11 Things to Do in Hamburg, Germany for Families
If you are like me, your vacation planning tends to revolve around your children. This can be a bit unfair for adults at times, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right balance, everyone in the family can have a great time on vacation, especially in Hamburg, no matter the weather or season. To prove it, I’m going to be sharing my list of 12 Things to do in Hamburg, Germany for Families.
When we decided to spend two days in Hamburg, Germany with our kids, my husband and I wanted to get the most out of the experience. This also meant that we made sure that downtime and even meals were fun! This is what we managed to squeeze into our weekend trip to Hamburg, Germany that pleased our family and is sure to please yours!
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1) Visit Tierpark Hagenbeck and Tropen Aquarium
If you want to know what to do in Hamburg that is the best thing for the entire family, you want to visit Tierpark Hagenbeck and Tropen Aquarium. Though it may sound like two places, both are located together in the northern part of Hamburg.
Tierpark Hagenbeck
Here, you can experience a Japanese garden, climb the Himalayas, discover the dinosaurs and even feed the elephants.
This unique park shows animals in more of their natural habitats without the limitations of cages. You really get the feeling that you are in the forest or on a safari when you walk through and visit the animals.
My boys loved the Polar World the most, since we were in time to watch the trainers feed the walrus. This is more of a show than a simple meal.
See more of our trip to Tierpark Hagenbeck and Tropen Aquarium in this video HERE!
Tropen Aquarium in Hamburg
The Tropen Aquarium in Hamburg is designed to give you the feeling of being in a remote village near the jungle. You go from being in a hut overlooking a nearby waterfall to deep within a submarine to see sharks and stingrays.
The entire tour of the aquarium is much like being on a tropical exploration, and one might even begin to forget that they are really in a building in northern Germany. The cafe just before the exit offers a great view of the beautiful “village scene” and has great options for a hungry/thirsty group of explorers.
My family had a fantastic day and made lots of new memories, which is why I know that both the young and young-at-heart can find excitement in Hamburg’s best zoo experience.
Getting in Touch with Tierpark Hagenbeck and Tropen Aquarium
Address: Lokstedter Grenzstraße 2, 22527 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://www.hagenbeck.de/de/
Telephone: +49 40 5300330
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2) Explore Miniatur Wunderland
Miniatur Wunderland is a really fun place that lets you travel all around Europe and even see some cool places in the US without ever leaving Hamburg. Not only are there moving trains, but there are also airplanes taking off and landing, knights jousting, singers performing concerts and cruise ships sailing.
If you are looking for one of the best experiences to have for a one day trip to Hamburg, you really want to visit the Miniatur Wunderland. My boys loved how the lights were set on timers so that you could see the different places in both daylight and at nighttime. We also enjoyed seeing places that we recognized from movies or places where we had actually been.
One fun place was their mini version of the Hamburg, which gave us new ideas for what do see on our trip. Not only that, but they allowed you to see inside of mountains and under the water.
Check out a video that shows you the wonder at Minatur Wunderland by clicking HERE!
With every turn, we found new and exciting things and were entertained from beginning to end. It was definitely a “must do” activity in Hamburg, if not in all of Germany.
In addition to their cafe and gift shop, they also had a section where you could watch the behind-the-scenes work going on, from the train controllers to the workers creating new landscapes. Miniatur Wunderland truly offers an experience to remember.
Getting in Touch with Minatur Wunderland
Address: Kehrwieder 2/ Block D, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/
Telephone: +49 40 3006800
3) Experience Spicy Gewürzmuseum
Whenever we travel to a new place, we like to try to find unique experiences like this one in Hamburg for families. We like to cook with a variety of spices, and we also like to go off the beaten path a bit. This place offered something for both of these interests. Welcome to the Spicy Gewürzmuseum!
But to keep things honest, when I heard that they gave out a free spice sample to all adults and a free candy sample to all children who paid admission to the museum, I was sold. I wasn’t sure my boys would be entertained enough by this type of place, but I thought that the small bribe of gummy bears would win them over.
Not only were they very happy to get a snack, but they were also really interested in smelling all of the spices. The museum really had a lot of information about spices, and there were many bowls all around the museum. With so many types of spices, we really found it interesting to see and smell the flavors that we often like to eat.
I personally loved the variety of items for sale both at the entrance and in the shop across the hall. This was also located close to the Miniatur Wunderland, which was an added bonus. It was fun to do something different in Hamburg to make the trip much more memorable.
Getting in Touch with the Spicy Gewürzmuseum
Address: Am Sandtorkai 34, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://www.spicys.de/
Telephone: +49 40 367989
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4) Play at Grasbrook Playground
Whenever we are traveling to Germany with kids, we first check out the “playground website” to see if there will be any playgrounds around where we want to go. We want to make sure our children are entertained, but we don’t want to go out of our way to find a playground or place for them to burn off some energy.
