Traveling to Budapest was not on my bingo card until my good friend, another single mom by choice, told me she was going to a conference there and bringing her 9-year-old daughter with her. “I’ll pay for your hotel room!” she said, and I immediately booked our flights!
With very little planning (who has time for travel research when you work full time and solo parent a 3-year-old?), I winged it and had a lovely four days with two kids in a city where we didn’t speak the language! It’s a beautiful city full of history and good food, and it’s fairly easy to navigate with kids in tow.
Thinking about planning a trip to Budapest, Hungary, with your family? Here are some of our highlights!
Where to stay
There are numerous family-friendly hotels, vacation rentals, and resorts in Budapest! Our stay at the ibis Styles Budapest Center was dictated by my friend’s conference, but it was a great find. The hotel was centrally located in the heart of the capitol and was extremely kid friendly — including a play area by the dining area (breakfast included). The room was comfortable and clean, and the lobby had a complimentary coffee machine, which came in handy for our 4 a.m. departure!
Things to do
The Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden
Conveniently located in Budapest’s City Park (easily accessible by public transportation), the zoo provides a fun escape for kids and adults alike. With 1,072 animal species and sprawling grounds, the zoo provides an easy-to-manage full-day activity complete with playgrounds, animal sightings, and even a petting zoo.
Ferris wheel of Budapest
A truly fun activity, this ride is complete with spectacular views of the Danube river and the city of Budapest — as far as the eye can see!
Light Art Museum
This museum presents the results of research into the interaction of art, science, and technology. The creative use of light is visually exciting for the younger crowd and actually interesting for those who understand how light works. It’s a small museum but a great stop in the center of Budapest.
Szamos Marzipan Museum
A quick 30-minute drive outside the city, this museum is a cross between Madame Tussaud’s wax museum and Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. It’s located in the quaint Hungarian town of Szentendre, and on display is a changing array of cartoon characters, Bible stories, fairy tale scenes, and Hungarian landmarks — all made from marzipan!
Visegrád Tournament
An hour from Budapest, the Visegrád Castle provides a truly stunning backdrop to a 14th century tournament performed by the members of the Szent György. It’s a fun, unique experience — complete with mulled wine for the parents.
The Cat Museum
Got a cat lover in the family? Want to relax from a busy vacation and enjoy a peaceful visit with some good-natured cats? The Cat Museum is the place for you! (Note that children under 8 cannot attend.) In addition to cuddling and playing with the kitties, you can learn some interesting info about felines, check out the painting collection, and choose some new accessories for your pet back home. (And if you need more cats in your trip, check out the Cat Cafe!)
Christmas markets
We were there for the opening of the Christmas markets, which run from mid-November through the end of the year. This was definitely worth a visit! There are a number of markets throughout the country, but the two city central markets are the biggest and most spectacular, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Getting around
Airport shuttles
Figuring out how to get from the airport to the hotel was incredibly easy with multiple shuttle services located right at baggage claim at the Budapest airport. We went with miniBUD which was efficient and cheap for round trip tickets.
“Hop on, hop off” bus and boat
A “hop on, hop off” style bus tour is an incredibly easy way to get from place to place (all landmarks) while also soaking up some touristy knowledge and culture — and you don’t have to worry about figuring out directions! Tickets include a boat tour (recommended), and kids under 5 are free! Pay attention to the time — the last bus stops at stop #20 and will not take you back to stop #1!
BudapestGO
This is the app for public transportation in Budapest and is very user friendly. Buses, trams, metro, and more — the city is very easy to maneuver once you figure out how to validate the ticket on your app. You can get a 24-hour ticket for up to five people for less than $13!
What to eat
With two kids in tow, we didn’t exactly embrace the most authentic Hungarian food. We did find a few really good pizza places, though. Ragazze Pizza was walking distance from our hotel and was a hit — try the bianco with its garlic mascarpone base, mozzarella, salami, and arugula, or the francesca with sweet potato slices, Italian ham, and garlic olive oil! Mia Valentina was a few blocks from the ferris wheel and was delicious — we felt like we’d been transported to Italy with the various pastas and pizza (and tiramisu!) on the menu.
Fortunately, we stumbled upon lángos (pronounced langosh) in Szentendre — fried dough with a layer of garlic, topped with sour cream and shredded cheese. It’s delicious, and one of the must-try Hungarian dishes in Budapest! There are literally hundreds of lángos places in Hungary, and it’s a crowd pleaser for any family.
