Copenhagen with Kids
Tivoli, the aquarium, the zoo, hands-on museums and harbour baths – with prices, opening hours and directions. The family guide to a city break with kids.
By kopenhagen.info editorial team · Travel editors · Last updated: June 2026
Contents
Copenhagen is one of the most relaxed cities for a trip with kids: short distances, plenty of water, good playgrounds and a handful of attractions that work for adults and children alike. Most of the family-friendly sights are central or within 15 to 20 minutes by metro. This guide brings together the main ones, with current prices, opening hours and how to get there.
Tivoli – the classic right in the centre
Tivoli is the obvious starting point and could not be more central: less than a two-minute walk from Copenhagen Central Station, directly across Vesterbrogade. The historic amusement park mixes rides, gardens and evening illuminations, and works well across very different age groups.
The park runs several seasons in 2026 – the summer season runs from 7 April to 20 September, followed by Halloween (2 October to 1 November) and the Christmas season (13 November to 3 January 2027). In summer it typically opens from 11:00, staying open later at weekends than on weekdays; exact hours change from day to day. Plan accordingly if you're visiting outside peak season.
Prices vary by day and season. A standard entry ticket (Entré) starts at around DKK 150, and a combined entry-plus-ride-pass ticket (Turpas) from around DKK 389. Children under 3 go free, children aged 3 to 7 pay half price. Day-specific prices, as well as family or season passes, are only shown in the Tivoli calendar or app – worth checking before you go. Since Tivoli sits right by the station, it's easy to combine with your arrival or departure day.
Animals – Den Blå Planet and the zoo
Animal-loving families have two big options in Copenhagen. Den Blå Planet, Denmark's national aquarium, holds seven million litres of water across 48 tanks, making it the largest aquarium in Northern Europe. It's in Kastrup (Jacob Fortlingsvej 1) and reachable on metro line M2 towards the airport to Kastrup station, about 15 to 20 minutes from the city centre, then a further ten minutes on foot. The aquarium is open 365 days a year, Mondays until 21:00, Tuesday to Sunday until 17:00, and daily until 21:00 during peak season. In 2026, adults pay the regular rate of DKK 249 (DKK 219 online), children aged 3 to 11 pay DKK 131 (DKK 116 online), and under-3s go free – there's no family ticket. Booking online is strongly recommended, since entry is managed through timed slots.
Copenhagen Zoo sits on the edge of Frederiksberg and is also open 365 days a year. Adults pay DKK 249, children aged 3 to 11 pay DKK 149, under-3s go free; the viewing tower ticket costs an extra DKK 25. Booking online is cheaper and saves queuing. Highlights include the Elephant House, designed by architect Norman Foster (Foster + Partners), plus the Panda and Tropical Zoo houses, the Arctic Ring and the Giraffe House. Day-specific opening hours change seasonally – check the current times before you visit.
Hands-on museums – good for rainy days too
Two venues are ideal for bad-weather days. Experimentarium in Hellerup (Tuborg Havnevej 7, about 6 km north of the centre) is a purely hands-on science centre with hundreds of interactive stations. It's open daily from 09:30 to 17:00, online tickets come with a 10 percent discount, and a visit of three to four hours is recommended. It suits children from around age three, with a separate Miniverse zone for the very youngest, aged one to five.
The National Museum of Denmark also caters to children: its children's museum is aimed at roughly ages 4 to 10 and lets kids experience the Viking Age, the Middle Ages and a school room from around 1900 hands-on. Admission to the National Museum of Denmark is free for everyone under 18. It's open daily from April to October, and Tuesday to Sunday for the rest of the year.
Parks, playgrounds and harbour baths
Families can burn off energy between sightseeing stops in the parks. Kongens Have, the royal garden of Rosenborg Castle, is the oldest and most-visited park in the centre at around 12 hectares, bordered by Gothersgade, Øster Voldgade, Sølvgade and Kronprinsessegade. It's open free of charge daily from 07:00 to 22:00 and has an artistically designed adventure playground. From early June to early September, a puppet theatre also performs here daily except Mondays at 14:00 and 15:00.
In summer, the harbour baths are a big draw – free to use and staffed by lifeguards during the June-to-September season. The harbour bath at Islands Brygge is the first and best known: five pools for up to 600 people, including two dedicated children's pools; lifeguards are on duty there from 1 June to 31 August between 10:00 and 18:00. For something quieter with more of a beach feel, head to Nordhavn for the Sandkaj harbour bath, with a promenade and cafés, which is open year-round as an official bathing zone. Water quality in the harbour meets clean bathing standards.
Getting around with kids – cargo bike or metro
Copenhagen is flat, and many families get around the city by cargo bike. A standard Christiania box typically fits two small children, or one adult, with a load capacity of around 100 to 150 kg. At rental outfits such as beCopenhagen or Kgs. Have Cykler, non-electric bikes start at around DKK 400 for six hours or DKK 500 for 24 hours, electric family models from around DKK 700 for the first day; weekly rates work out cheaper per day. If cycling in Danish traffic feels daunting, the metro, buses and a pushchair also get you around easily – distances are short and largely step-free. More on this in the guide to getting around Copenhagen; if you're planning several attractions, it's worth checking whether the Copenhagen Card pays off.
The best time for a family trip
May to September works best for a trip with kids. June offers the best balance of mild weather (around 17 to 20°C) and very long, bright days with up to around 18 hours of daylight – ideal for harbour baths, parks and long evenings. May and September are quieter shoulder-season months with smaller crowds at the attractions. If your dates are flexible, avoid the peak: Danish school summer holidays start on the last Saturday in June in 2026 and run until early August, and this is when the zoo, aquarium and Tivoli are busiest. For a full month-by-month breakdown, see the guide to the best time to visit.