Copenhagen is a great city to visit with kids. The city is clean, friendly and safe. If you are into history and museums you could spend days here. Here’s, in my opinion, the perfect way to spend one day in Copenhagen with kids to see the most sights and have a great time!
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Best Time To Visit Copenhagen With Kids
The best time to go to Copenhagen for many is also the busiest and most expensive time. Peak season has its advantages, but Copenhagen can really be enjoyed year round as many of the attractions are inside. This makes it easier to visit even in the chilly months.
Peak Season (June-August, November-December)
The summer in Copenhagen brings long daylight hours and comfortable temperatures for soaking up the sun. This is the busiest time of year. Expect higher prices and lots of people out and about. It can be very fun and festive, but also can get a little busy.
In the winter, Copenhagen transforms into a winter wonderland with Christmas Markets and beautiful light displays. Many tourists come to the city to enjoy the festivities.
Shoulder Season (April-May, September-October)
The spring and fall are in my opinion, the best mix of weather and savings. You can still enjoy many aspects of Copenhagen without it being freezing cold. Temperatures start to feel very comfortable in May, while prices having reached peak highs.
September is a great time to visit with street food markets still being open and temperatures getting slightly cooler, but not unbearable.
We visited in October and the temperatures were a little chilly, but we could still enjoy outdoor activities.
Off-Season (January – March)
If you don’t mind the cold, consider visiting Copenhagen with kids in the winter. The daylight hours are less, but the prices are at their best. The indoor activities are plentiful, so you won’t be bored. Remember you can always warm up at a cozy cafe.
Save A Little Money On Attractions In Copenhagen
Copenhagen isn’t a cheap city. There are ways to save money though. If you are planning on visiting a lot of different attractions such as the Rosenborg Castle, taking a Stromma Canal tour, Christiansborg, Frederiksborg, and the Copenhagen Zoo, you may want to purchase the Copenhagen City Card.
There are two different options. The Discover card includes the use of public transportation and 80+ attractions while the Hop card includes the Hop-on Hop-off buses and 40+ attractions. Another bonus of the cards is that each adult card includes free cards for 2 children (3 -11) which could be a big savings for a family!
This Copenhagen itinerary I’ve put together doesn’t include entering many of these attractions (only two which doesn’t save you a lot with the card), but I wanted to add this tidbit of information in case you are in Copenhagen for longer than one day or if do decide you want to change up the itinerary and visit a castle or museum. The more activities you do, the better the savings!
Note: It is important to know that many museums are closed on Mondays, so using the Copenhagen City Card would not be helpful if your one day in Copenhagen with kids is on this day.
Pro Tip: Be sure to read the instructions for use and only activate the card when you start the activities. They last for a certain number of hours.
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One Day In Copenhagen With Kids
Now, let’s get to how to spend a day in Copenhagen with children. Below is an outline of how I would organize a one-day itinerary to Copenhagen. In addition, I have provided a few extra activity options that would be fun to do with kids at the bottom.
Start Your Day In Copenhagen At Nyhavn Harbor
Start your family vacation in Copenhagen with kids by visiting the colorful Nyhavn Harbor. Nyhavn is the most popular area in Copenhagen for good reason. It is beautiful.
Pro Tip: I would start your day in Copenhagen here because as the day continues, Nyhavn will get busier and busier.
This makes taking pictures harder and wandering through crowds with kids is never fun! We prefer to avoid crowds, so one way to do that is to begin at the busiest locations first before others arrive.
Most vacationers sleep in. Take advantage of this by coming to Nyhavn early. You know your kids will wake you up anyway!
Wander down the harbor and take in the beautiful colored buildings that line the waterfront and snap some picturesque photos!
Hans Christian Andersen even lived right in Nyhavn in house number 20 where he wrote some of his first fairy tales.
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Get On The Canals And Take A Boat Tour
A canal tour is one of the best ways to experience Copenhagen with kids. There are a couple of different options depending on your preference and your wallet.
Option 1 – Guided Group Tour
When we visited Copenhagen, we were traveling with a big group of people. We ended up booking one of the big boat tours with Stromma that you can take right from Nyhavn harbor. These boat tours take many people around the canals of Copenhagen and give some historical and landmark information as you go.
If you do decide to go with this option, I would recommend going all the way to the back of the boat. You are outside, which might be too hot, too cold or rainy depending on the season you go, but you will be able to see much better than if you are inside.
I made the mistake of being inside by the window. I thought that would be the best viewing perspective, but instead I could only see one side of the canal and it was impossible to move around. I also could barely hear the tour guide.
My husband on the other hand was in the back and could hear and see much better. It was also much easier for him to stand up and move to the other side of the boat if needed.
You can purchase tickets for these boat tours at the docks or online. I would recommend booking in advance during peak season, as they can get busy. The duration of the tour is 1 hour.
Option 2 – Rent A Private Boat
The second option, and the one I would have done if we had fewer people with us, is to rent your own boat and tour the canals at our own pace.
In Copenhagen, you can rent from GoBoats. You either rent a boat that fits up to 8 people and drive it yourself or there is an option to rent a boat with a captain.
With a captain, you can enjoy a private tour of Copenhagen and not have to worry about getting lost or driving the boat, which is nice, but you will be paying more money for the convenience. Check their website for more information.
If you drive the boat yourself with GoBoats, you can bring your own food and drinks and even your dog. They have life jackets that you can use, even ones for the kids.
