Family Travel Ideas Kids

Traveling to Paris With Kids: 8 Things to Do, Places to See

photo: Moyan Brenn*

 

Travel is one of my top pleasurable pastimes. I can’t get enough. I have been to many places in the U.S., the Caribbean, and Mexico.

Sadly, I have never been anywhere in Europe. There are plenty of cities I would love to visit, but the lovely Paris, France has caught my eye. Many think of Paris as a romantic city, and I am sure it fits the bill. I hope to travel to Europe with my whole family, so I checked out the things to do with kids. Consider me officially giddy and ready to book flights!

Here are 8 awesome, bucket-listed things to do in Paris with kids:

The Eiffel Tower – A prominent and famous landmark that I would not want to miss. Touristy much? YES! The structure was built in 1889 and is 180 meters to the top.  Take the elevator to the second floor for an awesome viewing experience, or dine in the restaurant and peruse the shops. There is a special kids tour guide book that they can follow through the Eiffel Tower with a series of clues to make it fun to learn about.

In front of the Eiffel Tower is a huge park, Champs de Mars, that delights families and couples alike. Lovers stroll arm-in-arm, children squeal and squabble at the playgrounds which have climbing webs, sandboxes, swings, and even a toddler-only section. There’s also has a delightful puppet theater, basketball courts, large swaths of green to play soccer or frisbee, little wooded areas for kids to explore, and an old-fashioned hand-cranked carousel. Some say it is perfect for picnics, too.

 

Jardin des Tuileries -This is the most central park in Paris and is much more than just a beautiful garden. You’ll find beautiful fountains, sculptures, cafes, shopping, and more. Feed the ducks at the pond and jump on the trampoline… The kids will also love donkey and pony rides, as well as the adventure playground and carousel.

 

Seine River Cruise and Paris Canal Tour – Here’s a good way to hit all of the huge landmarks in one. Plus, my kids would love to sail the waters! Cruise the waters of the River Seine before enjoying a unique view of old Paris from the canal Saint Martin. See many of the major attractions of Paris from the water including Notre Dame and The Louvre. I would love to do this and go sightseeing in Paris without all of the ground work.

Disneyland Paris – Not just because I am a total Disney fan, but the kids will have fun too, right? A few things I have never seen include Discoveryland, which I suppose is like Tomorrowland in the US. There are also a bunch of shows, parades, attractions, and more, with all of our favorite Disney characters. Also, we might have to visit Walt Disney Studios Park, centered on their television and cinema efforts with 4 different studio lots full of attractions from Disney movies and shows! Nothing like the magic of Disney!

 

Ride the Metro – and sample fresh breads and pastries along the way. This is my weakness. Fresh croissants? Everywhere? As far as the Metro, it’s their subway system. You can ride in the lengthy tunnels and hop on and off all over the city to explore. Did I mention that you can duck into any cafe and grab pastries at any stop? Oh, I did.

Jardin d’Acclimatation – A children’s park in Bois de Boulogne. Features plenty of play areas in a safe setting, including a merry-go-round – puppet show for children, also, animals: bears, lions, monkeys, deer including some tame ones that are free to roam at liberty. COOL. Playgrounds galore here, plus a train ride, science museum, mini golf, bike rentals, and more.

Aquarium de Paris, Cineaqua – Head under the sea at this large and exciting aquarium! It has a gallery of more than 10,000 fish and invertebrates and our stars include : 25 sharks of 4 different species (Black Tips, Nurse, Zebras and Gray) that encirculate with hundreds of tropical fish. Do not miss seahorses, puffer fish, fish, cows, octopus, angelfish, butterfly fish & many others.! Discover the largest tank in France with its 3 million liters of water. Also features  shows, fun workshops, educational activities and movies.

 

…and if you visit during the summer months…

Paris Plages – The summer transforms Paris. The cityscape dons greenery and the riverside thoroughfares become car-free resorts. That, in a nutshell, is what Paris Plages is all about – complete with sandy beaches, deckchairs, ubiquitous ice cream sellers, and concerts for French and foreign guests. Visitors can do a plethora of other activities: play beach volley ball, borrow books, take an aquagym class, & kayak in the lake.

 

Ok, so I am ready to start packing! Seriously, I can’t wait to travel to Paris, France, visit all of the attractions and marvel at the sights. Ah, one day! 

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*Moyan Brenn
 

4 Comments

  • I went to Paris when I was stationed in Germany (before kids and marriage)! We climbed the Eiffel Tower and visited Notre Dame!
    Now that I have kids (boys ages 2 and 4 and one due in April) France would be an awesome place to go. I’d love to take them to Europe (where they have their roots, my dad was born in England, and their father’s family is from Austria)!
    Thanks for such a great post!
    angela_heffner at yahoo dot com

  • I would love to visit France too, but now with the baby, I have to wait until she gets a bit older for such a long trip. She gets antsy and gets on my nerves on ten minute car trips. I don’t know how we are going to get to Puerto Rico in February.

    That being said, before she was born I traveled all over the US, Quebec, Mexico, India, and Cuba. I hope I get to travel some more with her and that she enjoys travel as much as I do. Happy traveling to your and your family.

  • I would love to travel to Europe. Paris is definitely on the list of places I would like to go. I hadn’t ever thought that I would take my kids, but now it seems that there would be a lot for them to see and do.

  • This is one of the top places I want to visit. My husband has gone as he lived in Belgium for many years. I can’t wait to go see everything he already has and learn all about the areas. Great list of places to visit.

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