Are you a family of 5 planning a trip to Paris? Looking for a kid-friendly Paris itinerary? From how to score budget friendly flights to where to stay and what to do and eat, we got you!! Here's everything from our recent short and sweet (<1 week) family vacation in Paris so you can copy, paste, and adjust for your family's trip! Kick it off by watching our fun highlights video and read on for all the details below! BUDGET FRIENDLY FLIGHT TO PARIS We scored roundtrip tickets from Newark NJ (EWR) to Paris Orly with low cost carrier French Bee and were super impressed with the service! The free personal item is the smallest of any airline I've seen (smaller than a standard backpack!), and there's no free "carry on" luggage allowance, BUT no one once measured our backpacks or made a fuss about us also having a bag of food and big neck pillows. Whether we got lucky or French Bee is much nicer about their limits than others such as Spirit and Frontier, I'm not sure... We did purchase ONE (max 50 pound) checked bag for our family of 5 to share ($70 each way). In total, it ended up being just under $500 per person round trip! The seats, leg room, and service were equivalent to any carrier we've been on i.e. just fine. Where French Bee stands out as a budget carrier is that they have IN SEAT entertainment, for free!! They had 55 movies and tv shows, though more than half were only in French, they did have some recent and "cult classic" American block busters! They have tons of in-flight meals and snacks and beverages you can order, and the prices were comparable to what you would find in the airport, so you can skip lugging them around and just order on the plane, even a hot meal! Order ahead if you need a special diet meal though.
Apartment Hotel
While researching where to stay, I quickly realized that most hotels in Paris accomodate only 2-3 people, max. So a big family of 5 or more needs to book adjoining rooms ($$$), a suite ($$$$$), or do like we did and find an apartment hotel. This is DEFINITELY your best bang for your buck since you'll get way more space, which means a kitchen and dining area (so you can save money by going to the grocery store and cooking a bit, if you want). And let's face it, you need time away from eachother after sightseeing all. day. long. Am I right?! AirBNB is fine, but I really recommend finding a complex like we got, which had a really nice common space in the lobby so when my husband was WIDE AWAKE at 3 am, he could escape down there to read without waking the rest of us up! 
We booked 5 nights in a 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment at the Quartier Libre Saint Georges and LOVED it!! They had a helpful staff member in the lobby during daytime, AC (you could control individually in each bedroom and the living room!), free wifi (all 5 of us on devices and no issues), free luggage storage, great L'occitane shampoo/conditioner/body wash in the shower, Keurig coffee maker, dishwasher etc etc. One of our bedrooms had the cutest view, too! No complaints, this place was amazing, and close to the subway, though we only did Uber vans, more on that in a bit!
2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a sofa bed in the living/kitchen was perfect for our family of 5!
GETTING AROUND PARIS
Metro and bus are probably a great option... usually. However, they doubled the ticket prices during the Olympic Summer 2024 so at 4 euros a pop, it did not make sense for our family of 5 to do that since an Uber van was just barely more expensive and was door to door and without the risk of getting pick pocketed or losing a child LOL. So, for distances under 1.5 miles, we walked, which is always our favorite. For distances over that, we ordered Uber van which were always SO nice "luxury" vehicles with really cool seating - the 2nd row faces backwards and the 3rd row forwards so you face eachother and have so much leg room!! Some of the vans also had HUGE moon roofs which made for great sight seeing. You use your same Uber app that you use back in the US, and then you don't have to worry about language barrier or getting scammed with a street-hail taxi.
Our 5 Day Itinerary:
Day 1(A):
I don't really count this since it includes our overnight flight, which arrived at Paris Orly around 1PM. We grabbed a taxi from the official taxi stand (yes, they do have vans there for 4-6 passengers, ours was 49 euro flat fee, payable by credit card). It was almost 4pm by the time we got to our hotel, so we checked in, dropped bags off, and immediately went out to find dinner and explore the area. Even though I hadn't slept on the flight, I didn't want to let myself or anyone take a nap or go to bed before 7PM at the earliest. That's my best hack for jet lag LOL!
Day 1:
LOUVRE Unfortunately, Mia woke up feeling incredibly sick and nauseas, so I stayed at the hotel with her and my husband took the other 2 to the Louvre, since timed tickets were required (a summer olympic thing?). We were really bummed to miss it, but glad they could see the Mona Lisa, and apparently the kids really enjoyed the museum! We were nervous about lines but apparently it took them all of 15 minutes to get inside, and after waiting in the Mona Lisa crowd they did eventually get up close. 
