What to do in Rio de Janeiro with kids? Rio de Janeiro is a vibrant city with a wonderful climate and a great place to spend a whole week with the family. They have beautiful beaches, the city is lively and there is plenty for kids to do in the city too! In addition, Brazilians love kids, making Brazil a top destination to go to with kids anyway! In this blog, we list all the children’s activities in Rio de Janeiro.
Best travel time Rio de Janeiro with kids
You can visit the city of Rio de Janeiro with kids all year round. The city has a wonderful climate and the temperature is around 30 degrees all year round. So chances are you can go to the beach when you visit the city. However, you do have certain months when it rains more than other months.
The months of August through December see the least rainfall in Rio de Janeiro. You can then say that the best period to visit Rio de Janeiro with kids is these months. If you visit Rio de Janeiro during the carnival season, then obviously the city can be very busy and then hotel prices are a lot higher than during the rest of the year.
Transportation in Rio de Janeiro
The public transportation system is very well organized in Rio de Janeiro! You can get around the city by bus, subway, streetcar and even by ferry. You can purchase the Riocard for all these different modes of transportation. Most of the sights are fine to visit by subway.
You have 3 different subway lines you can take in the city of Rio de Janeiro. You can also buy single tickets at the various subway stations. You also have 2 streetcar lines in addition and they run mainly in the city center.
You can catch the ferry in town if you want to visit the city of Niterói. If you want to travel around Rio de Janeiro by bus, it is already a lot more difficult than the subway. Then you might want to order a cab to get around. For example, Uber cabs run in Rio de Janeiro and, especially with kids, this can be a very fine way to get around the city. Then, of course, make sure you purchase a Brazilian SIM card in advance at the airport so that you have coverage everywhere in the city.
Children’s activities Rio de Janeiro
#1 Christo Redentor
The most famous landmark you can visit in Rio de Janeiro with kids is the Chistus statue. This is also one of the new seven wonders of the world and therefore a sight you must have seen if you take a city trip to Rio de Janeiro. This statue is visible in a lot of places in the city and from the spot where the statue stands you have a great view of this city! In any case, we thought visiting the Christ statue was very cool!
The statue is 710 meters high and the statue stands on Mount Corcovado in Tijuca National Park. There are several ways to get to the statue. So you can take a streetcar to the top or you can take public transportation or a cab to the sculpture. The streetcar goes straight up the mountain and it takes you about 20 minutes to get to the statue.
It is also possible to take a cab up the hill. That may be the fastest way to get to the image. The cheapest way is by bus. You can then take the local bus number 583 from Copacabana beach that goes to Paineiras Corcovado. You can also climb the mountain, but it is not recommended with kids. The trek is very tough and there have been incidents of robberies in the past.
Of course, this popular attraction can get very crowded, which is why it is best to go with kids to see the sculpture as early as possible. At 8 a.m. you have entrance to the grounds at the statue. We also found it very difficult to take a good photo with all those tourists along with the picture on it!
You can buy tickets online in advance (this is recommended especially during the busy period, so you don’t have to stand in line for a ticket) and you can buy these tickets here.
#2 Sugarloaf Mountain
Another very popular sight to see in Rio de Janeiro with kids is Sugarloaf Mountain. This is a famous mountain, where you have a beautiful view of the city of Rio de Janeiro. So besides visiting the Statue of Christ, this is a second place where you can see Rio de Janeiro from a great height. And we have to be honest that we have visited many cities around the world, but Rio de Janeiro is still the most beautiful city to view from above.
Sugarloaf Mountain got its name because of its shape: it resembles a sugar loaf. You go up the mountain here by cable car, which is about 1,400 meters long. You go in two parts by cable car up the mountain here. A cable car leaves every 20 minutes, and you already have a great view of the city during this cable car ride.
They do stuff the booths pretty full of people, which of course means you can’t see everywhere. Try to stand in a different spot in the cabin on the way out and on the way back so that you have a different view 2 times.
You have a good view of Copacabana Beach from the mountain and you can also see the statue of Christ well from this mountain. Keep in mind that you will still be half a day on the road to visit this mountain. Especially if it is crowded at the cable car and you have to wait before you can take the cable car up or down.
#3 Santa Teresa neighborhood
One of Rio de Janeiro’s most colorful neighborhoods is the Santa Terese district. In this district, it is fun to take the old-fashioned streetcar that runs right through the neighborhood. This streetcar makes a round trip, so you can stay seated for the entire ride and thus already get a nice overview of this colorful neighborhood.
The line is 6 kilometers long and has 4 different stops. If you get off somewhere along the way, it can be difficult to get on this streetcar afterwards, as most tourists complete the entire round trip and few people get off in between.
You also have many nice stores and restaurants in this neighborhood. In addition, the neighborhood is known for its many street art. It is also possible to take a street art tour of this neighborhood. In addition, the most popular attraction in this district is the colorful steps of Selarón. In total, the staircase has 215 steps and is 125 meters long. These steps are decorated with more than 2,000 tiles coming from more than 60 different countries.
#4 Copacabana Beach
The most famous beach to visit in Rio de Janeiro with kids is Copacabana Beach. Rio de Janeiro almost always has great weather, so spending a few hours on this beach is obviously a lot of fun! Of course, this is also the most touristy beach in Rio de Janeiro, so you have to be very careful of your belongings here. Don’t just go into the sea, leaving your valuables on the beach.
