30 things to do in Bordeaux with kids

Bordeaux might be known as the wine capital of France, but it’s actually a very easy city to explore with kids.

Between parks, bike paths, riverfront walks, beaches, and plenty of interactive activities, there’s much more to do here than most people expect.

In this guide, I’ve put together the best things to do in Bordeaux with kids, both in the city and nearby. You’ll find a mix of outdoor spots, indoor activities, and a few family-friendly wineries that are genuinely worth visiting.

If you’re short on time and planning to see a lot, it’s also worth checking the Bordeaux City Pass, which includes public transport and access to several attractions.

👉 And if you’re looking for family-friendly hotels, you can check my full guide here.

Best Things to Do in Bordeaux with Kids (Local Favorites)

If you’re visiting Bordeaux with kids and don’t want to overplan, these are the places I would start with.

When you’re traveling as a family, the day often revolves around the kids. The good thing here is that these spots actually work for both. You’re not just keeping them busy, you’re enjoying the city too. You’ll find more details about each of these places further down in the guide.

Water Mirror (Miroir d’Eau) – this is usually the first place kids fall in love with.
Tourist Train (Petit Train) An easy way to see the main landmarks without too much walking.
Darwin Ecosystem – A creative space where kids can run, skate, and explore freely. The Natural history museum – located in Bordeaux’s central park, Jardin Public. It’s interactive, not too big.
Dune du Pilat – If you’re up for a short trip outside the city, this is the one place I wouldn’t skip.

If you only have a day or two in Bordeaux, start with these and build the rest of your time around them.

 Fun Ways to Explore Bordeaux with Kids

Sightseeing with kids doesn’t always work if it’s just walking from one landmark to another. These are simple ways to discover Bordeaux while keeping it fun and a bit more interactive.

Tourist Train (Petit Train)

One of the easiest ways to get an overview of the city without too much walking.

The train leaves from Allées de Tourny, right next to the tourist office, and runs through the main landmarks with an audio guide. It takes about 45 minutes, which is just enough to keep kids engaged without losing their attention.

👉 It’s also included in the Bordeaux City Pass,  See more details and tickets here.

🧒 Best with younger kids

Treasure Hunts & Games

If your kids need a bit more than just looking at buildings, this works really well.

One of my favorite options is Piste de Robin, a free treasure hunt designed for families. You follow a route, solve clues, and discover the area along the way. There are several versions in Bordeaux and across Gironde, so you can easily choose one that fits your itinerary. You have to go to the tourist office to start the game and the kids get a small gift at the end. 

🧒 Works well for kids who can read

Bike rides along the river

Bordeaux is very easy to explore by bike, especially along the river.

You can follow long, flat paths from the historic center toward Bacalan or cross the river for a quieter ride. It’s a good way to see more of the city without it feeling like sightseeing.

There are several places to rent bikes along the quais, and if you prefer something more structured, you can also join a guided bike tour, which works well with older kids. You can check one option here.

🧒 Best for older kids who can ride confidently

Boat Cruise on the Garonne

Another fun way to discover Bordeaux with kids is taking the Garonne River cruise. The 1.5-hour cruise starts from the city center and passes by iconic landmarks like the Place de la Bourse and the Saint Pierre Stone Bridge. It’s not a huge boat, which makes it nice and cozy when traveling with kids.  And, it also comes with a glass of wine, isn’t that amazing? You can book your tour here.

🧒 Works for all ages

Parks & Outdoor Activities in Bordeaux

Water Mirror (Miroir d’Eau)

This is one of the simplest and most fun stops with kids in Bordeaux.

The water alternates between a shallow pool and a mist effect, which keeps it interesting even if you stay a while. In warm months, kids will almost always end up running through it. It usually operates from spring to autumn, depending on the weather, so it’s not guaranteed year-round. Bringing a change of clothes is a good idea.

🧒 Best for younger kids, but works for all ages

Jardin Public

The most central park in Bordeaux and an easy stop during your visit.

There’s plenty of shade, a nice playground, and open space to relax. It’s also right next to the Natural History Museum, which makes it easy to combine both.

🧒 Good for all ages but amazing for little kids

Parc Bordelais

If you want more space, this is the best park in Bordeaux.

It’s bigger, more local, and has one of the best playgrounds in the city. A good option if you want a slower moment away from the center. It’s a beautiful park but if you have only one or two days to spend in Bordeaux, it’s not a must. 

