I鈥檓 often inspired by families on the road. Last summer, on a ferry between Scotland鈥檚 Oban and the Isle of Mull, I met a family from Texas.
The parents were taking their kids on a year-long adventure through Europe and told me how they鈥檇 realized there鈥檚 no better education or quality family time than travelling together 鈥� and I wholeheartedly agree.
The key is balancing educational sightseeing with fun activities.
After years of travelling with me around Europe, my kids Jackie and Andy had a good list of what they considered its best kid-friendly experiences to balance out my heavy museum-going. Here are some of my family鈥檚 favourites.
In cycling-happy Copenhagen, it鈥檚 a joy to bike to dazzling Tivoli Gardens, a grand amusement park that鈥檚 been running since 1843. It鈥檚 like a Hans Christian Andersen theme park, with 20 acres of games, marching bands, and rides ranging from vintage cars to roller coasters to a Ferris wheel that resembles a clock.
Free concerts, pantomime theatre, ballet, acrobats, puppets and other shows pop up all over the park, with a different event roughly every half hour. With or without kids, this place is a true magic kingdom.
Budapest鈥檚 top attraction for kids is also my top recommendation for adults: the city鈥檚 inviting thermal baths. They鈥檙e like your hometown swimming pool 鈥� except the water is 38 C, there are plenty of jets and bubbles, and you鈥檙e surrounded by Hungarians.
Of the city鈥檚 more than two dozen bath complexes, the Gell茅rt Baths offer the best thermal-bath thrills for kids, with an outdoor area and wave pool.
Or splash around in a warm-water whirlpool at the grand Sz茅chenyi Baths 鈥� a casual option that welcomes plenty of tourists but remains popular with locals.
At any Hungarian thermal-bath complex, big pools with cooler water are for serious swimming, while the smaller, hotter thermal baths are for relaxing, enjoying the jets and playing chess.
Nestled in the Bavarian Alps of southern Germany, the otherworldly 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle captures kids鈥� imaginations with its dramatic setting and fanciful architecture that inspired Walt Disney鈥檚 Cinderella castle.
Kids can picture 鈥淢ad鈥� King Ludwig as a boy, climbing the hills above his dad鈥檚 castle, Hohenschwangau, dreaming up the ultimate magical castle he鈥檇 build as an adult.
Inside Neuschwanstein, the exquisite two-million-stone mosaic floor is a visual encyclopedia of animals and plants 鈥� make it into a scavenger hunt and challenge your kids to find different species. You can even complete the fairy tale and take a horse-drawn carriage up to the castles.
After playing king at Neuschwanstein, set aside some time for an even more thrilling experience: a summer luge ride. At the nearby Tegelberg summer luge, kids young and old hop in a wheeled sled-like go-cart, ride up a track to the top of a hill, and scream back down on a banked course. It鈥檚 a quintessential alpine activity that reminds me it鈥檚 never too late to have a happy childhood.
France鈥檚 Loire Valley is also famous for opulent residences. The dozens of ch芒teaux in the region are remarkable. Youngsters might lose steam after visiting one or two, but the Ch芒teau de Cheverny offers a unique demonstration that鈥檚 perfect for animal-loving kids and highlights the ch芒teau鈥檚 hunting heritage:
The marquis here keeps a kennel of 70 hunting hounds 鈥� half English foxhound and half French Poitou. They鈥檙e given food once a day, and the feeding ritual is a feat to behold.
Before chow time, the hungry hounds fill the little kennel rooftop and watch the trainer (who knows every dog鈥檚 name) bring in troughs stacked with raw meat. He opens the gate, and the dogs gather enthusiastically around the food without touching it 鈥� yelping hysterically. Only at the trainer鈥檚 signal can they dig in. It鈥檚 an exercise in control, and the excitement is palpable.
Of course, the huge parks of Europe鈥檚 biggest cities are some of the best spots to reinvigorate tired kids. London鈥檚 sprawling Hyde Park is the city鈥檚 backyard 鈥� and one of the best places in Europe for museum鈥檇-out kids to play and run free.
Plays, concerts and clown acts enliven the scene throughout the summer. Rent a paddleboat and ply the Serpentine, wade in the swimming area or stroll a woodsy path. At Christmastime, Hyde Park transforms into its famous Winter Wonderland. The enormous event has plenty of kitschy carnival fun, with winter treats, a Ferris wheel, circus show and ice-skating rink.
Even as my kids aged out of park outings, London鈥檚 live theatre scene remained at the top of their lists. London鈥檚 West End theatres have several shows that particularly appeal to kids, currently including Wicked, The Lion King and the two-part Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
You鈥檒l appreciate the talented performers, and they鈥檒l revel in the colourful costumes, catchy tunes and familiar stories.
When taking your kids to Europe, seek out experiences that are both culturally enriching and just a downright good time. You鈥檒l expose your kids to the local lifestyle and bring lighthearted fun to their travel memories.
Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