A promenade runs along the beach and along the side of the beach all kinds of things are made from sand, which you can look at and whose maker hopes you will give him some change. Despite Copacabana beach being the most famous beach in Rio de Janeiro, you can go to nicer beaches in the city.
For example, in Rio de Janeiro with kids you can also go to Ipanema Beach. This beach is just around the corner from Copacabana Beach and you walk from one beach to the other in about 15 minutes. On this beach you have different sectors where people lie down. So you have a section for young people, for the gay community and for anyone who would like to be seen. Therefore, on the beaches of Brazil, there is a lot to see just by looking around at the people present on the beach!
#5 Favela Rocinha
We really enjoyed visiting this neighborhood with a guide. Surely you often hear all kinds of stories about the various favelas in Rio de Janeiro and in the past things also got very violent between the gangs in the neighborhoods and the police/ military. We went out with a local guide and walked right through the neighborhood from bottom to top.
Along the way, we stopped at the guide’s mother’s house and also got to take a look at this lady’s home. What struck us right away was that the inside of the house was much less shabby than the neighborhood looks on the outside. However, you do see electrical wires hanging everywhere throughout the neighborhood and it seems like there is no structure at all.
On top of the mountain we had a drink and you also have a beautiful view of Rio de Janeiro. You can book a half-day tour to this favela and tickets for this favela tour can be booked here.
Other children’s activities Rio de Janeiro
You have more activities to do in Rio de Janeiro besides the children’s activities described above. We list the other children’s activities in Rio de Janeiro below!
#6 BioParque do Rio: You can also take the family to the zoo in Rio de Janeiro. You have here several of the great African animals such as the elephant, lion, hippo and several monkeys. The zoo is located in the center of the city. Online reviews of the zoo are variable, but you have that with almost every zoo in every city these days.
#7 Bike tour of Rio de Janeiro: To get a good first impression of the city of Rio de Janeiro, it is fun to go on a guided bike tour of the city! One drawback, however, is that this can only be done with kids 12 and older. They unfortunately do not have children’s bikes and child seats at this tour, so this bike tour is only possible with older kids. For more information on this bike tour, take a look here.
#8 Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden: this is a perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city in Rio de Janeiro with kids. You also have a restaurant in this garden, where you can have a great lunch. You can do some great hiking here in this not too big park and with a little luck you can also see monkeys in this park.
#9 Museo do Amanha: You can also go to different museums in Rio de Janeiro with the kids if you like. The building of Museo do Amanha looks spectacular and is very photogenic. You can visit this museum for free on Tuesdays, and it is an interactive science museum. This can also be a fun option to go to with kids when the weather is a little less in Rio de Janeiro.
#10 Catacumba City Park: you can take kids for a walk through the tropical forest here, and you have beautiful views of the city of Rio from the park. You can walk up in about 20 minutes to enjoy the view. The park is also home to many different statues.
#11 Boulevard Olimpico: If you as a family love street art, don’t miss this boulevard in Rio de Janeiro. You have a huge mural here by street art artist Kobra and this wall is very photogenic.
#12 AquaRio: You can also take the family to a large aquarium in Rio de Janeiro. You can view many different tropical fish here, as well as large sharks and rays. The highlight of this aquarium in Rio de Janeiro is the tunnel that you can walk under and see the large sharks swimming above your head. This is another fun children’s activity in Rio de Janeiro when the weather is not so good.
#13 Fundação Planetário da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro: This museum is dedicated to the universe. The museum is geared toward somewhat younger kids and has several floors. You pay only a small entrance fee to get in and you can have a great time here for an hour.
#14 Parque Lage: this park is located next to Rio de Janeiro’s botanical garden and therefore these 2 children’s activities are great to combine. You can also do some great hiking here and it is also possible to spot monkeys in the park. In the park there is a restaurant where you can have something to eat and drink. In the garden are the ruins of a castle that are fun for kids to explore.
Family-friendly restaurant Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is a global city, and so of course you can eat great food in Rio de Janeiro with kids. The city is very international and therefore there are plenty of different international restaurants. Whether you like Western, Asian or Oriental food, there is always a restaurant in town where you can go.
By the way, one drawback is that many restaurants in Rio de Janeiro do not have high chairs, children’s menus and coloring sheets. Yet most restaurant owners welcome kids with open arms.
Santa Teresa Hotel: This is a nice place to go for lunch in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. You can have a great lunch here and the hotel has a pool, allowing the kids to swim after dinner. You also have a fantastic view of the Santa Teresa area at dinner.
Pasta e Pallone: this restaurant is located near the famous Copacabana Beach and is close to the Hilton Hotel. This restaurant serves Italian food, including pastas, pizzas and salads. In the restaurant itself hang all kinds of soccer attributes such as jerseys of famous soccer players. The online reviews of this restaurant are very good!
Family-friendly hotel Rio de Janeiro
You can stay in Rio de Janeiro with kids just fine. You have plenty of family-friendly hotels you can book in Rio de Janeiro with the family. We looked at the best rated hotels by families with kids and then chose a very good option in each price range. Click on the blue link to learn more about this family-friendly hotel.
Budget hotel: Hotel Pousada Irmaos Freyhardt
Mid-range hotel: Hotelinho Urca Guest House
Luxury hotel: Hilton Barra Rio de Janeiro
Don’t the above 3 options include a suitable accommodation in Rio de Janeiro for you? No problem! You can find the full list of family-friendly accommodations in RIo de Janeiro here.
