Looking for the best playgrounds in Vienna, while you’re visiting with kids? Here are 17 of the best playgrounds in the city for kids to burn off some energy and take a break while sightseeing, as well as some great parks for families in the city center.
Vienna, the picturesque capital of Austria, is not only known for its rich history and cultural heritage, but also for its family-friendly attractions.
Vienna, the picturesque capital of Austria, is not only known for its rich history and cultural heritage, but also for its family-friendly attractions.
And while there are plenty of fantastic things to do in Vienna with kids, there are also some great playgrounds scattered throughout the city.
So no matter where you are staying or exploring for the day, there’s guaranteed to be a playground nearby.
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Best Playgrounds in Vienna
As you explore the playgrounds in Vienna, you’re sure to come across the term “spielplatz”, which translates to “playground” in English.
It’s a fantastic word, literally translating to ‘games place’, and reminds us of the importance of play in a child’s development. The Spielplatz, or playgrounds in Vienna, range from basic playgrounds with traditional swings and slides to the more impressive play areas with ropes courses, water playgrounds, and even a forest playground. Each is unique and comes highly recommended when you are visiting Vienna with kids.
Stadtpark
📍Parkring 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
Stadtpark, located in the heart of the city, is easily one of the best playgrounds in Vienna.
This was the city’s first park, hence its name – Stadtpark or City Park, which was built in the late 1800s.
The park begins at the Ringstrasse in the Inner Stadt and stretches to the Hay Market in the Landstrasse.
With green space and paths on both sides of the river, there is plenty of room for kids to run, as they pass statues of famous Viennese artists, writers and composers, including a statue of Johann Strauss.
Within the park are paved paths, perfect for kids on bikes or scooters, as well as making it easy for strollers to navigate.
And situated inside this large park is a fantastic playground for kids.
The playground is fenced, with an area meant for toddlers and small kids that includes a climbing structure with a slide and sandpit. There’s also another playground for bigger kids, with a climbing net and slide, as well as a larger climbing structure with a rope bridge.
There are benches inside for parents to sit on while their kids play. There’s also a mobile coffee cart, which serves excellent espresso and other drinks – perfect to sip on while the kids are busy playing!
Schweizergarten
📍Landgutgasse 1, 1100 Wien, Austria
Next to the beautiful Belvedere Palace and close to Vienna’s Central Train Station, is the Swiss Garden. This garden, besides being a lovely park, is also home to one of the best playgrounds in Vienna.
With wooden climbing structures, ladders, slides and various things to balance on, as well as a toddler area with smaller structures and a slide, this playground is perfect for kids of all ages. There’s also a pyramid-shaped climbing net and a short zipline, which are definitely a highlight for kids.
During the summer months, the Schweizergarten also boasts a large water playground, with fountains and taps to fill buckets, and plenty of channels built into the rocks for the water to run through.
Conveniently located near major landmarks and attractions, the Schweizergarten Playground is a great spot to stop and take some time out of your day to relax and let the kids have some fun.
Rathauspark
📍Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
Adjacent to the Vienna City Hall is another of the great playgrounds in Vienna.
However, it’s not immediately obvious and we missed it the first time – the Christmas markets were pretty distracting though!
If you’re facing the Rathaus, turn right and follow the pathways to the playground.
Featuring a swing, slide and sand pit, it’s a great spot to let the kids burn off some energy while looking up at the impressive spires of City Hall.
Centrally located, this playground is perfect for a stop while exploring the historic centre.
Karlskirche (Kinderspielplatz Falco)
📍Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Wien, Austria
Tucked behind the Karlskirche and only steps from the Karlsplatz metro station, the Kinderspielplatz makes for a great stop while exploring this area of Vienna.
Wooden climbing structures, with slides, ladders and a wooden bridge will keep kids busy, while toddlers can climb and play on a smaller set.
There’s plenty of shade to keep cool in the summer months and benches for parents to rest on while taking in the view of the impressive Karlskirche.
Jesuitenwiese Meadow
📍Rustenschacherallee 42, 1020 Wien, Austria
Known as the best playground in Vienna, the Jesuitenwiese Schaukel is located in the Prater.
Featuring interesting and unique play equipment, like a giant silver slide and climbing castle, as well as a pendulum tire swing and cable car over the meadow, and of course, the standard swings, seesaw and sandpit.
In the winter, there’s a snow cannon (what kid wouldn’t love this??), and the best sledding hill in Vienna.
Esterhazy Park
📍Fritz-Grünbaum-Platz, 1060 Wien, Austria
A little outside the city center in Mariahilf, Esterhazy Park is conveniently located next to the Haus des Meeres, Vienna’s aquarium. This park has more of a relaxed and local feel, and it’s a popular meeting spot for local families.
