Traveling to Vienna, Austria with the whole family can provide you with the opportunity to take in some beautiful scenery, experience a new country and culture, and spend some quality time with your children. But as you probably know, traveling with kids can be problematic in a number of ways. So here are just a few kid-friendly travel tips that will make your trip to Vienna fun and memorable and ensure a good time is had by all.
- Making air travel bearable. If you’re flying to Austria from the U.S., chances are you’re going to have a long trip, and with kids this can quickly devolve into fights, tantrums, and general disruption if you don’t plan accordingly. Ideally, your kids will sleep through the majority of the flight, and this is best accomplished by taking a red eye. But you should also bring plenty of snacks and games to keep your kids occupied and comfortable. And don’t forget special items like toys or blankets that help your kids stay calm.
- Plan for losses. When you’re dragging bags and kids through a busy airport, it’s only natural that you might be distracted. And it’s not unlike children to wander off. So plan ahead by outfitting your kids with identification lanyards that state their name, your phone number, and other pertinent information. And teach them how to find an appropriate adult to ask for help in such situations. You should also have a current photo of each child with you. As for other types of loss, like luggage or cash, you may want to pay for travel insurance and carry traveler’s checks so that you can get replacements post haste.
- Consider the season. Both summer and winter tend to be popular times to visit Vienna, but if you have kids in tow that are too young for skiing and other winter sports, summer may better suit your needs. However, you should probably opt for early summer rather than August or September, when high temps and humidity could make outdoor excursions miserable.
- Don’t miss Schonbrunn. There is no shortage of historical sites to visit and activities to participate in when you visit Vienna. But if you’re looking for a place that can deliver plenty of fun and some history, to boot, Schonbrunncan offer everything you need to entertain the whole family. Schonbrunn Palace is not only an impressive historical building on massive grounds, but it boasts a children’s museum, along with tours designed to please kids with a sense of adventure. But you’ll also find a maze and labyrinth, botanic gardens, and a zoo that was originally the palace menagerie. Billed as the oldest zoo in the world, it has been updated and now houses more than 500 species of animals.
- Look for freebies. If you’re traveling on a budget, as many families are, it’s not a bad idea to do some research ahead of time so you can find free activities for kids. Many museums and other points of interest offer free admission to children on certain days, so if you’re planning to visit attractions, see if you can’t find discounts or even free days online before yourVienna travel You can visit Wien.info/en for information on museums and other free activities. Many hotels also offer child care options, so if you’re looking for a night out for the adults, hire a sitter.