The Ultimate Guide to Nice with Kids: What to Do, See and Eat!
Boasting over 300 days of sunshine every year, the French Riviera is a beautiful place for a family vacation! Staying in Nice with kids is a great base for exploring the region.
Nice is one of the largest cities in Côte d’Azur. It sits between Cannes, Monaco, Antibes, and other popular places for day trips. The city’s countless parks, like those on Promenade du Paillon, are great excuses to get outside. But with museums and the Mediterranean Sea on its doorstep, there’s something in Nice for the whole family! This is the ultimate guide to planning your family trip to Nice.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!
Our Top Hotel Recommendations
Tours We Recommend
Where is Nice, France?
Nice is a city in the south of France along the Mediterranean coastline. This part of southern France is known as the French Riviera or the Côte d’Azur (Blue Coast). It is only 31 km/21 miles west of the Italian border, approximately a 45-minute drive.
The micro-country Monaco is only 21 km/13 miles east of Nice. Other cities in the region include Cannes and Antibes, but Nice is the largest.
Top 10 Things to Do in Nice with Kids
You’ll notice that most of the best things to do in Nice with children are outside. Public green spaces, amusement parks, markets, beaches … But the best part about visiting Nice is the weather, so why wouldn’t you spend as much of your vacation outside as possible?!
There are one or two museums and indoor activities for older kids and rare rainy days. Consider the French Riviera Pass if your family plans on visiting many attractions. However, Nice is the perfect place to soak up all the vitamin D and fresh air you can.
1. Promenade des Anglais
This beachfront promenade is the beating heart of Nice. It’s a palm-tree-lined walkway between the coastline and a row of restaurants and shops.
Take family photos at the #ILOVENICE sign with beautiful views of the Mediterranean in the background. Promenade des Anglais is the perfect place for a long walk. Or, rent bikes for an hour or two from Roller Station Bike Rental!
2. Colline du Château
This park, known simply in English as Castle Hill, is at the eastern end of Promenade des Anglais. It’s named after the large castle in the center of the hill, but there’s also a children’s play area, olive groves, a manmade waterfall, and a café. The paved, shaded walking trails and the incredible views from the top! It’s only 92 m/300-ft tall, so it’s doable with kids.
3. Parc Phoenix Garden & Zoo
Phoenix Park is at the western end of Promenade des Anglais. Part beautiful garden and part zoo, it’s an ideal place to visit in Nice with kids on a sunny day. There are over 2,500 plant species and 2,000 animals to see! Plus, the botanical garden boasts one of the largest greenhouses in Europe.
4. Matisse Museum
Musée Matisse is a great museum and a fantastic place to visit with older kids on a rainy day. Henri Matisse was an important French artist who died in Nice in 1954. This museum houses one of the largest collections of his paintings, sculptures, and personal items.
Even the museum building itself is worth visiting! This elegant villa dates back to the 17th century. It’s next door to Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez which holds the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater.
5. Promenade du Paillon
Once a bus station and now a 30-acre park, Promenade du Paillon is a must-visit in Nice with kids. Enjoy free access to this long stretch of beautiful park on the outskirts of the Old Town. There are several playgrounds and gardens like Jardin Albert 1er where you can bring a picnic lunch.
One of the best things about Promenade du Paillon is the water fountains. Miroir d’Eau, or Water Mirror, is a paved section with 132 water jets. Bring a towel and a change of clothes for your kids! If you’re visiting during Carnival, Place Masséna builds a giant Ferris wheel called Grande Roue de Nice.
6. Cours Saleya Market
Cours Saleya Market is mostly a flowers and produce market. However, there are many vendors selling locally-made items that would make the perfect souvenirs. You will also find stalls sell local preserves, spices, and gifts. There are also vendors selling sandwiches and pizza slices; perfect for lunch on the go!
Cours Saleya Market is located just off Promenade des Anglais. It’s open from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM every day except closed Mondays.
7. Ponchettes Public Beach
I’ll manage your expectations now: Nice beaches are mostly pebble beaches. You’ll have to travel along the coast to find public beaches of soft, white sand. However, the rockier surface doesn’t stop visitors and locals alike from sunbathing and swimming in the sea!
Ponchettes Public Beach is a long, wide, and beautiful beach walking distance from Nice Old Town. Pack water shoes so your family can avoid cuts and bring extra towels for padding and you’ll soon find that a pebble beach is better than no beach and actually quite fun!
8. Marc Chagall National Museum
Marc Chagall was a Belarusian and French artist known for his diverse talents from paintings to ceramics. He lived and died in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a small village 7 miles from Nice. This bright and airy National Museum has a huge collection of his large-scale pieces. It’s a great place to take arty older kids.
9. Antibes Land Amusement Park
There are many fun amusement parks in Europe, but in Nice Antibes Land is the best. This seasonal park is an easy 40-minute drive or 30-minute train ride from Nice’s city center. Aquasplash, a water park, is right next door too. You could spend a whole day here!
