Visiting Alsace with your family – 20 activities

1. Visit the animals at wildlife parks

Seeing animals is always a fun activity for kids… And often to parents! We have a number of wildlife parks in Alsace, including Montagne des Singes, Volerie des Aigles and Naturoparc, to name but a few. A chance for the whole family to see farm animals, birds of prey and storks, as well as more exotic animals.

2. Have Fun at the Colmar Toy Museum

What could be better for a child than a toy museum? Not much, especially as the Musée du Jouet de Colmar is particularly playful: in addition to exhibits of toys from different eras (a nostalgic moment for parents, I warn you…), the museum also makes games available. It’s a great way to spend a family day out in Colmar!

3. Explore the Alsace Ecomuseum

The Alsace Ecomuseum is located in Ungersheim, near Mulhouse. It is an open-air museum that traces the region’s history and heritage through various Alsatian houses from different eras. The Ecomuseum is already interesting for adults (I personally love this place!), but it’s even more fun for kids thanks to the many workshops and family-friendly activities. It’s a must-see for families in southern Alsace!

4. Take a family boat ride in Alsace

How about a family boat trip in Alsace? There are different possibilities, whether you’re looking for a more urban or more natural boat trip, and whether you’d rather let yourself be guided or pilot your own boat. Here are our favorite family boat trips:

• Batorama in Strasbourg (a special children’s audio guide is available and you can book a covered, heated boat!)
• Boat trip in Colmar
• Flat-bottomed boat trip in the Ried
• Electric boat rental in Strasbourg
• Electric boat rental in Mulhouse

5. Recharge at Wesserling Park

Visit Parc de Wesserling is a must-see landscape garden in Alsace. It is located in the south of the region, in Husseren-Wesserling. In addition to its themed gardens, where children love to play and stroll, it offers a wide range of activities and entertainment for families, both in summer and at Christmas.

6. Visit the museums in Mulhouse

Mulhouse is home to several well-known museums that are particularly well-suited for young visitors. The EDF Electropolis Museum, the Cité du Train, and the National Automobile Museum all offer activities for children, making a visit both fun and educational.

7. Enjoy the amusement parks (Petit Prince, Cigoland, Europa-Park…)

Little Prince Park, Cigoland, Funny World… In and around Alsace, we’re lucky enough to have several theme parks suitable for children of different ages. Not forgetting, of course, the famous Europa Park, located in Germany right on the border with Alsace and sure to please kids, teens and adults alike!

8. Take a ride on a steam train (Thur-Doller, Abreschviller)

How about a ride on a steam train? It’s a popular activity with children, as it allows them to take a real trip! You can choose:

• for the Thur-Doller tourist train in southern Alsace, and
• for the nearby Abreschviller forest railway in Lorraine.

9. Visiting Strasbourg with the Family

It would be a shame to visit Alsace without seeing Strasbourg. Fortunately, Strasbourg is a city that’s particularly well-suited for family trips. There are many places and activities suitable for children, who will enjoy their stay just as much as their parents! To help guide you as you explore the city, we’ve written an article with ideas for family-friendly activities in Strasbourg.

10. Take a fun Randoland family walk

In Alsace, the tourist offices have teamed up with Randoland to offer fun family-friendly walks. The relevant Tourist Office will give you a booklet that includes different routes within the same route. Let me explain: the whole family follows the same route, but depending on your children’s ages, the puzzles will vary.

There are 3 categories: ages 4–6, 7–9, and 10 and up. It might not seem like much, but it’s not always that easy to answer the questions—and that’s what makes us proud to have finished in the end! This last level is also suitable for adults. After all, it’s pretty fun to learn more about where you are by solving puzzles, no matter how old you are, right?

The walk takes between 1 and 2 hours. These trails are also—and above all—a great way for families to explore Alsatian villages and towns. I almost forgot to mention some good news: it’s free, and as a bonus, some tourist offices may even reward you with a small gift at the end of the trail.

11. Riding a railbike in the Vosges

Pedaling’s fun enough, but on a rail track, it’s even more fun, isn’t it? That’s what velorails are all about. It’s a safe and original activity that lets you work out (a little) and have fun (a lot) as a family. In Alsace, you can opt for the Vélorail Sud Alsace in the south of the region, or the Vélorail du Pays Secret in the north (in Alsace bossue).

