Safe, exciting and family-friendly trips to Latvia
While travelling with kids can be a more demanding experience that requires more attention to planning, it also provides unforgettable adventures. Latvia offers many opportunities for families – safe and signposted nature trails, interactive museums, playgrounds and welcoming accommodation.
The biggest advantage is Latvia’s small size – short distances between attractions allow you to see several places in a day, without tiring the littlest travellers with long journeys. In this article, we offer ideas that will help families discover Latvia – safe, comfortable and child-friendly.
Safety and comfort
When travelling with kids, we want to feel safe – so that parents can have peace of mind and kids can feel relaxed. In Latvia, this is aided by the numerous Tourist Information Centres, road signs, signposted nature trails and information stands. Signs and stands are not just for show – they help kids get to know nature better, but they also show parents that they are on the right path. And, if necessary, it is always possible to call for help throughout Latvia by calling the emergency services number 112.
Small comforts also play a role in family travel. Public toilets, changing tables, places to rest in the shade or warm rooms in winter make the trip calmer and more enjoyable for both kids and parents. These are small but important points that give the family peace of mind, allowing them to devote time to walks, conversations and events.
Nature trails and parks for kids
Latvia's greatest asset for travellers is its nature – forests, lakes and rivers, which are always within reach. For young travellers, the first steps along nature trails are like setting off on an adventure. In the Tērvete Nature Park, this adventure starts straight away – there, a wooden town and fairy-tale characters that have stepped out of kids' books greet every child with a smile. In the Tērvete Nature Park, you can also walk around the wooden town and try out the playgrounds. Meanwhile, the Dunduri Meadow in the Ķemeri National Park allows you to explore the vastness of Latvia's landscapes at a very leisurely pace. Through the meadows, where the wind plays with the blades of grass, little ones have the opportunity to encounter both birds and horses grazing in the open air.
When kids have grown up and their strides become a little stronger, the nature trails open up – trails that are both an adventure and a lesson in natural history at the same time. The wooden boardwalk of Dunikas Bog Trail wind through a quiet bog, where the sky is reflected in the dark lakes, while mosses and lichens spread out as a soft blanket under the pine trees. Every step here becomes a question and answer about the natural world – how bogs are created, how plants and birds live in them.
When kids become teenagers, a trip through Latvia can turn into a real adventure. A walk along the sea from Vitrupe to Tūja opens up a completely different world – an expanse where you feel like a part of nature. It is a walk that teaches respect and admiration for nature, but is at the same time inspiring. The Amata Nature Trail in Gauja National Park or the bike route around Lake Lubāna invite you to engage in active exploration – hills, streams and forest trails open up new landscapes, and each step feels like a small victory. Students breathe in the freshness of the forest, listen to birdsong, and occasionally stop to capture the moment in pictures or simply enjoy the sounds of nature.
Museums and Technology
Travellers with kids in Latvia can enjoy a variety of museums and science centres, where learning meets adventure. Museums are not just a place for exhibits – they are portals to another world, where every room invites you to explore, experiment and wonder. Let’s name a few! The Latvian National Museum of Nature in Riga offers interactive displays where kids can discover the secrets of nature themselves – the habits of animals, the splendour of the plant world and the interconnectedness of ecosystems. The Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum allows kids and adults to travel back in time, where wooden houses, ancient crafts and peasant work tell the story of the lives of people from hundreds of years ago. Walks through barns and farmsteads are not only educational, but also create a feeling of being frozen in time.
In turn, science centres Vizium and Futurimo Rīga make science fun. By experimenting with physics, chemistry and technology tasks, kids learn through play. In these places, every discovery becomes a shared adventure, encouraging people to continue exploring the world beyond the museum.
Animal and nature parks
Animal and nature parks give kids the opportunity to feel like real explorers. Riga National Zoo opens the door to a world where the roars of lions, the colourful feathers of parrots and the playful movements of penguins become an unforgettable experience. Līgatne nature trails offer an even closer and more natural experience – here kids can observe the wild animals of Latvia, such as bears, wolves and moose, in the open air. Meanwhile, petting zoos in the regions offer a more intimate experience – here kids can meet animals up close, feed and pet them. These are places where fun and education combine to create magical experiences for the whole family.
Adventure and amusement parks
Adventure parks are a place where kids and parents can create exciting adventures together. Tarzan parks in many places in Latvia invite climbers, big and small, to try their skills on ropes and obstacle courses. Every brave step along wooden walkways or swings in the air becomes a small victory. Here, nature and adrenaline combine, creating the feeling that you are adventure heroes together in your own little world.
