Are you planning a trip to France and looking for fun things to do with kids in Bordeaux? From top-rated tourist attractions, outdoor adventures and excellent dining options, there are several fun, family-friendly things to do with kids in Bordeaux. No matter what you love to do, there is something for everyone in this wonderful city.
We’ve compiled a list of 12 must-do activities that you can enjoy with your kids during your stay in Bordeaux! Dive right into our selection of the best things to do with kids in Bordeaux so that you can experience the real ‘life à la Bordelaise’ – enriching moments spent enjoying everything from local markets and open-air museums to cooking classes and night cruises along the Garonne River.
Let both adults and little ones marvel over what this historic city has to offer!
Where is Bordeaux Located?
Known as the capital of wine, Bordeaux is only 2 hours away by train from Paris, and offers many activities for wine and food lovers in Bordeaux who have children.
Bordeaux is located in the southwestern part of France near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, this beautiful city boasts some incredible historical sites alongside modern attractions suitable for people of all ages.
From its stunning architecture from different eras to picturesque vineyards and delicious cuisine, there are amazing things to do with kids in Bordeaux, as well as grown-ups! Whether you want to explore castles or cruise down waterways, walking through cobbled streets or sipping renowned wines, Bordeaux has it all!
Here are our top 12 reasons to spend time in and things to do with kids in Bordeaux. Enjoy the life in the city and make the most of it with your youngsters!
Most fun things to do with kids in Bordeaux, France
1. Dip your toes on the famous “Miroir d’eau”
The “Miroir d’Eau” or Water Mirror is one of the most visited and photographed places with Place de la Bourse in the city. The 2 centimeters deep pool works only from April to October and displays a magical reflection of the Place de la Bourse for stunning pictures. This very symbolic place is the perfect spot for your family on a sunny day.
Children love playing in the water while parents are refreshing their feet. You can then decide to enjoy an ice cream and walk along the quays for a few kilometers or take a bike ride. It’s up to you!
2. Try some awesome family friendly activities in the chateaus
You can’t visit in Bordeaux wine country without dropping by a winery!
Of course, your kids can’t drink alcohol, but it doesn’t mean you can’t sip a glass of wine in a Bordeaux chateau. There are plenty of family-friendly wineries in Bordeaux, France wine region. For a few years now, more and more chateaus provide child-friendly interactive tours: treasure hunts, nature discoveries, and escape games, just to name a few.
Instead of a glass of wine, children will be served some delicious grape juice.
You can drive by car there or contact us on our website, we can organize everything for you (transportation with a professional guide, bookings, winery fees, etc).
3. Private e-bike wine tours are the best for a unique experience
Are you a rather sporty family who loves action? No problem, you will definitely have fun and enjoy spectacular endless vines doing an electrical bike family tour.
You can go for a guided full day tour to visit some nice chateaus, sip a few glasses, have French picnic style lunch in the vineyard. If you want to buy some bottles of wine, the chateaus and wine cellars can ship your purchases at a fairly good price.
You prefer another original way of transportation? You can do Horse ride in the heart of the vineyard near Bordeaux or a Jeep ride through the vineyards of the château with Château Prieuré Marquet
Discover our best wine bike tour in France.
4. Have fun in Arcachon Bay and climb the famous Dune du Pilat
If you love the ocean, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to visit Arcachon Bay and climb the highest sand dune in Europe.
Children generally have fun running down the Dune du Pilat to reach the ocean on the other side. If you’re not comfortable with the effort, you can also climb it on stairs.
For a nice lunch time you can either taste some local seafood in a restaurant or on a traditional Pinasse. The second option is definitely the one that would thrill your kids. Nothing better than sailing on the Atlantic Ocean while enjoying the fresh sea air and sunshine.
This is the best way to spend time with your children in Arcachon.
5. Unique experience at La Cité du Vin
For some less time-consuming but still enjoyable family activity, we suggest paying a visit at the now famous wine museum La Cité du Vin de Bordeaux.
You will experience wine in a very modern and interactive way. There is a permanent family friendly exhibition which will entertain and educate your kids and yourself. There’s really everything! Your children will be able to discover and learn about civilizations and wine in a very interactive and fun way through courses adapted to their ages.
