When we searched for things to do in Budapest with kids in the winter, we kept running into roadblocks. We kept hearing the answer –  “it’s too cold to visit Budapest with kids in the winter”. We found it’s not true! We found plenty of things to do in Budapest with our kids this winter when we visited for 3 days. Budapest was easily my favorite and most kid-friendly city out of the 10+ cities we visited in 5 countries over this trip. We wished we had at least another 3 days to see everything we wanted to see!

Here’s what we did – and had a blast – in our 48 hours (of active time) in Budapest with kids in the winter!

Disclosure: Part of this post is sponsored content, and we received a discount or free admission to these activities. This post also contains affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small amount of commission. You will pay the same amount as anyone else would be paying for the service, but you will help us keep this website up! Lastly, even with these sponsored content and affiliate links, all opinions are of my own, and none were provided or influenced by the companies or individuals that sponsored me and my family.  

Miniversum

Cold weather and indoor kids museums just go hand in hand. This museum won’t disappoint! Even if the weather is awful, you can still see major sights from Hungary, Austria, and Germany in a fun and creative way. You don’t feel like you are missing out on cultural activities while you are abroad and doing just “kid” things. We have an in-depth guide and review to going to the museum here.

Take a walk through the City Park (Városliget)

This park is like a one-stop shop for so many different Budapest attractions. So if you get a mild weather moment, make a bee-line here! They have the Budapest Circus, Castle Vajdahunyad (we pretended it was Elsa’s castle to keep H interested), Heroes Square, and the Zoo & Botanical Gardens. In the winter, there’s ice skating here too. Perfect place to run around and check out historical parts of Budapest. It’s a must-not-miss. The castle, ice skating rink and Heroes Square is all in one place, but if you want to go to the Zoo, it’s a little bit of a walk, so bring your strollers/carriers accordingly.

The famous thermal bath is here, but kids who are not potty trained can’t go. They also caution against kids under 6 to go in, so we skipped. You can see the historical bath from the outside, which is still beautiful.

Ice Skate at Europe’s Largest Ice Skating Rink

This is such a winter treat for when you are in Budapest with kids! For those kids that are young, they have little clip on skates to put over shoes (Henry’s snow boots were too big to fit but regular sneakers should work) or a seal called Bobby they can ride. You pay an entry fee, and you have to pay a deposit for both the skates and the Bobby in cash – so don’t forget to bring cash. They were both about $5 equivalents in HUF. They do have an ATM at the entrance if you happen to forget or not have enough.

The hours are in the morning and the evening and have about a 2-4 hour break in the middle of the day, so also plan accordingly.

Christmas Market at St Stephen’s Basilica – Advent Fest

This market usually starts November 24th through January 1st in Budapest. We were lucky enough to go since most other Christmas markets were closed by the time we went! They have a fun light show, which is displayed against the St. Stephen’s Basilica, with delicious foods and other vendors – including toy vendors! Henry loved it! They also have free ice skating for kids under 14.

Budapest Eye and Erzsebet Square

When we went out to look for the Christmas Market in Budapest with our kids, we stumbled upon this gem of a place! They had their own little market area, and we had our first Vin Chaud (hot wine) experience in Budapest here. Gorgeous square, with a big Ferris wheel! The Ferris wheel stayed open late, so a great night time activity with kids in the winter in Budapest!

Grand Central Market

Perfect early morning activity in Budapest with kids! It was an impressive market where the first floor is food – lots and lots of meat, bread, and sweets! The second floor was toys and souvenirs. When we went on a Wednesday morning, it was pretty empty, so it was a great place for Henry to run around. The area was stroller friendly also.

The Grand Central Market is located in the Old City, which was a 2-minute walk from our Airbnb. Perfect last day activity before we had to catch our train to Vienna.

Stay at a Comfortable Airbnb

When all else fails and it’s too cold to be outside, it’s always a good idea to have a cozy Airbnb. That’s why we chose this place, because it was in a nice location, with enough space for us to hang out at. They are kid-friendly and provided us with a nice crib too. It was gorgeous (I mean it – loved the decor!) and super functional for us family of 4.

Luckily, we were able to be outside touring around in our stay, but some nights we decided we needed to stay in. When we choose an Airbnb when anticipating a lot of time there, we like to look for:

• At least 2 bedrooms
• Outdoor space
• Good location
• Kid-friendly
• Cribs available
• Toys available

This Airbnb we had in Budapest didn’t have toys, but it checked all of our other requirements!

Other things to do in Budapest with kids in winter recommended to us but we didn’t get to do

Like I said earlier, we wish we had an entire week in Budapest with kids – even in the winter!

Night time sightseeing cruise 

This is a one hour cruise to see monuments lit up at night like the Parliament Building. We had tickets, but naps happened/didn’t happen the right way, and we missed out. Part of traveling with little kids, I guess. 🙁 It is supposed to be very kid friendly, and all indoors, so a perfect way to spend an evening in Budapest with kids in the winter! This by itself is making me want to go back to Budapest now!

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

Another night time activity that didn’t go as planned with the kids. We did ask the taxi driver to drive by it and it was absolutely breathtaking! It’s a gorgeous bridge connecting Buda and Pest with views of the Parliament Building from the Buda side. You can walk over the bridge too.

 

Children’s Railway up Buda Hill

This looked so cute!! It’s a railway run by children under the supervision of adult railway workers. Love. All 7 stops include fun things to do with zoo, zip-lining, and views! Again, I want to go back now!!

Have you been to Budapest with kids in the winter? Let us know what you thought!