Zakopane with Children

Zakopane with children – is it worth traveling? Which tracks to choose, which tracks are easy for children to overcome. Will the children overcome the road to Morskie Oko by themselves? What to do in Zakopane if it’s raining. We are constantly receiving your questions about this very popular destination in Poland!

You ask us and we answer! After all, our goal is to make your trips with children simpler, easier and perfectly planned! Therefore, we share our advice, recommendations and the most important information of three families who traveled to Zakopane with children. In the article you will find information on which routes to choose with children, what is important to know and how to prepare! We boldly say that Zakopane with children is a mission possible.

Zakopane with children – what is important to know when preparing

Zakopane is one of the most family-friendly cities in Poland. Zakopane with children is a great choice for those looking for nature, entertainment, water parks and interesting sights. Zakopane has 60 km of groomed trails with slopes of varying difficulty. Tracks are marked with colors. You can also see the color of the track on the roadside stones so that you don’t lose your way.

ESSENTIAL! The color of the track does not indicate its difficulty! Don’t be fooled. A black trail for hiking in the mountains does not mean that it is the most difficult trail. Although this is how the ski tracks are marked, black tracks are usually short tracks. Blue – long tracks. Red – main routes leading to the most popular routes.

Visiting the Tatra National Park is paid! There are ticket offices at the main entrances to the park. Ticket price – 9 zlotys per person.

Zakopane is the main town, a must place to visit. But we recomment to stay in other smaller towns around Zakopane. Zakopane is somewhat reminiscent of Palanga. Many people, bustle.

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Zakopane with children – when is the best time to travel?

Zakopane can be visited at any time of the year – and it will always be different and have something to offer. If you like winter entertainment, skiing, winter is the perfect time to go to Zakopane. There are even several large ski centers in the Zakopane region, so you can choose the one that suits you best. The largest of which is the Kasprowy Wierch ski center.

If you want to avoid heavy traffic, don’t go in summer, because there are crowds of people in Zakopane during the summer. If you think that the flow of people does not scare you, think again and look at the photos of those who traveled in the summer. Sometimes it’s just physically difficult to get past people. In addition, it is difficult to find accommodation, and the prices are higher than usual. It is often difficult to find a parking place or get the desired time for the lift.

Zakopane is a great time to visit both in autumn and spring, because the nature is amazingly beautiful.

Places to visit in Zakopane and what else to do with children

Take a walk around the town of Zakopane itself, which stands out for its special architecture. Found houses with pointed roofs and small windows, often decorated with flowers.

Also visit the pride of Polish winter sports – the Great Wielka Krokiew ski jumping complex.

Krupowki, the main street in Zakopane, is one of the five most famous streets in Poland. It stretches for about 1 kilometer towards the famous Gubaluwka mountain. There are many cafes and shops here, so you can buy souvenirs, various mountain paraphernalia, and Polish delicacies. A little further away is the Zakopane market, where you can find various goods.

During the summer, Zakopane is famous for its trampoline and amusement park. In winter, you must visit the ski centers. If you are visiting Zakopane in winter, we highly recommend a sleigh ride. There are two types of sledding in Zakopane: husky dog ​​sledding and horse sledding! Children will especially like this entertainment.

Zakopane Water Amusement Park and Thermal Pools

Zakopane has a great water park and a number of thermal pools. And with children it is great fun. Besides, what could be more fun than taking a dip in the outdoor pool and admiring the mountains after a long hike. There are 7 main thermal pool parks in Zakopane:​​

• Chocholow Thermal Baths (the largest)
• Goracy Potok
• Aqua Park in Zakopane
• Terme Bania
• Termy Szaflary
• Bukovina Thermal Baths
• Kapielisk Szymoszkowa.

Which one to choose with children? Mother Dovilė, who traveled to Zakopane this summer with her husband and five-year-old daughter, shares her recommendations.

The Recommendations of the Mother

“Our main selection criterion this time was as much entertainment as possible for children. That’s why we chose Terma Bania. It worked out very well. It’s great for children – from frogs, ordinary attractions, to inflatable water slides and animators. Meanwhile, for adults, I would say, the option is not the best, because there is only one deeper thermal pool outside (several more inside), and after all, you want to bathe in hot water outside the most,” says Dovilė.
The second choice of the family was Bukovina. Here, in Dovilė’s opinion, the situation is better with outdoor swimming pools for adults (more and bigger), but the choice of entertainment for children is much poorer – almost all children’s pools are inside and are either small or already very high slides. And the park itself looks older. “I would recommend Terma Bania if you visit with children in the summer (because the water in the children’s outdoor attractions is a bit cooler and most of them do not work in the winter)”, – advises the mother. Observations of Dovilė – visiting both one and the other park (family ticket for 3 people) cost the same – about 50 euros. Bukovina has combined tickets with lifts, combining two entertainments can save money.

Morskie Oko

Probably one of the most popular and visited objects in Zakopane, both for those with and without children.

