35+ Amazing Things to Do in Paris with Teens
A trip to Paris with teens can be a lot of fun! The City of Lights offers so much beauty and history- there’s truly no place else like it on earth. Here’s some inspiration for your family trip to Paris!
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Is Paris good for teenagers?
Paris with teens can be a rewarding time! Some of the sights you see might be a crew favorite or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Are you looking for new things to do on your next trip to the City of Love, or are you seeking guidance for your first trip there? Use these ideas to create the perfect Paris itinerary for teens.
What Not to Miss in Paris with Teenagers
Champs-Elysees
Any first-time trip to Paris with young adults should include a visit to the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. The 1-mile-long thoroughfare links the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. In between, you’ll find all kinds of shops, boutiques, shows, restaurants, and cafes.
It’s an important site throughout the year. Visit on the first Sunday of each month when cars are banned from the avenue to let pedestrians enjoy the scenery! If you go in July, it’s where you’ll find the Bastille Day Parade (July 14), as well as the Tour de France finish line.
Eiffel Tower
One of the major attractions people connect to Paris is the Eiffel Tower. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Paris, but 6 million guests a year from all over the world agree!
I recommend booking your Eiffel Tower tickets well in advance of your trip. Besides unbelievable views from the summit, there are educational exhibits, restaurants, and gift shops for you to enjoy along the way.
Notre Dame and St Chapelle
Both Notre Dame and St Chapelle are located on the Ile de la Cite. The 13th-century churches are marvels that you should take time to see, but you only need a few hours for the trip.
Currently, you can see the stunning Notre Dame Cathedral from the outside for free, but viewing the inside is prohibited.
Afterward, stroll over to Sainte Chapelle for a walk-through. There’s a small admission fee to get into the church which allows you to enter, and see the stained glass, relics, and outstanding architecture.
Museums in Paris with teens
You can find some of the best museums in the world in Paris, many along the banks of the Seine. They house infamous art pieces and offer unique, fun experiences for the whole family!
Below you’ll find a handful of museums, but this is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the sheer number of museums in Paris.
The Louvre
The Louvre Museum is considered the most popular museum in the world! You can see famous works of classical art up close and in person.
The Louvre is a former palace that’s home to famous artworks that include the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the famous Louvre Pyramid.
Movie lovers will love walking around the interiors and exteriors that have been in films like “The da Vinci Code”, “Midnight in Paris”, and many, many more!
Musee d’Orsay
Across the River Seine from The Louvre is the Musee d’Orsay. This stunning 19th-century train station now holds a museum celebrating the works of European artists from the same era.
Come here to see some of the most famous works by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and Degas! Visit the cinema room or attend a workshop on a specific art medium.
Make sure you also stop by the stunning Musée d’Orsay Restaurant, in itself a historical landmark. Or grab a bite to eat at the Café Campana, a really cool cafeteria-style eatery inside the clock face of the Musee d’Orsay!
Rodin Museum
Visit a 300-year-old mansion and garden to see the extensive works of Auguste Rodin at the Rodin Museum.
Known as the father of modern sculpture, you can see his most well-known pieces, like “The Thinker.” Walk through exhibits to learn about Rodin’s process, see the paintings and sketches he made, and learn about the man himself.
You can book fun guided tours and audio tours of the museum. Some are geared towards different age groups, like 11- to 17-year-olds, perfect for teens in Paris.
Picasso Museum
You’ll be amazed by the sheer mass of work to be found by the artist Picasso at the Musee National Picasso. The museum holds a mind-boggling 5,000 works of art, as well as thousands of papers, notes, sketches, journals, and much more.
Get inside the mind of Picasso with his private collection or walk through rotating themed exhibits based on his varying paintings, sculptures, and drawings.
Grevin Museum
A trip to Paris with teens must include a trip to the Grevin Wax Museum! The place is divided up into different sections called universes with themes like fictional characters and music icons.
You’ll love taking pictures with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Louis XIV, Lady Gaga, and The Little Prince! It’s simply a fun experience for the whole family, and the baroque architecture inside the building is stunning.
