Cologne for kids offers a wide range of family fun and excitement, from unique museums to spooky walking tours, thrilling amusement parks and fun holiday markets. Your family will make memories for life as you ride roller coasters, eat carnival food and even learn all about the history of chocolate. You can visit a zoological garden to see exotic creatures in their natural habitat and learn all about conservation.
The city offers water parks and outstanding viewpoints that will light up your social media feed. Any style of family entertainment you desire is available in this vibrant city. Check out some of the best family fun activities in Cologne.
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Phantasialand
Visit a theme park showcasing world culture
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Phantasialand is a traditional amusement and theme park offering roller coasters, rides, live entertainment, carnival-style eats, games and family memories for life. This amusement park has epic-level thrills with water rides, roller coasters, fast rides and world-class live entertainment. The park is divided into 6 different ‘lands’, all themed around real-world and fantastical countries: China, Berlin, Africa, Mexico, Mystery Land and Fantasy. Each world has its own rides, ethnic food and cultural experiences.
It’s open from April to November and will add a sense of wonder and excitement to your journey here. It’s located just 45 minutes southwest of the Cologne city centre.
Locatie: Berggeiststraße 31-41, 50321 Brühl, Germany
Openingstijden: Daily from 9 am to 6 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 2232 36600
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Cologne Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum Köln)
Learn the making of chocolate from bean to bar
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The Cologne Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum Köln) offers the chance to learn about the history and craft of chocolateering, with plenty of tasting along the way. You’ll be greeted immediately by the sweet smell of chocolate, which just gets more delicious as you go from there. You’ll witness the making of chocolate from bean to bar. If you want, you can even have your own personal chocolate bar made for you that you can take with you to eat at the end of it all.
Of course, you’ll get to taste lots of candy along the way, and you’ll get to see a stunning chocolate fountain. It’s in the city centre, and kids under 6 are free.
Locatie: Am Schokoladenmuseum 1A, 50678 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 9318880
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Cologne Zoological Garden (Kölner Zoo)
See thousands of animals in Germany’s oldest zoo
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Cologne Zoological Garden (Kölner Zoo) offers the chance to get up close to hundreds of unique and exotic animals in their natural habitats as you stroll through beautiful grounds. This is the oldest zoo in Germany and, to this day, is one of the most highly regarded and respected. It’s a gigantic park boasting over 10,000 animals representing more than 800 species. You’ll not only see the animals, but you can witness sea lion, piranha, hippo and penguin feedings. You’ll also get the chance to see bird shows.
The gigantic elephant enclosure is a highlight, and kids will love the adventure playground on site. It’s only about 10 minutes north of the city centre.
Locatie: Riehler Str. 173, 50735 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Daily from 9 am to 6 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 56799100
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Aqualand
Visit a water park with slides, pools and a spa
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Aqualand is a water park offering the chance to cool off from the heat while you splash, float and play, with delicious food and lots of adventure and relaxation. This vast indoor water park is just minutes north of the city centre, and you can easily spend an entire day here. Attractions include giant racing slides, a toddler area, water jets, several different pools and even a lazy river where the grown-ups can just relax and float all afternoon.
The adults can also hit up the sauna and spa area, which features hot stone treatments and a steam bath. It’s a wild adventure for kids and a relaxing day for parents. Lockers are available for free.
Locatie: Merianstraße 1, 50765 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Monday–Thursday from 9.30 am to 11 pm, Friday from 9.30 am to midnight, Saturday from 9 am to midnight, Sunday from 9 am to 11 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 70280
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Rheinpark
Visit the city’s vast urban park
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Rheinpark is an urban park with lots of green space, a beach club, thermal baths, a youth centre and even a theatre where you can catch live entertainment. You can spend all day cycling and hiking around the trails or relax in the sun and swim at the golden sand beaches. Kids can head for the youth centre, which offers playgrounds, miniature golf and even a miniature railroad you can ride. The adults will love the thermal baths, and the whole family will enjoy live performances in genres ranging from plays to live music in the park.
