is the oldest church in London. The White Tower was almost destroyed in 1940 during a World War II bombing.
Visiting the Crown Jewels
The Crown Jewels of England have been displayed in the Tower of London since the 17th century and are protected by armed guards. No photography of the jewels is permitted.
Guarding the Crown Jewels
Kid Facts: The Crown Jewels are owned by Queen Elizabeth II and not the government.
During our wall walk, our boys enjoyed exploring the inner battlements that served as protection for the castle.
The Tower of London is also a fantastic place to view the Tower Bridge.
View of Tower Bridge from the Tower of London
Why We Loved the Tower of London
We regularly tour a museum or historic site in less than two hours, but we spent the better part of a day on our tour of the Tower of London. We arrived close to noon and ate ice cream (possibly twice!) but did not stop to sit down for lunch until about 4:00 p.m. because there was so much to do and see. There was a good deal of standing and listening the whole afternoon, our boys were fascinated and did not complain. While we brought a stroller for our daughter, we parked it for much of the day and predominately used the carrier instead. A visit to the Tower of London definitely requires a few hours but is a site not to miss when visiting London.
Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!
York is an unparalleled medieval city and one of the few places from all of my travels that I have called home. I studied medieval history and sociology at the University of York as an exchange student during my junior year of college. It was during that time many moons ago that my wanderlust began. I explored literally every nook and cranny of the city – visited every museum, bought produce at the Shambles Market, watched Hamlet in the Yorkshire Museum’s theater, peeked inside York Minster several times each week and tried out dozens of pubs. I met life-long friends while playing cards in the common room of my residence hall and also used York as my home base while traveling around the UK on weekends and to eight other European countries during my six-week Spring break.
York is an easy two-hour train journey on England’s Northern line from Kings’ Cross station, and I have been back four times since my semester abroad. When we planned our last trip to London in 2015, I was ecstatic that we would be able to fit in two days and one night in York. We booked tickets a few weeks in advance online through Grand Central Railway. Our kids (aged 11 months, 5 and 7) thoroughly enjoyed the lovely train journey, and we fit all of our things for the quick trip into two backpacks that we tucked in our daughter’s stroller.
Traveling by train with a table is one of the most comfortable ways to goBaby and luggage on board
When orienting yourself in York, it is important to remember that streets are called gates, gates are called bars, and bars are called pubs. Most streets end in “gate” like Fishergate, Castlegate, Fossgate and Petergate. The four main entries into the city are called Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar and Mickelgate Bar. And, as is common throughout the UK, the corner establishments that sell beer by the pint are called pubs.
We stayed at the Novotel York Centre, a modern hotel just outside the city walls between the city center and the University of York. The only downside to our trip was that it was unseasonably hot. The Novotel was not air conditioned but luckily did offer us a fan.
I particularly enjoyed taking the kids to visit the University of York, the guesthouse where I lived and my favorite pub, the Rose & Crown. We stopped by on the evening we were there and found that kids were not permitted after 8 p.m. We returned the next afternoon when the pub was practically empty and were directed to a back room. My husband and I enjoyed some beer, but it was clear that our kids were not really welcome. Those stops would probably not be trip highlights for families with no connection to the University.
The architecture of the University of York, which was established in 1963, starkly contrasts that of the medieval cityMy boys playing in my old back gardenMy favorite pub from my university days
The city offers so many great things for any family, but these are our favorite things to do in York, England.
#1: Relax in Museum Gardens With Kids
Museum Gardens is a very special place – this is where my husband literally got down on one knee and asked me to marry him while surreptitiously filming with my digital camera years ago. These Gardens are known for the medieval ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey as much as they are known for the luscious green space. When I was a university student, I walked through the gardens practically every time I went into York’s city center. I was always in awe of the Abbey ruins, especially when they were illuminated at night.
On our first trip to York with our children, the Museum Gardens were definitely at the top of our list. Even though it was a quick overnight trip, we spent at least an hour relaxing in the Gardens each day. We showed them right where their Dad proposed to me, but the exact spot was unfortunately under construction at the time. And, the peacocks that used to roam in the Gardens have been removed since my last visit.
It’s an amazing place to sit and think
While climbing on medieval ruins is pretty cool, the highlight of our time in Museum Gardens was definitely the Birds of Prey Show. Admittedly, the Birds of Prey Show more than made up for the missing peacocks. A falconer brought six birds of prey to showcase during the free seasonal show that we happened to catch. And, our five-year old son was chosen to hold a white barn owl, which is something he will never forget.
The Gardens also contain the remains of the west corner of the Roman fort of Eboracum, including the Multangular Tower and parts of the Roman walls.
The Multangular Tower with Roman stones on the lower portion
The Yorkshire Museum is also located on the grounds and features archeology, geology, paleontology and natural history collections.
York Museum Gardens Facts for Kids: If the medieval abbey ruins are not ancient enough, Museum Gardens also include the remains of a portion of a Roman fort, including the Multangular Tower and a portion of Roman wall.
Kid Moment: The owl show seems to be a free seasonal attraction and was an absolute highlight of our trip to York. Distinguishing the small Roman stones from the larger medieval ones on the Multangular Tower and adjoining wall is also a great activity.
#2: Evensong at York Minster With Kids
York Minster is the largest cathedral in Northern England. I’ve been to dozens of cathedrals, but York Minster is my hands-down favorite. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked through its doors, and every time, I feel an overwhelming sense of awe at its enormity and beauty.