Museum de Magie
For a nice change of pace from the grand museums, head to the Museum of Magic. The sleight of hand master in your family will appreciate this small, quirky museum inside of a basement cellar.
Learn about the history of magic, see a magic show, and view antique relics of French magicians’ past. The paraphernalia is pretty niche, and the magic show is held in French, but a true lover of magic will love this little place!
Just check hours before you go. The museum is usually open on weekends and on Wednesdays from 2 PM to 7 PM. There’s a small fee for entry, and access is built around the magic show that’s held every 20-minutes.
Cite des Sciences et Industrie
Head to the northside of the city to see the City of Science and Industry inside La Villette. This is a really cool technology museum filled with interactive exhibits, activity centers, and special presentations surrounding themes.
Visit the planetarium or check out permanent exhibits where you can learn about robots or play video games!
There are all kinds of places to eat throughout the City of Sciences, and a big gift shop you can visit. Keep in mind that there’s a general admission rate that will get you into most of the center exhibits.
Cruise on the Seine
A great way to see Paris if you have limited time in the city is a Seine River Cruise. Take in all the big landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and all of Paris’ stunning water bridges.
There are a variety of dinner cruises in Paris and sightseeing cruises that leave from the banks of the Seine. Go with a larger cruise if you’re okay with crowds or book a private tour of the river. Most cruises take one to 3 hours.
Paris Catacombs
The Paris Catacombs are a fascinating place to see. After six hundred years of use, graveyards in Paris started collapsing the landscape around them.
The catacombs were created as a way to house the dead. The underground crypts opened in the late 18th century and continued to be used through World War 2.
Today you can visit the Paris Catacombs and walk through eerie and breathtaking skeleton-lined tunnels. View relics and learn about the many important periods of French history that relate to the catacombs.
There’s a decent admission fee for those over 18, and you’ll need to be able to walk up and down lots of steps. Grab your tickets in advance as they are on a timed schedule.
Arc de Triomphe
At one end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysees is one of the major sites honoring French history. The Arc de Triomphe is a gorgeous architectural monument honoring the soldiers and lives lost in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.
Walk around the base to see the sculpture work and inscriptions. You can also pay to walk up spiral staircases to the observation deck. This is an amazing way to take in the gridline streets of Paris!
If you’re in Paris around the first week of May or August, come to the Arc de Triomphe for a fun experience! This is when the sun aligns perfectly with the monument to set right in the center of the arc. People come from all over to see the stunning sight and record it on video and in pictures. And on New Year’s Eve, the countdown to midnight is projected onto the monument!
Gardens in Paris Teens will Love
You can learn about Parisian culture in the many pristine, breathtaking gardens across the city. They’re a great way to spend an afternoon outdoors, and many of the gardens are free to visit unless you choose to pay for a guided tour.
Versailles
The Gardens of Versailles can be found on the grounds of the palace and the estate is easy to reach from the city. It’s one of the most popular day trips from Paris by train. You can walk 2000 acres of gardens that have stayed the same over centuries!
Adjacent to the Palace grounds is Marie Antoinette’s gardens and private residence, including a grotto where she would sit on the rocks near a waterfall.
It’s free to enter the gardens alone unless you come for a fountain show. Or you can book tickets to rent row boats or ride bikes across the entire estate.
Tuileries
Enjoy the peaceful Tuileries Gardens adjacent to the Louvre. With all forms of transportation prohibited from the gardens except walking, it makes for a relaxing stroll.
Sit by the ponds in lawn chairs or take the kids to the Fête des Tuileries that’s open in the summer. There’s a Ferris wheel, carnival games and food, and a carousel.
There are also 3 different eateries in the gardens, as well as beautiful art sculptures.
Luxembourg
The Luxembourg Gardens and Palace are over 300 years old and beloved by locals and visitors alike. Lay out on the lawns or read a book under shade trees.
You can walk down paths lined with art sculptures, flower gardens, and flowering trees. Teens may even enjoy renting a small remote control boat they can sail on the pond. There are also cafes with outdoor dining, a children’s puppet show, tennis courts, and more for your enjoyment.
