Trips With Kids

Guide to Poland with kids

The river ferry across the Bug in Mielnik has no engine. The ferryman pulls it along a steel cable by hand, and our kids couldn't believe our car was sailing on a boat.

That was day seven of our road trip around Eastern Poland in the summer of 2015, and in 16 days and 3,000 km there were many moments like that: the Teutonic Knights' toilets in Malbork, monsters in an amusement park near Elbląg, ships riding on grass on the Elbląg Canal and the ghost Bieluch in the chalk tunnels of Chełm. We describe the whole trip day by day in Eastern Poland road trip 2015, and you can watch it on our playlist Polska Wschodnia 2015.

Poland is our home, and we have been exploring it with our kids since 2014, usually by car from Poznań. We have spent weekends in Wrocław, Warsaw and Toruń, done day trips around Greater Poland and Lubusz Land, and gone skiing near Zakopane in the winter holidays, which you can see on our Narty / Ski playlist. The places our kids remember best are the ones where they could touch things, go underground or ride a ferry.

Below you will find practical tips for visiting Poland with kids and more than 50 places grouped by region, with links to our posts and videos. Many prices and opening hours are from the time of our visits, so check the current details on each place's website before you go.

Poland with kids at a glance

  • Our trips: weekends in Wrocław (September 2014 and May 2016), 3 days in Warsaw (November 2014), Toruń (December 2014), skiing in Gliczarów Górny (February 2015 and January 2016) and a road trip around Eastern Poland (August 2015, 16 days, 3,000 km, more than 30 attractions).
  • How we travelled: always by car from Poznań. In the east we drove onto a river ferry three times: across the Bug in Mielnik, across the Vistula to Janowiec and in Otoka.
  • Where we slept: in summer mostly in a tent at campsites and tent fields (Krynica Morska, the Buczyniec ramp, Narew National Park, Zwierzyniec), in cities in hostels, and in Toruń in a hostel inside an old fort.
  • Kids' ages: in 2015 our youngest daughter was almost 4, and on the way to the Balkans in 2017 we took a little one who was just learning to walk.
  • How much time: a weekend was enough for 7 attractions in Wrocław, Warsaw took us 3 days, and after 6 hours in the Copernicus Science Centre alone we still hadn't seen everything.

Practical info

Documents and border checks

  • EU citizens can enter Poland with a valid passport or national ID card, and every child needs their own passport or ID card. A driving licence or a bank card is not a travel document.
  • Poland carries out temporary checks at its land borders with Germany and Lithuania, notified from 2 October 2026 to 30 March 2027, so keep the whole family's documents at hand (as of November 2026).

Money

Poland is in the EU but doesn't use the euro: you pay in złoty (PLN). At the A1 motorway toll gates you can pay in złoty, euro or US dollars (notes up to 100) or by card, and change is given in złoty (as of November 2026).

Motorway tolls

Passenger cars don't need a vignette in Poland, and the e-TOLL system is only for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (as of November 2026):

  • free for cars since 1 July 2023: the state-run sections of the A2 Konin - Stryków and the A4 Wrocław - Sośnica,
  • A1 Rusocin - Nowa Wieś (Gdańsk - Toruń): tolled again since 1 January 2025, you take a ticket at the entry and pay at the exit by cash or card, or drive through without stopping with the AmberGO app,
  • A2 Świecko (German border) - Konin: paid at toll gates,
  • A4 Katowice - Kraków: PLN 18 at each of the two toll plazas, Mysłowice and Balice, and from 16 March 2027 this section will be free for cars.

Child car seats

Children under 150 cm must travel in a child seat or another child restraint. A child at least 135 cm tall may use just the seat belt on the back seat if a child seat can't be fitted, and a third child aged at least 3 may ride in the back with a seat belt when two others are in child seats and a third seat doesn't fit (as of November 2026).

