Lake Garda – Top Things To Do With Kids
After you have explored planning the perfect trip to Lake Garda and have discovered all the enchanting towns you should visit, it’s time to delve into this incredible region of Italy in a bit more depth and find out just how much there is to do there to keep visitors entertained. I can honestly tell you our suggestion list is enormous, from fun family days out to adventurous days out, relaxing days out, to cultural days out, take your pick from our hand-selected favourite top things to do with kids in Lake Garda.
Theme parks in Lake Garda
Garda Land Park
A theme park within Garda Land Resort, full of roller coasters, adventure rapids, a log flume and much more. There’s also Pepa Pig Land for younger children. During the high season when summer temperatures rocket up, you can stay at the park until 11 pm, when it’s much cooler
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Movieland The Hollywood Park
A smaller-scale theme park to Universal Studios, Orlando, which is part of CanevaWorld Resort. There are roller coaster rides, a speed boat ride, a dinosaur jeep safari, simulator experiences, live stunt show performances, a 3D cinema and more.
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Water parks in Lake Garda
Legoland Water Park
A whole park within Garda Land Resort, dedicated to water play and Lego, every kid’s dream! You’ll find river rafting, water slides, climbing frames, splash parks and more. The water park is open during the high season only (May to September).
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Caneva the Aquapark
Full of water slides for every age group, with larger steeper shoots for the big kids and adults, including free-fall slides, sky-shooting slides that boost you up into the air before you hit the water and even a bobsled slide.
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Garda Thermal Park
Enjoy the outdoor thermal spa, set in the middle of a huge park area, where the water is a constant 34°C all year round. There are hot springs, a large thermal pool, hydromassages, jacuzzis, lots of picnic tables and a self-service bar. Children are also allowed to visit with an accompanying adult.
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Parco L Quiete
20 minutes drive from the south shore of Lake Garda, this park is perfect for a fun family day out. There is a water park with 3 large swimming pools to choose from, plus a pirate-themed splash park. Also on-site there is a dragon-themed play area, a high ropes tree-top adventure park, with 5 different courses to tackle and the option to hire out quad bikes or E-bikes and go on a tour around the surrounding area.
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Gardaland SEA LIFE Aquarium
Here you can see a huge range of sea creatures in the 40 varied pools and learn all about life under the sea and in Lake Garda itself. Take a walk through the glass underwater tunnel, look inside the glass domes and enjoy all the interactive equipment there.
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Playgrounds in Lake Garda
Most towns and villages will offer a small play area of some sort, but the three we liked the best and thought worth mentioning were:
San Michele playground – Malcesine
Set right on the edge of the mountain, with beautiful views over Lake Garda, it’s the perfect place to take a picnic to watch the sun setting, whilst letting the kids play. We were amazed at how quiet it was, and we loved having the whole park to ourselves.
Malcesine play area
As previously mentioned, there is a fantastic large play area in the heart of Malcesine, just below the town hall, with swings, climbing frames, slides, a roundabout, a pirate ship and benches to sit on.
Riva del Garda playground
If you’re exploring Riva del Garda with small kids, you should add Parco Giochi to your list. It’s not got the biggest play equipment, but offers a good break to sightseeing around the town, and offers shade in the summer.
Boat trips on Lake Garda
Why not take a boat ride on Lake Garda to see its beauty from a different perspective? There are daily boat rides connecting Malcesine, Limone, Garda, Sirmione, Bardolino and Lazise, so hiring a car isn’t imperative to get around. You can also hire a boat to go on a private excursion around the south of Lake Garda, either with a driver or completely independently, if you prefer to set your own pace and course. There is no need to have a licence, but you must follow water regulations and go no further north of Malcesine.
Beaches in Lake Garda
When travelling around the coast of Lake Garda, you’ll see lots of beaches, whether they are small coves, or bigger beaches, kitted out with sun beds, lifeguards and swimming platforms. Here are a few of the most popular beaches on Lake Garda, most suited to children.
Sabbioni Beach
Riva del Garda’s main beach is one of the most well-equipped in the whole of Lake Garda. It has a shingle/shell section and also a grassy area to relax on, plus floating platforms on the water to swim out to. It’s renowned for being clean, offering many nearby bars and restaurants, with a good selection for the kids, including a play area, sandpit, trampolines and a basketball court.