Panthéon
Built in the 1700s, this building is spectacular, top to bottom!!! Foucalt’s pendulum is a cool sight, suspended from a steel wire 67m long! You'll see tombs of Voltaire and Rousseau (entombed in 1791 and 1794 respectively) on the main floor, and and many many others in the crypts below. I’ve heard the view from the Panorama is one of the best in Paris, just double check the hours because it closed before we had a chance to go up and I was so bummed!! Head to nearby La Crêperie for lunch or dinner or a snack - best (savory) crepe of my life! 
Jardin du Luxumbourg
25 hectacres of free and beautiful gardens and park, this is a great place to walk around and relax! There are little boats kids can rent and "drive", there's a mini statue of liberty, a museum, and more. It does close, pretty early, I think it closed at 7pm and the playgrounds had closed even before that! So again, double check times before planning your day! For us, this wasn't a destination but rather an intentional walk-through to get from Pantheon to our next stop. 
AURA INVALIDES
I’ve never experienced anything like AURA Invalides before, and I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough! The Dôme des Invalides is a gorgeous monument on its own, but seeing it through new light (pun intended) was absolutely CHILLING!! The music, the light mapping, it was intense and we absolutely loved every second of it. You can sit down on steps around the dome for most of the show, but there’s a 15-20 minute period in the middle they encourage you to walk around to see the different areas, including Napoleon’s tomb!! The lights and music are still going while exploring, it’s just such an incredible experience!! It is a nighttime event only. Our session started around 9:30pm and lasted 50 minutes. We got home around 11pm. So take that into account if going with younger kids or if you'll be fighting jet lag. 
DAY TWO:
Palais Garnier / Arsène Lupin and the Secret of the Opera To see and explore the Paris Opera House / Palais Garnier on a whole new level, be sure to get tickets for Arsène Lupin and the Secret of the Opera detective game on your next trip to Paris! It's not easy - it's recommended for ages 10+, but it 's a fun and immersive way to get kids/teens/adults involved and working together as a team instead of just traditional sightseeing! If you finish the game, you even get invited into some rooms usually closed off to the public! 
Galeries Lafayette Mall + Terrace
This historic high end department mall is right across from the opera and a must see for a few reasons. For one, there's a great FREE view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from the 6th floor terrace! The view inside is stunning as well, with a huge stained glass dome. They also have a great food court, and lovely (free) bathrooms! It's a great place to stop for food, rest, and a view. And if you love high end shopping, of course, have at it!! 
Covered Passages
Paris is famous for their many covered passages - some luxurious, some quirky, some run down, but there are so many and they're fun to explore! You can buy a tour, or you can research and plop them on your own map for a DIY walking tour like we did - we found a few that were clustered enroute from the Opera House to our next stop and enjoyed wandering through them all! I found this guide super helpful! 
Sainte-Chapelle
The most spectacular stained glass I have seen. Ever. Anywhere! Just Wowwwwww! Commissioned by King Louis IX, completed in 1248, Saint-Chapelle is a must see when in Paris! There was quite a long line, even with our timed tickets. You go through security like an airport. And there is a tiny staircase to reach THE. SPOT. But it’s 100% worth it!!! 360° surrounded by 1113 stained glass windows. 
Centre Pompidou
This truly unique "inside out" Centre Pompidou building is a piece of art in and of itself - with escalator tubes between the floors on the outside, providing great views of Paris! Journey inside to see works from famous artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol! It's a really interesting art museum for both young and old, our family really enjoyed it. 
Luminiscence at Saint-Eustache Church
This was the second spectacular night time light mapping and musical show we saw in Paris and it was equally amazing, but totally different! This one took place in the stunning 16th century Saint-Eustache Church, with lights projected 30m high 360 all around. Seated comfortably in the pews, you're taken on a journey through time, from the Middle Ages to the Baroque and the Renaissance. The scenes they could achieve with lights just blew me away - at one point when you looked up at the top of the cathedral, you could "see" rain and lightning hitting the "glass" ceiling - just WOW!!! The music, by greats such as Vivaldi, Bach, Fauré, Handel and Lully, was moving, with pipe organ behind us and a haunting live chorus up front. Unfortunately it seems that we saw one of the last shows in Paris, and it will be moving on to Lille and Nice next, so if you find yourself planning a trip to one of these places, definitely check their schedule! 
