First of all, for those who haven’t heard about Nice, it is a gorgeous place in France, where, trust me, you don’t have to struggle for reasons to stay. What? You don’t believe me, just Google it once.
Nice is one of the best French cities or I should say the heart of the French Riviera that can be your next destination on the bucket list. The city where you can have the most delicious food ever, soak yourself under the sun on the beautiful beach, visit a vineyard, and whatnot. Let’s know more about this place with Routeprints.
A wonderful spot to pay a visit, Nice has some great and fun things for your kids to explore that ultimately make it an awesome place for a family vacation as well. Your kid will not just love it, but also learn new things without getting bored.
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Things to do in Nice with Kids
Check out the things you can try with your kids in Nice and a few additional tips for a perfect family trip to Nice.
Promenade des Anglais
Even if you’re going alone, talking about Nice without mentioning this fabulous and most famous tourist attraction is quite difficult. One of the best places for the kids where they can have a blast, thanks to the 7kms run from the airport to the Nice port and many other fun things. To make it memorable, you can hire children scooters, bikes, skateboards, or roller skates at the Roller Station.
Spend a day like the locals and treat your eyes with the stunning vistas of the Mediterranean Sea. You can even head towards the pebbled public beach, enjoy swimming if you are making during the warmer days, watch street performers or musicians perform, and stop at a private beach to feed your hungry bellies with maybe street-side ice cream.
Tip: Though you might find a number of rest stops at the Promenade, remember you have to pay at most of the public toilets to use them.
Old Town
Take them to the tapered streets of the Old Town, where the energy is fantastic and there are a lot of things for the kids to explore. From shops to restaurants, cafes, flower and food markets, bakeries, and other local stores, this place has everything for you and your kids. You cannot leave without having an ice cream at Fenocchio that serves around 94 most traditional and original flavors in the city. Absolutely, worth a visit.
Also, if you’re making it on Monday, take them to the Antique market and show some of your bartering skills. Who knows, you might snag a deal as well.
Tip: From Tuesday to Sunday, this place features a market of fresh vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Do pay a visit and take in the phenomenal smells and sights of the place.
Parc Phoenix
You can make it to the Parc Phoenix, which is yet another great place to appreciate in Nice. This 7-hectare park that is home to almost 2,500 plant species from all over the world and home to over 2000 animals, be it reptiles, birds, or farm animals, this park is worth spending the time with the kids. Not just they’ll learn a lot of new things, but they will have a great time out there. They also play areas for children and educational exhibits help your kids learn in a fun and innovative way.
Also, Parc Phoenix is close to the airport and beautifully situated across the sea that makes it easy to commute as well.
Tip: Ways to get from Parc Phoenix to Nice:
- Cheapest: Take a bus that will cost 2€ and will take around 12 minutes to reach.
- Fastest: Take a taxi that will cost you somewhere from 35€- 45€ and will take just 7 minutes to reach.
- Direct Bus: From Parc Phoenix to Magnan/ Promenade. The services are available 3 times a day from Monday to Friday. This will take around 12 minutes to reach.
Castle Hill of Nice
Castle Hill of Nice – CHRIS BONTEMPS / CC BY-SA
You cannot leave without experiencing the mesmerizing views from the Chateau Hill. An amazing free activity for the family, which is only a few minutes away from the city center, this place is where you can capture an incredible view of the city.
Also, before you head towards the Castle Hill, let me tell you that you’ll only get to see the ruins of the castle and not what you’ve seen in the storybooks. Of course, there will be some walking included in visiting this place, but your kids will definitely love the place, thanks to the gorgeous waterfall that comes down from a short cliff. When you’ll reach the top of the hill, you can spend some quality time in the playground with climbing frames, or visit two of the cafes with the outdoor seating arrangement.
TIP: If your kids are not at all interested in climbing the hill or you cannot make it due to some other reason, use the free lift from Rue des Ponchettes.
