Best Things To Do for a Family Trip to Copenhagen

Copenhagen (København in Danish) is such a colorful, lively city. The capital of Denmark has such charm with ancient buildings and stunning waterways. The best time to go is in Summer when the days are long but not too hot. It can be rainy year-round but don’t let that stop you from getting out. Grab your umbrella and enjoy the city in the rain. We love the hygge (cozy) lifestyle that the Danes live and want to embrace it in all our travels. So join us for a laidback, fun weekend in this vibrant city with our favorite things to do and see in Copenhagen.

What to do in Copenhagen

We started the weekend off with some fun for the whole family at Tivoli Gardens. This is the second oldest and arguably most charming amusement park in the world. It is said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney World, and it obvious why the park is great for all ages. There are many different restaurants and beautiful flower gardens for the adults to enjoy. For the kids, there are rides, arcade games, and tons of sweet treats. There are two different tickets for the park, entrance (135 DKK/ $20 USD/16 GBP) and ultimate ride pass (245 DKK/$37 USD/30 GBP). This is especially nice because you are able to save on ticket prices for the people who would prefer not to ride any rides.

Nyhavn is an absolute must-see if you are in Copenhagen! This is the best place to take pictures, eat some food, and have the world’s best ice cream. This canal is surrounded by brightly-colored buildings and filled with sailboats and tourist sightseeing boats. Restaurants line the canal with places to sit outside and enjoy a drink or two with a great view. However, you can also buy something to drink at a convenient store and bring it with you if you want to save some money. There are not many places to sit beside the restaurants but people will line the canal and sit on the sides of it with their feet dangling to enjoy their cold drink.

We saw two different castles on this trip. Our apartment was right beside Amailenborg (the Queen’s winter residence). It is a nice shortcut to take away from the crowded streets, so everyday we walked through the courtyard and saw the guards and the beautiful grounds. You can’t help but do a 360-degree turn while standing in the middle of this palace; it is amazing all around. We did not go inside the castle this time because we already did back in December. But we do suggest going inside on the tour at least once. It is pretty even though it is not very big.

Frederiksborg Slot was the next impressive castle. We escaped from the city to the countryside to see it. This made for a great day trip as it is only about a 30-minute drive north of Copenhagen. You can also take a train or bus to get there. This beautiful Renaissance castle is surrounded by water and lavish green gardens. One of the first rooms in the castle is the original Baroque chapel. This breathtaking chapel is filled with amazing details everywhere you look. Throughout the rest of the castle there are lots of rooms and paintings to get lost in. I would definitely suggest planning on spending a couple hours here exploring the grounds.

Where to eat

We cannot give enough praise about The Union Kitchen. We went there for brunch two days in a row. The atmosphere was laid-back and the food was delicious. In Tivoli we ate at Hereford Beefstouw a steak house and a great Italian place called La Vecchia Italia.

Where to stay

We always use booking to find the best deals on hotels and apartments. This was the apartment we stayed in and loved it! There were several things to do and see close by, such as: Amalienborg, Frederik’s Church, and Gefionspringvandet and Park. It was in walking distance to Nyhavn and many other major tourist spots in the city. On a previous trip to Copenhagen, we stayed at The Generator. This would be a good place for a solo or couple travel, as it is a hostel and more inexpensive than an apartment.

We hope this short guide provides you with ideas of enjoyable ways to spend your time in Copenhagen. Traveling to Copenhagen in the winter? Check out our quick guide to Christmas markets here.

Don’t forget to collect moments, not things! Happy travels!