DAY 3:
Seine River Cruise on Bateaux-Mouches
There are many companies operating cruises along the Seine River, so whether you want a private ride, a party boat, or a romantic dinner, you'll find something and have a great time! We were gifted Champagne Cruise tickets on Bateaux-Mouches, which is basically a 1 hour ride on their sightseeing cruise, plus you get a bottle of champagne to drink on the boat or bring home and have later (don't drink out on the banks of the river or by the Eiffel Tower - despite it being Europe, you cannot drink alcohol in public in Paris!). I was shocked that the boat was not crowded (there's a huge uncovered upper deck and covered lower deck, both with great views), and my son was thrilled that it was so smooth to not trigger his motion sickness!! We stopped by cute Japanese cafe Saint Pearl and brought delicious sandwiches on board to eat while we cruised, which worked out perfectly. They had narration throughout the ride in many languages, though honestly it was difficult to hear, and we sailed under a million bridges and by all the big sights, including my favorite, the Eiffel Tower! I highly recommend Bateaux-Mouches for a regular cruise, Sunday Brunch cruise, dinner cruise, or any of their offerings! 
Eiffel Tower
Apparently you need to book tickets for the TOP of the Eiffel Tower 90 days ahead. Well, news flash, I hadn't even decided to go to Paris yet at that point so, spoiler alert, we didn't get to go to the top. We discussed it and decided none of us really needed to go in the Eiffel Tower at all, so we didn't, and no regrets!! What we really enjoyed was being around it. Spotting it from across town, going by it on the boat, and most of all, walking around the area getting amazing up close and personal shots! Walk along the Seine River, cut in on Av. de la Bourdonnais, and stop by Rue de l'Université for a super cute "Paris street with Eiffel Tower behind you" shot (the righthand photo below). We stopped at nearby La Coquette for ice cream and really enjoyed sitting outside, drinking bottles and bottles of free tap water, and got a free toilet break, too LOL! If you know you know... water and toilet is the constant struggle (more on this in my tips section at the end of this post). 
Champs-Elysées + Arc du Triomphe
We walked from Eiffel Tower, down the beautiful tree lined Champs-Elysées (making sure to take a peek inside the fancy McCafe, as demanded by our 11 year old), ending at the Arc du Triomphe. Make sure to take the underground tunnel (not the subway, it's one just for the Arc) so you can pop up on the little island where the Arc is. That's free, you can walk around outside, see the eternal flame, take photos etc. You'll need a ticket to go up inside the Arc, which we didn't do. We were in a rush because we had timed tickets at our next location. 
Catacombs
We jumped in a taxi and hauled booty across town for our 5pm timed ticket to the Paris Catacombs, which was WAYyyyyy different from all of the other sights we've been seeing! This one has you journey 131 step spiral staircase (20m / 5 stories) down to the Paris Catacombs, home to 6 million corpses that were transferred from cemeteries in the late 1700s due to overcrowding and public health concerns. Originally limestone mines, they're now the world's largest gravesite spanning 180 miles of labyrinth beneath the city! But the official catacombs where we get to go is just a 1.5km stretch that has been organized and reinforced. I definitely recommend paying extra for the audio tour, we did not and kind of regret it. There's not a whole lot of information once you're down there. 
DAY 4: Montmatre
Promotrain / Le Petit Train Montmatre There are a few ways to get up to Montmatre, the most elevated (and adorably picturesque) neighborhood in all of Paris. The funicular is a popular option, but we opted to use our (gifted) Go City Paris Explorer Passes to take the Promotrain / Le Petit Train up and highly recommend it!! It's a comfy open air (but they can close it off in bad weather) super cute (if not rather bumpy) mini train ride winding through the streets up from Moulin Rouge to Sacre Coeur. 
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre
I fell in love with Sacre Coeur Basilica when watching the film Amelie in 2001, and it along with all of Montmatre became my favorite place in Paris on my last visit, when studying abroad in Germany back in college. It did not disappoint this time around, nothing has changed, it's as beautiful and charming as ever (despite being very crowded)! 
The line to get into the Basilica was long but moved fast (our kids explored the "love locks" and then sat on the steps playing rock paper scissors as hubby and I inched along in the line). It's free to go into the church, but you do need paid tickets to go up to the dome for a spectacular view over Paris. Despite the fee and narrow 300 step spiral staircase climb, it's 100% worth it. Quiet, breezy, and so lovely up there!
