January 19, 2020
Traveling with toddlers in Copenhagen
Whether you are traveling with a baby, a toddler or schoolchild, we would love to share our best tips and tricks for visiting Copenhagen with children in this blogpost. Copenhagen overall is a very easy city to bring children. There are many activities, public playgrounds and wonderful places to eat for the whole family. We will tell you everything you need to know in order to enjoy a perfect city break with your children, and you are always more than welcome to send us an email for specific questions.
For a quick overview, we will be covering the following topics:
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Food: restaurants, cafes and take-away
- Activities and attractions
- Playgrounds and parks
Transportation
Stroller friendly city
We highly recommend bringing a stroller to Copenhagen. We bring our strollers everywhere and even the public transportation system is designed for it. Not all restaurants and stores allow strollers inside though, so bringing a lock is a great idea. Then you can always park it outside while you enjoy wonderful food.
When it is time of a nap we suggest following the local custom; tuck your child in and start walking. The city is nice and quiet, so most children fall asleep easily in the fresh air. You might notice that the Danes leave the sleeping children outside, when going out to eat. It might strike you as weird, but we strongly believe the children sleep better outside in the fresh air. It is very safe and you either leave the child within sight or use a baby monitor.
Public transportation
All busses, metros and trains have special zones for strollers with extra room. Busses however only fit two strollers at the time, so during rush hour you might have to wait for the next bus. Stations are equipped with elevators, which makes it so much for fun to travel with a stroller. There are no additional fees for traveling with strollers.
Biking
If you are curious to explore Copenhagen by bike, the local cargo bikes offer great opportunities for families. Cargo bikes or bikes with children’s seats can be rented several places around the city. Helmets are not mandatory, but highly recommended
Accommodation
As the foodies and parent Cindie is we have made a list of family friendly hotels with amazing food. Since most young children are not up for a late night rendezvous after a full day of exploration, having a great restaurant at the hotel can be the way to secure a romantic dinner during your vacation. Here are our favorites:
Located close to Kongens Nytorv Hotel Sanders is a boutique luxury (still relaxed) hotel with beautiful Danish design and a feeling of “hygge”. Great food and beautiful roof top terrace offering a new perspective on Copenhagen. Rooms can be supplied with crib and changing table on request.
Located between Tivoli Garden and the harbor Nobis is all about contemporary Danish design. The hotel is located next to Danish Architecture Centre and has beautiful modern interior, you are not going to be disappointed! For families traveling with children they offer a small present upon arrival, a high chair in the dining area and a crib in the room on request.
Located close to Nørreport station Guldsmedenn is a green hotel with a strong focus on sustainability: over 98 % of their produce are organic, they battle food waste and produce their own organic wellness products. For families they offer a family suite, high chairs in the dining room, cribs for rent and a great pool area for the whole family.
You find SP34 in the latin quarter right in the city center. Beautiful boutique hotel with a great vegetable focused restaurant called Vækst inspired by a greenhouse. You will get all your greens without even noticing!
The hotel is situated an old warehouse at the far end of Nyhavn overlooking the harbors of Copenhagen. Their restaurant is run by one of Denmark’s best and most innovative Thai chefs. Try their frozen red curry, it’s to die for! For families they have connecting junior suites and high chairs and cribs on requests.
On request, high chairs and cribs can be supplied on most hotels.
If you prefer to have own kitchen, renting an apartment from another family might just be the perfect option for you. Copenhagen offers lots of amazing rental apartments.
Food: restaurants, cafes and take-away
Eating out with young children can be a great experience with the right setting; relaxed atmosphere, high chairs, changing tables in the bathrooms, flexible, sharing friendly menu and room to roam around and play. We have tried to sum up our favorite places to go out with children. We hope they will offer you plenty of great meals during your time in Copenhagen.
Nørrebro craft brewery and eatery with a special interest in the art of fermentation. Their fermented fries, funky sour beers and weekend brunch are must tries. The interior is clean, industrial and Scandinavian. There is plenty of floor space for playing or bringing along your stroller.
Absalon CPH is a converted church now functioning as a community house. Colorful interior with the cozy feeling of a living room. It is a great place to hang out throughout the day with either breakfast, lunch or dinner. Every day they serve wonderful communal dinners at 18.00, which is a wonderful chance to meet locals and enjoy a relaxed meal.
All day brunch restaurant specializing in small plates, giving you endless opportunities for customization. Focusing on using local produce, changing their menu according to the season and even making their own Nutella, this is a must try for any brunch lover! Sofas and outdoor seating area are great option for families looking for a casual meal.
The indoor food market is necessary visit for anyone who wants to know more about local producers, unique food concepts and seasonal produce. Wonderful to go in a scavenger hunt for the best local treats to bring back home, ingredients for a home cooked meal or a picnic in the sun.
