It may sound paradoxical, but we recommend going to Düsseldorf with children because it's not a tourist city. There are hardly any sights in the traditional sense of the word, no old gingerbread houses, no special children's museums.
Instead, there is a very modern and very cosy town, which, although sprawling in size, has retained the simplicity of a fisherman's village that appeared on the Rhine's banks 800 years ago. Despite its age, Dusseldorf is a city for kids — easy to get along with and to play with. To help you and your children get to know the city, we have created a children's itinerary for Düsseldorf and the suburbs.
Contents
Day 1. Old Town
In Düsseldorf's old town, the Altstadt, there are of course some historic buildings, such as the Town Hall on Marktplatz, the church of St. Lambert, whose crooked spire is impossible to miss, and the Schlossturm Tower on Burgplatz, the only surviving part of the Ducal castle.
And at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. try to find yourself under the town clock — instead of the cuckoo, the cunning Schneider Wibbel shows up, attracting the attention of absolutely everyone in the vicinity for five minutes.
In Düsseldorf, it's fun for children to look at the little things and details, each of which is as enjoyable as a toy they find by chance in the park.
Take a stroll down the streets, and you'll find many original fountains, street sculptures (many on pedestals), lanterns and clocks.
An amazing fact: the Rheinturm television tower also becomes a clock when darkness falls. The vertical points of light on it tell the time, and the clock is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest in the world. In addition, the tower has an observation deck at 168 metres high, from where you can see the city nestled against the banks of the river Rhine.
In the Altstadt, you will also want to take a break and eat in one of the cosy cafés. From there, you can head to the riverfront or the Hofgarten. Either route yields new insights. Follow the Königallee to the garden — it has a water-filled moat and bridges spanning it, each with a unique design.
The garden is suitable for quiet walks, and its paths are lined with ducks, swans, rabbits and squirrels. There's also a large playground. And if you arrive at the Hofgarten toward dusk, it's not just the lanterns that light the way but also the benches. If you choose to walk along the promenade, admire the unusual houses, for which the promenade is called the "architectural zoo", visit the TV tower, and enjoy a boat tour on the Rhine.
For children aged 8 to 12, Düsseldorf organises a fascinating quest through the old town and the waterfront. The questions are not complicated, and the prizes for correct answers are accurate.
However, the quests are conducted in German and English, so if there is still time, motivate your children to improve their foreign language skills. You can learn more about the rally on the city's official website.
Day 2. Bottrop: Movie Park theme park
The Movie Park in Bottrop, 60 km from Düsseldorf, is justifiably famous: The rides are sure to please even the most spoilt amateur. There are several roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, the breathtaking Bermuda Triangle, a river journey through the jungle and a ghost tour.
Children will love it as they meet their favourite characters like Dora the Explorer, Jimmy Neutron, SpongeBob and the Ninja Turtles. With them, they'll go on swings and merry-go-rounds.
Electric cars and water scooters are great for family rides, as is a fast glide down an ice cave past the surprised mammoths with such speed. Kids love the Young Firemen ride, where they get the lucky chance to drive an almost real fire engine.
There are also top-class shows. For children, there's a funny show featuring Nickelodeon characters. For teenagers, a journey into the world of blockbusters. For the whole family, there's a stunt show. The park's shops are just as appealing to children as the rides. You can buy your favourite cartoon and comic book characters, themed T-shirts, cups, key chains and other souvenirs.
There are more than two dozen restaurants, cafés and fast food outlets in the Movie Park, so you can party all day without fearing going hungry.
By the way, if you think the size of Movie Park is too much for you, choose another park in Botrop — Schloss Beck. There are great rides for children and teenagers and no crowds.
Day 3. Neanderthal Museum, Düsselstrand Water Park
Just a 15-minute drive from Düsseldorf, near the town of Mettmann, is a very unusual museum. It was here, in the Neanderthal Valley, that the remains of ancient man were discovered. At the Neanderthal Museum, visitors are, of course, taken to the site where the bones of our distant ancestors were found. The Neanderthal Cave and the Ice Age Reserve, inhabited by animals from those times, are fascinating. Still, it is much more appealing for children to experience primitive humans themselves.