Even if you’re not meeting other families, this park is perfect to enjoy before or after visiting the Haus des Meeres, which according to my kids, is one of the best things to do in Vienna with kids.
The playground features a castle-themed play structure for toddlers and younger kids, as well as a sand and mud playground, giant slide, climbing net, tunnel, slides, swings, and a fun wooden swinging boat.
There’s also a skate park and basketball and volleyball court for older kids.
Rudolfspark
📍Rudolfspl. 1, 1010 Wien, Austria
Centrally located right in the Inner Stadt, this is a nice, small playground with climbing equipment, a sand pit and a slide built into a hill.
The hill itself is fun for kids too! The play area is fenced and shaded, perfect to spend some time at on a summer afternoon.
Kurpark Oberlaa
📍Laaer-Berg-Straße, 1100 Wien, Austria
Next to Therme Wien, Vienna’s thermal baths, this large park is a fantastic place to spend the day.
Within the park, there are numerous playgrounds, as well as the Kurpark Oberlaa Climbing Garden and skatepark for older kids.
In addition to the play areas, there’s also a petting zoo, treehouses, and in the winter, a fantastic tobogganing hill!
Zug und Bahn
📍Am Kanal 137, 1110 Wien, Austria
Designed as a mini train station with tracks in the center and two long covered benches with hooks for hanging jackets or backpacks like the train stations, this is such a fun playground for kids, especially train enthusiasts.
Aside from the tracks, there’s the usual slide and swings, as well as climbing equipment and a carousel.
Türkenschanz Park
📍Hasenauerstraße Türkenschanzpark, 1180 Wien, Austria
Just outside the city centre, Türkenschanz Park is a peaceful oasis for families looking to escape the bustle of the city.
It’s a great wooden playground, with treehouses, rope climbing frames and a double-decker bus for kids to climb, as well as a slide built into the side of the hill.
There’s also plenty of green space for picnics, or to just relax and unwind while visiting Vienna.
Prater Park Playground
📍1020 Vienna, Austria
While Prater is known for its iconic amusement park and the legendary Riesenrad Ferris wheel, it also boasts not just one, but several great playgrounds.
The Meiereiwiese, with swings, a climbing structure and bouncing platforms, is just past the Prater Turm, and nearby to the Skatepark.
Spielplatz mit Kletterspinne features two large climbing nets, and Affenspielplatz (Monkey playground) has more climbing structures, a bridge, a slide and swings.
Within the park, there’s also the Jesuitenwiese Meadow, mentioned above.
Chances are you’ll be visiting the Prater anyways, so take some time out to visit one of these playgrounds and let the kids burn off some energy.
Other Playgrounds in Vienna Worth Mentioning
Sparefroh
📍Donauturmstraße, 1220 Wien, Austria
Sparefroh is a fantastic playground at Donaupark, with plenty of equipment to keep the kids busy.
There’s plenty to climb on, from ropes, walls, towers and spider nets, as well as a large climbing pyramid, and giant slides which are pretty fun!
There are also different types of swings, regular slides, sandpits and a water playground in the summer months.
For smaller kids, there’s a separate fenced playground and smaller equipment.
Wolfgang Kössner park
📍Wolfgang-Kössner-Park, 1020 Wien, Austria
Just on the other side of the Prater in Leopoldstadt, Wolfgang Kössner Park is a playground that we didn’t get to, but wish we had!
It has an excellent ropes course for kids, as well as hanging rings, a bridge and a hammock.
Plus there’s a large sand and mud pit, as well as the more traditional slide and swings.
There are picnic tables and plenty of trees for shade, so pack a lunch and spend the day!
Hermann-Gmeiner-Park
📍Innere Stadt, 1010 Wien, Austria
Centrally located and near Rudolfpark, this playground has plenty of fun equipment for kids.
In addition to the slides, sandpit and seesaw, there’s also a giant swing for bigger kids that has room for several kids.
The zip line, often called a flying fox, is also a big highlight for kids.
It’s not as well-known of a park as other playgrounds in Vienna, but it’s worth a stop especially if you’re in the area.
Cobenzl
📍1190 Vienna, Austria
This unique forest playground on Cobenzl is worth a visit!
In addition to the usual playground features like swings, climbing structures and slides, there’s also an organ that plays the sounds of the forest!
Nearby is a larger, more traditional playground at Am Himmel.
Playpark Danube Island
📍Kaisermühlenbrücke, 1220 Wien, Austria
The largest park of its kind in Vienna, Danube Island Water Playground has something for every kid.