Jamaica Beach
A smooth rocky area right at the very end of the peninsula in Sermione, which is good for a paddle, but remember to take your water shoes. It’s a 1.5k walk from the old town to the beach, but if this seems too much hassle in the summer heat, you can catch the miniature tourist train which runs to the end of the peninsula and back.
Lido Galezzi Beach
Another beach area in Sermione, where you can hire sunbeds, pedalos and canoes, and there are volleyball nets, trampolines and ice creams for sale.
Spiaggia d’Oro
The only fully sandy beach on Lake Garda in Lazise, where the sand has been imported from the Caribbean. Most of the beach is owned by the private campsite Spiaggia d’oro Camping & Village, however, there is a section at the end that the public can use.
Spiaggia Fonte Torrente San Giovanni
The main pebble beach in Limone, with free access and parking nearby and beautiful views. It’s got a beach bar, volleyball, picnic area and even a surf school.
Spiaggia Baia del Vento
This pebble beach, on the west shore of Lake Garda, has a sand lake bottom if you wade out a few meters, which is rare for the area. There are sun loungers and umbrellas in peak season, pedalos and canoes to hire and a decent small pizzeria.
Outdoor activities in Lake Garda
Monte Baldo Cable Car
This mountain range is not only stunning but very accessible, thanks to the Funivie del Garda (Monte Baldo cable car), located in Malcesine town. It doesn’t take very long to travel up the mountain, and the views on the way are amazing. At the top, reaching 1780m, you’ll be greeted with panoramic views over Lake Garda, with a lovely restaurant and cafe to have lunch. In winter, expect to find snow, which lends itself to winter sports, however in the summer the snow melts away and visitors can enjoy the mountaintop children’s play area, and even deck chairs to sunbathe on.
In the spring and summer, you can experience adrenaline-fueled paragliding, right off the summit, which children are also allowed to participate in if they weigh above the designated weight. Monte Baldo is a walker’s and mountain biker’s paradise, with many different trails emerging when the snow melts away. Winter sports are also very popular, with skiing, snowboarding and snow walking, and there are numerous ski and snowboarding schools utilising the mountain range.
Click here for more info.
Jungle Adventure Park – High
Set in a shaded forest, elevated above the lake, this centre offers a great family activity, with a variety of tree-top courses to tackle, depending on your age and ability. There is a small course, just 2m off the ground, perfect for younger children new to trying high ropes, and higher more challenging courses for older kids and adults. There is also a cafe and play area for anyone not climbing.
Click here for more info.
Parco Avventura Rimbalzello Adventure
Another high ropes centre, on the west side of Lake Garda, with tree-top adventure courses, ziplines and rock climbing walls. It is located right on the shore of Lake Garda, where they also offer a beach with canoes and pedalo boats to hire, a picnic area, a bar, a pizzeria/restaurant and also a swimming pool.
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Busatte Park
Located a few minutes’ drive from Torbole centre, at the very Northern tip of Lake Garda, this adventure park is a great family day out. It has a tree-top climbing course, with 5 acrobatic routes through the trees, a large BMB track, bike trails and walks, a basketball court, a volleyball court and a restaurant.
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Parco Giardino Sigurtà
Twenty minutes’ drive south from the most southern shore of Lake Garda, is this spectacular 60-hectare garden. It’s filled with well-manicured lawns and flower beds, 18 ponds, a lake, a maze, which children will love exploring, a farm and a valley with deer. The grounds are huge, so those with mobility difficulties will be pleased to know you can hire golf carts to drive around.
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Heller Garden
Botanical gardens with over 3000 species of plants, colourful sculptures, stepping stones, fountains that spit water at you and, enchanting corners to get lost in. It may be best to take a baby carrier as opposed to a stroller as the gravel paths make it difficult to push them.
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Elalpaca
An alpaca farm, where you can go to stroke the animals and walk them on the Monte Baldo mountain range. You will need to get on the Monte Baldo cable car to reach their location.
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Minigolf Pit Pat
Here you can have a game of either outdoor mini golf, or pit pat, which is a cross between billiards and crazy golf.
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Mmove- Into Nature
A reputable and highly reviewed mountain school, whose guides provide all kinds of mountaineering opportunities in the Lake Garda area, for families, with children over 6. These include; rock climbing, canyoning, and cycling, with individual activities on offer as well as whole-week adventure packages.