This website is great because it allowed us to search for playgrounds via a map. This way, we could plan a trip to see the places that interested us, and the kids could enjoy themselves on a nearby playground.
We chose Grasbrook for its location, but also for its look. It was a great place for a break in Hamburg for families. The equipment was both for little children and bigger children, and since my kids are somewhat in the middle, it allowed them the choice of where to play. I just loved that it was mostly all wood and allowed the children lots of climbing and exploring options.
My boys really had a lot of fun, and if we had more time to spend there, I’m sure we would have. It was also very easy to get to this playground. Traveling by bus in Hamburg is very easy, so we took a bus to a stop that was at the entrance to the park.
The buildings around the part were also very new and interesting to look at. This was the perfect place for my husband and I to relax in the sun and have a chat while we watched the boys play.
Finding the Grasbrookpark in Hamburg, Germany
Address: Am Grasbrookpark, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
5) St. Pauli Landungsbrücken and Hamburg Harbor
Since Hamburg is known for being a harbor city, you will want to check out the boats at the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken. This is a great place to find a restaurant while you sit and watch the ships sail by. The architecture of this building would be reason enough to visit, and it is easy to get to with subway and local trains making stops right in front.
Hamburg’s “Love Lock” Bridge
If you are wanting to add a bit of romance to your trip, head over to the Love Lock Bridge, which is right next to the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken. Just write the name of the two lovers on the lock, attach it to the bridge and throw away the key. Some say that this will make your love last forever. I say it is a fun reason to return to Hamburg to find your lock! 🙂
Finding the St. Paulis Landungsbrücken
Address: Port of Hamburg, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
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6) Journey through the Elbe Tunnel
If you’d like to see a different side of Hamburg, try out the Elbe Tunnel. At the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken at the harbor, you will find a building just off to the side. If you aren’t looking for it, you might miss it. In here, you will find stairs and elevators down to the Elbe Tunnel. Did I mention that it is a free attraction in Hamburg?!
Walkers, bikers and even automobiles can travel down to the tunnel and across the Elbe River to the other side of Hamburg’s harbor. The elevators alone are something quite unique. This part of Hamburg history was opened in 1911, and is almost 1,400 feet long!
My boys really liked the idea of walking underneath the water in this tunnel, and it didn’t feel that it took a long time to reach the other side. Once we reached the end and came back up the elevator, we had a perfect view of the St. Pauli area of Hamburg.
To add an extra bit of excitement to this excursion, we decided to take the ferry back across the water. This is a much cheaper alternative to taking a boat ride on the river, which was also something we didn’t have much time for.
Before you return with the ferry, take a break at an outside table of one of the may places for a drink or snack and watch the boats. I would recommend this inexpensive way to see the harbor as a family-friendly activity and a one-of-a-kind way to explore hidden parts of Hamburg.
Finding the Elbe Tunnel in Hamburg, Germany (Alter Elbtunnel)
Address: Bei den St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
7) Eat at the Schwerelos Roller Coaster Restaurant
Because you need to eat at some point during your trip doesn’t mean that you have to settle for just any restaurant in Hamburg. Schwerelos Roller Coaster Restaurant in Hamburg offers something for everyone. They have a vast menu with everything from pasta dishes to different meat and vegetarian options. In our opinion, this is one of the best restaurants in Hamburg for families.
The dessert and drink menus are also quite large, and everything is ordered via computer tablet. The best part is that that food drives straight to your table via a cart on a roller coaster track. Instead of dealing with restless and hungry children after a long day of sightseeing, we sat and enjoyed the roller-coaster display with our children while we waited for our food.
If you want to see the roller coasters at Schwerelos Roller Coaster Restaurant in action, see this VIDEO!
My boys were also thrilled when their meals came to them equipped with a sparkler. While mom and dad were enjoying an extra cold beverage at the end of the meal, the boys went up the stairs to a place that had kid-sized chairs. Here, they watched the workers load up the carts and start the roller coasters. There are so many reasons why I would consider this one of the best restaurants in Hamburg for families.
The boys still name this as one of the highlights of their trip to Hamburg.
Getting in Touch with Schwerelos Roller Coaster Restaurant in Hamburg
Address: Harburger Schlossstrasse 22, 21079 Hamburg, Germany
Telephone: +49 40 89721310
Website: https://www.rollercoaster-hamburg.de/
8) Have Fun at Planten un Blomen (Park and Playground)
An alternative to going to a playground would be going to the Planten un Blomen park in the northern part of Hamburg. This area is well-equipped with walking paths with beautiful views of the TV tower (Fernsehturm). It is a peaceful stop for the whole family that happens to have a very nice playground that is large enough to cater to any elementary school field trip.
There is a wooden climbing area, a rope climbing area, a section for the smaller children, a balance area and a mountain. The mountain is quite impressive and unlike anything we have seen before on a playground. If you want to know what is worth adding to your itinerary, this is a great place to visit in Hamburg for families.