At La Cité du Vin, you will find a combination of activities for “connoisseurs” as for beginners in the wine world.
This tour can function as a great introduction to Bordeaux wine and its history.
6. Eat in a kid-friendly restaurant
One of the best things to do with kids in Bordeaux is visit a delicious family-friendly eatery. Bordeaux is the city of restaurants but we all know how exhausting it can be with kids.
That’s why you must have a list of a few good kids friendly restaurants you can go to when you start recognizing those kids hunger tantrums.
Here are a few kid-friendly restaurants in Bordeaux: Osteria pizzeria de bartolo and It for Italian food, Santosha next to the Grosse Cloche for Thai food, Kokomo for hamburgers, Horace and Cofete B for coffee and cake and a light lunch, Mama Shelter for a more chic experience.
7. See the puppet show in the parc
One of the most unique – and fun- things to do with kids in Bordeaux is undoubtedly an authentic French puppetry show. Le Guignol Guérin, founded in 1853, is the oldest puppetry show in France which holds daily spectacles for kids in the Parc Bordelais during the summer (July and August). The show usually starts at 16:00 but can be cancelled or postponed when it’s raining or getting too hot.
Where? Rue du Bocage, 33000 Bordeaux
8. Picnic in the park (Jardin public and many others)
A picnic in the park is one of the easiest ways to spend some time outside with your kids. You can enjoy your bottle of rosé while they run around the park. When in Bordeaux, many people head straight to Jardin Public, and while it’s a beautiful park, it’s far from being the only green spot in the city. To help you get familiar with the green parts of the city, I gathered a list of the best places to have a picnic in Bordeaux, which include both big parks and little gardens and some necessary playgrounds.
9. Take the little train to tour the city
If you want to discover Bordeaux in a fun way, take the little train which departs from the tourists’ office. This 45 minutes tour passes by the main sites of the historic city like place des Quinconces and Place de la Bourse (with Scripted commentaries available in 8 languages). The train leaves every two hours from the Tourist information office, where you also buy the tickets.
10. Go to the pool
There are several kids friendly pools in Bordeaux metropole, two of them are not very far from the city center. Next to the Meriadeck, you’ll find the piscine Judaique located in a beautiful art deco building. A bit farther from the center is Piscine du Grand Parc. Both are very kids friendly with facilities like kids pool, water slides, floats and more.
11. Go ice skating at the meriadeck
La Patinoire de Mériadeck is a sports complex in Bordeaux center that hosts hockey games as well as many different concerts. However, several days a week the place is open to the public and you can come with your family and enjoy ice skating in this huge arena.
As the Patinoire hosts many different events during the year, it’s opening hours might change from time to time, so before heading there with your kids, check out the schedule. It is usually closed during the summer vacation.
Where? 95 Cours Maréchal Juin, 33000 Bordeaux
12. Surfing in a coffee place
This is a super cool activity for kids (over 8 yo). The Wave Surf Café is the first indoor cafe where you can surf! The Big artificial wave in the middle of the coffee shop imitates the ocean waves and allows you to feel like a professional surfer in the city center :). It’s a nice experience for kids who don’t live next to the sea and don’t have the opportunity to surf.
Where? 174 Cours du Médoc, 33300 Bordeaux
Is Bordeaux family friendly?
Bordeaux attracts many tourists coming for the wine, fine dining and beautiful architecture. But many are unaware that it’s also a family-friendly city with plenty of things to do with kids in Bordeaux. Beautiful gardens, adventure parks, climbing, biking and even discovering the wine world, the Bordeaux area has it all.
Why do people visit Bordeaux?
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Bordeaux isn’t just a city with the same name as the famous French wine. With 350 historical buildings and monuments, dozens of museums and art galleries, a brand new wine experience center and some of the best food in all of France, its no wonder even the Parisians are leaving Paris for Bordeaux.
What makes Bordeaux France special?
The success of Bordeaux can be boiled down to one simple trait: its location. The region’s climate and soil are ideal for high quality viticulture. Meanwhile, its close proximity to a major port city has, for centuries, allowed local winemakers easy access to export markets around the world.
Are there beaches in Bordeaux?
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There are lots of beaches around Bordeaux, from Cap Ferret to Lacanau, right down to Landes in the south west of France.
