Thinking of going on a city break to Munich with kids?
Munich is one of the best places to visit in Germany with kids. This guide will take you through everything you need to know, including the best things to do in Munich with kids, the best places to stay in Munich, where to eat, and the day trips from Munich! We’ll even take you through some of the best Munich itineraries from 1-5 days.
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When is the best time to go on a Munich City Break?
A Munich city break is fantastic. You can enjoy the many outdoor activities, beautiful scenery and parks in the warmer months or experience the magic of Oktoberfest, Christmas and fairytale castles in the winter.
Munich City Break in May
Visiting Munich in May is ideal as you will have pleasant weather (average 17ºC), spring festivals and many concerts to enjoy. Fruhlingsfest is a big springtime festival usually held at the beginning of May with fun fairs and many food stalls.
During May, the tourist attractions will be quieter, and the kids in Munich can enjoy the outdoor attractions.
Munich City Break in December
Munich with kids in December is magical. The weather is cold and can often dip below zero, so there is a high chance of snow.
There are many Christmas markets, with Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt, Munich Residenz and Wittelsbacherplatz being the most popular. Neuschwanstein Castle in the snow is truly unforgettable, and as you are close to the Alps, there are skiing and sledging options.
How to Get to Munich
You can fly direct to Munich from the UK in just under five hours.
From the airport to Munich city centre, you can take a taxi which will cost around €70 and takes about 45 minutes. Munich Airport to the city centre via direct train takes 45 minutes and costs around €11 for a ticket. Find flights to Munich for Your Dates Here >>>
Another option is taking the Eurostar to Paris Nord and travelling via train or hiring a car to Munich. Travelling with the family, you could enjoy a visit/stayover in Paris and then continue to Munich.
Where to Stay in Munich with Kids
Munich has many options for a family stay, and we found the quality standards of Munich city centre hotels to be great.
If you are looking for a family-friendly budget hotel, a convenient aparthotel for the family or a luxury experience, then a city break in Munich covers all these options with style.
Budget: H2 Hotel München Olympiapark
H2 Hotel München Olympiapark has a great location in central Munich, offers excellent value for money and is highly family-friendly. The hotel is close to Olympiapark and BMW Welt/Museum, so great in terms of proximity to these two top attractions.
The rooms are modern and well-equipped. There is a lovely sun terrace and a coffee shop and restaurant on site.
Mid-Range: Citadines Arnulfpark Munich
Citadines Arnulfpark Munich is located 2km from the old town, close to many Munich family attractions. Visiting Germany with kids, we found this aparthotel to be a great option. There are separate living and sleeping areas, as well as a modern kitchen.
You can get a continental breakfast on-site or visit the many cafes/restaurants nearby. Cots are free on request, and there is a small charge for extra beds.
Splashing Out: Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor
Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor is a 5-star luxury hotel nestled between the English Garden and Olympic Stadium. The hotel has a spa, fitness area, swimming pool, and a rooftop bar with a fantastic panoramic view of Munich and the Alps.
There are three restaurants and a café at the hotel that serves incredible food and room service if you want to relax after a busy day in Munich. Cots and extra beds are available on request.
Top 10 Things to do in Munich with Children
Munich offers many things to do with kids and great attractions. There are unique museums, huge parks, fairytale castles, royal palaces, and many family-friendly cafes and restaurants.
Family attractions in and around Munich are easily accessible by public transport.
1. Neuschwanstein Castle
One of the best places to visit Germany with kids is this magical castle that inspired the infamous Disney castle. It’s one of the best landmarks in Germany to visit and often called disney’s sleeping beauty castle.
Built by Ludwig II in the 19th century and located in the Bavarian countryside, the castle has beautifully decorated rooms, a walled garden and even an artificial cave! Book tickets in advance as this is a popular Munich attraction.
2. Glockenspiel
Munich’s Old Town is stunning, and the 100-year-old Glockenspiel is a unique Munich attraction for kids to enjoy. Every day at 11 am and 12 pm, there is a 15-minute show at the clock, where figurines dance, and a golden cuckoo appears at the end.
The old and new Rathaus (City Hall) buildings where the clock is located are beautiful too, and there is an excellent café in the courtyard.
3. SEA LIFE Munich
Amazing science and technology museum, with many interactive areas for kids to fly in the air, sit at the wheel of a fire engine and play a giant guitar.
Admission is free to children under six, and the aviation and shipping sections will capture their imagination.
There is also a great shop for the kids with many educational and technology toys.
4. Hellabrun Zoo
This zoo is more like a safari park, home to 19K animals from all over the world and with different habitats across 99 acres. This is a perfect day out for families, with many play areas, information points and several cafes to visit.
