Travelling with children can be just as challenging as it is rewarding, we know. Whether it's keeping your kids happy with food and activities, minimising the boredom of sightseeing or encouraging them to keep moving to the next stop, enjoying your holiday requires a lot of patience, preparedness, compromise and planning so that everyone feels their needs and desires have been met. As it happens, the Tri-city (Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia) boasts an array of family attractions that should meet everyone's criteria, and make it easy to find common ground when it comes to sightseeing with the kids. Whether it's warm or cold, sunny or rainy, the Tri-city has you covered.

It's not hard to stimulate the imagination of a child when walking through the streets and arches of Gdańsk Old Town, past the comical drainpipes and each mysterious doorway on ul. Mariacka before making a turn onto the waterfront where two mock pirate ships are docked. This may very well be the spark of motivation that can convince an otherwise-difficult child to visit a museum with you!  If you're heading to the Tri-city in the summer months, taking advantage of the beautiful Baltic coastline is a no-brainer. While Sopot is often the default for beach time, don't forget that Gdynia also offers plenty of sea and sand in reach of lody (ice cream), gofry (waffles) and sightseeing opportunities your kids will also enjoy. While the colder, wetter months during the so-called 'low season' will limit your outdoor options, there are still plenty of indoor activities to consider.
 

Pierogi = Full Tummies = Happy Kids

Fussy eating habits are a challenge to any parent and foreign cuisine can shake things up even further. Fortunately for you, Poland has pierogi - simple dumplings no kid will turn their nose up at. Find this filling and popular national dish in any pierogarnia, most notably: Mandu in Gdańsk and Pierożek in Gdynia. If a play area and more extensive food options are what you need, take a look at Restauracja Kos and Winne Gronno in Gdańsk, or White Marlin in Sopot.

 
Taking a coffee break does not have to break your kids' enthusiasm either. There are a number of child-friendly cafés all over Tri-city that cater to the needs of young parents. In Gdańsk, places like  Dobra Kawa and Przystanek Kawa  perfectly balance baristic standards with kid options and play areas, while Sopot's Dwie Zmiany  café/artspace takes it a step further holding plastic and sensory workshops for children. Gdynia's young family demographic has accommodated this lifestyle, with  ALT Café  and Ciuciubabka having entire playrooms at your children's disposal!

Getting Around for Families

Before we starting talking about our top pick of activities, let's quickly chat about getting around. While car rental offers the most flexible option for families, the most affordable way to get around in Tri-city is, of course,  public transport ! Travelling between cities is facilitated by the SKM train network and the local  bus/tram network  can further zip you around once you get into each city. Ticket prices are dependent on the number of stops you are travelling. While a ticket from  Gdańsk to Gdynia (one end to the other) will cost 6.20zł  and take about 35 minutes, families staying in Tri-city for a few days may want to consider purchasing  'Plus' Tourist Card , which covers all your public transport needs and offers free entry and discounts to a number of sights and restaurants. Depending on the age of your family, it is useful to know that children under 4 travel for free although you also have to buy a 0zł ticket (we kid you not) and you are likely to be requested to provide proof of the child‘s age so basically keep passports on you at all times.