This spot offers a wide variety of activities for visitors of all ages. It’s in the city centre.
Locatie: Auenweg Rheinpark, 50679 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: 24/7
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 2210
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Cologne Triangle
Capture stunning panoramic views of the city
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The Cologne Triangle is a famous viewing platform and an observation deck offering 360-degree panoramic views of Cologne city, the Rhine river and beyond, including a scenic lift ride. The triangle viewing platform is on the 28th floor of the structure, which is just a quick jaunt across the Hohenzollern Bridge and provides scenic Rhine views. Kids get excited about the lift ride to the top, and the views allow you to see the Rhine up and down in both directions, the 7 mountains across the Kolner Dom and, of course, the city sprawling out below.
This site offers photo ops that are sure to be a highlight of your social media feeds. It’s in the city centre.
Locatie: Ottopl. 1, 50679 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Daily from noon to 8 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 355004100
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Odysseum - Das Abenteuermuseum
Visit the science and technology museum
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The Odysseum – Das Abenteurmuseum is an interactive science and technology museum that’s entirely dedicated to kids with hands-on exhibits from archaeology to industry, computers and beyond. This museum offers high-tech exhibitions allowing kids to have a great time while exploring opportunities to learn about science, technology, engineering and maths. They can learn how to dig up fossils and uncover dinosaur bones. They will swing through jungle trees, train like an astronaut and take on puzzles that test their scientific knowledge.
For the littlest ones, the museum offers a full soft-play area where they can run and bounce. The entire family can even have a blast making their own movie. It’s in the heart of the city centre.
Locatie: Corintostraße 1, 51103 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Daily from 10 am to 7 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 69068111
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The Night Watchman Old Town Walking Tours (Teenagers)
Explore the seedy underbelly of Old Town
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The Night Watchmen Old Town Walking Tours offer a spooky chance to uncover Cologne's mysterious and secret history, best for families with teenagers. This tour is perfect for families with kids 12 and older as you wander the back streets of Cologne led by a torch-bearing night watchman who shares stories and legends about the shadowy alleyways all around as well as the charlatans, con artists and beggars that occupy the darkest areas of the city.
The tour sets off from the heart of the city centre. It’s a thrilling, wondrous, unusual and even scary way to uncover the shadowy areas of Cologne and learn about its historic underbelly.
Locatie: Rudolfpl. 6, 50674 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Daily from 10 am to 3 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 172 1700022
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Le-Mans-Karting GmbH
Race around a lightning-fast kart track
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Le-Mans-Karting GmbH is a Go-Kart track offering driving sessions and training, one of the longest and fastest indoor tracks, and a full bistro and bar. The track spans 400 metres, and the facility offers youth training, double children’s karts for the little ones and will even host birthday parties for kids. All the gear you need is included in the ticket, so show up in your normal street clothes, but it’s recommended you wear sturdy clothing. Your appointed guide will go over safety and flag signals, so you’re completely prepared.
When you get hungry, the facility includes a full onsite bistro to grab a full meal. It’s 20 minutes northwest of the city centre.
Locatie: Köhlstraße 37, 50827 Köln, Germany
Openingstijden: Monday–Saturday from noon to 10 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm
Telefoonnummer: +49 221 5952302
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Cologne Christmas Market
Shop at a holiday wonderland
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The Cologne Christmas Markets turn the entire city into a holiday wonderland every December with vendors, food, live music and entertainment and a world of magic. The most popular of these markets is the one set up in front of the Cologne Cathedral in the city centre. It draws over 4 million visitors yearly to shop 150 vendor stands selling arts, crafts, food and gifts.
If you want to avoid the crowds you can head for other areas of the city centre and its quieter quarters which also offer a vibrant experience. These markets have been going on for decades, with the very first established in 1820 and new ones seemingly popping up all the time.
Locatie: Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany
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