The road from the parking lot to Morskie Oko is asphalted, so it can be easily covered with a stroller or a scooter for smaller children. Keep in mind that it is forbidden to move with electric scooters for adults or other means. Arrive at the parking lot that you reserve online as early as possible, as the lots are often full by 8 am. So you will have to park even further away from it and add several kilometers to the route. It is also very convenient to take a bus from the city, you won’t have to worry about parking your car. You will find more information and routes and times on the bus park’s website.

Morskie Oko can be reached both forward and back by horse-drawn carriages. It costs 90 zlotys per person forward and 50 zlotys return.

After hiking up to Morskie Oko, you can go around the lake and climb up to the Czarny Staw pod Rysam lake or to Rysy, the highest peak of the Polish Tatras. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use a stroller or scooter here.

Kasprowy Wierch

Another very popular destination in Zakopane. If you plan to take the lift, we highly recommend buying tickets online well in advance. Because they either simply won’t be left or you won’t get them at the desired time. It is also possible to buy tickets on the spot. But you may have to wait in really long queues and there is always a chance that you may not get tickets or you will only get them at an inconvenient or inconvenient time for you. Ticket prices depend on time and age. For children and young people, round-trip costs 109 zlotys, one-way costs 89 zlotys. 129 zlotys for adults, 109 zlotys one way. It is best to buy tickets online on the official website.

Gubalowka

If you have little time after arriving in Zakopane or just want to admire the mountains but don’t want to hike, then Gubalowka is a great choice.

This mountain can be reached by cable car, which starts almost from the center of the town of Zakopane. Both at the cable car and at the top of Gubalowka mountain there are mini-markets with various trades. At the top of the mountain there are cafes where you can refresh yourself and eat. Also, this route is suitable if you have half a free day – if you arrived in the afternoon or are leaving in the evening.

Rusinowa Polana

It is said that the most beautiful view of the Tatras opens from this valley. Mother Dovilė, who recently visited this valley, shares her recommendations about Rusinova Polana.

In the valley, which is surrounded by mountains, goats graze, you can buy goat cheese, and there is a place for a picnic. Now it is common to say that the hike to Rusinowa Polana is especially suitable for beginner mountain hikers and families with small children.

“Actually, there are at least two uncomplicated routes leading to the valley, more reminiscent of educational trails. One of them (the green route leading past Goly Wierch) can be overcome even with a bicycle or a baby carriage (it’s true, this route, which we chose for the return, did not turn out to be very (picturesque rather than interesting) Much more interesting was the blue route we took ahead – it leads past the Sanctuarium Maryjne na Wiktorówkach (sanctuary), located in a very picturesque place, with an interesting legend of its origin, and also where monks serve herbal tea, you can refill water supplies. It is important to mention that although it is not difficult to reach Rusinowa Polana, you can always extend your hike with routes of various length and complexity, because, as mentioned, there are many Tatra trails leading through there. We did so – after reaching the valley, we decided to go up to Gesija Szyja, and it was a fantastic decision and the icing on the cake of that day” – says Dovilė.

Five Polish Ponds Valley/Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich

Another very popular route in Zakopane, the goal of which is five ponds surrounded by mountain peaks. The route is not easy, but it is passable for children. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for a stroller. Depending on how you hike, you will need to cover about 20 kilometers. The hike starts at Palenica Białczańska parking lot (price – PLN 65/day). As with all car parks, make sure to book in advance. And come as early as possible in the morning. The hike to Five Polish Ponds Valley begins on the same paved road that leads to Morskie Oko. And after about three kilometers you have to turn right on the green route towards Five Polish Ponds Valley. On this route, we can also see the largest waterfall in the Polish Tatras, Wielka Siklawa, which falls down from a height of 70 m.

Our recommendations and tips for those planning a trip to Zakopane with children

1. Zakopane is a very popular destination, so the flow of tourists and visitors is really high. If you have the opportunity and know your plans – book everything in advance (lifts, hotels, parking lot).
2. Start hiking and arrive everywhere as early as possible. Because it is often already 8 o’clock and the places are full.
3. Make sure you have the right footwear for your children and yourself.
4. Have band-aids, they really come in handy. We highly recommend having IcePower cooling gel for bruises and muscle strains too.
5. The weather in the mountains is always changing, so have warmer and waterproof clothes.
6. Take care of sun protection. The sun is very hot in the mountains and unfortunately your holiday can be over after the first hike, as you can get a really bad sunburn. We choose Dermedic sun cosmetics, which you can read about in our prepared article The best sun cosmetics for children.
7. You can find a lot of useful information in the app Trails Tatra Mountains.
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   Trip to Zakopane

Where to eat in Zakopane

In Zakopane, as in almost all of Poland, food portions are really big, so make sure to think before ordering if you are really hungry. When traveling in Poland, we often share one portion with a child.