In my opinion, this playground is worth a detour if you are on your way to nearby restaurants, cafes or shopping.
My boys had a wonderful time, and it was a great way for us to add a bit of rest for me and my husband in the middle of a long day of sightseeing in Hamburg. If you plan on staying for few days, visiting Planten un Blomen is a great place to visit in Hamburg for families!
Finding Planten un Blomen in Hamburg, Germany
Address: Narseukker Strassem 20355 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://plantenunblomen.hamburg.de/
Telephone: +49 40 428280
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9) Take a Break at the Hamburger Rathaus
Truly a sight to see, the Hamburger Rathaus is one of the most beautiful buildings in Hamburg. Built in the late 1800s in the neo-Renaissance style of architecture, this 17,000 square meter structure is hard to miss with its amazing green roof and tall, central clock tower.
Though the home to governmental offices, the lobby is open to the public, and the square in front of the building is a great place to sit and eat a snack or drink a coffee.
Snack Time in Hamburg for Families
Many people might choose a hotel with breakfast, lunch and dinner options, but we like to keep our options open on short trips. However, it is always a good idea to pack snacks and water bottles for the hotel room. However, it is fun to try and eat like a local when we travel.
This almost always includes an ice cream (or some other local tasty snack) break, so why not make that break be in front of one of the more famous places of Hamburg?! This way, the kids can get a little bit of food to satisfy a mid-day hunger, while the adults can marvel over the places they really came to Hamburg to see.
Tip for how to make “boring” buildings a fun experience for children when sightseeing.
We also like to leave a bit of room in our schedule for exploring. If there are specific sights that you would like to see, like the town hall, a special church, a main train station, a museum, historical monument or statue, discuss it with your children and tell them that you are going on a hunt to find these places.
You could even have a checklist created before you leave of all the places you would like to see and have your children be in charge of crossing off the places as you find them. This will add some excitement to what they might normally think of as “boring buildings”.
Finding the Hamburger Rathaus in Hamburg, Germany
Address: Rathausmarkt 1, 20095 Hamburg, Germany
Website: https://www.hamburg.de/rathaus/
10) Navigate through Hamburg with Public Transportation
If you have to get around somehow, why not make a game out of it. Looking at maps is always something my kids love to do, so we made sure to use them on our trip. We showed them where we were and where we wanted to go. Then, we encouraged them to look for specific signs (U3, S4) when we reached the train stations or bus stops. They really liked feeling that they were helping us navigate.
It was nice that both boys could help with this, since our youngest couldn’t read, and since they both didn’t understand German. Simple subway or train signs made things easier for them to understand their way around Hamburg. They also helped count how many stops we had before we needed to get off the train or bus.
By letting your children be a part of the navigating, it helps to avoid stressful situations with you children constantly asking “are we there yet”? Who knows: maybe one day, they’ll actually remember these instances and be a better traveler for it. One can only hope!
11) Enjoy a Meal at the Hofbräu Hamburg Restaurant
What trip to Hamburg, Germany would be complete without going to a German restaurant for some good food? That is why I suggest making the Hofbräu Restaurant a part of your Hamburg experience.
Now, I know that this is somewhat of a chain restaurant that serves typical southern German food (Bavarian, to be exact), but if you only have two days to spend in Germany, it is well-worth the visit and a “must-do” for the food, in my opinion.
Not only does it offer a great atmosphere with lederhosen-wearing waiters and dirndl-wearing waitresses, but it also has some really good German specialties.
My husband was happy to have his German beer and schnitzel, I couldn’t wait for my vegetarian Spaetzle dinner, and the boys loved trying all of the desserts. Having mostly large tables and benches, created a very cozy and friendly feeling within the restaurant, and the beautiful decor entertained my boys as we waited for our food.
Though there are plenty of wonderful restaurants to try in Hamburg, I recommend giving your children a truly “German” experience by eating at the Hofbräu.
Finding the Hofbräu Restaurant in Hamburg, Germany
Address: Esplanade 6, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
Telephone: +49 40 34993838
Website: https://www.hofbraeu-wirtshaus.de/
Tips for Visiting Hamburg for Families
A) If you plan to see lots of the sights while in Hamburg, you may want to consider buying a the Hamburg Card, which gets you free transportation and discounts to many places. Click here for information.
B) Another option for discounted travel would be to get a one-day transit ticket. This is if you feel that you won’t be seeing many of the places that offer a discount with the Hamburg Card. This will pay for itself after two uses. The “group” ticket costs 12,20 Euros (2019 prices) for a family of 4. It can be used for an entire day on buses, trains and ferries. You can find prices here.
C) Most public bathrooms will also ask that you pay to use them. It will save you an embarrassing situation if you are prepared for this! Make sure to carry coins with you when you are visiting any German town.
If you have taken a family trip to Hamburg, I’d love to hear about your favorite places in the comments.
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