The highlight for the kids was the penguin parade when we visited. There is also a petting zoo, pony and camel ride to enjoy in the summer months.
5. English Garden
Visit one of the most extensive urban gardens in the world, located in the centre of Munich, as part of your weekend in Munich. The kids can explore the 78km of wooded paths, enjoy the playground, rent a paddleboat and feed the ducks.
The park overlooks the River Eisbach, where you can watch surfers ride the river waves! You can take a Munich city walking tour to learn about Munich’s garden and historic city.
Why not try this guided walk of Munich and the English Garden
6. BMW Museum
The BMW welt museum houses around 125 cars, motorbikes and engines, and the newest range, so it’s perfect for a rainy day. The building itself is spectacular and very futuristic, so the kids were impressed before we even went inside!
You can take guided tours, and there are also workshops for kids and teens on programming and design, photography and sustainability.
7. Olympia Park
Built-in 1972 for the Summer Olympics, the park offers ice skating, tennis, mini-golf, swimming and cycling. You can climb the Olympiaturm tower (290m high) and admire the view over Munich.
When I visited, the SeaLife attraction looked very popular. You can get your tickets for Sea life Here.
Kids over ten and adults can take the 200m long zip line from the roof of the Olympic Stadium. Munich city bus tours also run from Olympia Park, perfect for tired legs!
This is how I saw Munich the first time I visited. I generally stayed on the bus but got off at Olympia park.
Get Your Hop on Hop off Bus ticket here >>>
8. Fairytale Fun Park (Freizeitpark Märchenwald)
Perfect for visiting Munich with toddlers, this fairytale-themed amusement park is in a forest setting in Wolfratshausen near Munich.
Many rides, playground areas and interactive fairy tale exhibits of famous fairytales such as Snow White, Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin. There are many dining options, or you can take a picnic.
9. Nyphemburg Palace
This huge Baroque-style palace is beautiful, located just outside of the city centre and one of the best places to visit in Germany with family. Take the grand staircase to the ornate royal apartments, and the carriage/coach house is not to be missed.
The surrounding park/gardens are enormous, including fountains, lakes, a walled garden, a maze and a bathing pavilion.
10. Hirschgarten
Hirschgarten is extremely family-friendly and a great way for the family to relax after sightseeing. There is a deer park, playground areas, skate park and cycling paths that the kids can enjoy.
The beer garden serves authentic Bavarian beer for the adults to try, and the food here is excellent too, including traditional German sausages, huge pretzels and apple strudel.
Where to Eat in Munich for Families
Germany with kids is a great option as the country is very family-friendly, and Munich is no exception. Families will find plenty of places to enjoy great food, with the bonus of outdoor playgrounds, drawing activities and indoor play areas at many cafes and restaurants.
- Vits Kaffeé – Located near the Isartor city gate, this is a great café serving breakfast and lunch, in particular, the soup and cake selection were amazing. There is also an indoor kids play area with toys, books and colouring activities.
- Preysinggarten – Serving excellent German and European food and located in the north east part of Munich this restaurant is well worth a visit. There is an outdoor courtyard and playground so the kids can let off some steam and you can enjoy lunch, brunch or dinner.
- Mr Pancake – Fun and tasty pancakes are always a hit with the kids, and Mr Pancake offers both sweet and savoury options. We tried the breakfast pancakes, which were delicious and super filling. The kids enjoyed their fluffy pancakes with Nutella, bananas and blueberries.
2 Days in Munich Itinerary
Munich is a beautiful city, with amazing architecture, interesting museums, castles and palaces as well as many outdoor activities for the kids to enjoy.
There are many places to enjoy delicious food and drinks as well as lots of events throughout the year experience. Here are some ideas so you can make the most out of your city break with the kids.
Day 1: 24 Hours in Munich with Kids
Morning: Head to Marienplatz and take a Munich city walk to admire the amazing architecture, including the new and old city halls (Rathaus) with huge Munich city flags hanging from the buildings.
There are many cafes, shops and street artists to enjoy. At 11 am or 12 pm, see the famous Glockenspiel show.
St Peter’s Church has a large tower that you and the kids can climb to look across Munich, and the Viktualienmarkt (farmers market) is in this area.
Afternoon: The Museum of Science and Technology is one of the world’s largest science and technology museums.
The exhibits cover aviation, astronomy, physics, mining and shipping, to name a few.
The museum is located on a small island in the River Isar, about 10 minutes from the centre of the old town, so you can take a walk and admire the view from the bridge over the river.