Tickets and national parks

  • Polish national parks don't charge an entry fee for children under 7. A ticket to Tatra National Park costs PLN 11, reduced PLN 5.50 (as of November 2026).
  • The Polish Large Family Card, which gave us discounts in many places, is only for families living in Poland, so as a visitor look for family tickets. Many places we visited had them, for example the National Stadium, Wrocław Zoo and Hydropolis.
  • Book popular places online: at the Copernicus Science Centre online tickets meant a much shorter queue, and in Kozłówka, on a free admission day, the first palace tour with free places was at 5 PM.

Best time to go

We drove around Eastern Poland in August, and it was a good time for camping and swimming in lakes, although in the heat the bison in Białowieża hid far from people. We go skiing in the winter school holidays, and the snow maze in Zakopane can only be built when it's frosty. The Polish Tourism Organisation also recommends autumn, with fewer tourists and warm weather without the heat. Plan your Mondays with a calendar: in Malbork only the outdoor route without the interiors is open then (as of November 2026), and the museum in Dęblin is closed on Mondays, while entry to the permanent exhibition is free on Tuesdays, which is exactly when we went (as of November 2026).

Best places in Poland for kids

Greater Poland: Poznań and around

The goats and Blubry in Poznań

Every day at noon two metal goats come out on the town hall tower and butt heads 12 times, and kids can pet the goat statue on Kolegiacki Square. At Blubry you learn Poznań's legends in a 3D maze, and kids get glowing wristbands. More in Goats in Poznan and in our video.

Fort Va

On the tour of this Prussian fort the visitors raise the rebuilt drawbridge themselves, and then you walk through a tunnel under the moat. Read about it in Fort Va Poznań, and see us raising the bridge in the video.

Deli Park

This educational park between Stęszew and Poznań is a whole day outdoors. You will find:

  • mammoths and other Ice Age animals,
  • giant insect models and miniatures of landmarks from around the world,
  • a mini zoo with alpacas, kangaroos and lemurs,
  • a village on platforms hung in the trees of the neighbouring forest.

See Mammoths near Poznan.

Wolsztyn engine shed

The last working steam engine shed in Europe, with a turntable from 1908 and wooden carriages from 1915. Our kids saw a rotary phone for the first time, and in the workshop a man told us how missing parts for steam engines are made from scratch. More in Locomotives in Wolsztyn and in the video.

Museum of the Origins of the Polish State in Gniezno

At a free "Family Sunday" the kids studied objects from a mysterious chest with magnifying glasses, and our daughter pulled out an ice skate made of bone. It ended with a quiz and a small gift for everyone, see Family Sunday in Museum of the Origins of the Polish State.

Mikroskala in Konin

Models with trains, the Titanic, Noah's Ark and Star Wars, where buttons start trains, lights and sounds, because, as the staff told us, "buttons are there to be pressed". Mikroskala has since moved to a new building in Konin, details in Mikroskala Konin.

Poznań in winter

In the winter of 2015 Poznań gave us three outings with the kids:

Lubusz Land: tunnels, kayaks and a water park

Międzyrzecz Fortified Region

These German underground fortifications are now one of the largest bat hibernation sites in Europe, and you visit them with a guide at 9-12°C. Our youngest was disappointed that there was no real dragon at the "dragon's teeth". More in Międzyrzecz Fortified Region and in the video from the tunnels.

Kayaking on the Paklica

An easy 14 km paddle through fields, forest and two lakes, with one short portage at a mill, took us 5 hours at a relaxed pace. Our kids start kayaking at the age of 3, in life jackets that match their weight. Read about it in Kayaks with children - Paklica.

Zielona Góra pool

A wild river, an inflatable dome 15 m across and a 210 m tube slide that starts at the top of a glass tower above the forest. We paid almost half of what we would pay in Poznań for the same time, more in Zielona Góra pool.