La Mere Catherine
We used our (gifted) Go City Paris Explorer passes again for an absolutely lovely 3 course meal at the historic La Mere Catherine in Montmatre, founded in 1793. We first sat outside in the gorgeous lush and green covered patio, but the bees really scared Mia, so by course 2 we moved inside, which was also nice! The Paris Pass allowed us several choices for each of the 3 courses, so between the 5 of us we got to try just about everything on the menu! Highlights were of course trying some French classics including escargot (thankfully our waiter took the time to demo how to get them out of the shell and onto the bread), ratatouille, and crème brulée!! It was a long meal, about 2 hours, but a wonderful break from a busy day, in a super cute and lively area! 
Night Time Eiffel Tower
We walked back to our hotel after Montmatre for a quick rest (and to share a bottle of champagne from the cruise) before taking an Uber down to the Port Debilly area on the Seine River to finally see the Eiffel Tower at night. No one could tell us for sure what time it would light up or start its on-the-hour 5 minute sparkle show, but we were getting hints that it would be late, at 9 or 10. We got some snacks and just hung out down there, with many people of the same idea. It wasn't crowded, just a nice lively and safe feeling scene. The police did drive and walk through, and we saw them stop and tell several groups that they couldn't drink alcohol (they seemed like very friendly interactions though, not like they're out to ticket or punish anyone). The first "sparkle" show was at 10pm (probably earlier in winter but sunset in summer isn't til 9 so it makes sense) and we were VERY underwhelmed. There was no "show" it literally just sparkled, which was pretty, but was it worth 40+ euros on our roundtrip uber? probably not... but no regrets. Maybe you can schedule better so you're down in that area at night anyway! It was still a nice little adventure and we took a ton of photos, of course. I'm just obsessed with this tower! 
DAY 5
Choco-Story / Musee du Chocolate
We used our (gifted) Go City Paris Explorer Passes for the 3rd time for entrance to Choco-Story (the pass also gifts you the most delicious hot chocolate at the end of the visit, without the pass you can purchase for 3euro). The museum was fun and very informative. There were 3 stories, each focusing on the history of chocolate, from ancient to medieval times to present day, and included lots of interactive bits. There was also a short movie and a really cool "virtual" cooking show with 3 chocolate makers. There's some free chocolate throughout the musuem and fun workbooks that help kids look for information and have a more interactive experience (they got a chocolate lollipop at the end when they turned in their completed books!). 
The museum was cool but what we REALLY enjoyed, one of the highlights of our entire time in Paris, was the chocolate making workshop they hosted us on (you can purchase together or separately from museum admission). It was a small group and a chocolate maker, who was so helpful in demonstrating every step and helping us as needed. We got to use fondu type melted chocolate (milk, white, and dark chocolate) to dip marshmallows, truffles, and orange rinds, and had an assortment of toppings to use! Next, we used baggies to fill and create our own chocolate bars!! Best part - you get to keep all your chocolate (lasts about 2 months)! Such a unique experience, incredibly fun for kids and adults!!
Journey Home!
After the epic chocolate making workshop, we walked home, picking up lunch, eating in the lobby of our hotel, and ordering our final Uber Van of the trip. Paris Orly is a nice airport, plenty of food to choose from if you want to eat there or stock up for the flight. I searched all over and asked and everyone told me there were NO water fountains or water fillers, so I kept asking at the food court and they filled up our bottles. BUT, I finally did find one at the very end of our terminal, so, there is one, just very hard to find. Our flight left just before 7pm and we ended up ordering meals (8euro a pop) on the flight which were satisfying! I watched a few movies and before we knew it, our 8 hour flight was over and we were back in New Jersey around 10pm! If you can, I recommend NOT sleeping on the flight, so you get home, exhausted, and go right to bed at a normal "home" hour, lessening jet lag big time! 
PARIS TRAVEL TIPS:
3 Comments
Marjie Mare
9/2/2024 02:47:50 pm
I am so glad, I stumble upon this post. I am flying to Paris on Friday. Thanks for sharing. 9/3/2024 07:25:05 am
Thank you so much for sharing these fantastic tips and itinerary for a family trip to It's always a challenge to plan vacations that keep everyone happy. 9/4/2024 05:06:18 am
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About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! 
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