Click here for more info.
Arco Mountain Guide
Outdoor adventure guides Gino and Giampaolo, bring you a whole heap of activities, which you can do as a family or book the children onto, including canyoning, climbing, trekking, ski touring, freeride skiing and snowshoeing.
Click here for more info.
Walks in Lake Garda
Sentiero Panoramico Busatte Tempesta
One of the most famous walks in the area, with beautiful panoramic views over Lake Garda. The walk is a 5km round trip in total but can be done as a one-way journey also. It starts next to the Busatte Adventure Park, where there is a large grassy area, with picnic tables. It’s a downhill walk to Tempesta, with some stairs to complete toward the end, but it is well-signposted, and nicely laid out.
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Lungolago di Lazise
Although not a long walk, you can meander along the promenade lined with shops, restaurants and bars which offers incredible views of the lake and mountains.
Chapel Santa Barbara
A fantastic 3-hour round-trip hike, for those with older kids. The route is strenuous with a steep uneven path, but the views at the top over Riva del Garda are well worth the effort. Make sure you wear sensible footwear and take plenty of water.
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Varone waterfalls
Here you’ll find a walk that takes you through the Parco Grotta Cascate Varone botanical garden, along a boardwalk, and into a grotto to the Varone waterfalls, which plummets 100m to the ground. You’ll get a bit wet from the mist and spray coming off the falls, which will be refreshing in the summertime heat, but make sure you take your waterproofs if visiting out of high season as it will be much cooler. This is a good activity to do on the same day as visiting Riva Del Garda as it won’t take too long, but aim to get there early morning if going in the high season as it gets really busy by midday.
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Cycling in Lake Garda
The Garda cycle path
This project is due to be completed by 2026 and will connect 19 towns around the shores of Lake Garda. It’s well underway, however, with the track from Limone Sul Garda up to the border with the Province of Trento having already been completed and opened.
Limon Sul Garda cycle path
This 2.5km path is part of the larger Garda cycle path as mentioned above and connects Limon Sul Garda with Capo Reamol. It’s got the name of being “the most beautiful bike path in Europe” due to offering impressive views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The track has been built into the side of the cliffs, being suspended 50m above the water and giving the impression it is floating in mid-air. The wooden boards used are smooth and flat and perfect for children to cycle along. Due to its speed limit of 10km, this path is aimed at families who want to explore the area safely by bike, and any cyclist wishing to ramp up to higher speeds must use the coastal roads. It’s open 24 hours a day and is even LED-lit by night.
Mincio cycle path
Not only has this cycle path got 43km of smooth track, separate from roads, making it perfect for cycling with children, but it also has fun activities to do with them along the way. Starting the route in the town of Peschiera, there is a small children’s play area, along with a miniature train that runs throughout the summer. After cycling towards Mantua for around 12km, you’ll arrive at the stunning little village of Borghetto sul Mincio, which is well worth a stop off for some gelato and a walk around.
For tired little legs, you can opt to turn around here, or cycle 2km further to Parco Giardino Sigurtà, which is a 600,000m² park, full of impressive gardens and ancient woods. More on this park under ‘Best gardens in Lake Garda.’ If you’re still feeling full of energy, you can continue cycling for another 30km onto Mantua.
Malcesie cycle path
The 40km cycle track running from Malcesie to Brenzone is separate from the road and runs around the edge of the lake, next to all the small beaches. It has a smooth even surface, perfect for children to cycle on, and the route takes you through 10 villages, so there are plenty of rest stops along the way.
Old Ponale Road Path
The old Ponale trail connects Riva del Garda and the Valle di Ledro. This route offers spectacular views over Lake Garda, running around the outskirts of the cliffs, bearing further inland towards the end. It’s a very popular walk with families, being stroller friendly, but in places, there are some gradual inclines, so consider this if cycling with young children. One of the highlights of the route is passing the Varone waterfall, which is a sight not to be missed.
Castles in Lake Garda
Castello Scaligero
This may well be Italy’s best-preserved castle, which protects Sirmione. It has a real draw bridge, fortified keep and docks. It’s the main feature of Sirmione and adds excitement for children who are visiting the town.