🧒 Great for all ages

Bordeaux Lac Beach (Plage du Lac)

If you don’t have time to go to the ocean, this is a very good alternative.

There’s a sandy beach, calm water, and plenty of shade from the trees. In summer, you’ll also find activities like kayaking and sailing. The beach is usually open from June to mid-September. You can get there by tram C. 

🧒 Great for all ages

Fun & Sport Activities

Darwin Ecosystem (skatepark & play area)

Darwin is one of the most unique places to visit in Bordeaux, especially with kids.

Set in a former military barracks on the right bank, it’s now a large open space filled with street art, food spots, and areas to move around freely. The skatepark is one of the biggest in the city, and you can rent equipment on site if your kids want to try it.

There’s also a small play corner for younger kids and plenty of space to run, which makes it easy to spend a couple of hours here without it feeling like a “visit.”

🧒 Works for all ages

Hapik Bordeaux (climbing)

A fun indoor climbing space designed especially for kids, with colorful walls and different levels of difficulty.

It’s very accessible, even for beginners, and a good option when you want something active but not weather-dependent. Reserve your spot here. 

🧒 Best for kids 4+

Rooftop Mini Golf (UCPA Sport Station)

UCPA Sport Station is a large indoor sports complex with activities like climbing, fitness, and more.

What makes it stand out is the mini golf course on the rooftop, which turns it into a fun and slightly different outing. It’s easy to combine a bit of activity with a relaxed break, especially with older kids.

🧒 Best for older kids

VertiGina

VertiGina is one of the most unusual climbing experiences in Bordeaux.

Set on historic silos right in the city, it’s an outdoor urban climbing site where you can scale vertical walls up to 33 meters high. With 24 routes of different levels, it feels more like an adventure than a typical climbing session.

It’s a great option for older kids or teens who want something a bit more challenging and memorable than a standard activity. Book your spot here. 

🧒 Best for older kids and teens

Wave Surf Café (indoor surfing)

A very cool and unusual activity right in the city, one that my 10-year-old particularly love.

The Wave Surf Café features an artificial wave in the middle of the space, where kids can try surfing in a controlled environment. It’s a great introduction to surfing, especially if you’re not heading to the ocean. Book your visit here. 

🧒 Best for kids 8+

Soft Play & Trampoline Parks

There are several indoor play areas around Bordeaux, especially useful on rainy days.

The trampoline park You Kids is a good option to let them burn energy. Kdouland is more comfortable for parents, with a restaurant and terrace (Effet Mer), so you can sit and have lunch while they play.

🧒 Best for younger kids

Tepacap (Mérignac)

An adventure park with treetop courses, games, and outdoor activities.

Located in the Decathlon village in Mérignac, it offers a mix of physical challenges like rope courses, a labyrinth, and group games. It’s a great option if you want something more active and a bit different from the city center.

It’s very popular in the summer, so booking in advance is a good idea. The park is open from April to early November. 

🧒 Best for kids 6+

Museums & Indoor Experiences Kids Will Actually Enjoy

Not every museum works with kids, but Bordeaux has a few that are genuinely engaging. These are good options when you want something interactive, educational, or just a break from being outside.

CAPC Musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux – Cool Kids Space

The CAPC offers a dedicated exhibition space designed especially for children, called the “Cool Kids Space.” It’s not a classic museum visit. The installations are playful, interactive, and adapted for kids to explore freely, which makes it much more engaging than most contemporary art spaces.

It’s worth checking what’s on before your visit, as the content changes regularly. See info here.

It’s also free on the first Sunday of the month (except July and August) and included in the Bordeaux City Pass.

🧒 Best for kids 2-8

Muséum de Bordeaux – Sciences et Nature

This is one of the best museums to visit with younger kids.

It has a huge collection, but what makes it stand out is the “Early Years Museum,” a dedicated space designed for children under 6. The exhibitions are interactive and regularly updated, which keeps it interesting.

It’s also free on the first Sunday of the month (except July and August) and included in the Bordeaux City Pass.

🧒 Best for younger kids

Cap Sciences

One of the most fun and interactive museums in Bordeaux.

The exhibitions focus on science in a hands-on way, and there are workshops adapted to different age groups, from photography to cooking and environmental topics.
Note – if you’ve been to many science museums this one might me a bit underwhelming. 