Wrocław: zoo, miniatures and dwarfs

A weekend in Wrocław and the dwarfs

In two days in May we saw seven attractions, and in between we hunted for the city's little bronze dwarfs with a map on the phone and found 52 of them. The whole plan is in Visiting Wrocław with kids for a weekend.

The zoo and Afrykarium

In 2014, after the zoo, a stranger unexpectedly gave us tickets to the Poland - Cameroon volleyball game in the Centennial Hall (Wroclaw ZOO & FIVB game Poland - Cameroon). Two years later, in the Afrykarium, we watched hippos swimming and sharks passing over our heads in an 18-metre tunnel, see Afrykarium Wrocław and the video.

Kolejkowo

On the largest model railway in Poland, a miniature night falls every few minutes, and the staff give kids tasks, such as finding tiny kittens among 2,300 figures. Since 2021 Kolejkowo has been in the Sky Tower, more in Kolejkowo Wrocław and in the video.

Sky Tower and the cathedral tower

From the viewing deck on the 49th floor of the Sky Tower you can even see Ślęża mountain, and our youngest ran up to the glass without any fear. The next day we took the lift up the cathedral tower, where it was very windy. See Sky Tower - the tallest building in Wrocław and Viewpoint at Wrocław Cathedral.

Polinka and Hydropolis

The university's cable car takes you over the river in less than 3 minutes (POLINKA cable car). At Hydropolis, in an old underground water tank, the kids climbed into a replica of the Trieste bathyscaphe and tried to run through the water printer's curtain, and you can see how that went in the video and in Hydropolis - Center for knowledge about water.

Lower Silesia: Ślęża and Międzygórze

Ślęża mountain

This 718 m mountain was our test of whether the kids were ready for mountain trails. They loved climbing over the rocks on the blue trail and loved running down even more, as you can see in the video. Read about it in Ślęża Mountain with kids.

Fairy Tales Garden in Międzygórze

It's about a 30-minute walk uphill to this forest garden full of wooden fairy-tale characters, and the kids guessed which story each figure came from and worried about Piglet, who was "in prison", which turned out to be repairs. It was the first stop of our Balkan road trip in 2017, see Fairy Tales Garden, Międzygórze, Poland.

Warsaw and Toruń

National Stadium

On the footballer's tour we saw the dressing room, the players' bench and the pitch, and then went up to the viewing deck at the top of the stands. More in Exploring National Stadium in Warsaw and in the video.

Copernicus Science Centre

Hundreds of hands-on experiments and a special Bzzz! zone for kids under 5. After 6 hours we still hadn't seen everything, and online tickets let you skip the long queue, see Copernicus Science Centre.

Royal Baths and the Palace of Culture

An autumn walk among squirrels and peacocks to the Palace on the Isle, and then a ride up to the viewing terrace on the 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science. It was foggy, but the kids still loved it up there, even if the fast lift scared them a little. See Royal Baths in Warsaw, Palace of Culture and Science.

Toruń: planetarium, a night in a fort and gingerbread

We slept in a hostel inside Fort IV of the Toruń Fortress and toured it in the evening by torchlight as "new recruits", and at the Living Gingerbread Museum everyone made their own gingerbread. It's all in Living Gingerbread Museum and Toruń's fortifications and in the video.

Pomerania, Warmia and Masuria

Malbork Castle

The largest castle in the world by area is visited with a guide, over a drawbridge and two moats, and the kids even saw the Teutonic Knights' toilets. Current tickets and the summer family tour are in Malbork Castle, and our visit is in the video.

Krynica Morska

The lighthouse on the Vistula Spit is open to children from the age of 4, so only part of the family went up. On the beach the kids built a castle like the one in Malbork, and one of our daughters jumped from the sandbank into deeper water, as you can see in the video. More in Krynica Morska - lighthouse and beach.

Nowa Holandia near Elbląg

An amusement park with Lew Gigant, a 28-metre inflatable lion slide, and Monster Island, where motion sensors trigger sounds from the bushes and our girls believed the monsters were real. Read about it in "Nowa Holandia" Family Amusement Park in Elbląg.