Enjoy some amazing coffee and cake at Vits der Kaffee, only a five-minute walk from the museum.
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Day 2: 48 Hours in Munich with Kids
Morning: Head to Olympia Park as part of your Munich weekend break.
The kids can let off some steam in the spacious park with many sporting activities. Take a guided tour of the stadium, climb the Olympic Tower at Olympic park to admire the amazing view over Munich and take the zipline from the roof of the Olympic Stadium.
Afternoon: Next to Olympia Park is BMW Welt and the museum, where you can take a guided tour, jump in/on the cars/motorbikes, try out the car simulator, and the kids can complete short courses on car design, programming and sustainability if you book in advance. There is a great cafe and gift shop too.
3 Days in Munich Itinerary
Morning: Jump on the tram and head over to Nymphenburg Palace and Gardens. The building is breathtaking, and you can explore the opulent staterooms, apartments and carriage collection.
The gardens surrounding the nymphenburg palace are also beautiful to see, with many pavilions, lakes, waterfalls, statues and a wooded area with a small hunting lodge.
Afternoon: Take a short taxi ride over to visit the English Garden so the kids can have fun at the many playgrounds, take a boat out on the lake, watch the surfers and relax at the many cafes, restaurants or beer gardens across the park.
There are also interesting buildings, including the Chinese Tower and Apollo’s Temple, to see and cycling paths and walking trails through forested areas.
4 Days in Munich City Break Itinerary
Book a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle, one of Germany’s most picturesque attractions.
The castle is situated high above the quaint village of Hohenschwangau, and the journey from Munich through the stunning Bavarian countryside is not to be missed. You can also combine this with a visit to nearby Linderhof Castle and Oberammergau, famous for the Passion Play and Christmas-themed shops.
Try this Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace Day Tour from Munich
5 Days in Munich Itinerary
Visit Hellabrun Zoo for a perfect day out with the kids.
There are 19K exotic and domestic animals to see, petting zoo areas, playgrounds, vintage train rides and go-karts.
You can hire pull-along carts for smaller children at rental booths near the zoo entrance area.
The zoo offers guided tours, workshops, animal training sessions and daily animal feeding, so there are lots to enjoy for the kids. The zoo is easily accessible by public transport, including U-Bahn (U3), S-Bahn (S8) or MetroBus (Line 52) to Thailkirchen.
Day Trips from Munich with Kids
The location of Munich is perfect if you wish to explore the Bavarian region and even take a day trip to Austria, which is only about an hour and a half away via train. You can enjoy an active day at fantastic amusement parks, visit fairy tale Bavarian towns, and Austria is on your doorstep.
Rothenburg is like something out of a fairytale. There are walls around the town that you and the kids can explore, cobbled streets and lots of quaint buildings.
There are many Christmas shops and a museum that children will love visiting whatever the season.
Try the local delicacy Schneeballen, a sweet pastry coated in sugar and the shape of a snowball. This tour will take you to wabia’s Nördlinger Ries, Harburg castle and Rotheburg!
Bayernpark
Great for a family day trip from Munich in warmer weather. The park has amazing family rides (from toddlers to teens), whitewater rafting, playgrounds, wild animals and special events throughout the year.
Located about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Munich via hire car or travel by train from Munich to Dingolfing station and a shuttle bus can transport you to and from the park in just over 2 hours.
Austria – Salzburg and Innsbruck
Germany with children is great, but Munich also offers opportunities to take a day trip to Austria. Visit the beautiful city of Salzburg in only 1 hour 30 minutes by train or Innsbruck, which takes only 15 minutes longer.
Why not try this Innsbruck and Crystal Worlds private day tour from Munich
Visiting near Christmas? Find out the best Austria Christmas markets to visit
Getting Around Munich
Munich has a great public transport system, including trams, underground (U-Bahn) and overground (S-Bahn) trains, as well as metro buses.
The tram is an excellent option as stops are more frequent, you can enjoy the sights, and it operates in areas with no subway connections.
Munich is very cycle-friendly, so this is a great way to explore the city, and the kids will enjoy this too.
If you want to venture further afield and explore Bavaria and Austria, then travelling by train (Deutsche Bahn). Get your train ticket here.
Hiring a car would be a great option for the family.
Plan Your City Break to Munich with Kids
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Sylvie Simpson is the founder of European Cities with Kids. For the past 6 years, she has been travelling all over Europe whenever she has the chance, both solo, for work and with her daughter. Sylvie is on a mission to help people make the most of city breaks in Europe with kids and helps over 50,000 readers per month plan and make the most of their trips in Europe with kids.