Organic bistro located in the old Bosch building in the trendy meatpacking district called Kødbyen. They have a strong focus on sustainability and offers classic bistro dishes made of 100% organic ingredients. Something on the menu for everybody, whether you are looking for free-range meat, sustainably caught fish or vegan options.
Family friendly non-profit café in the hip area of Vesterbro. Plenty of room and toys for the children to play while you relax and enjoy a healthy, affordable meal and great cup of coffee or tea.
Claus Meyer, local food entrepreneur and co-founder of Noma, wants to create better family meals with his delis. Casual venues for high quality Nordic food for you to stay and enjoy or bring back to your accommodation.
Food delivery service with wonderful take away from some of Copenhagen’s best restaurants. High quality food and many different cuisines to choose from. Great option for staying in at the hotel or in the Airbnb.
Activities & attractions
The biggest aquarium in northern Europe offering wonderful activities: sea life from all over the world, touch pool and large outdoor water playground. The local bistro TANG works with local sustainably caught seafood and also knows how to brew a good cup of coffee – just saying! When it is time for nap after hours of fun, the sun beds near waterside offers to perfect oasis for relaxation.
The zoo is located near the castle of Frederiksberg and has tons of activities for the whole family. Check out the daily feedings and demonstrations, before you start exploring. The zoo has recently launched a new food strategy focusing on quality and we are big fans. With organic hotdogs and ice cream as well a modern Asian restaurant overlooking the panda enclosure there is something for everybody.
Our excellent science museum located just a short train ride north of Copenhagen by the sea. Exhibitions for children of all ages covering subjects from transportation, forces of nature and the human body. We especially love The Miniverse designed for stimulating play for the 1-5 year olds. The museum has a large eating area, where you are allowed to enjoy your own food. Scout the neighboring Waterfront shopping center for delicious, healthy options.
Need a break from the cobble stones of Copenhagen? Jump the metro and shortly you find yourselves surrounded by wild nature at Amager Fælled. The nature center offers fun activities, rent out outdoor equipment and have cows as well as sheep. They also run a small café, where they sell great organic food and ice cream. What is not to love? Website is only in Danish, so do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Playgrounds
Copenhagen as an abundance of wonderful public playground. These are just a few of our favorites in Copenhagen. If you want to find one nearby where you are staying, look a Google Maps for green spaces. There will most likely be a cute public playground.
Welcome to the farm! It is a supervised animal playground with horses, cows, chickens, rabbits, pigs and goats. They even have an open living room where you can rest, play and enjoy your picnic lunch. You can find the opening hours on the website even though it is written in Danish 😉
Large fenced in playground with plenty to explore. Sandbox, bikes, ping-pong tables and slides are just a few of the facilities here. The playground is supervised and you can borrow toys from the staff.
Naturlegepladsen i Valbyparken
This natural playground is to visit perfect on a sunny day since it offers plenty of shade. The large area offer many different activities and areas to explore for children of all ages. For the curious adults it is even possible to play a round of frisbee golf or explore the nearby rose garden.
In the beautiful harbor area of Islandsbrygge you find another one of Copenhagen’s supervised playground. Feel free to use the facilities where you are up for a go-card ride or game of soccer. The staff is more than happy to advice you on how to make the most of facilities.
Parks
Copenhagen has an abundance of parks. They are perfect tranquil oasis whether it is time for play or rest. Most locals use the parks as an extension of the apartments. We tend to live small and prioritize spending time together outside all year around.
Ørstedsparken:Very central location and perfect for a picnic due the neighboring food halls Torvehallerne. Several good playgrounds in the park as previously mentioned.
Fælledparken:The largest park in Copenhagen is great for walks, hunting for playgrounds or playing tag. During the summer, they even have a free public water playground.
Kongens Have:Kings Garden offers several great attractions for the whole family. At Rosenborg Castle you find the crown jewels, you can watch the change of the guards or play hide and seek in the big bushes. Easy to find a shady spot on a hot day.
Bibliotekshaven:Need to find a quiet spot in between museums? Hidden in between the Royal Library and the parliament Christiansborg you find this stunning, little garden. It is a safe, quiet haven and perfect for naptime or picnic. Feel free to use the multicolored chair anywhere you like in the park.
Frederiksberg Have:Next to the zoo, you find this park previously belonging to the neighboring castle. The traces of the past is visible with the old Chinese teahouse and the canal with rowing boats. If it is time for your child to quit the pacifier, you can join the local tradition and hang your pacifiers on the ‘sutte-træ’ (tree overhung with pacifiers).
We hope to welcome you and your family on a tour in Copenhagen!