Especially for short vacations with children city trips like to the big metropolises of Germany are perfect! Good transport connections, lots to discover and see, and child-friendly in the big cities here as well. And a short vacation in Hamburg with children has a lot of attractions in store – for the big ones as well as for the little ones.
Miniature Wonderland
Hamburg's Speicherstadt is home to an absolute attraction for adult railroad fans and children aged 3 and over.
Especially in bad weather, the Miniatur Wunderland is a must-see in the Hanseatic city of.
Here you can find over 1.000 trains, hundreds of thousands of trees and small figures, more than 15.000 meters of tracks, houses, bridges and much more – all realistically built in miniature format.
The model construction landscape offers new and exciting things to discover at every turn, for example Hamburg's HafenCity and a total of nine miniature worlds from France to Italy, Scandinavia and the USA.
Hamburg Dungeon
For parents with children from 10 years, the Hamburg Dungeon is a nice excursion destination, which will definitely not be forgotten so quickly and is also a nice option in bad weather.
At the Dungeon, families experience time travel in a live format, with actors using incredible makeup and modern special effects to guide them through Hamburg's 600-year-old dark past. Famous personalities of the city, pirates and ghosts play a special role in the interactive 90-minute tour of the Hamburg Dungeon.
A total of 11 live performances include Hamburg at the time of the great plague, the pirate Klaus Stortebecker executed and the Inquisition witnessed.
Panoptikum waxworks
One of the insider tips for Hamburg and one of many worthwhile activities with children is the Panoptikum Wax Museum in the heart of Hamburg. Pauli.
Here you can admire more than 120 famous people from art, culture, politics and history and take unforgettable souvenir photos with your favorite stars from the media world.
Hamburg's very own Olivia Jones, Chancellor Angela Merkel or comedian Otto Waalkes are ready and waiting for their visitors and fans on more than 700 square meters. In addition, there is a creepy and an exciting medical-anatomical cabinet for even more adventure.
Customs Museum
When looking for things to do that are interesting for both adults and children, one immediately comes across the German Customs Museum, which is located in the Speicherstadt warehouse district.
The museum is perfect for a trip with children. Adults can learn everything about the history of customs from the past to the present and future in one of the 100 most exciting museums in Germany. For children up to 9 years, children's tours are offered, which can learn to understand the customs in a playful way.
Harbor tour
Many sights for children and adults that the Hanseatic city of Hamburg has to offer can be seen on a harbor tour.
It is always a real experience in any weather – in the ship you can sit inside or outside – to discover the most famous places of the city from the water. It goes along the Hamburg harbor to the famous Speicherstadt, past imposing container ships to the world-famous Elbphilharmonie and other architectural marvels.
Book tickets in advance
► Book a harbor tour
Boat trip on the Alster
A boat tour through Hamburg in the common family vacation is also possible via steamboat on the Alster.
From the water you pass many sights of Hamburg and can experience the Aubenalster and its surroundings and natural landscape. The ride takes about an hour and offers an incredibly beautiful city panorama and unforgettable photo motifs for the family album.
The round trip is very good especially for summer to see the city from another side.
Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
Among the best tips to marvel at Hamburg and see as much as possible even on a short vacation is to take a ride on the city's Hop On Hop Off buses.
The double-decker buses stop at a total of 20 stops throughout the city and passengers can hop on and off at will or learn all there is to know about Hamburg via audio guide. The busses drive thereby the highlights of the Hanseatic city off, from the Reeperbahn over St. Pauli to the Speicherstadt.
In summer, passengers can sit on top under the open sky. When it is winter, it is also very nice and cozy inside the buses.
Elbphilharmonie
A guided tour of the Elbphilharmonie is more suitable for adults and their older children aged 12 and over. Guided tour of the world-famous concert hall, where visitors learn all about this special structure and.
The tour lasts about an hour and is accompanied by guides who can answer all questions.
From the gangway outside the building you can walk around the Elbphilharmonie and from here you also have a great view over Hamburg and the Hamburg harbor.
Book tickets in advance
► Elbphilharmonie guided tour
City tour – scavenger hunt for kids
Especially in the warm seasons and in summer, parents want to spend as much time as possible outdoors with their children. A scavenger hunt as a guided tour through the city is perfect for this purpose.
In a box the children find 8 envelopes, each of which has a task ready for them. The puzzles pave the way through the city, passing all the important sights. The tour can be interrupted for breaks as desired.
This kind of city tour is a real experience for young and old alike.
Peppercorns Tour
Children love this TV series: Die Pfefferkorner, a gang of young amateur detectives on the hunt for clues in Hamburg.
Parents can fulfill their children's dream and visit the real filming locations of the children's series with them on the Pfefferkorner tour.
The 100-minute tour is designed to help children search for clues and uncover and unravel mysteries. The tour is guided by a real team member of the film crew and at the same time the children get to know the city of Hamburg better.
Hamburg Cathedral
One of the best children's attractions is a family trip to the amusement park. The Hamburg Cathedral is not an amusement park, but it is one of the largest and longest folk festivals in northern Germany and it takes place several times a year in Hamburg: in spring, in summer and in winter for 4 weeks each time.
Wednesdays are always family day with many discounts, especially for the kids. A visit to the Hamburg Cathedral is a real experience because of the more than 200 rides and carnival stalls as well as numerous gastronomic stands.
Theater
In case of rain or bad weather, parents can also take their children to one of numerous theaters in Hamburg.
The Allee Theater in the Max-Brauer-Allee is a children's theater – even the first private children's theater in the Federal Republic of Germany – for children from the age of 3. Especially for families with children, there are other options for a visit to the theater.
The Schmidt Theater or the children's theater Wackelzahn are just a few of them, which provide unforgettable moments and wonderful memories for the little ones.
Climbing
If you want to do some sports during your family vacation in Hamburg, you can go to the DAV climbing center, the largest climbing hall in northern Germany.
Children are allowed to climb here with an experienced climber and during the vacation season there are parent-child courses or beginner courses for the little ones. Especially when it rains or in winter, this option is a nice opportunity for exercise and fun with the kids, but there is also an outdoor area.
Newcomers can try climbing in the beginners' area on the gallery and on the climbing tower.
Farm tour
In the middle of the city and still make a trip to the Bauermhof? Yes, you can, because in Hamburg there are many farms and adventure farms that are great events for both parents and children of all ages.
At the Kirchdorf children's farm in Wilhelmsburg, for example, the kids can enjoy a day among animals. On the Karlshohe estate in Bramfeld a kind of biotope has been created in the middle of the metropolis of Hamburg.
The Eggers farm in Kirchwerder is also a nice destination for families with children who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the countryside.