Here are some of the other best parks in Nice and the surrounding area:
- Luna Park de Nice
- Parc Carol de Roumanie
- NISSA’VENTURE
Don’t miss the carousel in Place Garibaldi either.
10. Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate de Nice
Escape the midday heat and cool off inside Nice’s cathedral. This lavish 17th-century Baroque church has a striking bell tower and dozens of beautiful artworks. The relics of St. Reparata, the patron saint of Nice, are on display at the altar. Even better, the cathedral is totally free to visit!
When is the best time to Visit Nice?
Let’s face it, one of Nice’s biggest selling points is the year-round mild climate. While Nice has Christmas markets, they don’t hold a candle to those in Strasbourg or Annecy. February is a great time for Carnival celebrations and lemon festivals, but not ideal for traveling with school-age kids!
Here are two of the best times to visit Nice with kids.
Nice in Spring Break
Average Temperatures: 54°F-64°F (12°C-18°C)
March and April are fantastic months to visit Nice during Eastertime/spring break. Sure, it’s a little too cold for t-shirt weather, and spring rains are more likely. However, you’ll find more reasonable prices for accommodation and flights during this shoulder season. Pack a jacket and an umbrella and enjoy Nice’s outdoor activities with fewer crowds.
Nice in Early Summer
Average Temperatures: 68°F-75°F (20°C-24°C)
There’s no better time of year than late spring to visit Nice. May might be a little early to visit with school-age kids, but it’s the perfect time for small children. Their little feet will love running through Nice’s plethora of parks!
You can also check out the festivities on Fête de Mai (Labor Day) in Jardin des Arènes de Cimiez. It’s a beautiful garden with ancient ruins dating back to the Roman era. Or, hop on the train to Cannes to spot celebrities during the film festival.
June, as soon as school gets out, is a great option when traveling with older kids. It’s peak season because most visitors avoid the stifling heatwaves of mid-summer. Sea temperatures are also warm enough for a swim.
How to Get to Nice
As the largest city in the region, Nice is a super easy place to access! Whether you’re flying in from overseas or visiting as part of a big European family vacation, you have many options.
By plane
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is the main international airport for the entire region. Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City (EWR and JFK), and Montreal are just some North American airports with several direct flights to Nice every week.
If your local airport doesn’t offer direct flights, don’t worry. There are literally dozens of hub airports in Europe (Paris, London, Frankfurt, etc.) that fly regularly to Nice.
Private transfers from the airport to the center of Nice take around 15 minutes.
By car
There are many car rental companies in both Nice Airport and the city center.
Nice is also a great place to include on a European family road trip. It’s only a 2.5-hour drive (196 km/122 miles) east of the Italian port city of Genoa. The medieval French city of Avignon is also a 2.5-hour journey west (262 km/163 miles) west of Nice.
By public transport
Nice-Ville is the city’s main train station. It offers affordable and easy access to Nice from other European hubs if you’d prefer not to rent a car. Train is a great way to travel around France with older kids if you don’t have huge suitcases!
For example, you can book direct, high-speed TGV trains from Paris Gare de Lyon Station to Nice. The journey is six hours, but that’s three hours less than it would take to drive the same distance. Traveling from Switzerland or Italy will require train changes, but it’s absolutely doable.
Book your tickets through the official booking platform SNCF or a foreign traveler-friendly service like Omio.
Where to Eat in Nice with Kids
Nice’s cuisine—or Cuisine Nissarde as it’s known in French—is a blend of Mediterranean and Provençal fare. Staples include light salads like salade niçoise and bouillabaisse (fish stew) which aren’t the most child-friendly dishes.
However, classic ratatouille might be familiar enough. Street food snacks like Socca (chickpea flour pancakes) are an easy win. Beignets de fleurs de courgettes (fried zucchini flowers) might be just tasty enough to distract their taste buds from the fact that it’s a vegetable.
Don’t forget that Nice is super close to the Italian border. This makes a big difference to the Nice’s food scene!
Some of Nice’s best child-friendly restaurants are:
Chez Acchiardo – First opened in 1927, this family-favorite restaurant in Old Town serves good food with a warm welcome. Their menu is full of classic Niçoise dishes like stuffed vegetables, Socca, and seafood. This stone-walled dining room is ideal for families with older kids.
Lou Balico – This is a similar style Niçoise restaurant with a dedicated kids’ menu for younger children.
Café Marché – This is such a great spot for a casual family brunch or lunch. Order sandwiches, salads, and smoothies with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. It’s the perfect blend of high-quality dishes with a relaxed, kid-friendly vibe.
La Voglia – Families looking for a nice Italian restaurant for dinner will love La Voglia. Steps away from the coast in Old Town, La Voglia has a chic industrial style serving pizza, pasta, and Italian salads.