Buczyniec ramp

On the Elbląg Canal, ships ride over grass on carriages pulled by a cable, all powered by a water wheel. We slept on a tent field with storks walking around, and in the morning the kids watched the "flying ships" from the bank. See Buczyniec ramp and the video.

The Wolf's Lair

We explored the ruins of the blown-up bunkers of Hitler's former headquarters on our own along the red trail, and our son was most interested in the stories about the minefield. The paths are fine for a pushchair, more in The Wolf's Lair and in the video.

Stańczyki bridges

Two twin railway bridges up to 36 m high that look like Roman aqueducts. You can walk across the top and take the stairs down under the arches, and the whole visit takes about 30 minutes, see Stanczyki bridges.

Podlasie: borderlands, forest and many faiths

Tripoint of Poland, Lithuania and Russia

In 2015 we walked all around the granite pillar in Bolcie, and the kids wondered why you are not allowed to cross the border into Russia. Since 2023 the tripoint has been fenced off and you can only see it from a distance, more in Tripoint border of Poland - Bolcie.

Geographical centre of Europe in Suchowola

The stone in the market square marks a spot calculated in 1775. For us it was a short stop, but the kids were determined to splash their parents in the fountains, see The geographical center of Europe.

Mosque in Bohoniki

This mosque of the Polish Tatars was the first mosque we had ever been inside. We arrived during Friday prayers, and the imam told us about Muslim customs, see Mosque in Bohoniki.

Narew National Park

By the Narew, called the Polish Amazon, we walked on boardwalks over the marshes, and our son pulled the floating footbridge at Waniewo-Śliwno along its chain by himself. Both boardwalks are closed at the moment, so check the park's notices before you go, details in Narew National Park.

European bison show reserve in Białowieża

On the way round we passed an elk, a wolf, fallow deer and bison-cattle hybrids, but in the heat the bison stood far away in the middle of the pasture. More in European bison show reserve and in the video.

Holy Mountain Grabarka

The most important Orthodox pilgrimage site in Poland, with a church on the top and thousands of crosses on the slopes. We came two days before the Feast of the Transfiguration and passed pilgrims walking there, see Holy Mountain Grabarka.

Bug river ferry in Mielnik

A ferry with no engine, pulled along a cable by hand, which the kids absolutely loved. In 2015 the crossing was free, and now it is paid, more in Crossing the Bug river and in the video.

Along the Vistula: Dęblin, Gołąb and Kazimierz Dolny

The Illusion Farm

In the huge crooked house the kids couldn't walk, only run. After that came:

  • a mirror maze and an Ames room, where people seem to change size,
  • rafts and a wicker maze,
  • goats to feed with carrots.

The kids got so tired that our youngest fell asleep before we left the car park, see The Illusion Farm Amusement Park.

Polish Air Force Museum in Dęblin

Planes, helicopters and missile launchers stand right next to the airfield, and real aircraft were flying over our heads. More in Polish Air Force Museum in Dęblin.

Museum of Unusual Bicycles in Gołąb

Mr Józef brings one bike after another out of his shed: a penny-farthing, a galloping bike, a jumping bike and a space bike, and everyone can have a ride. Our visit took about 3 hours, see Museum of Unusual Bicycles and the video.

Kazimierz Dolny and the root tunnel

From the Hill of Three Crosses you can see the whole town and the Vistula, and we bought a rooster made of sweet bread as a souvenir. At sunset we walked through a 700-metre gully lined with exposed tree roots, see Kazimierz Dolny and Root tunnel.

Lublin region and Roztocze

Zamoyski Palace in Kozłówka

Inside the palace you walk on carpets and must not step off them, or an alarm goes off (we checked). Add a gallery of socialist realist art with old communist monuments and a peacock in the courtyard, more in The Zamoyski Museum in Kozłówka.