🧒 Works for all ages, especially between 5 and 12. 

Bassins des Lumières

A large digital art space set in a former submarine base.

The immersive projections are visually impressive and can work surprisingly well with kids, especially if they’re used to screens and visuals. You can get your tickets here. 

🧒 Works for all ages apart from babies (the volume of the music is quite high).

Science & Experiences (immersive exhibition)

An interactive exhibition focused on science and sensory experiences.

It’s more playful than educational, with visual and immersive elements that work well for kids. It’s a bit pricey, but my kids really loved it. Book your experience here. 

🧒 Best for kids 6+

Virtual Room Bordeaux

A collaborative virtual reality experience where you play together as a team.

You move through different worlds and solve missions, which makes it feel more like a game than a tech activity. Book your experience here. 

🧒 Best for kids 10+

Farms & Animal Experiences

Ferme urbaine des Iris (Lormont)

A small urban farm where kids can see and feed animals like rabbits, goats, and donkeys.

It’s a simple but very enjoyable experience, especially with younger kids, and one of the best free activities to do with toddlers around Bordeaux. You can easily combine it with a walk in Parc de l’Ermitage nearby.

🧒 Best for younger kids

La Ferme Exotique (Cadaujac)

A larger animal farm located about 20 minutes from Bordeaux, with around 1,000 animals from all over the world.Kids can get quite close to the animals and even help feed some of them, which makes it feel more interactive than a classic zoo visit.

The park is open daily from April to October, and mainly on weekends and Wednesdays the rest of the year. See info here. 

🧒 Great for kids up to 9 yo

Bordeaux Zoo (Pessac)

A family-friendly zoo located in Pessac, just outside Bordeaux. You can see more than 250 animals, from monkeys to giraffes and white tigers. They also organize activities and events for kids throughout the year. The zoo is open all year round, except on December 25 and January 1. See info here. 

🧒 Great for all ages

Best Day Trips from Bordeaux with Kids

One of the best things about visiting Bordeaux with kids is how many easy day trips you can do nearby.

Within an hour or two, you can go from vineyards to beaches, rivers, or even a theme park.

Wine Route with Kids (family-friendly wineries)

Traveling to Bordeaux with kids doesn’t mean you can’t discover this incredible wine region. 

I have been visiting many wine estates (wine chateaux) with my kids since moving here and the owners were very welcoming most of the time. However last couple of years (since my kids became very hard to travel with 🙂) I discovered a few super kids-friendly wineries that offer different activities to keep kids busy and parents happy. 

You can read all my recommendations for kid-friendly chateaux in the Bordeaux wine region in my article. I have included wineries in Saint Emilion, Pessac Leognan, Medoc, and other appellations so you should find at least one that fits your route.

🧒 Great for all ages

Dune du Pilat + Beach Day

This is the easiest and most rewarding day trip from Bordeaux.

You can combine climbing the dune with a beach day nearby, which makes it feel like a full experience rather than just a quick stop. What local usually do is bring their picnic to the dune and go down to the beach from there. 

If you’re planning to spend more time on the coast, check my guide to the best beaches around Bordeaux to choose the right spot.

🧒 Great for all ages

Kayaking around Bordeaux (rivers & Arcachon Bay)

If you’re looking for a thrilling outdoor activity, kayaking/ canoeing on the river is perfect for that. Bordeaux is surrounded by several both wide and narrow rivers as well as the Bassin d’Arcachon which all offer kayaking/ experiences. 

For one of the best kayaking experiences near Bordeaux go to Arès, a little port village on Bassin d’Arcachon. There you can choose between kayaking in the salt meadows of the Bay or a longer kayak trip to Île aux Oiseaux in the heart of the Bay.

🧒 Best for kids 6+

Futuroscope

Not the closest option, but definitely worth mentioning.

It’s less about classic rides and more about visual shows, technology, and interactive attractions, which makes it quite different from other parks.

There are ticket options for one or two days, and reduced prices if you arrive later in the afternoon. Book your tickets here.

🧒 Best for kids 5+

Terra Aventura (treasure hunts across the region)

This is a fun and slightly different way to explore the region.

Terra Aventura is a network of free geocaching-style treasure hunts spread across Nouvelle-Aquitaine, including many around Bordeaux. You follow clues through villages, nature spots, or small towns, which turns the outing into a game.