From wooden water wheels to a bridge over the water, ropes to walk along and taps spouting water, there’s plenty to do.
There’s also a real ship lock to imitate the traffic on the Danube and plenty of areas with shallow water that’s perfect for splashing around.
For younger kids, there’s also a separate fenced-in play area for toddlers.
Admission is free.
Robinson Island
📍Greinergasse 7, 1190 Wien, Austria
Outside of the city center in the 19th district, this natural adventure playground is plenty of fun!
Run by Kinderfreunde, this is one of the only playgrounds in Vienna that’s not open every day.
As it’s run by educators, many activities are offered, ranging from planting and feeding animals, to sports or adventure days and crafts or creative days.
Workshops take place right onsite and can be rented for birthday parties or other events.
Robinson Island Park is open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons from April to October, and every day during school holidays.
Admission is free, and while younger kids are welcome, it’s best suited for kids aged 3 and up.
Parks in Vienna for Families
While this is a post about the best playgrounds in Vienna, we know there are also times when you don’t have the energy or time to stop at a playground, and just want to relax in a quiet park for a few minutes. The parks we’ve listed below provide a relaxing and quiet break from the bustle of the city, but are all within the city center, making it easy and convenient to stop in for a quiet escape.
Volksgarten
Centrally located along the iconic Ringstrasse, the Volksgarten offers a quiet escape in the heart of Vienna.
It’s actually part of the Homburg Palace complex, but a quieter spot than the busy entrance to the palace.
One side of the garden features an English-style landscape and the other is designed in the French Baroque style.
It’s a beautifully manicured park, known for its rose garden as well as other flowers, sculptures and fountains. It’s a perfect place for kids to run about, and they will love seeing the ducks and birds throughout the garden.
The Volksgarten is free to enter, however, the park does have opening hours that vary between summer and winter, typically following daylight hours.
Despite its central location, the Volksgarten provides a quiet oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding Ringstrasse and is a good spot to recharge while exploring the nearby Homburg and other attractions in downtown Vienna.
Schönbrunn
Home to some of Europe’s most magnificent gardens, visiting the palace and grounds could easily take a half day if not more.
Originally a private hunting ground for the Habsburgs, the grounds now feature fountains, monuments, walled gardens and manicured flowerbeds.
Schönbrunn also boasts some of the best things to do in Vienna with kids, including the Children’s Museum, Schönbrunn Zoo and Labyrinth, plus three kids’ playgrounds, two of which are designed for smaller children.
Burggarten
Once the private garden of the imperial family, Burggarten is a small but lovely green space on the other side of the Hofburg Palace.
As you wander through the Burggarten, you’ll come across numerous statues of Vienna’s most well-known figures, including the famous Mozart statue.
There are paths to wander along with plenty of green areas to rest and relax but the highlight of the park is the Schmetterlingshaus, or Butterfly House, which features a variety of colourful butterflies and is considered one of the best things to do in Vienna with kids.
Being so close to the Vienna Opera House, Burggarten is the perfect starting place for exploring the historical area of the city, or as a spot to rest and recharge after visiting the Hofburg Palace.
Belvedere Palace
One of Vienna’s most visited attractions, Belvedere Palace is actually two impressive castles; Lower Belvedere and Upper Belvedere.
The palace grounds are free to walk around, and there are plenty of paths, ponds and gardens to admire.
We visited in December, so we didn’t have a chance to see the flowers and gardens in full bloom, but the hedges and foundations we did see were still gorgeous and I’m sure it’s even more stunning in the warmer weather.
In the winter, Belvedere Palace is home to one of the Christmas Markets in Vienna.
Prater Park
Known for its iconic amusement park, Prater is actually more than just the rides and attractions.
It’s a large green space that is a favourite with runners and walkers, or anyone who wants to get outdoors.
Of course, there’s the famous Riesenrad, the iconic Ferris wheel that has become the symbol of Vienna, but there are also plenty of other rides and attractions, as well as space for picnics and outdoor activities, as well as playgrounds for kids.
Final Thoughts: Best Playgrounds in Vienna
Vienna, with its rich history and stunning architecture, is also home to some great playgrounds. From the large playground at Stadtpark to the beautiful Schweizergarten near Belvedere Palace, each playground offers its own unique adventure.
Whether it’s the interesting equipment at the Jesuitenwiese or the challenging ropes at Wolfgang Kössner, Vienna’s playgrounds provide a perfect balance of fun, creativity and excitement for kids.
So whether you’re staying in Vienna for awhile, or visiting the sights in a few days, be sure to include some of these best playgrounds in Vienna in your itinerary.
