Traveling Danish: What You Need to Know About Taking Your Kid to the Most Hygge Place on Earth

My family has a long history with the country of Denmark. Our ancestors, however unviking-like they may have been, hail from the little Scandinavian country made up of one little peninsula and a series of some 400 islands known for its enviably happy and cozy way of life. More recent than that ancient history though, both my uncle and father served religious missions there, my parents made a trek back 40 years after my dad’s original stint, and we’ve celebrated a very Danish Christmas in our home since long before I was born into the family.

A real Danish windmill? In Denmark? Does it get better?

So why wouldn’t I take my 6-year-old on a weeklong tour of the place that holds such a definitive place in our lives and hearts? Well, I would. And I did. And now you are getting the skinny on how to make the most of your trip to this simultaneously quaint and forward-thinking country that everyone should visit.

Finding The Best Flights

Our first glimpse of Denmark!

Having a great trip starts with flying great, because no one likes a budget airline for a transatlantic journey. Eight hours in a flying metal tube is what it is already, so you want to make it as positive an experience as possible. We flew Scandinavian Airlines, or SAS, to and from New York, straight to Copenhagen, and aside from a slight delay due to their catering company on the way there, our experience was as positive as it could have been I think. They offer complimentary pillows and blankets to every passenger, and plug-in headphones for those of us who failed to pack them ourselves (whoops). Movies, tv, games and more are available at no extra charge.

A few basic flight tips if this is your first European vacation with kids:

Most transatlantic airlines have two aisles with two seats each on the outsides and four in the center. Choose the outside seats by the window. Maybe that seems like a no-brainer, but if you have littles that need to use the bathroom, it’s going to be a major pain climbing over people in the center.

I also highly recommend hitting up the Target Dollar Spot prior to leaving for small crafts and activity books that are perfect for airplane travel (meaning no Lego, balls, or obnoxious sounds/smells!). We also spent a fair amount of time reading when we weren’t sleeping on the way there, so don’t forget a good chapter book.

Oh, and as far as deals on flights are concerned? I highly recommend getting at least a basic membership with Going so you can be kept apprised of the best prices from your favorite airports. It’s how we found our flights for a pretty good deal. Just learn to be flexible on timetables (and even destination, if Denmark isn’t your immediate go-to) and you’ll find some amazing travel opportunities. We traveled to Paris a few years back with a similar deal and the cost was seriously unreal—think sub-$300!!

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Where To Stay With Kids In Denmark

I am not a serious believer in big time hotel chains, with or without kids, while traveling. I understand the perks in some instances, but I always want to feel more like I’m immersed in the culture of the country I’m in, and I’ve found that airbnb is one of the best ways to do that.

Big hotel chains don’t provide cozy lobbies like this! We also loved Axel’s outdoor courtyard.

We found multiple airbnbs in Denmark—both in Copenhagen and Odense—that served our purposes perfectly, and also made us feel right at home. I love that this meant we were able to get personalized recommendations on the best eats, must-sees, and transportation tips while in the area from actual locals, too! But the best part is that airbnbs can be off the beaten path a bit, sticking you right in the middle of culture, hidden gems, and community happenings that mainstream hotels wouldn’t put you in the way of.

That said, we were never far from great bakeries (hello pistachio croissants!), gorgeous garden walks, famous sites, or metro stations.

Buka Bakery in Copenhagen delivered on flaky pastry heaven!

There are a couple of neighborhoods in Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, I highly recommend when traveling with kids. Indre By, the city center, may not seem family-friendly but we found it to be the perfect hub for our exploration of the city. We stayed right next to the King’s Garden right outside Rosenborg Castle and walked our way from there to Nyhavn and Christianshavn, and even out to Kastellat with ease. It was never loud but we still felt like we were close to the action.

Other kid-friendly Copenhagen neighborhoods include Frederiksberg (which would put you near the zoo, the famous Frederiksberg castle, and even Tivoli—one of the oldest and coolest theme parks in the world) and Nørrebro—another culture-happy district full of hip shops, great restaurants, and the Instagram-worthy Superkilen park which we found to be super fun for kids and adults alike!

Superkilen proved a fun afternoon even in the rain for this mama and her boy.

We also had the chance to stay at a hotel right near Tivoli called Axel Guldsmeden which, while I wouldn’t call it a kid-friendly area (there may or may not have been some evening workers doing business down the block), is a fun and funky, eco-friendly chain with several other locations in the country you may want to check ou

What To Do With Kids In Denmark

The options of kid-friendly activities in Denmark are essentially endless but I’ll highlight a few of the things that felt like must-dos while we were there. 

First and foremost is a trip (or 6) to Nyhavn. It’s 100% touristy and 100% worth it in every way. The iconically colorful houses-turned-restaurants along the canal are the actual cutest, eating there felt truly authentic (looks for restaurant that serve legitimately Danish fare), and the general vibes are very…I’m in Denmark-y! An absolute must-do for adults and kids in Copenhagen.

Nyhavn is something like a real life fairytale. TAKE ADVANTAGE.

I also highly recommend a good walk (or bike-ride if your kids are big enough (you’ll note immediately on arrival that Denmark is an extremely bike-friendly country) over to Christianshavn—have a unique lunch on Paper Island, climb to the top of The Church of Our Saviour for a 360 view of the city, and enjoy some local shopping in Freetown Christiania (look this area up if you’re curious about their alternative community lifestyle!).

Photo from Wikipedia

View from the top of the Church of Our Saviour.

