4 Places to Take Kids in Copenhagen

Denmark’s capital city is a year-round favorite for family travel. After visiting these star attractions, your kids will be singing “Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen!” right along with the locals.

Tivoli
Walt Disney once spent a day in Tivoli, Copenhagen’s family-oriented amusement park, and went home to design Disneyland, which he opened four years later. Unlike many other parks of the time, Disney found it clean, orderly and with a festive air of family fun. It still is.

Inside its grand entrance are gardens; carousels; a roller coaster; puppet shows; fun houses; and stages for music, dance and theater. Return at night when the trees twinkle with lights and the neo-Moorish concert hall is aglow, or in December when the entire of Tivoli is a Christmas fantasy.

Bakken
Tivoli may be more famous, but Bakken is the oldest. In fact, it’s the oldest amusement park in the world, opened in 1583. Its 33 rides are a charming mix of thrill rides and nostalgic old-school favorites. Its woodland setting and the fact admission and some activities are free makes it a popular place to relax and take a break from sightseeing.

You won’t find big name brands tempting your kids; independent local merchants set up shops in the colorful wooden cabins and chalets. cafés and restaurants serve traditional Danish dishes and more exotic fare, and there’s always ice cream. Rides are for all ages, but Bakken is most popular with parents of younger children.

Den Bla Planet
Denmark’s National Aquarium, Den Bla Planet, is one of Europe’s largest, with 48 aquariums and enclosures housing marine life and animals that thrive in watery environments. Kids can see colorful tropical fish swim overhead as they walk through the glass tunnels.

Other highlights are the giant Pacific octopus and the playing otters. Make sure kids get to watch the daily feeding of the 3-foot-long arapaima so they can hear the bang when the fish open their mouths to eat! In summer a water playground gives kids a chance to cool off and play water animals themselves.

Copenhagen Zoo
Elephants live well in Copenhagen, in a spacious enclosure designed by premier architect Norman Foster. Known for its advanced designs that reproduce each animal’s native environment, the zoo is considered one of Europe’s best.

Get an overview from the observation tower at the entrance, then watch polar bears swim underwater. Be sure to also visit lions, the Siberian tiger, rhinos, hippos, red pandas, zebras, crocodiles and other exotic animals from around the world.