Schönbrunn with kids is one of those experiences that feels like it can’t decide if it’s a royal palace or a giant children’s playground — which is perfect, because we’re not very good at deciding either. You get golden walls, endless gardens, and, somewhere between them, a sandpit my kids declared the best in the universe before I even found the refreshment stand.
This summer we skipped our usual seaside and mountain hideaways. Instead, we packed three kids, two dogs, and a car boot that looked suspiciously like we were moving house, and drove to Vienna. When we told people, even some of our relatives gave us the “Vienna? With kids?!” look. You know the one. The mix of shock and are you sure there’s a playground inside the opera house? But honestly, I couldn’t wait! I’ve always thought Vienna had a secret — that it’s actually one of the most kid-friendly cities in Europe, just hiding behind all those grand buildings and Mozart postcards.
We also had one travel rule: no more than six hours from Prague. Vienna ticked the box, plus it’s somewhere we´d never been. Getting there is easy — drive or take the train. Some trains, like RegioJet, even have family compartments with toys and kids’ movies. We almost went by train, but the dogs vetoed that plan without even asking. We booked three nights in a little Vienna apartment, giving us two full days to explore. We split them between Schönbrunn and the Prater. This post is part one — a day of palace gardens, playgrounds, and trying to keep children and dogs out of the fountains.
Speaking of the dogs, our whole day was squeezed even tighter thanks to the morning and midday walks we had to fit in for them. To our surprise, Schönbrunn Palace gardens are not dog-friendly. There are a few small green areas nearby, but the palace grounds themselves are completely off-limits for dogs — unlike in London, where you can take them into almost every park. So on our big Schönbrunn day, we planned two long walks with the dogs beforehand, just so we could spend as much time as possible inside. The good news? Our apartment was literally around the corner, so heading out after midday still gave us plenty of time to see the best spots in Schönbrunn.
Our tour started at the main gate, right next to a little café and the final stop of the yellow Schönbrunn hop-on hop-off train. We headed through the left-hand gate, and literally just behind the first green corner of those perfect evergreen hedges, we stumbled on a small fenced-in playground — which turned out to be part of Café Pavillon. Ahh, now this is the stuff of parenting dreams: a café and bar with a playground. Coffee or tea for you — or an Aperol Spritz if you want to lean into the Austrian holiday vibe — and a huge sandpit for the kids! If you’re exploring Schönbrunn with kids, this is one of those unexpected gems where parents can actually relax.
As most parents know, a walking tour with small kids is its own kind of sport — not the kind where you race to the finish, but the kind where you stop to inspect every single stone on the Schönbrunn path, every flower petal, and possibly every squirrel. So, after sipping our refreshments, we had a light lunch at Café Pavillon, and then came another half hour of gentle persuasion: “I’m sure there’s another amazing playground just ahead…” Eventually, we set off! Our little workers were rewarded with a special treat — ice cream — which instantly turned them into enthusiastic walkers. They licked their cones, we soaked up the beauty of the last Habsburg summer residence, and the whole afternoon suddenly felt lighter.
At Schönbrunn, you’re spoilt for choice — there’s the palace itself, the famous Tiergarten (zoo), the Palm House, the Desert House, the Orangery, the Maze and Labyrinth, the Gloriette with its sweeping city views, and endless gardens to wander. As for many parents visiting Vienna with kids, the zoo is usually in the top five must-do attractions. But I’m not a fan of the whole concept of zoos, especially seeing birds in cages and big cats in small enclosures, so we gave that a miss. Since I’m a big lover of plants and greenhouses, the Palm House and the Desert House felt much more our style — and honestly, if you’re doing Schönbrunn with kids, these spots are just as magical.
On our way to the Palm House, the twins fell asleep in the stroller — a tiny miracle that bought us some peace. Our oldest, though, was buzzing with excitement. He’s still in his full dinosaur-and-prehistoric-animal phase, so the towering palms, giant ferns, and jungle-like atmosphere were the perfect backdrop for his running commentary about “what the dinosaurs probably ate.” I absolutely loved the Palm House too — built in 1882 during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph, with its incredible wrought-iron details, crisp white railings, and that proud Habsburg elegance. You can feel the history in every corner, almost as if the glasshouse itself is breathing.
Halfway through our wander, Ollie woke up from his nap — and to our surprise, he was instantly ready for his next adventure. Normally, he needs ten minutes of cuddles and carrying (otherwise we get a very grumpy toddler), but this time he jumped right in, pointing at the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica) leaves floating like fairy-tale pads in the pond. In the other pond, we spotted golden fish and tiny turtles basking on the rocks. One particularly funny fish (possibly a garra rufa or nibble fish) swam up and down the same corner over and over again, like it was practicing laps for the aquarium Olympics. All around us were exotic orchids, banana plants, and towering palms stretching toward the iron roof — it felt less like a greenhouse and more like stepping into a green, living cathedral.
After exploring the Palm House, we were ready for our next stop: the Desert House. I love how real these places feel — the whole setting sparked that little dreamer in me who still wishes to see the deserts of Arizona one day. The Desert House sits directly opposite the Palm House, but walking in feels like stepping onto a different planet. Gone are the tropical leaves and humid air — here it’s all sun-baked landscapes, towering cacti, and spiky plants that look like they could survive on Mars. The building itself was originally built in 1904 as a tropical house, but today it’s dedicated to desert ecosystems from around the world.
Inside, we spotted giant tortoises slowly making their rounds, lizards basking under heat lamps, and even desert fish (yes, that’s really a thing). The kids absolutely loved the tall aquarium filled with tiny dark grey-brown garra rufa fish — the famous “doctor fish” that nibble and clean your skin. Spoiler: when a man dipped his hands in, the fish swarmed him instantly — apparently adult skin is gourmet compared to kid skin, because when the children tried, only a few curious ones showed up.
Just outside the Desert House, there’s a little garden that turned out to be the perfect pause button. The kids chased each other around while I sank into a shady bench and inhaled the scent of red roses—pure parenting bliss. From there, we made our way to another gate, quietly hoping for a refreshment stand. And jackpot: not only did we find cold drinks, but giant doughnuts—yes, even pretzel-shaped doughnuts. Naturally, we had to try them. So picture this: three kids, two tired parents, strollers, bags—parked on a bench, indulgently devouring pastries while the yellow Schönbrunn Panorama Train chugged past, pausing to let more families hop on or off.
By then, we were done carting our stuff — and ferrying tired kids — so we downloaded the Schönbrunn app, snagged the tickets with a few taps, and hopped aboard ourselves. It was the best decision. The train glided us past some of the park’s most beautiful corners: the elegant Neptune Fountain, the romantic Roman Ruin, and up to the Gloriette atop the hill — without little legs dragging us down. The bright yellow train is also a must-do when visiting Schönbrunn with kids, giving families an easy (and fun!) way to see the grounds without the meltdowns.
Our biggest surprise? The final stop on the Panorama Train dropped us off in the exact same spot where our tour had started — a perfectly full circle that felt like the sweetest ending to the day. Of course, we didn’t manage to see everything (and we skipped going inside the Schönbrunn Palace this time), but with six little feet trotting beside us, we were more than grateful for all the adventures we did squeeze in. Schönbrunn gave us golden walls, secret playgrounds, palm forests, desert tortoises, and even doughnuts bigger than a toddler’s head — and that was more than enough for one family day.
Next stop: Prater — can’t wait to share it with you.
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