It’s usually more interesting outside Bordeaux itself, so it works well as part of a day trip. You can see all the locations here. 

🧒 Works well for kids who can read

Rainy Day Ideas in Bordeaux with Kids

Rainy days happen, especially outside summer, but they don’t really change your plans that much in Bordeaux. Most of the museums and indoor activities mentioned above, like Cap Sciences or the Natural History Museum, are actually perfect when the weather isn’t great.

If your kids need to move, it’s worth switching to something more active like climbing, trampoline parks, or indoor play areas. For older kids, immersive experiences like virtual reality or digital exhibitions (like Bassins des Lumières) work really well.

And sometimes, the easiest option is simply to slow things down. Bordeaux has plenty of cafés, bakeries, and covered markets where you can take a break and wait for the rain to pass.

Where to Eat with Kids in Bordeaux

Finding places to eat with kids in Bordeaux is usually easier than you’d expect, especially if you know where to go.

Some spots naturally work better than others. Darwin is always a good option thanks to the space and casual food. Effet Mer works really well if you’re visiting the Bassins des Lumières, especially at lunchtime. Ibaia Café is another easy stop on the quais, right next to a playground, which makes it very convenient during a day out.

And if you just need a quick break, places like Moxy are great for a snack or a drink without the pressure of a full restaurant meal.

👉 For a full list of family-friendly restaurants in Bordeaux, you can check my detailed guide here.

Where to stay in Bordeaux with kids? 

If you’re traveling with younger kids, the best areas are around Jardin Public or Chartrons, especially close to the park. These areas are quieter, more local, and give you easy access to green spaces.

If you have older kids, staying in the city center is also a great option, as you’ll be close to most attractions and won’t need to rely on transport.

The Hôtel de Ville area is another practical choice, especially if you want easy access to the city’s main shopping center, Mériadeck.

A few good hotel options for families

If you’re not sure where to start, here are two options that work particularly well with kids:

B&B La Maison Galiène
Located near Jardin Public, this is a great base if you want something calm and central. You’re close to the park and just a short walk from Rue Fondaudège, which has plenty of good food spots.

The rooms are bright, recently renovated, and air-conditioned, and families especially like the duplex quadruple room.

Aparthotel Adagio Bordeaux Centre Gambetta
A very practical option when traveling with kids.

Having a small kitchen makes a big difference, especially if you don’t want to rely on restaurants for every meal. It’s also centrally located, which makes getting around very easy.

👉 For more options, you can check my full guide on where to stay in Bordeaux with kids.

Practical Tips for Visiting Bordeaux with Kids

Is the Bordeaux City Pass worth it?

If you have limited time in Bordeaux and plan to see a lot, it’s definitely worth considering.

It includes access to several museums and experiences like the tourist train, and also covers all public transport in the city, which makes getting around very easy.

If you’re planning to visit multiple attractions in a short stay, it can quickly pay off and simplify your itinerary. You can get the City Pass here. 

Do you need a stroller in Bordeaux?

Yes, especially with younger kids.

Bordeaux is flat and very easy to walk, but it’s also a city where you end up walking a lot. Having a stroller makes the day much easier, even if parts of the historic center have cobblestones.

Is Bordeaux easy to get around with kids?

Very. The city is compact, and many of the main attractions are within walking distance of each other. 

Do you need a car?

No, not for Bordeaux itself.

You can explore the city easily on foot, by tram, or by bike. A car only becomes useful if you’re planning day trips to places like the beach or smaller villages. In general, I recommend renting a car when traveling with kids, but only after you finish exploring Bordeaux itself. 

When is the best time to visit with kids?

Spring and early autumn are ideal.

Summer is lively and fun, especially with outdoor activities, but it can get quite hot in the middle of the day.

If you need ideas for what to do with kids when it’s raining in Bordeaux, click here. Apart from that list I constantly update about kids-friendly events and activities taking place monthly in Bordeaux.

You can also get plenty of tips on things to do in the Southwest of France via Lost in Bordeaux’s social media accounts and email list, check them out here:

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*Note – Some of the links in this article include affiliate links for which I earn a small commission. It adds absolutely nothing to your cost and helps me continue writing about this amazing region. Don’t worry, I’m not getting rich here, I’ll never recommend anything I don’t believe in 🙂