12. Discover the Castles of Alsace

If you and your children love castles, you’re in for a treat in Alsace! The region abounds in fortified castles. As an added bonus, the “Sur la piste des Trésors d’Alsace” app offers fun ways for families to discover some of Alsace’s castles.

Here are our 5 favorite castles to visit with children in Alsace:

• Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, undoubtedly Alsace’s must-see castle
• Hohlandsbourg Castle, a castle truly dedicated to children
• Fleckenstein Castle, also known as the castle of challenges. Quite a program, isn’t it?
• Château de Kintzheim, home to the famous Aviary of Eagles
• Château du Licktenberg, with its wooden games and family activities

And if you’d rather take a walk to admire the ruins of castles, we recommend these:

• Wangenbourg Castle
• Château du Haut-Barr
• Guirbaden Castle

13. Walking barefoot on a sensory trail in Alsace

Have you ever been on a barefoot trail? These trails are specially designed for walking without shoes, allowing you to massage your feet and, above all, experience new sensations. Different types of flooring are generally provided, to awaken the senses. This unusual activity is a big hit with kids! The good news is that we have several barefoot trails in Alsace if you’d like to try them out.

14. Indulge in some treats at the chocolate museums

Are there any gourmands around here? I bet you do, and don’t make the excuse that you have to visit with children – we all know that this kind of tour appeals to food lovers of all ages! In Alsace, you can visit two chocolate museums to combine learning and indulgence: Choco-Story in Colmar and the Musée Les Secrets du Chocolat in Strasbourg.

15. Explore the Tellure Silver Mine

We haveold silver mines in Alsace. Some of them are still open to visitors, and one of them has even been transformed into a full-fledged underground park offering a wide variety of activities. Tellure Park offers standard tours as well as caving tours (with routes suitable for children), an underground escape game, and an underground via ferrata for the more adventurous.

16. Go on a family hike (Nideck, Grendelbruch, Ferrette…)

How about a walk along our Alsatian trails? There’s plenty to choose from when it comes to family hikes, but here are four ideas for walks with children in Alsace:

• Nideck waterfall and castles
• Au Pays des Bûcherons trail in Grendelbruch
• Grotte des Nains in Ferrette
• Bastberg hill

17. Organize a scavenger hunt called “The Adventures of Rose and Louis”

In the Massif des Vosges, there are several short family-friendly hikes: they take the form of treasure hun ts in different parts of the massif! Using booklets, parents and children follow Louis and Rose on their adventures and learn all about their surroundings: nature, traditions, architecture… They’re really well done and, best of all, they’re free!

18. Swimming in lakes and gravel pits

Bathing in Alsace? Yes, it’s possible, and not just in swimming pools! We don’t have the sea, but we do have a number of pleasant lakes and gravel pits where you can cool off and, for the kids, have fun in the water. A really good idea for a family summer activity, especially as the summer season is often particularly hot and stifling… Relaxing by the water is good for everyone!

19. Discover gingerbread in Gertwiller

Gingerbread is an Alsatian specialty, and we even have the “gingerbread capital” here in Alsace: Gertwiller. Can you believe it? There are two gingerbread museums there, both run by companies that still produce Alsatian gingerbread today: Lips and Fortwenger. For a family outing, I’d recommend the Palais du Pain d’épices in Fortwenger: the brand has created a colorful, fun space that kids really love!

20. Visit the Christmas markets with the family

You can’t talk about Alsace without mentioning its Christmas markets, can you? The good news is that it’s perfectly possible to visit Christmas markets with the whole family, as long as you choose the most suitable markets and activities. To guide you, we’ve written an article dedicated to visiting Alsace’s Christmas markets with your family, where you’ll find lots of ideas and tips for making the most of this magical time of year.

What You Need to Know About Family Activities in Alsace

• 🐾 From wildlife parks to medieval castles, Alsace offers activities for all ages, from toddlers to teens.
• 💰 Several activities are completely free: fun Randoland walks, the Rose and Louis scavenger hunt, and swimming in the lakes and gravel pits.
• 🏛️ The major cities (Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse) are home to many museums and fun activities, which are perfect for when the weather is bad.
• 📅 Be sure to book in advance for popular activities such as the rail bike or the Tellure Mine.

Feel free to pick and choose from this list to create your own custom weekend in Alsace!

Your questions about family activities in Alsace