Vienna with Kids

Yes, Vienna is a classical city with a strong sense of history and music. But the Viennese love children and they want children to enjoy their fine classical city. They may look formal, but they are 100% accessible to families. The museums, shops, playgrounds, zoos, and palaces are all suitable and enjoyable for mom, dad, and children.  Make Vienna the next destination for your crew.

5 Reasons why to Take the Kids with You to Vienna

1. The attractions have been designed to accommodate children and their needs
2. The culture, history, and music can be accessible to people of all ages
3. There are many family run and family fond hotels available
4. The playgrounds tucked into every corner of this city make it a sure-fire family destination
5. On the U-Bahn (Underground Berlin) it is considered protocol for children and mothers to be given seats first; Vienna loves children

Things to Know When Getting Ready to Travel to Vienna

• Buy your subway pass at www.bvg.de and then plug the site in your phone and save it, as it has a very friendly guide to all stops and it has a very accurate city map. The option to purchase an eticket via phone is also an available.
• Spring has the best temperatures. They range from 60-75˚, but spring is also the rainy season.
• Try the Dschungel or Naschmarkt deli when you visit the various museums. They were both designed with children in mind and have delicious local fare.
• You will find stroller parking areas and stroller rentals. You may find some of the sidewalks too narrow to navigate a stroller along.

Our 9 Top Recommendations:

Donaupark

If you are in Vienna with your family and you want a day off the museums and crowded attractions, take your sport outfit and spend few hours in the Donaupark, on the north bank of Danube River. Around 800,000 square meters of open space just wait for you to enjoy. Activities are just endless: you can bike, skate, play mini-golf or other various sports, you can let the children enjoy the playgrounds, you can take a ride in the mini-train crossing the entire park or you can visit the small zoo.

Initially used as a military firing zone, the area has been designed as a park between 1962-1964 to host the Vienna International Flower Show of 1964 and has kept this destination ever since.

Donaupark also hosts the Danube Tower, the tallest building in Vienna, which you might want to visit with kids for the great panorama over the city.

Things you need to know when taking the kids:

• Playgrounds are differentiated on age categories and surrounded by a fence, so your children will be safe and will have fun no matter their age;
• Toilet facilities are available throughout the park, as well as drinking water and snacks;
• You can grab something to eat and enjoy a picnic in the Donaupark, dedicated benches and tables are plenty.

http://www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/parks/anlagen/donaupark.html

Schönbrunn’s Zoo and Children’s Museum

Schönbrunn, the former summer residence of the Imperial family, including a spectacular palace, gardens and architectural attractions, is undoubtedly one of the major visiting sites in Vienna. If you get to Schönbrunn with your kids, there are two places you definitely don’t want to miss: the Zoo and Children’s Museum, the latter recommended for kids aged 4 to 12.
Recognized as the oldest zoological park in the world, opened in 1752, Schönbrunn’s Zoo is the home for an impressive number of species, gathered from all continents. The Aquarium, Terrarium, Aviary, Rainforest House, Desert House, ORANG.erie offers visitors a full experience of the biological environments around the world.
Dressed as princes or princesses, your children can live the “Schloss Schönbrunn Experience” in the museum especially created for them to lean in a playful manner about Imperial ages.

Things you need to know when taking the kids:

• • Leave a full day to visit these places, there is for sure plenty to see and do;
• • Some buffets and cafés will refresh your energies;
• • There is an extended schedule for animal feeding and care, where kids (and yourselves) can assist to pigeons, orangutans, Siberian tigers, giant pandas, etc. being fed and nursed;
• • Don’t miss the educational forest trail, a suspended a 10 meter-high and 160 meter-long suspended bridge offering direct contact with the forest, nice bird species, as well as an overview of Schönbrunn Palace and Vienna;
• • Schönbrunn Children’s Museum is a challenge for the entire family, with a lot of things to discover about the life and habits at the Imperial Court. Be prepared to find out amazing, unimagined facts.

https://www.zoovienna.at, http://www.kaiserkinder.at

Prater Amusement Park

Ferris Wheel of vienna prater park in Austria

Also known as the Wurstelprater, Prater Amusement Park is probably one of the symbols of Vienna, ingeniously combining nostalgic old attractions with modern entertainment. Kids will be excited about the Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) – built in 1897 and offering a spectacular view over the city, the old ghost train (Grottenbahn) taking visitors to a fairy tale world, the Liliputbahn – a small gauge railway offering a 20-minutes trip through the park, the Vienna Rollercoaster, the Prater Museum, the Planetarium or Madame Tussauds exhibition. And these are just some of the points of interest in Prater area. Keep at least half a day available for this visit!

Things you need to know when taking the kids:

• Check the Prater Park website to see the workshops and events which are organized here periodically;
• If you are a nature lover, choose Green Prater, the large area surrounding the amusement park, with alleys shadowed by 2,500 trees. You can rent a bike, skate, ride a pony, take a walk or have a snack in one of the many coffee shops and restaurants;
• Take the kids to a very special and original spot – the Pony Carousel, driven by real ponies, bringing an air of old times and great fun for children of all ages;
• The park is opened all day long, March to October, with free of charge admission. Fees are only applied for various attractions, yet the place remains a must-see when you visit Vienna, especially with kids.

http://www.prater.at/

Monopolies

This role-playing city is a favorite for children visiting or living in Vienna. It is suitable for ages 4-12. Kids can put on costumes, role-play, get fake pay for their job, and have a leading role in their fantasy indoor city. Children can be teachers, police officers, entertainers, or what ever they want to be! There is plenty of staff supervision, so the parents can sit back, relax, and watch their child work in his or her fantasy life. This excursion takes about three-four hours to fully experience.