Here is a good time to note that while we did tons of walking, we did take advantage of the Metro as well—which is, by the way, as easy to manage as most U.S. subway systems. You can easily buy a ticket at any station and by looking at the maps will be able to tell which kind you’ll need (the city is set up by zones and each ticket price is determined by which zones you’ll travel in).

Using the Metro we found ourselves able to visit the original Little Mermaid statue (where are my HC Andersen fans at??), the incredible Frederik’s Church, and Amalienborg (the queen’s winter haunt—no sitings of her but we did accidentally get a guard quite upset by standing too close to the castle wall so, warning…these guys take their jobs very seriously even though they have the cutest little hearts designed right into their iconic red cubicles).

Amalienborg guard on very serious duty.

Most visitors to the city would rightly say that you can’t have a full-blown Copenhagen experience without visiting Tivoli, the world’s second oldest amusement park (open since 1843!). You could probably spend days there but most suggest a good afternoon and evening to experience the park in both sunlight and under the magical lights of the theme park.

Another thing you have to do is shop for souvenirs, obviously. No trip is complete without a pair of hygge socks or your own little viking statue! While there are typical souvenir shops all around the Nyhavn area, we found great shopping of every kind near The Church of Our Lady, where we had visited the Christus and apostle statues. This is a lively area of the city that definitely caters to tourists but also feels authentically Danish with clothing, home goods, and knick knack shops all along the narrow, walkable streets.

The sweetest little viking you ever did see.

Now, if you’re willing to take some time to travel away from Copenhagen (highly recommend, btw) Odense is another city center that brings some great bits of Denmark to life, especially for kids—specifically, Hans Christian Andersen. We had a lovely time exploring green walks and finding unexpected art in the waterways on our way to the museum solely dedicated to the famous children’s book author. They really make his life and his works come to life and you get to walk through his iconic yellow childhood home in the coziest nook of down-home Denmark afterward!

Kids are great at finding joy in every moment—don’t forget to get off the beaten path to discover the most memorable parts of Denmark.

And anyone traveling with kids in Denmark has to know the ultimate destination in the entire country is the original Legoland. Did you even know that Lego are Danish?? True story—Ole Kirk Christiansen made the first plastic building block in 1949 and the rest, as they say, is history. But really, the number of times that my son said that it was “the best day of his life” while at Legoland was untrackable. Ride the rides, get the expensive gold chocolate Lego bricks, let your kid earn their Legoland driver’s license, build your own creations for display, explore the incredibly intricate details of the Lego cities…you could spend days. But make sure you at least have one full day here to embrace all the goodness that your kids can take in. No one will regret it.

Legoland in the fall was a dream for our Halloween-loving family.

And real quick—maybe more of a sidetone—but there are a few things you must eat when in Denmark, especially with kids. First, as iconic as a New York style street dog is to the Big Apple, so is rødpølse to Copenhagen. It’s a strangely long and red hot dog sold by street vendors and customizable with relish, crispy onions, and more. We’re a plain with brown mustard kind of people, but you do you. Next up, hit a bakery (a million times and for a million things but this one specifically is just so very Danish) for some weinerbrød—which has nothing at all to do with wieners or bread but rather sweet pastry full of almondy goodness. Then, for lunch try the quintessential smørrebrød—or open-faced sandwiches iconic to the country. The combinations of toppings might throw your American brain off at first, but make sure you give it a try!. And, if you do many sit-down restaurants, look for ris a la mande on the dessert menu. This is one we’ve kept alive during our own Danish Christmas celebrations and is the best rice pudding you’ll ever meet. The added crunch of almonds and the tart berry sauce…you can’t go wrong.

Lastly, while it wasn’t a priority for us necessarily, there are plenty of museums, the botanical garden, castles, the six forgotten giants, and more to explore all throughout the area. Oh, and two things I was desperate to do but couldn’t make work? A day trip to Møns Klint, and a pastry lesson with a local chef with take-home Danish recipes (kids have to be at least 12 for this I think)! These would have seriously taken our trip over the edge of perfection.

What To Pack When Traveling With Kids

First and foremost is comfortable shoes. As I’ve said, walking was the order of most days while in Denmark, and I was impressed by the number of tourists also being smart enough to wear sensible shoes with their cute outfits. Of all the brands available for such an order, I opted to buy some Kizik’s—because the internet and a coworker convinced me it was the right journey for me. They were 100% correct and I have zero regrets. I literally wore them once before the trip and had nary a blister or even whisper of discomfort the entirety of our nearly two weeks traveling. Unheard of with any other pair of shoes, including my perfectly worn-in running pair! If in doubt, invest in Kiziks—for the kids, too. They’ve got a few different designs, all super easy to slip on and all super comfy.

Day 10 in those white Kiziks and couldn’t be happier!

After comfortable walking shoes comes comfy clothes. And in layers! Especially in the spring and fall, Denmark gets windy and wet so plan accordingly. It’s surrounding by the ocean and you’ll know it. But not in a bad way. Just come prepared with a windbreak/rain jacket for everyone and you should be good to go. (A purse umbrella wouldn’t hurt, but we are hat people, so pick your poison.)

Honestly, the last and most important thing you need to pack on your kid-friendly trip to Denmark is a real sense of adventure and wonder. I know how easy it is to slip into the go-go-go, see-all-the-things mentality and forget that this whole thing is actually about memories and moments—not a checklist. When in doubt, slow down. Take an afternoon for the park. Talk with the locals. Grab a danish. And just get hygge.

Soaking in the King’s Garden.

It’s what the Danes do, after all.