Family-friendly Hotels in Lyon

With fascinating heritage, a wealth of outdoor space to explore, and a splendid variety of entertaining family activities, you're guaranteed plenty of adventure on a family vacation in Lyon. Lyon's green spaces and waterways make it ideal for leisurely days out with the kids, with free access to many attractions. The city and surrounding countryside have plentiful adventure centers, theme parks, and specialty museums. Kids will love spotting remnants of the city's 2,000-year history, from Roman ruins to medieval gargoyles.

Things to see in Lyon

Start your Lyon family vacation in an adventurous spirit with a ride on the steep funicular train to the top of the hillside Fourvière district. Pose for a snapshot with the kids in front of the spectacular view of the city beneath, and take a moment to step inside the incredible interior of the 19th-century Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière. Kids will be enthralled by tales of gladiators and chariot races at the nearby Roman amphitheaters, still in use today for concerts and performances. Head to France's largest park, the Parc de la Tête d'Or, to splash around on a family boat ride on the lake, take an educational tour of the botanical gardens, and enjoy free access to the park's small zoo. For a truly intrepid family day out, zipline through trees, climb rope ladders, and chase each other across net bridges at France Adventures, Lyon's aerial adventure park.

Family-friendly hotels in Lyon

If you're traveling with kids, you'll easily find family-friendly hotels in Lyon to suit most price ranges and group sizes. The most common type of family accommodation in Lyon is family hotel rooms, which are often kitted out with roll-away beds or cribs for free or at minimal extra cost. Many hotel restaurants and bars will happily accommodate younger visitors accompanying their parents or guardians, and some of the best family-friendly hotels in Lyon provide an extra child-minding service. If you're traveling with furry members of your family, you'll be pleased to discover that most hotels in Lyon are pet-friendly too.

Where to stay in Lyon

You can't beat the central district of Presqu'île for sheer convenience. Lyon's “peninsula”, jutting between its twin rivers, is the commercial and cultural heart of the city, packed with shops, restaurants, cafés, and family entertainment, all within walking distance of your hotel. La Part-Dieu, close to both the city center and Lyon's main train station, offers a great choice of family-friendly accommodation in a handy location. For a serene family vacation where kids will love to explore, stay near the wide green spaces of the Parc de la Tête d'Or or in the medieval streets of Vieux Lyon (the old town).

How to get to Lyon

Visitors with kids will find that Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport is generally the most accessible way to enter Lyon. Get into a taxi or take advantage of the regular bus and train services to travel from the airport to your city center accommodation, just 15 miles or so away. Alternatively, hire a car at the airport and enjoy the freedom of traveling on your own timetable. Lyon has an advanced public transportation system, with a network of buses, trams, trolley buses, and trains ferrying visitors all over the city. Taxis are plentiful, and if you're traveling to Lyon from another French city, it's very accessible by train.