We have the best itinerary for a clear spring day in Paris with kids! Or just consider this 10 things to do in Paris with kids in the spring! In this one day, we ran the kids around to see all the major monuments with stops for treats and playgrounds along the way!
On this visit, we actually had ~30 hours in Paris, and we opted to stay at the airport (Charles De Gaulle Hilton) since we got in really late and then had a super early flight out a day later. And since we were staying at the airport, we had to plan an entire day in the city without breaks at a hotel/apartment…. And we made it work! We have some tips at the end (plus the full itinerary) to help make it work for you too!
Alright and now, our long walk across Paris! The weather was beautiful, so we spent as much time outside as possible on this packed itinerary. Enjoy!
1. Seine Boat Ride
We loved this as our first activity of the day. We took the first boat out so we could have the full day ahead of us, and it was the perfect 'bonjour!' to Paris. It's amazing how many of the monuments you can see on a one hour boat ride, and it starts and ends right at our favorite one (the Eiffel Tower, of course). The little trip takes you along the Seine all the way down to Notre Dame before turning back around - which means you can see the other side of the river on your way back.
We got our tickets in advance (which seemed like the right moved because it was packed) on this boat company. There are lots of companies offering tours though (and some with glass canopies to protect from wind), so it's easy to shop around for the right fit for you. We also wanted to be right next to the Eiffel Tower (Pont Suffren), so this one was a good fit for us.
Every boat offers different food options, but we had our breakfast on the boat (hot chocolates + crepes) due to a time crunch. If you want something different than crepes, I'd recommend eating before if you have time, as most of them have limited fare plus there was a bit of a line.
It was also colder and windier than expected, so if you're sensitive to that, pack a windbreaker. We made it work with just light sweaters, as we were really trying to avoid carrying any jackets around for the rest of the itinerary on an otherwise warmer day... so it's possible!
Again, a perfect intro to the city!
2. Eiffel Tower
We spent time walking around the park, buying mini Eiffel Tower souvenirs, and taking pictures. We'd actually been to Paris just a few months earlier and gone up to the middle level by 'elevator', so we felt we could skip that this time around. There is something special about going up, and it's a good way to get your lay of the land, but I honestly didn't really miss it this trip. The views at the bottom and along the river and small surrounding neighborhoods are fantastic too! But if you haven't been and don't want to miss this, just make sure to get tickets in advance!
As you walk around, there is plenty to see (little lakes, a carousel, etc.) but my favorite activity here is this cool little playground on the south corner of the Eiffel Tower. It's a bit hidden off to the sides of the parkway under some trees, but it's pretty awesome to be able to relax and play while you have a beautiful view! It's also free!
3. Brunch at Cafe Gustave
Usually my rule is not to eat at a place with fewer than 4 stars on a trip (every meal counts!) ... but honestly, I think people are too tough on this place. It was good! The service was a little awkward (which is validated in the reviews), but it might have also been that we have four young kids and a stroller! And it's not too pricey, but you definitely pay a little more for being a block from the Eiffel Tower!
Anyway, our French staples were delicious! We had escargot, tartar, onion soup, and omelets. We tried a few special drinks too! Cocktails for the adults (Aperol spritz - we saw at least one at every other table) and diablo for the kids (a bright green non-alcoholic drink with lemon soda and syrup).
4. Long Walk Along the Seine
After brunch, we walked up a few blocks to the Seine to start our journey to Jardin de Tuileries. The walk along the river is about 1.5 miles, and it's beautiful! We walked right on the upper path of the river for a few reasons- views are better than the lower path, a stroller on another set of stairs seemed annoying, and we didn't want to be yelling at Andrew and Molly every 4 seconds that they were too close to the literal edge. ;)
Along the river path, there are plenty of mini stops to explore - including little playgrounds (Paris is great for pocket playgrounds!) for the kids and coffee kiosks for the adults. There are also lots of great photo opportunities along the bridges!
5. Jardin de Tuileries
Once you cross the river at Pont de la Concorde, you'll have an option to turn right and walk through the west side of the park for beautiful tree-lined parkways, gardens, ponds, and statues. Definitely do this. There is a little playground (labeled as 'playing yard' and 'aire de jeux pour enfants des Tuileries' on Google maps) too. If you have time, I'd recommend actually looping back to this little playground after Angelina's to enjoy your hot chocolate at the park - see below!
6. Angelina's
You've seen this place on all the lists, and you have to try the hot chocolate! It's like drinking melted chocolate... like seriously. I promise you that I've had a LOT of hot chocolate in my life but have never tasted anything like this outside of Angelina's.