In the amusement park Avārijas Brigāde families will find calmer attractions for the little ones and exciting adventures for more courageous travellers. A fairy-tale castle rises among the trees, play areas and adventure trails have been created in the forest, but the attractions don’t just give kids the chance to play, but also fuels their imagination. Every scream of delight here becomes part of a shared adventure, where parents and kids alike enjoy playing and find time to be together. But while in Kurzeme, it is worth visiting the Ventspils Adventure Park, where kids can run around the spacious areas, try out games and adventures in the open air, while parents can join in the games or enjoy a rest in the fresh air. Kalniņš, where people ride snowmobiles and sleds in winter, turns into a place of play and adventure in summer, great for both young and old.
Treasure Hunt Adventure
Geocaching is a “treasure hunt” in nature with a phone – for young family members it will work as a game with real discoveries. During this adventure, you have to solve small puzzles, find hiding places, write in a journal and sometimes you can even exchange various trinkets. By planning such an interactive vacation, you will completely fill your time with exciting activities, no matter which part of Latvia you plan to go to with your family. In addition, such adventures allow kids to get to know the magic of nature, the twists and turns of the history of places and other things. It will be a fantastic time together.
Picnic in nature
A trip becomes much more enjoyable if the family finds time for a meal in nature. Picnic spots on the Līgatne nature trails, in the nature park in Tērvete or near the Ķemeri tīrelis boardwalk offer the opportunity to sit down, have a meal and let the kids run around. Here, simple bread rolls or a thermos of tea are enough, so that even kids who are used to “burgers” will find it the most delicious meal in the world. The proximity to nature gives these moments real value – especially for city kids, it is an atypical environment, but for parents it is an opportunity to disconnect from everyday worries.
To plan such stops, information about picnic and recreation areas can be found on the Latvian State Forests portal mammadaba.lv, the Nature Conservation Board website daba.gov.lv, as well as on the websites of local tourism information centres and municipalities. Maps and mobile apps, such as Google Maps, are also useful tools, where many picnic spots are marked with photos and reviews.
Parking and public transport
Travelling with kids becomes more peaceful when the family can move around easily and feel comfortable. Spacious parking lots at the most popular parks and museums ensure that the trip begins and ends without stress, allowing parents to feel the joy of the journey and appreciate the moments spent together. Public transport, especially trains, is a convenient and safe way to travel around Latvia with kids. The most popular routes for families are from Riga to Sigulda, Jurmala, Cēsis and Daugavpils, which are travel destinations of versatile interest. The train allows you to move around without stress, while offering kids an exciting viewing experience. Every new view opens up in the window frame, while conversations and laughter make the journey part of the adventure. It is a practical and at the same time enjoyable way for the family to be together and make the trip smoother.
Accommodation for families
Hotels, guesthouses and country houses in Latvia offer family-friendly rooms with extra beds and various kids' activities. The end of a day of travel becomes an opportunity to relax, regain strength and enjoy being together. Many accommodations have playrooms or pools where kids can safely have fun after a day of adventures. Countryside guesthouses with playgrounds and pets offer closer contact with nature – kids can run around the meadow, pet rabbits or feed sheep. In such accommodations, evenings become a peaceful and safe environment where the family can be together, enjoy the evening silence and prepare for the next day of travel. Relaxation here is both physical and emotional – a place where memories of adventures turn into warm and lasting experiences.
Planning as the beginning of a journey
Every journey begins with planning, and this preparation can also be enjoyable and useful. Knowing the opening hours, ticket prices and available discounts for kids and families, parents can calmly plan their day, avoiding unexpected obstacles. Most often, such information can be found on official websites.
By planning routes with maps or recommended travel stages, the family can understand the rhythm of the day – where activities await, where it is possible to stop by and where a moment of rest in nature is planned. “Offline” maps are especially useful, which allow you to move even without an internet connection and give a sense of security that the route is always at hand.
Preparing in this way means not only practically planning the trip, but also creating an opportunity for the family to fully concentrate on the spending time together and having adventures. Planning becomes a simple ritual that makes the day easier and allows you to perceive the trip calmly. In turn, combining routes using our route planner allows you to make the day dynamic and varied, while maintaining peace and warmth in the family's adventures together. In addition, by regularly following the articles on our portal, you will discover versatile travel opportunities throughout the country and draw inspiration.
When travelling around Latvia with kids, even a simple moment can turn into an adventure. By planning routes according to the age and needs of the kids, the family can enjoy the beauty of nature, educational and exciting activities, as well as peace and comfort. All that remains is to pack your bags and set off, creating shared moments that will remain in warm memories for a long time.