Fenocchio Glacier – I’m a firm believer that every family vacation should include ice cream. Regardless of whether you’re visiting Italy! Fenocchio is an Old Town Nice institution with over 90 flavors of gelato and sorbet. There are plenty of seating areas in the square outside.
2 Days in Nice Itinerary
Spend at least two days in Nice on your family vacation. This is enough time to explore the highlights. Ideally, book three or four days in Nice to enjoy day trips and explore the wider region.
The itineraries below will help you plan your trip to Nice with kids!
Day 1 in Nice
The first thing you should do in Nice is stroll along the Promenade des Anglais. Grab lunch at the Cours Saleya market before hiking up Castle Hill. You can eat your lunch there!
Explore the Old Town, Cathedral, and Promenade du Paillon afterward. Leave enough time in the late afternoon to change out of wet clothes before dinner.
Day 2 in Nice
Start your second day at the Parc Phœnix Botanical Garden and Zoo. Ride the carousel in Place Garibaldi before enjoying lunch and taking the tram or train to your afternoon activities.
With older kids, hop on the tram to the Matisse Museum or Marc Chagall National Museum. Both have beautiful gardens nearby so you can still enjoy the weather. Take your younger kids to a fun fairground like Antibes Land or Luna Park.
Places to Visit Near Nice with Kids
Nice is such a great place to use as a home base for exploring the wider French Riviera. It has many public transport and tour options to suit all families. From other countries to medieval villages, here are the best day trips from Nice with kids!
Day Trip to Cannes
Cannes is known for its luxury hotels, private beach clubs, high-end shopping boutiques, and, of course, the Cannes Film Festival. So, why is it a great day trip for families?!
There are two main reasons. First, it’s so easy to reach by train. Direct 35-minute services from Nice-Ville station to Cannes station depart every seven minutes. You’ll witness great views of the coastline from the train window too. Grab your tickets here>>>
Second, there is more to do in Cannes than shop. While Nice has pebble coastlines, Cannes has sandy beaches. Many are private beaches owned by hotels but Plage du Midi, Croisette Beach, and Plage Macé are open to the public.
Walk along La Croisette and stop at Take a fun ferry trip to Île Sainte-Marguerite and hopefully spot dolphins en route!
Day Trip to the Italian Riviera
The nice thing about visiting Nice (see what I did? The only time, I promise) is the proximity to other countries. Expand your European vacation from one country to two without checking out of your hotel! Sanremo is a beautiful coastal resort city in the Italian Riviera. It’s the ideal Italy day trip from Nice with kids.
Take a TER train from Nice-Ville station to Ventimiglia just across the Italian border. From there, take a regional service to Sanremo. The entire journey takes around 90 minutes. Alternatively, catch a direct 1-hour FlixBus from Nice Airport to Sanremo.
Visit the manicured grounds of Villa Ormond and its Japanese garden. Head inside the 12th-century San Siro Cathedral with 12 (!) bells. Walk along Porto Vecchio, the old port, and watch the boats sail in the harbor.
Èze and Monaco Day Trip
Of course, you could easily maximize your vacation from one to three countries if you squeeze in a trip to Monaco. It’s the second-smallest country in the world and just 20 km/12 miles east of Nice.
Since your kids won’t be able to enter the famous Monte Carlo casino, opt for an Èze and Monaco Day Tour so the whole family has fun!
Visit the medieval hilltop village of Èze, offering stunning views across the sea. Pick up locally-made perfume at Parfumerie Fragonard, drive to the Monaco Grand Prix, and explore Monte Carlo. This 8-hour day trip won’t be too tiring for kids and even includes Nice city center hotel pick-up.
Getting Around Nice
One of the best things about visiting Nice is its walkability. Most activities are within walking distance of Promenade des Anglais. Driving and parking along the one-way narrow streets in the Old Town is not for the faint of heart and is an unnecessary hassle for most families. The paved sidewalks are just wide enough for travel strollers.
However, if you are traveling across the city or a family member has limited mobility, Nice has great public transport. The Lignes d’Azur operates a bus and a 2-line tram network. Buy single tickets from machines on the platforms, 10-journey passes, or day passes. Don’t forget to validate upon boarding!
Use Google Maps to navigate public transport or check the official Lignes d’Azur website.
You’ll only need to rent a car in Nice if you’re also visiting small towns in the region. Rent from several companies in the city center or a the airport. Choose a hotel with parking to save yourself from parking headaches!
About the author: Kirsten is the editor of Kids Are A Trip. She is a family travel expert who has been traveling with kids for over 20 years. She has been featured in Travel & Leisure, Parents Magazine, AFAR, Vogue, NBC, Lonely Planet, and Thrillist, to name a few. Kirsten is also the content creator behind Groups Are A Trip, a site for planning trips with extended family and friends.