With kids · Frankfurt · Germany
Frankfurt with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Frankfurt is a practical family stop: dinosaurs at the Senckenberg, a central zoo, the Palmengarten's playgrounds and boating pond, and the Ebbelwei-Express tram. Distances are short and transport is stroller-friendly. Top picks: Senckenberg Natural History Museum, Frankfurt Zoo and Palmengarten. Families usually base themselves in Westend.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Westend
- Rainy-day options
- 2
Best things to do with kids
Museum · Westend
1.Senckenberg Natural History Museum
One of Germany's largest natural history museums, famous for its hall of dinosaur skeletons, plus fossils from the nearby Messel Pit UNESCO site, mummies, whales and an exhibition on human evolution.
Start with the dinosaur hall on the ground floor before school groups arrive.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- History
Zoo · Ostend
2.Frankfurt Zoo
Founded in 1858, Germany's second-oldest zoo has great apes, big cats and the Grzimek House, where day and night are reversed so you can see nocturnal animals awake. It is compact and central, by the Zoo U-Bahn station.
Head to the Grzimek House on a rainy day; it is dark, warm and full of activity.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Garden · Westend
3.Palmengarten
Frankfurt's botanical garden, opened in 1871, has a 19th-century palm house, tropical and desert glasshouses, rose and rock gardens, a boating pond and playgrounds. It is a year-round retreat from the city.
On a cold or wet day, spend most of your time in the tropical glasshouses.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Rainy day
Experience · Citywide
4.Ebbelwei-Express tram
A colourfully painted historic tram runs a loop through the city and Sachsenhausen at weekends and holidays, serving apple wine (or juice) and pretzels on board. It is a light-hearted way to see the centre from the window.
Board at any stop on the route; it runs only on certain days, so check the timetable.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Food
- History
Waterfront · Sachsenhausen
5.Museumsufer and Eiserner Steg
The riverbank on the Sachsenhausen side is lined with museums in villas and modern buildings, from the Städel and Liebieghaus to the Film Museum and Museum of Applied Arts. The 1869 iron footbridge, the Eiserner Steg, links it to the Römerberg and frames the skyline from the middle.
Walk the riverbank paths on both sides as a loop; on Saturdays a flea market sets up along the Museumsufer in some weeks.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Rainy-day ideas
- Palmengarten — On a cold or wet day, spend most of your time in the tropical glasshouses.
- Senckenberg Natural History Museum — Start with the dinosaur hall on the ground floor before school groups arrive.
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for luxury, quiet stays and families
Westend
The Westend mixes 19th-century villas, the university's Westend campus and bank headquarters, with the Palmengarten and Grüneburgpark on its northern edge. It is calm, green and upmarket, with upscale hotels and a few excellent restaurants.
- Good
- Leafy and quiet; Parks and the Senckenberg nearby; Short U-Bahn ride to the centre
- Watch out
- Expensive; Little nightlife
- Nearby
- Palmengarten, Grüneburgpark, Alte Oper, Naturmuseum Senckenberg
Family travel tips
- Children under 6 travel free on RMV transport.
- The Senckenberg and the Palmengarten glasshouses are the best rainy-day options.
- The Museumsufer playgrounds and riverbank paths are good for letting children run between museums.
- Many Frankfurt museums are free for children and teenagers; check each museum's policy.
- The Saalburg Roman Fort makes an easy half-day trip for older children.
Day trips for families
- Saalburg Roman Fort (About 45 minutes by train and bus) — A reconstructed Roman fort on the Limes frontier in the Taunus hills, with a museum of Roman finds and forest trails along the line of the old border wall.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–September and December. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Frankfurt good for kids?
Frankfurt is a practical family stop: dinosaurs at the Senckenberg, a central zoo, the Palmengarten's playgrounds and boating pond, and the Ebbelwei-Express tram. Distances are short and transport is stroller-friendly.
+What can kids do in Frankfurt?
Senckenberg Natural History Museum, Frankfurt Zoo, Palmengarten, Ebbelwei-Express tram and Museumsufer and Eiserner Steg.
+Where should families stay in Frankfurt?
Westend: Villa-lined streets, bank towers and the Palmengarten.