Families with kids will especially enjoy the numerous adventure parks throughout Vienna.
Vienna Prater
The most famous is probably also the oldest in the city: the Vienna Prater was opened way back in 1766. Its section of lawns and avenues is known as the “Green Prater” – and with it, as the “green lungs” in the middle of Vienna. Here, spacious lawn areas, playgrounds, and shaded walking and cycling paths offer an open invitation to play, have fun, and relax.
With its giant ferris wheel and over 250 other attractions from a rollercoaster to a ghost train, the Würstelprater is, in turn, the adventure zone of the Prater: the smell of candyfloss wafts in the air around the magical world of merry-go-rounds, pony rides, and much more. Aside from this, the park also includes other attractions such as a wax figure museum or the traditional Schweizerhaus restaurant.
Tiergarten Schönbrunn
Tiergarten Schönbrunn, also known as Vienna Zoo, is an adventure park for all animal lovers. A great deal of resources were successfully put into efforts to turn the oldest zoo in the world into the modern zoo it is today.
High value is placed on animal-friendly housing, nurturing, and care. More than 500 species live here – not far from the splendid Schönbrunn Palace: Tigers and lions, brown bears, pandas, and polar bears, kangaroos and monkeys, reptiles and amphibians, fish, as well as countless bird species! Even farm animals and wolfs, giraffe families in the giraffe park (reopened in May 2017), or rhinoceroses and hippos can be admired in Tiergarten Schönbrunn, where even Empress Sisi used to take leisurely strolls.
The Palm and Rainforest House, East Africa Building, and South American enclosure invite visitors to explore exotic worlds. And the orangutans can be found in the ORANG.erie! With a hedge maze, restaurant at the Gloriette, and playgrounds, an excursion to Schönbrunn is a great experience for all ages.
Bohemian Prater
The Bohemian Prater is also worth mentioning. This is a melancholy, 150-year-old games area with bumper cars, mini golf, a “small ferris wheel”, and a merry-go-round.
Petting zoos – adventure parks for the kids
All kinds of exciting animals await at the Kinderbauernhof im Landgut Cobenzl (Children’s Farm at Cobenzl Estate) high up on the Reisenberg. Here, little guests can find out everything on rearing and caring for the likes of chickens and sheep – and can even feed their furry and feathery friends. There is also the chance to explore a bees’ nature trail. Around 100 animals live on the 4-hectare area. Children’s birthdays, guided tours, workshops, or talks on biological agriculture are all a part of the programme.
The Vienna Kids Farm features a petting zoo, herbs garden and much more at the edge of the Danube-Auen National Park near Lobau.
Playgrounds on land and in water
Family Fun is an indoor and outdoor playground for kids aged 1 to 12. Here, action and movement are key! Mini-karts, a maze, trampolines, climbing walls, bouncy castles, and giant slides leave nothing to be desired. There is even a pizzeria, and more, should you get hungry. Address:Breitenleer Str. 77, 1220 Vienna
For water rats, the Water Playground on the Donauinsel (with cable ferry, bridge, and lock; Donauinsel, 1220 Vienna) and the Wasserturm Water Adventure World (the largest playground of its kind in all of Europe features a 6-metre-high tower with slide and numerous facilities such as waterfalls, bridges, and relaxing lawns at Address: Windtenstraße 3, 1100 Vienna) are a dream come true.
An alternative to water play is also a toboggan run, Vienna’s 1st Summer Toboggan Run. Large and small toboggans reach speeds of up to 40km/h on the around 850-metre run. 14 great curves make the trip down the hill especially adventurous. Address: Mauerbachstr. 174-184, 1140 Vienna