In this museum, they will learn how to make stone tools, build fires, cook food on stones, identify animal tracks, wear clothes made of hides and build a house.
There is also an educational aspect: the little Neanderthals helped their parents in every way possible — picking berries and carrying firewood. To get a better sense of the connection of times and the importance of the skills mastered by Neanderthals for the modern world, a special exhibition has been created in the museum. It's worth noting that the reserve is an 8-kilometre-long excursion route, which can be difficult for pre-schoolers.
If your child hasn't spent enough energy at the museum, we recommend spending the afternoon at the Düsselstrand water park in Düsseldorf. The understated colour scheme — white, blue and a bit of yellow — evokes summer and the endless expanse of the sea.
This water park has been awarded the European quality and Safety certificate for swimming pools. There are slides of varying heights, a "Lazy River", swimming pools, water play pools, a special children's area, fountains and a waterfall. There are whirlpools, saunas and spa treatments for those wishing to relax.
Day 4. Barbarossa Castle, Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum
Back from your out-of-town trip, visit another part of Düsseldorf, the Kaiserwerth, home to two sites of interest to children. The first is the imperial palace or Friedrich Barbarossa Castle.
Although the palace is a ruin today, the thick walls covered in greenery, the grey and red masonry stones, and the foundations of the towers and other castle structures stir the imagination. It's an especially appealing place for boys, as they don't have to walk up and down the expensive parquet flooring but can run around and play, imagining themselves as the brave defenders of the castle.
The palace is being restored to its former glory, and the unique structure, more than 1,000 years old, is gradually regaining its former glory.
The second site, Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum, is also called an aquapark. There are sea creatures behind the glass of the aquariums and in the open-air pools, where children can look at them from all sides, feed them and even pet them.
The museum consists of skeletons and fossils, a vivid demonstration of evolutionary processes and exciting information on the anatomical features of animal organisms according to their way of life. There are also some fantastic insects, not only dried but alive. Next to the museum is the picturesque Nordpark, where you can walk after the tour.
Day 5. Oberhausen: Sea Life Aquarium, Aquapark, LEGOLAND discovery centre
Oberhausen, 40 kilometres from Düsseldorf, is a real holiday town for children. Even if a water park and an amusement park were already on the holiday programme, it has it all at once and other incredible attractions.
Sea Life Aquarium is attractive owing to the variety of sea and ocean dwellers represented there — over 5 thousand. But the highlight of the Oberhausen Aquarium is that it was home to the octopus Paul, famous for predicting the results of the football matches at the 2010 World Cup.
The Oberhausen Waterpark is astonishingly large. It has it all: indoor and outdoor pools, slides for toddlers and adults, whirlpools, swimming and fitness facilities, a water park with scooters and boats, a relaxation area, a beach with a volleyball court, fountains, water guns and even a horse that comes for a swim (such an unusual sculpture stands in a shallow pool).
The LEGOLAND discovery centre hardly needs advertising. The world made of Lego bricks can be completed by children with their constructions. There is an area for the little ones to play with the large DUPLO building blocks. Pre-schoolers will love the fireman and policeman training, while older children will love the chance to build and test a car on a particular track.
There are popular attractions, such as a roller coaster and a 4D cinema. LEGOLAND is in the CentrO shopping mall, full of other attractions, cafés and patisseries.
And that's not all of Oberhausen's charms. There's a scale model of the railway — Oberhausen was a central railway hub and the industrial centre of the Ruhr Valley, and coal and ore were mined here. The wonderfully preserved medieval castle of Burg Vondern, which even holds theatrical jousting tournaments, may interest children. Excellent playgrounds for children are available at OLGA-Park.
Of course, you don't have to visit all the proposed itineraries simultaneously. We hope these tips will help you create a good holiday programme for children in Düsseldorf.