Attend a Paris Saint-Germaine Match
Why not take the whole family to a Paris Saint-Germain Football Club match while you’re in Paris? PSG is the professional soccer team of Paris and they play at the Parc des Princes.
They’re one of the most famous soccer teams in the world and the most popular in France. They’re a Ligue 1 team with many honors. Watch a game at the Parc and you’ll love the energy of the supportive fans!
Make Your Own Perfume
The perfume wearer in your family will love the opportunity to learn all about perfume making while they create their own unique scent!
There are many places where you can attend a perfume workshop in Paris. The Musee du Parfum offers a variety of workshops for different ages from children to adults, as does Le Studio des Parfums.
Macaron Making Class
Paris is probably the best place to take a macaron class! Check out one of the many places around the city where workshops are offered to kids, adults, and families.
Cook’n With Class Paris offers a handful of different baking and cooking classes. The highly-rated program also offers a children’s program, as well as classes for everyone over 12-years.
Shakespeare and Company bookstore
Located in the Latin Quarter, Paris’ Shakespeare and Company bookstore has been culturally significant to the city and the world since it opened in 1951. While today you can find bookstores across the globe by the same name and spirit, this was the original.
Your bookworm can learn how to become a Tumbleweed, learn about the store’s history, or simply support the bookstore by purchasing a book!
Shopping
A family trip to Paris with teens isn’t complete without some shopping! Paris has great contemporary malls, but also classic street markets that you won’t want to miss out on.
Montmartre
Enjoy the incomparable scenery of the historic Montmartre neighborhood. Besides being home to the hilltop Sacré-Cœur Basilica, you can walk the winding Parisian streets and explore all kinds of boutiques and cafes.
Check out bakeries and vintage shops and walk the streets of the village where the likes of Monet and Van Gogh once made their homes!
Les Halles
The entire neighborhood of Les Halles is full of name brands in fashion, home goods, sports, and more. Walk the historic neighborhood shops or head to the multi-level Les Halles Mall.
Then check out the Jardin Nelson Mandela behind the mall. It’s full of cool gardens and recreational areas, as well as more fun shops!
Marais
The fashion district of Marais has some of the biggest names in shopping today. From Karl Lagerfeld and Guerlain to Supreme, you can find it here.
Make sure to take time to grab a bite to eat at the Marché des Enfants Rouge, Paris’ oldest covered market.
St. Germain
Come to the district of St. Germain, home of the City University of Paris, for all kinds of shopping experiences. There are local leather goods stores, bookstores, and bakeries. Or check out entire streets full of luxury brands!
If you can find it, take a walk down the little street of Cours du Commerce Saint-André. It’s a quaint cobblestone passage filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops shoved into tiny buildings.
Or for local produce, go to the bio marche, or farmers market held on Sunday mornings near the Rennes metro station.
Galeries Lafayette
A great way to experience Paris fashion culture is to visit the Galeries Lafayette. Walk around the breathtaking art nouveau-style interiors and explore 4 levels of the world’s most famous brands.
Some prominent names included are Balenciaga, Chanel, Hermes, Prada, and more. There are also food markets and restaurants here to check out.
And you can also reserve tickets and attend a fashion show that’s held every Friday on the 4th floor!
Take a Paris Tour with Teens
A great way to experience a new city abroad is to book a tour with a knowledgeable guide. Check out some of my favorite tour ideas below.
Context Travel Tours
I always suggest experiencing new places with an experienced tour company like Context Travel. They offer a variety of tours in several European countries. Plus, they specialize in tours for families with younger children.
Take a historic walking tour of Montmartre with a historian. Or go on a half-day tour of Paris with stops at important landmarks like Notre Dame and the Avenue des Champs-Elysees.
Food tour
For a fun time on your family vacation in Paris, book a food tour with a genuine food-loving Parisian. Secret Food Tours offers a variety of unique experiences.
Take a St. Germain tour where you’ll try a variety of French delicacies like foie gras, pastries, and more! Or go on a chocolate and pastries walking tour that includes a stop at a creperie, an ice cream parlor, and a chocolatier!