The Minster’s West Window – the Heart of YorkYork Minster has a way of making me feel quite small
Because our trip was so short, and we had a baby with us, we did not take the guided tour. Also, children must be at least eight to climb the narrow staircase to the top of the tower, so we had to save that for another trip. We chose instead to visit during Evensong with Songmen and Choral Scholars.
York Minster Facts for Kids: Construction began on the Minster in the thirteenth century after at least three churches previously at this site had been destroyed. Its classic Gothic architecture was modeled after Canterbury Cathedral (the archbishop of York is second in England only to the archbishop of Canterbury). Its stained-glass windows are some of the best remaining examples from medieval times. There was a disastrous fire in 1984 that badly damaged the south transept.
Kid Moment: Make sure to request a free Explorer Backpack and the Blue Peter roof bosses in the south transept. In 1986, the popular television show Blue Peter held the York Minster Contest and asked children to submit boss designs for the Minster’s vaulted ceiling. They are the only cathedral designs I have ever seen created by children.
Roof bosses, including those designed by winners of the Blue Peter Contest
Downton Abbey fans will notice that the York Minster makes several cameo appearances in the series, which is set in Yorkshire.
#3: Climb Clifford’s Tower With Kids
Clifford’s Tower is a tower that sits on top of a small hill and is reminiscent of Monty Python movies. It is the largest remaining portion of the castle originally built on this site by William the Conqueror. There isn’t much to see inside the Tower, but it does offer the best view of York. We arrived after it closed, but the kids enjoyed running up the hill to get a closer view.
Clifford’s Tower
We reached the top
Below Clifford’s Tower is the York Castle Museum that allows visitors to step back into time and experience everyday life in earlier centuries. While it is named in honor of the castle that used to sit on this site, it is housed in prison buildings constructed in the 18th century.
The Castle Museum
Clifford’s Tower Facts for Kids: Clifford’s Tower is the only remaining portion of York Castle. In 1190, about 150 Jews died inside the previous timber tower that stood on this hill – most from mass suicide to avoid being murdered. The current stone tower dates from the 13th century.
Kid Moment: My kids particularly enjoy towers in general, but the added excitement of the hill and stairs made Clifford’s Tower especially fun.
Kid Caution: Clifford’s Tower is definitely not stroller accessible.
#4: Walk on the York City Walls With Kids
Since Roman times, cities were walled as a defense mechanism. York’s city walls are more intact than any other city in England and recently ranked by CNN as the third best medieval walled city in the world. There are some remains of the Roman brickwork, as well as Norman and medieval portions with modern renovations.
Visitors can access the remaining portions of the city walls by climbing the stairs at each of the four Bars. The entire circuit is 4.5 miles, and the best stretch is between Bootham Bar and Monk Bar.
Walmgate Bar is the only city gate in England with a working barbican, a fortified outpost of gateway. Unfortunately, the 12th century stone archway did not contemplate the size of modern vehicles, and there are regularly accidents. This is how it looked in 2015, and how I generally remember it. I think a truck tried to drive through days after it was re-opened when I lived there.
Walmgate Bar, the city gate closest to the University of York
York City Walls Facts for Kids: Very little of the Roman walls remain, but the current 13th-century walls were built right on top of the Roman ones.
Kid Moment: We imagined what it would be like to be a castle guard scanning the horizon for enemy forces as we walked along the walls.
Kid Caution: Like Clifford’s Tower, the city walls are definitely not stroller accessible.
#5: Stroll Down the Shambles With Kids
The Shambles is a very old and narrow street with overhanging timber buildings lining each side. The architecture is classic 15th century Tudor. Its name comes from “shamel,” meaning either slaughterhouse or the stalls or benches used to display meat. In 1862, there were 26 different butcher shops on this small, cobbled pedestrian street. The first-floor shops that used to be occupied by butchers are now predominately used as souvenir shops and cafes. There are so many charming and irresistible shops in York’s city center. Many people believe that the Shambles was an inspiration for Harry Potter‘s Diagon Alley. Find out more about the Shambles and its recent wizarding shops.
We caught the Shambles at a quiet moment, but it is usually crowded with tourists
Shambles Facts for Kids: One advantage of the cantilevered buildings is that it maximizes available space without obstructing the street.
Kid Moment: With the narrow street and the overhanging buildings, it is fun to stand in the middle of the street and look up.
York is a great destination for families to get a chance to experience a bit of medieval times (and not the dinner theater variety). Our trip was so short that we didn’t have a chance to make a day trip from York, but we hope to next time for sure. Planning a family trip to England? Check out all our posts on England and London.
Pro-Tips:
At the beach, I noted the existence of 
Although the Christmas market season had ended, the 
If we enjoy very much walking in the vineyards, it’s almost a certainly we will love the final product even more! Raised in a family of wine-producers, I adore traveling to wine regions to discover small producers and taste their wines, while learning about region specific wine making processes. 
Up on the heights of the village of Orschwiller, located a short 25-minute drive from Ribeauvillé, the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle is just a small detour from the Alsatian Wine Route. Perched on a rocky hill at an altitude of 757 meters, the Castle offers incredible views of the vineyards along the Alsatian Plains. A must see if you are in Alsace!
Outside on the cobbled street, we saw a performance by contortionist Kenneth Greenaway who is popularly known as Yogi Laser. We also watched part of Laser’s mesmerizing performance next to the River Thames earlier in the trip.
The Tower of London is also a fantastic place to view the Tower Bridge.