Karczma Szymaszkowa is a fine and cozy restaurant with a variety of traditional Polish dishes, but the most important thing is a play corner for children.

If you want to have fun, travel to Karczma Muzykantsko. Musicians play here and a really fun atmosphere is created. Oh, and you will definitely like the food if you like traditional Polish cuisine.

Bacówka is an inn known for hearty mountain food that is really, really tasty. By the way, it’s a very fun environment.

Księstwo Góralskie is a luxurious hotel restaurant, with a very stylish environment. It is simply impossible not to notice this place on the main street.

Be sure to try Oscypek while in Zakopane. Poland is proud of its traditional smoked sheep’s milk cheese. Real cheese must be made from fresh, unpasteurized sheep’s milk or mixed with cow’s milk. Make sure to try it!

Zakopane with children (6 and 10 years old) – Inga’s family trip

Mother Inga recommends everyone preparing for Zakopane to take care of children’s clothes and shoes, because not all tracks are paved. “The next time we go, we will definitely need to buy shoes. Before the trip, we went shopping for thermal clothes and backpacks at Decathlon, and we were very satisfied,” says Inga.

The trails in Zakopane range from easy to challenging but scenic. “Our family does not look for easy roads, we always boldly choose difficult ones,” says Inga.

Inga’s family lived in a hotel with 9 rooms in the very center of the city. Modern, with a view of the mountains, with breakfast for a family cost 500 euros for 3 nights. “I would say it’s expensive, so the next time we go, we’ll definitely look for something cheaper, because in reality we went to the mountains at 9:00 a.m. and came back at 7:00-8:00 p.m.,” says Inga.

Inga also shares her route with the children.

The first day

“This trip to the mountains was our first, so we had no idea what was waiting for us. We chose the blue and red route. The weather was not very favorable for us either, but the desire to see the mountains and climb to the top was much greater than some summer rain. We were after buying raincoats, we had jackets with us, as they say, we prepare for the worst”, – says Inga with a smile.

“On the first day, we chose the longest route to Morskie Oko. The one-way section was 9 kilometers. Apart from the fact that we still climbed a steep hill to the second lake and went around Morskie Oko” – adds Inga.

“That day we managed to cover 23 kilometers on our feet. There was an option to collect a trip to the lake with a horse-drawn carriage, but we wanted to go on our own. After all, we came here to walk. I went through a lot for my daughter, because she had never walked such distances before, but every time I asked her how she was feeling, she answered “everything is fine, I like it”. And my son is a professional Latin dancer, he dances a lot, does a lot of sports, so we had no doubt that he would win” – Inga is happy!

The second day

“To be honest, I am very happy with my children, because they even brought us such motivation that they liked it very much and kept going, even when climbing a mountain with a steepness of 80%, they say we are going faster”, – smiles Inga.

“Well, on our second day, something indescribable happened, we encountered a powerful natural element. We went up with the cable car to the top of Kasparov, and already from the top, of course, we chose the red route again, we were afraid of the black one because of the rain and strong wind. My husband and I definitely felt fear and adrenaline, but we felt like warriors and holding our children tightly by the hands, we walked towards the goal. It was hard, but the views made up for it. We really liked it, I’m very glad that we did it, we will definitely come back”, – says Inga about the impressive trip.

Zakopane with a 7-year-old child – mother Rita’s travel plan

“We traveled with a 7-year-old child. We dedicated the first day to Morskie Oko. We opted for a horse ride ahead and it was a good choice as we had the energy to later go around the entire Morskie oko lake and climb up to the Czarny Staw pod Rysami lake. No matter how difficult it is to climb – definitely climb, slowly with rests – the view from the top will be worth it”, – says Rita.

“We went down from Morskie oko on foot. It was difficult for the child, but he overcame it himself. It took us from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. We bought parking online. The next day we spent Kasprowy wierch. We went up by the lift and went down the yellow track. The track is not difficult, but it may be a bit too long for a child to climb down – but it is possible! With a picnic and rest, it took us 5 hours to get down” – Rita shares her impressions of the trip.

Zakopane with children – a trip to Zakopane

Zakopane is almost 1000 kilometers away from Lithuania, depending on which city you are going from. A whole day or a whole night is required for a car trip. Although we do not recommend traveling with children at night, there are families who still choose to travel this way. If you have time, we suggest going to Zakopane with an overnight stay in Warsaw. In this case, you also have the opportunity to visit the Suntag Water Park.

We recommend that you plan to visit the nearby one when you go to Zakopane too: have a look through the Energylandia amusement park and Krakow too.

If you are looking for more tips about traveling to the Polish Tatras and Zakopane with children, read our prepared article A trip to the Tatras with children and a baby.

Read about traveling in Poland – Amusement parks in Poland with children, Holidays in Poland and Travel route by car in Poland with children.

This article is author’s work and was prepared by “Traveling with Children ®”. Copying and using without permission is strictly prohibited.

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