With kids · Delhi · India
Delhi with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Swaminarayan Sanstha, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Delhi can be intense with children, but parks, a rail museum, evening crowds at India Gate and the boat ride and water show at Akshardham are easy wins. Plan around the heat or winter smog, and use the metro and air-conditioned taxis to rest between sights. Top picks: India Gate and Kartavya Path, Swaminarayan Akshardham and National Rail Museum. Families usually base themselves in Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri
- Rainy-day options
- 0
Best things to do with kids
Landmark · Lutyens' Delhi
1.India Gate and Kartavya Path
The 42-metre war memorial arch completed in 1931 is inscribed with the names of Indian soldiers who died in the First World War. It stands at the end of Kartavya Path, the ceremonial avenue to Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the National War Memorial is next to it. Families picnic and buy ice cream on the lawns in the evenings.
Come after sunset when the arch is lit and the lawns fill with families; the area is free and open.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- History
Religious site · East Delhi
2.Swaminarayan Akshardham
Opened in 2005 on the banks of the Yamuna, this huge Hindu temple complex of carved pink sandstone and white marble includes exhibition halls, a boat ride through Indian history and an evening water show. Entry to the grounds is free; the exhibitions are ticketed.
Phones, cameras and bags are not allowed inside, so leave them at your hotel or use the cloakroom, and allow time for security checks.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Kids
- After dark
- Free
Museum · Lutyens' Delhi
3.National Rail Museum
Opened in 1977 in Chanakyapuri, the museum displays historic steam locomotives, royal saloons and the Fairy Queen, an 1855 steam engine, in a large outdoor yard and indoor galleries. A small joy train takes children around the grounds.
Bring children on a cooler winter morning and ride the joy train before it gets busy.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
Park · Nizamuddin
4.Sunder Nursery
Restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and opened in 2018, this 90-acre heritage park beside Humayun's Tomb combines Mughal-era tombs, formal gardens, a lake and a nursery of native plants. Its lawns and paths are well kept and calm.
Combine it with Humayun's Tomb next door and bring a picnic for the lawns on a winter afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- Nature
- History
Park · Lutyens' Delhi
5.Lodhi Garden
Delhi's favourite park covers about 90 acres and contains 15th- and 16th-century tombs of the Sayyid and Lodi rulers, including the octagonal tomb of Mohammed Shah and Sikandar Lodi's walled tomb. Joggers, yoga groups and picnickers fill it in the mornings and evenings.
Go at sunrise or late afternoon, then have coffee or lunch at nearby Khan Market or Lodhi Colony.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- History
- Kids
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for luxury, quiet stays and families
Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri
The tree-lined heart of New Delhi, laid out by Edwin Lutyens, holds Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Lodhi Garden and the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri. Some of the city's best-known luxury hotels are here, along with Khan Market's cafés and bookshops.
- Good
- Green, calm and spacious; Close to Lodhi Garden and India Gate; Upmarket hotels and dining
- Watch out
- Expensive; Few budget options or street life
- Nearby
- Lodhi Garden, India Gate, Khan Market, National Rail Museum
Family travel tips
- Visit outdoor sights early in the morning and use air-conditioned museums in the afternoon heat.
- Children can be overwhelmed by Old Delhi's crowds; a cycle-rickshaw ride is easier than walking.
- Check daily air-quality readings in November to January and limit outdoor time on high-pollution days.
- Carry bottled water, hand sanitiser and snacks; stick to freshly cooked food for young children.
- Many monuments are free for children under 15, including foreign visitors at ASI sites.
Day trips for families
- Sultanpur National Park (About 1.5 hours by road) — A small wetland park in Haryana that hosts migratory birds such as painted storks, flamingos and pelicans in winter, roughly October to March.
When to go with children
The best months overall are February–March and October. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Delhi good for kids?
Delhi can be intense with children, but parks, a rail museum, evening crowds at India Gate and the boat ride and water show at Akshardham are easy wins. Plan around the heat or winter smog, and use the metro and air-conditioned taxis to rest between sights.
+What can kids do in Delhi?
India Gate and Kartavya Path, Swaminarayan Akshardham, National Rail Museum, Sunder Nursery and Lodhi Garden.
+Where should families stay in Delhi?
Lutyens' Delhi and Chanakyapuri: Leafy avenues of bungalows, embassies and grand hotels.