And note that the inside of the cafe is a tea room from the early 1900s with very ornate decor. The reservations inside are expensive and hard to snag - and the line to get inside without a reservation is always exceptionally long. I have eaten inside and it's gorgeous but... to me, not worth the wait (and 100% not worth it with little ones!). Instead, you'll see a little stand right outside the cafe with its own line. Get in that one! It's the 'to go' line, and the hot chocolate tastes just as decadent in takeaway cups... I promise! As mentioned above, you can take it over to the park to drink it while you play. Or if you're too pooped, just plop right in front of the bookstore and enjoy!
Once you're finished with your hot chocolate, know that you are right next to the Louvre and all the shops along Rue de Rivoli. We had just been to Paris (and the shops/Louvre) a few months before, so we opted to do Montmarte. But if this is your only day in Paris and you haven't been to the Louvre, do that instead. Know that it's timed-entry with reservations basically required, so plan ahead if you want to go inside. But walking around outside isn't as dumb as it sounds - the buildings are beautiful and the glass pyramids at the entrance are iconic and very photogenic. :)
7. Sacre Coeur
This is the point where we got into an Uber! We wanted to get up to Montmarte, and it's straight uphill in certain parts and close to two miles... so yeah, Uber. We wanted to go straight to the Sacre Coeur Bascilla, but it was a little challenging for our driver to get right there due to a big ceremony happening, so we ended up getting dropped close by.
We stopped into one of the smaller entrances in the back with a little altar and spot to light candles for prayers. We also peaked into the main basilica. Then we spent some time at the 'overlook' at the top of the stairs enjoying the view - it's spectacular!
But honestly also, this part was a kind of awful with a stroller. Even where there weren't stairs, the pathways near the Basilica are very steep. So very carefully start your walk down the hill...
8. Montmarte
... And make a few stops along the way to continue exploring this neighborhood of Montmarte. The Place du Tertre is a little square full of street artists with art for sale (including the quintessential caricature portrait!). You can keep walking down and also see the "Love Wall" which is a deep blue wall of tiles with "I Love You" written in over 300 languages - so romantic!
There are also a bunch of cute little shops that we stopped in for cute local gifts. This was before I decided to start a blog, so I'm having trouble re-finding them for you... I'll do a better job of taking notes on future trips. Just keep your eyes out for cute window displays and I know you'll find some treasures!
9. Pied De Cochon
So we finished this 2.5 mile (4 km) stretch right at Pied de Cochon. This is another famous restaurant that you've likely heard of. We made reservations in advance for this one, and they seated us on the very top floor with several other families (lol - basically it was an attic). But it had the same level of service - just without the discomfort of sitting next to people in formalwear in the ornate main dining rooms.
At first glance, we saw about 7 courses worth of glassware on the table and felt weird with small kids. But then they sat us near a tiny window with views of Paris and just as importantly brought us colored pencils and a kids menu... we felt very welcome. The kids had little (petit) steak frites and just loved it. I have to say that it felt fancy, but the food was just OK. I have made cassoulet at home (takes about 99 ingredients and an entire day) that was unbelievable... so I had high standards for this cassoulet and it definitely didn't meet those expectations. But the appetizers were better and again - the ambiance was pretty cool.
10. Creperie
A lot of the restaurants don't serve crepes, so we skipped dessert at Pied De Cochon and instead walked over to one of the many late-night creperies. The little crepe carts seemed to be gone for the night, and you can stop at any creperie, but we picked one called 'Le Moliere' a few blocks away. We took the route across Pont Neuf so we could enjoy some late night Paris views (our favorite) and liked being in this lively little area. After we pretty much got one of every flavor, we were exhausted and ready to head back to the hotel!
And that is a wrap on your beautiful outdoor spring day in Paris! We know it's a lot, so we've included a full times below (especially for those with littles) plus the full summary itinerary for downloading below that.
Plan this itinerary for a day when the weather is clear - we'll have another post with a rainy day itinerary!
Wear comfortable shoes - it's a few miles' worth of walking!
Bring a stroller - everyone 5 and under took a turn riding on or in the stroller...
Stop at bathrooms whenever you have access - we didn't let a single bathroom (restaurant, boat, etc.) go unused! :)
I hope this helps you plan for a trip to Paris! Know that we've been lucky enough to be in Paris a few times over the last couples, so watch out for more posts. We want to share it all to inspire you to visit this beautiful city with your kids too!
Next up: an itinerary for a RAINY spring day in Paris!
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