If you’re visiting in summers and going to trek up the hill, make sure you’re carrying enough water to avoid dehydration.
Kid’s City
Let’s become a kid again and enjoy like no one is watching us. Run, slide, crawl, jump, and do whatever that makes your soul happy. Kid’s city is the most beautiful and secure indoor park for kids up to 12 years of age, where everything is monitored by the staff and has a restaurant area overlooking the play area, so you can have some refreshments while keeping an eye on your kid. Besides, the play area, soft trampolines, blocks, and inflatables are much loved by the kids. You can click some happy images of your kids with your DSLR camera and make good memories.
Tip: Before you visit the Kid’s City, do check their website because it remains closed on one Monday every month.
Entry for 2 adults and 1 child is free, whereas you need to pay a small amount for an additional adult.
If you don’t want to spend unnecessary money on things, take your water bottle along, because water is quite expensive out there.
Chocolatier Lacroix
Children love chocolates, isn’t it? And there is nothing better than visiting this wonderful chocolate shop that serves almost everything for everyone- from cakes to truffles, macarons, mousse, tarts, and whatnot. The tempting and fulfilling collection will make your kid fall in love with the place. In fact, you can also explore some new flavors or maybe some traditional ones.
Tip: You can take some treats back home because they serve them in really cool bags.
Atelier Stuc and Mosaic
If your kid is into arts and crafts, or maybe you want them to explore this side as well, nothing would better than paying a visit to the Atelier Stuc and Mosaic. They offer great artistic workshops for both kids and their parents. You can let them select from a gamut of courses like Mosaic Styles, Art Nouveau, Traditional French, Byzantine, or antique. They provide you with classes designed especially for children, some creative workshops for the family, and multi-day courses who love doing crafts from the heart.
Tip: You can visit the shop at the Atelier Stuc and Mosaic to get DIY kits with instructions if you want to take any project along.
Additional Tips to Make your Trip to Nice Worth It
So, discussed above were some of the outstanding places you can visit with your kids. And here are a few tips on how to make the most of your Nice trip.
One Day Nice Itinerary
If you are planning a one-day trip
It’s not always you get plenty of days to spend some quality time with the family. Not to worry because Nice provides you with a perfect one-day plan as well and trust me, you won’t regret it.
So, this short trip starts with visiting one of the important squares of the city called Massena Square that will take you to make famous attractions.
- Next, you can visit the Paillon Promenade, which is the most preferred place of the residents for walking and relaxing. You can definitely have a fun time with the family.
- Garibaldi Square can be your next stop where you can visit the grocery store (Monoprix) and get all the good stuff.
- Old Town is where you can let your kids appreciate the beauty of narrow streets, galleries of local artists, florists, and other shops. Plus, you can have a nice French lunch with them in one of the restaurants out there. If you’re on a budget, grab a sandwich or salad, and have a bite sitting on the benches or under the palm, like everyone else.
- After your bellies are satisfied, pay a visit to the Promenade des Anglais and the Castle Hill of Nice for some instagrammable pictures and some beautiful memories with your kids.
Best Family Hotels in Nice
Another important concern while traveling with the family is finding a good place to stay.
Goldstar Resort and Suites is one of the best hotels to stay with the family that takes care of all your luxuries and provides you with all the possible facilities you need. The Nice train station from the hotel is a 10-minute walk, while you need a 15-minute drive to reach the airport.
Aria Hotel is perfect for those on a budget that offers good value for your money. The location calls for a 5-minute walk from Rue Jean Medecin and needs a 10-minute walk to reach the train station, old town, and the sea, whereas the airport is 7.6km far.
Black and White Apartments are an ideal option for those looking for a rental place, where they can stay for longer days. This 2-bedroom apartment is family-friendly with 2 bathrooms and a kitchen.
So, here I come to an end with all the great things you can experience with your kids in Nice along with some tips that might help you in making plans easily.
Pay a visit and let me know if any of the suggestions help in any way.
Happy Vacation!
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