Chełm chalk tunnels

Two kilometres of tunnels dug by the townspeople under the city, visited with a guide at 9°C. The kids remember the meeting with the ghost Bieluch best, see Underground chalk mine in Chełm.

Zamość: the market square and the zoo

In the Renaissance market square we came across a drill show with muskets fired into the air (Zamość, video). The zoo is small, so the kids walked all of it without complaining, and we stayed longest with the meerkats, see ZOO in Zamość.

The beetle statue in Szczebrzeszyn

The bronze beetle from Jan Brzechwa's famous tongue-twister poem stands in the market square, and a wooden one is worth looking for at the foot of Castle Hill. We took a selfie with it, even though the kids couldn't say the tongue-twister yet, more in Szczebrzeszyn.

Roztocze National Park

Boardwalks around the Echo Ponds, home to Polish konik horses, and a guided exhibition with sounds and lights in the park's education centre. Read about it in Roztocze National Park.

Subcarpathia, Sandomierz and the Świętokrzyskie region

Cieszanów Rock Festiwal

Our first music festival with the kids: a tent on the festival camping field and a Pidżama Porno concert right in front of the stage. Kids got in free with us, and they sang the songs from memory, because the CD had been playing on repeat in the car all the way there, more in Cieszanów Rock Festiwal.

Łańcut

The castle, the orangery and the carriage house with 55 vehicles of the Potocki family are visited in guided groups and in felt slippers, in which the kids slid around like on ice. Apart from that there wasn't much for them there, as we honestly describe in Łańcut.

Pacanów, European Fairytale Centre

In the town of Koziołek Matołek, a famous Polish cartoon goat, a guide leads kids through the museum like through a fairy-tale land, with a fairy-tale train and stories told inside giant water lilies, and we even met the goat himself in the street. See Visiting European Fairytale Centre in Pacanow.

Baranów Sandomierski

We reached the "Little Wawel" castle on the ferry in Otoka, which is moved only by the Vistula's current. Behind the castle there is a lookout tower and a playground with a huge dragon to climb, see Baranów Sandomierski.

Sandomierz

We looked for places from the TV series "Father Matthew", climbed the Opatów Gate and walked the underground route that ends in the town hall cellars. More in Sandomierz and in the video.

Kurozwęki: bison and a corn maze

A trailer pulled by a tractor took us right up to a herd of more than 80 American bison, and then we searched for question boards in a maze cut into corn taller than the adults. Read about it in Kurozwęki - Buffalos and corn maze and see the video.

Krzyżtopór Castle

Huge ruins with 365 windows and 52 rooms, as many as the days and weeks in a year, where the kids searched for secret passages between the halls. See Krzyżtopór Castle.

Krzemionki flint mines

You walk 500 m underground with a guide through Neolithic striped flint mines on the UNESCO list, and on the way back to the car park you can go inside the huts of a rebuilt prehistoric village. More in Neolithic mines of striped flint in Krzemionki.

The Tatras and Podhale in winter

Skiing in Gliczarów and Bukowina Tatrzańska

On the small T-bar slopes of Gliczarów Górny, with a view of the whole Tatra range, our kids learned to ski, while our youngest rode down with us on a sledge (Skiing in Gliczarów). A year later she was skiing down Rusiń-ski on her own, as you can see in the video for 2016 Ski holidays.

Gubałówka

The funicular from 1938 climbs 300 m, with views of the Tatras from the carriage. It was -10°C at the top, and the kids slid down a small hill on plastic sledges, see Gubałówka with kids.

Snow maze below Wielka Krokiew

We were there on the opening day of a maze built from 60,000 snow blocks, which you enter through a 14-metre tunnel, and the walls are so high that even adults can't see the way out. Since then the maze has been built every winter when the frost allows, more in The largest snow maze in the world.

All posts: Poland

Last updated: November 2026