Take Note: You don’t need a license, but you need to be at least 18 years old to drive the boat. You can book it for anywhere between 1 and 5 hours.
This is a great option, in my opinion, for seeing Copenhagen with kids from the water. You can see some great sights fairly easily and the kids won’t complain about tired legs!
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Street Food For Lunch
Copenhagen is known for their street food scene. We visited in October and the outdoor street food markets were closed down for the season, which was a huge bummer.
There are, however, still plenty of hot dog stands around if you are looking to purchase a bacon wrapped hot dog or one with loaded toppings!
There are also indoor food markets. Dinner will be in one of these, so keep reading.
If you are around in the summer, the two outdoor street food markets you should check out are Reffen and Broens Street Food. I like food markets for multiple reasons, but in Copenhagen they are super highly rated.
These street food markets are great for kids too. So many different options for food, makes it so even the pickiest eater can find something good to eat.
There are also fun activities for kids too. At Reffen there are play areas for kids, a skate park, table tennis, and petanque courts (which are like boules or bocce ball).
Broens Street Food is open everyday until October 19th. In the winter, there is an ice skating rink to enjoy!
Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens is a must-visit when spending a day in Copenhagen with kids. It is right in the center of the city and is the second oldest amusement park in the world.
Even if you don’t want to ride the rides, you can still explore Tivoli Gardens. The amusement park is decorated extravagantly and is a joy to behold.
We visited Tivoli in October and it was decked out in Halloween decorations. It was so fun for the kids and us too.
The year before our kids weren’t able to celebrate Halloween because we were traveling full time, so this was a great way to enjoy the holiday.
When you visit Tivoli, you can purchase just an entrance ticket or you can purchase an entrance and ride ticket together. If you only purchase the rides ticket, you will still have to purchase the entrance ticket when you arrive.
Tivoli Gardens opens at 11am most days. I would check their website to double check times. Since it isn’t the cheapest activity, I would plan to spend a good chunk of your day here if you are going to ride the rides.
As far as the rides go, they aren’t huge. There are no big roller coasters you would see in Six Flags or Cedar Point for example. You can still find exciting rides though.
Even a few of them were too scary for the boys to try. They also have some great options for really young kids too.
For me, it is all about the experience, and I think it is well worth the price!
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Dinner In Tivoli Food Hall
There are a few different restaurants and food stalls in Tivoli, but what I would recommend is to head over to Tivoli’s Food Hall.
You are technically leaving the amusement park when you go, but if you enter the food market from the Tivoli side, you will get a stamp on your hand and can return to the amusement park after enjoying your dinner.
This also means you can enjoy the many tasty restaurants in Tivoli Food Hall without getting a ticket to the park if you wish.
The Tivoli Food Hall has many different food options to choose from including Indian, Danish, Thai and sushi. We were feeling like pasta that evening, so we found a spot at the bar of La Baracca. It was incredibly delicious!
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Family-Friendly Attractions Not Listed In This One Day Copenhagen Itinerary
Everyone has different interests and so if something in this Copenhagen itinerary isn’t for you, here are a couple of other family-friendly options to consider when planning a day in Copenhagen with kids.
- Biking around the city to see the attractions is a fun and active way to explore Copenhagen with kids. With small kids you can rent a cargo bike. Family Bike is a great place to do this.
- Find the 6 Forgotten Giants sculptures. These wooden trolls by Thomas Dambo are scattered around Copenhagen. You will need a car to find them all. If you only want to see a few, you can see them by bike. Here is Thomas’s troll map. We visited 3 when we were there!
- If you have animal lovers in your family, Copenhagen Zoo or The Blue Planet, Copenhagen’s aquarium, could be good options.
- Make a walking tour of Copenhagen exciting for the kids by doing a treasure hunt. Seek n See has a couple of different options for treasure hunts in the city. These are self-guided and you just need to download them on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Copenhagen
Where To Stay In Copenhagen With A Family?
When we visited Copenhagen, we stayed at Moxy Copenhagen Sydhavnen. It was a fairly reasonably priced hotel for Copenhagen and in a good location. It had parking available too which was handy for us.
In addition, it just recently got even more connected to downtown with the new metro station that opened up nearby.
We also really liked that the bar area was kid friendly with lots of games for the kids. The rooms were spacious and comfortable.
Here are some other options for hotels that are great for families too:
- Tivoli Hotel: Great location, especially if visiting Tivoli Gardens. The indoor pool is a nice bonus!
- CPH Hotel: Really nice location with an indoor pool and a great set-up for family rooms.
- Charlottehaven: A more luxurious apartment hotel with a stunning view and easy access to the metro.
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Can You Do Copenhagen In One Day?
Copenhagen has many different attractions for a family vacation. You can visit it and get a sense of the city but you won’t see everything in 24 hours.
If you have only one day, you will have to pick and choose what you and your family want to see. This is why we like the boat option, as you can see many different sights easily and fairly quickly.
Is Copenhagen Good For Families?
Copenhagen is a great city for families. It is a very safe city and easily walkable or bikeable with good public transportation.
If you have small kids you can even rent cargo bikes to visit the city. This is a great way to get around too, especially if you don’t like boats.
Wrapping Up A Day In Copenhagen With Kids
I hope this one day in Copenhagen with kids itinerary gives you some good ideas on what to do on a trip. There are so many different things to do in Copenhagen, that you can’t go wrong. Have a great trip!
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