Fat Tire Bike Tours
A bike ride through the streets of Paris can be a lot of fun with Fat Tire Bike Tours. They take groups of at least 4 people on different kinds of adventures through the beautiful city.
Take a cycling tour of the Versailles Gardens or through the streets of Paris at night.
Segway tour
A Segway tour with kids is a fun activity in any city! When you’re in Paris, it’s a cool way to see a list of important monuments from the outside in just 1 day.
Take a 2-hour audio guide tour via Segway past sites like the Louvre, Pont Alexandre III, the Place de la Concorde, and more.
Street Art Tours
For different experiences of Paris, especially if you have an artist in the family, try a street art tour. There’s nothing quite like European street art.
Take a street art tour with a local artist through Belleville or take a Segway tour of Paris art murals with a professional art guide.
Things You Can Do at Home, but Also in Paris with Teens
Make sure to schedule some free time in Paris to relax with the family. Here you can find many of the same fun activities that your kids love from home!
Cinema
Paris has a rich history as the place where film projection was first experimented with in the late 1800s! Today, film is still loved and highly respected in Paris, with almost 100 movie theaters!
For new and old releases in English, check out Le Champo or Le Grand Action.
To experience stunning architecture, there are a few cinemas to choose from, including Le Grand Rex theater.
Escape Room
Take your pick when it comes to excellent Paris escape games! Some of the top-rated are One Hour Escape Game and Border Live. There you’ll choose from horror-, mystery-, or forensic-based games with elaborate, entertaining backstories!
Axe Throwing
The latest big trend is axe throwing, and everyone over 12 can try it in Paris!
There are a few places in the city to go, like Wildness. Enjoy drinks and a snack bar while your group of 3 or more enjoy 60-minute games throwing axes or ninja stars.
Bowling
To burn off some steam, take your young people bowling while you’re in Paris. You’ll find several quality bowling allies, like Bowling Mouffetard, with 8-lanes and billiard tables.
Or there’s the larger Bowling de Front de Seine that has 20 lanes and video game arcades. Just keep in mind that bowling is prohibited in France for ages 16 years and under unless accompanied by an adult.
Where to Stay in Paris with Teens
Book Your Flights – You can find discounted fares using sites like Momondo or Skyscanner. If you want to keep an eye on discount fares, we suggest signing up for Scott’s Cheap Flights, a daily newsletter with flight sales around the world.
If you travel frequently, consider investing in a Priority Pass for airport lounge access. It’s nice to have a space where you can relax before your flight.
Book Your Accommodation
We regularly use Expedia.com and Hotels.com to find lodging when we travel. It’s a great way to compare vacation rentals, hotels, and resorts.
If your family knows they want to stay in a vacation rental, we recommend looking at VRBO and Plum Guide.
Book Your Transportation
For rental car agencies, try Rentalcars.com. We tend to use Hertz simply for the quality of service. If you need airport transfers, we recommend Welcome Pickups.
When traveling in Europe, we use AutoEurope to make our bookings. They find the best rates and allow you to compare different car rental agencies. Europcar is another option. If you plan to take the train, we recommend using Rail Europe.
Book Your Tours and Travel Photos
We regularly used companies like Viator and GetYourGuide to book tours when we travel. Both have great communication and a large variety of activities that work for all ages. Other companies to look at include Tours by Locals and Withlocals.
If you’re visiting a city with multiple attractions, be sure to check out a discount pass, such as CityPASS or Go City. Both are worthwhile investments.
Context Travel is another option and they offer more educational-based activities. The former teacher in me loves their tours. For unique, curated activities, check out Headout.
One of our favorite things to do annually is taking photos with Flytographer. They have photographers around the world and we’ve used them on four separate occasions. This is our favorite travel souvenir.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
With the state of travel these days, it’s important to have some type of travel insurance to cover any unforeseen accidents, illnesses, threats, or cancellations. We always travel with insurance and would recommend SquareMouth, Travelex, or Medjet as good options. And if you want to compare different insurance options, use Travel Insurance Master or World Nomads to find the best policy for your group.