Things to Know When Taking the Kids:

• The kids should wear comfortable and loose play clothes.
• There are over 90 jobs for the kids to select from for their role-playing.
• It is located at Wahringer Strasse 2.
• There are food and restaurant options in the museum.
• The restaurant is quite pricey.
• The facility is open from 10am-6pm.
• Children cost $9.00 and parents cost $ 10.00.

http://www.minopolis.biz/

Zoom Children’s Museum

There are over 100 museums in Vienna. If you want tunnels, water mattresses, and hands-on exhibits, the Zoom Children’s Museum is your place. There are five separate divisions to explore: the Exhibition (ages 6-12), the Ocean (ages 8 months-6 years), the Studio (ages 3-12), the Animated Film Studio (ages 8-14), and the Science (ages 8-12). Set aside 6-8 hours for this excursion. It is an all-day deal.

Things to Know When You Are Taking the Kids:

• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. And the clothes may get messy or dirty; so make sure they are play clothes.
• The Exhibition area changes on occasion. Check www.kindermuseum.at to see what the section is featuring at any given time.
• Zoom Children’s Museum is closed on Mondays.
• The kids will be very weary afterwards, pick up some dinner at one of the many delightful delis as you head back to the hotel and then eat in. In the Wien area, try Naschmarkt Deli at 1060 Wien.

http://www.kindermuseum.at/

Haus der Musik – The Museum of Music

hand written, unpublished music manuscript, oboe, quill pen, conductor’s baton by candle light

Haus der Musik in an interactive, science-filled, musical experience. Located in a historical building made modern, the music museum aspires to make your family music lovers, creators, and historians. There is a guided tour of the sound museum (you can opt to explore on your own) and on the tour; there are different interactive musical stations. There is also a superb Children’s Concert series and your child may actually get to conduct the orchestra.

Things to Know When You Are Taking the Kids:

• Hours vary, so check the website.
• Tickets can be purchased online or at the venue.
• The museum is chilly to protect the instruments, so wear a jacket.
• Allow for two-three hours for the experience.
• Tickets can be purchased online or at the venue.
• The museum is chilly to protect the instruments, so wear a jacket.

http://www.hausdermusik.at/en

Upper Belvedere

There is an Upper and Lower Belvedere area. The Lower is more suitable for adults. They both are former summer Baroque palaces. Buy a ticket for both because you can then enjoy the stables, but leave the actual touring of the Upper for the older kids (filled with art pieces, lectures on the time period, and an adult twist). With the Lower tour you will get fun art games, hide and seek art adventures, and a tour guide to lead the fun.

Go to the stables first, as they are open only until noon. You can stroll across the magnificent grounds and show the kids the elaborate and exquisite stable. It is hard to imagine it was used for horses.

Important to Know when You Are Taking the Kids:

• The estate is huge; you should wear the walking shoes.
• There are opportunities for kid appropriate questions for the art pieces and paintings.
• Grab a copy of “Art Detective on the Trail Of Masterpieces” and play the find the mistakes game.
• The palace is open from 10 am-6 pm.
• The palace is open on Wednesday to Sunday.
• The stables are open daily from 10 am to noon.
• They are all located in the 1030 Wien area @ Prinz Eugen-StraBe 27.

http://www.belvedere.at/de

Imperial Butterfly House

Built in a former palm house and surrounded by the Imperial sumptuous air that covers the entire Vienna, the Butterfly House is a tropical oasis. Specific vegetation, beautiful flowers, a small waterfall and tens of butterflies in all colors and sizes exhibit a dream world for children (and parents equally).

Everything was designed to recreate as naturally as possible the usual habitat of the butterflies’ species hosted here and you will be able to see presentations of their evolution from egg to butterfly, with samples of intermediary phases. Also, kids get the chance to see them feeding, directly from the nectar-producing flowers or extracting the juice from the fruits placed on various feeding places.

Things you need to know when taking the kids:

• Butterfly House is a great learning experience and to the same extent a place for moments of original, innocent amusement for the little ones;
• Have in mind that the air inside is very humid and quite warm (about 26-27°C and more than 80% humidity – to recreate the tropical atmosphere), so dress yourself and the kids appropriately;
• Explain your kids that, as much as they would like to, touching the butterflies is forbidden, as they might hurt them.

http://www.schmetterlinghaus.at/

Schonbrunn Palace

Once upon a time this was a home of royalty, now this palace is an all day excursion for a family. Do set aside at least five hours for exploring the palace, zoo, gardens, and children’s museum. There are dress up rooms, pretend banquets, and story time. You will love this interactive real palace. There are onsite and area restaurants for after your experience at the palace.

Important to Know when You Are Taking the Kids:

• It has a ghost, Poldi, who acts as a tour guide. He is more funny than scary.
• You can buy tickets online (http://www.schoenbrunn.at) or at the venue (automatic machines will save you the lines)
• Plan on about three hours at the palace
• Some of the pathways are rough on strollers

http://www.schoenbrunn.at/

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