10 Things To Do In Gothenburg With Kids

Sweden’s second city, Gothenburg, came as a pleasant surprise when we visited during the summer. The city feels more relaxed and a bit edgier than Stockholm but it has the same child-friendly vibe you find throughout Sweden with an extra sprinkling of large-scale attractions. In short, Gothenburg is a great city for families without being too overwhelming. It is easy to get around on buses and trams and it’s full of museums and sights geared towards children. Here’s my pick of 10 fun things to do in Gothenburg with kids. I’ve also written about what we did as a family for one day in Gothenburg with children.

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1. Liseberg Amusement Park

Scandinavia’s largest theme park, Liseberg, has everything from thrilling rollercoasters and carousels to a concert hall and a huge wheel you can see from afar. Open since 1923, one of its main attractions is a wooden rollercoaster – the biggest in the world. Liseberg has special events at Halloween and its Christmas markets open in November (I can imagine it is similar to Tivoli Gardens in winter). We had wonderful views from our hotel (Gothia Towers) but unfortunately it was closed the day we were there (Monday). Check the website for opening times and more information.
Address; Örgrytevägen 5. Admission with no rides included are 95SEK (£8.60). Various tickets which combine rides are available. Children under 110m go free

2. Universeum

Described as the best museum for kids in Sweden, Universeum’s credentials are immediately apparent. The first thing you see is a huge diplodocus guarding the huge building. Located close to Liseberg amusement park, the interactive science museum has seven floors filled with huge aquariums, a rainforest with tropical birds and butterflies, life-sized dinosaurs and the chance to explore the Swedish wilderness as well as space travel.
Address: Södra vägen 50, Gothenburg
Cost: Children 3-16: SEK 185, Adults SEK 245, under 3s are free. Family tickets available. Open 365 days a year 10am – 6pm (sometimes later).

3. Museum of Gothenburg (Stadsmuseum)

The remains of Sweden’s only original Viking vessel lie at the city museum alongside Viking weaponry and jewellery. The museum’s exhibits tell the history of Gothenburg. There’s a Children’s Museum therewith a fully interactive space and play area.
Address: Norra Hamngatan 12
Cost: Under 25s free, adult 40SEK (£3.50). Closed on Mondays

4. Maritiman

Located on Gothenburg’s harbour near the Opera House, Maritiman is the world’s largest floating ship museum. If you want to learn more about sea warfare and immerse yourself in the life of a seafarer, then this is the place. The museum is made up of various boats including the 121m Swedish destroyer, Smaland, and a 69m submarine. The labyrinthe of walkways, ladders and steps means this probably isn’t one for pushchairs and very young children but plenty to do and see for older kids.
Address: Packhusplatsen 12
Cost: Adult 120SEK (£11), children 5-15 70 SEK (£6.50)

5. Haga district

Gothenburg’s oldest suburb is filled with quaint wooden buildings, boutique shops and cafes. Head there for lunch, a browse and snap photos of the picturesque streets. Take a guided walking tour to get the insight into this fashionable neighbour which was once on the brink of demolition.

You need to sample one of the famous Halledt (cinnamon buns) while you are there. We happened to stumble upon the best place in town for them, Cafe Husaren. The giant buns are delicious but could feed a whole family!
Cafe Husarean, Haga Nygata 28, Stop: Hagakyrkan

6. Feskekörka (Gothenburg fish market)

Built in 1874, the building which houses Gothenburg’s indoor fish market resembles a Gothic church. Impressive to look at from the outside, inside you get to see a fish market at work set in a bustling, cool vibe. There are plenty of fresh fish stalls to buy and cook if you are self-catering or grab a bite to eat there. Don’t be surprised if you see the odd bride and groom milling around too, it was recently consecrated as a place of matrimony.
Address: Rosenlundsvägen, Stop: Järntorget
Closed Sundays and Mondays

7. Skansen Kronan

Built back in 1697 to defend against the Danish, the fortress, Skansen Kronan, was never attacked and its 23 cannons remain unfired. It is a bit of a climb to the top but wearing a sensible pair of shoes it is doable with a pushchair while our four year old walked all the way up so will be a breeze for older children. Talking of breeze, it was windy when we went up. It is worth it though, the views over Gothenburg are fantastic and with cannons to clamber on and a grassy patch to explore, our daughter loved it. Worth combining with a trip to the Haga District as its very close.
Address: Skansberget Stop: Prinsgatan

8. Gothenburg Museum of Natural History

If you and your children don’t mind a bit of taxidermy then head to the Gothenburg’s Natural History Museum. Its biggest attraction is the world’s only stuffed blue whale. If you are going at Christmas you may also see Santa!
Open; Tuesday – Friday 11am – 5pm Free admission for under 25s. Over 25s 40SEK

9. Parks and Zoo

Gothenburg is a very green city with plenty of parks for the children to run around. Boasting 137 hectares, Slottsskogen is the biggest park in the city. It has a large playground, Plikta, and a small zoo, open all year around, with Swedish animals such as elks and Gotland ponies. Feeding time for the seals and penguins is at 2pm and 2.30pm daily. In the summer there is also a petting zoo in the park with farm animals.
Address: Slottsskogen Stop: Linnéplatsen

10. Ride on the Trams

Gothenburg isn’t a huge city but hopping on the city’s trams is a must. It was a novelty for us who live in a city with no tram line. You may need help getting pushchairs up the steps but there’s always someone willing to assist. We bought a travel card for the whole day so could use them as and when we wanted. My daughters loved riding around and seeing the city in them.

Where to stay in Gothenburg?

We stayed at Gothia Towers, a large hotel next to the exhibition centre with views over the Lisberg amusement park. We had a fairly large rooms (by Swedish standards) and had activities for children (play area, computer games as well as a swimming pool). It suited us very well and was in a good location, close to many of the museums. There’s a tram stop nearby with trams going to the other districts in Gothenburg and Gothenburg airport. Check out other accommodation options close by for your stay in Gothenburg.

Tips for buying tickets

If you are considering going to several museums and doing lots of sightseeing during your stay in Gothenburg then check out the Gothenburg bus and boat tours and walking tours. The discount cards below are also worth considering.

Gothenburg City Card
The Gothenburg pass gives you unlimited travel on public transport, free city tours and free access to most museums including the Liseberg amusement park.
Adult 345 SEK for 24 hours (£34), Child 255 SEK (£23)

Museum Discount Card (Five museums for one).
Ask for a discount card (40 SEK) at any of the participating museums. The ticket is valid for free admission all year plus free entry to another four museums. Those participating are: Gothenburg City Museum, Natural History Museum, Gothenburg’s Art Gallery (Konstmuseum), Maritime Museum and Aquarium (Sjöfartsmuseet) and Stadmuseum.

Those are my top 10 things to do in Gothenburg with kids. Make sure you read my article on What to do in Gothenburg in one day with kids.

If you liked this article about things to do in Gothenburg, you can download it – along with other city guides – as an app at GPSmyCity.

The Lonely Planet Sweden was also a great guide for us during our stay in Gothenburg and our travels in Sweden.

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