Visiting the Eiffel Tower With Kids

The Eiffel Tower was a major inspiration for our family’s European vacation this past summer.  Seeing the Eiffel Tower has been #1 on our eight year old son’s bucket list ever since he saw the half scale replica in Las Vegas at age four.  He wasn’t even sure why he was so enamored with Gustave Eiffel’s wrought iron lattice tower, but it was something he had to see.  Whenever we discussed potential vacations, he made sure his desire to see the Eiffel Tower had not been forgotten.   My husband and I consider a wide range of factors including air fares and our personal desire to visit a location when deciding on where to spend our family vacations, but our son’s unwavering insistence on the Eiffel Tower was persuasive.  When we found that round trip airfare from Cleveland to Paris was about half the cost of flights to any other mainland Europe destination, it seemed that our visit to the Eiffel Tower with kids was destined.

Las Vegas’ Eiffel Tower

Why is the Eiffel Tower So Popular with Kids?

The Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s most famous landmarks.  It was designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and also to be used as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair.  The Tower took less than two and a half years to construct and was the tallest building in the world until the Chrysler Building surpassed it in 1930.  It was named for Gustave Eiffel, the engineer whose company designed and constructed it.

Favorite Viewpoints of the Eiffel Tower for Kids

We first spotted the Eiffel Tower as our plane was landing at Charles du Gaulle Airport.  It was small but noticeable in Paris’ skyline.  My eight year old was pretty excited.  We arrived in the early evening, and after checking into our VRBO in Montorgeuil, we strolled to the Seine River, where he got his first close up view of the Eiffel Tower dominating the skyline.  Even though the Tower was off in the distance, it was a magical moment.

Boy meets the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is visible from so many spots in Paris that we saw it multiple times each day during our two weekends in Paris.  Each bridge across the Seine offers a slightly different perspective, and it was fun to find it in the skyline.   On our second evening in Paris, we took a classic Seine River boat cruise with Vedettes du Pont Neuf and got to see the Eiffel Tower up close for the first time.

We could also see the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe.  While we didn’t climb to the top of the Arc, I’ve heard that those who do enjoy one of the best views of the Tower.  Another favorite view of the Tower was from Sacre Coeur where we saw it lit up with sparkling lights at night.  This light show occurs on the hour every hour between sundown and 1 a.m. and lasts for about five minutes.  The entire Tower sparkles, and a spotlight shines from the top.

Booking Tickets to the Eiffel Tower With Kids

Many visitors to Paris are satisfied viewing the Eiffel Tower from one of the many stunning viewpoints. I had visited Paris twice previously but only not gone inside.  Visitors who want to go into the Eiffel Tower need to book tickets well in advance during peak tourist season.   There are many tours companies that include an Eiffel Tower visit, but we booked our tickets directly through the Tower’s official website.  We secured our tickets three weeks in advance of our visit, which was necessary as elevator tickets to the Eiffel Tower summit were ultimately sold out for all five days we were in Paris.  We settled for elevator tickets right before sunset to the second floor for our family of five (two adults and kids ages 10, 8 and 3) for a total of €40.  We printed out our emailed tickets and waited patiently for the final night of our European vacation.  Because there is no way to predict weather conditions so far in advance, we kept our fingers crossed for blue skies.

It is possible to purchase tickets to the second floor or summit via elevator or stairs at the Eiffel Tower itself, but lines are often quite lengthy.  Our goal was to avoid lines at all cost during this trip, so we didn’t even consider “day of” tickets.  However, friends of ours went a few weeks before us with their four kids and reported that the trip to the summit was worth the wait down below.

How Much Does it Cost to Visit the Eiffel Tower?

The adult rate to visit the Eiffel Tower ranges from €10,20 for stair access to the second floor to €25,50 with elevator access to the top.  There are separate children’s rates for those age 12-24 (ranging from €5,10 to 12,70) and 4-11 (ranging from €2,50 to €6,40).  All children under age 4 are free.  Check up to date Eiffel Tower ticketing information.

Visiting the Eiffel Tower With Kids

On the last night of our European vacation, we took the Metro to Trocadero and arrived about 45 minutes before our timed elevator tickets.  At the Gardens of the Trocedero, we were treated to our best view of the Eiffel Tower yet – complete with a rainbow created by the mist from the Fountain of Warsaw.

Due to construction in the area and limited pedestrian crossings, we had to take a roundabout path to get to the Eiffel Tower entrance, but we followed the crowds and arrived at the security check point about 15 minutes before our entry time.  We cleared security a few minutes later and were directed to the elevator entrance and another short line.  We checked out the view from underneath the Eiffel Tower on the way from one line to the next.

We were not permitted to enter the elevator line until 10 minutes before our 9:00 p.m. entry.  A tour group accompanied us on the elevator, so we heard the guide’s commentary.  I found this informative and interesting, but my husband would have preferred if tour groups were separated from other tourists.

Second Level of the Eiffel Tower

We exited on the second level, which consists of an upper and lower observation deck and were wowed by the views.  Free bathrooms and a bar are located on the lower of the two observation decks.  Jules Verne, a Michelin star restaurant is located on this level and accessible through private access from the south pillar.  A meal at Jules Verne was not in the cards (or budget) on this visit, and the restaurant is now temporarily closed for renovations until Spring 2019.

Sunset was approximately 9:45 p.m. that night, so we watched as the sky turned from blue to yellow and orange.

We had hoped that there would be a way to secure tickets to the summit on the second floor but learned that was no longer possible.  We fully explored the second level until after the 10 p.m. light show when the entire Tower illuminated with flashing gold lights, and a beam spun around from its top.  We decided to walk from the second floor to the first floor for a different experience.  The 341 stairs really weren’t bad, even with three kids and a stroller.  The journey took no more than 10-15 minutes.

First Level of the Eiffel Tower

The first level includes a glass floor, a gift shop and several restaurants, including the 58 Tour Eiffel and The Buffet.  We wandered around this floor as the sky turned black and then decided to head down.  My husband and the boys chose to take the remaining 328 stairs down, while my daughter and I took the elevator.  We thought that we would easily beat them down, but finding the elevator exit was more challenging than I expected.  We found them waiting on the ground level in the center of the Tower when we exited the elevator.   As we admired our last up close view of the Eiffel Tower, the 11 pm light show began, and we got to see the dazzling Tower from underneath before heading to the Metro.

Eiffel Tower Review

The Eiffel Tower was a highlight of our family’s visit to Paris.  While it is possible to enjoy many breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower from all around Paris, going up into the Tower was an unforgettable experience.  It’s essential to book early during peak season, even if though it means a chance of less than ideal weather.  We were lucky that we had perfect weather conditions, but we all wish we would have booked early enough to secure tickets to the summit.  It was a bummer for sure to miss out on that view, but on the bright side, we all have a reason to return to the City of Lights.

Our Eiffel Tower Review

A visit to the Eiffel Tower with kids really was a bucket list opportunity, not only for our eight year old but for our entire family.  My daughter, who was three during our European vacation, regularly mentions that the Eiffel Tower was one of the highlights of our trip.

Planning a family trip to Paris?  Check out our entire series of blog posts on visiting Paris, and don’t miss our guide to planning a trip to Paris.