Rio de Janeiro with kids
Outings that work for children, and care with sun, sea and getting around.
Updated on October 7, 2026 ✓ Information verified on October 6, 2026 adapted version of the Portuguese original
Rio is a good city for traveling with children, as long as your plans respect the heat and their pace.
Outings that work
- Sugarloaf Mountain: the cable car is a thrill, and Morro da Urca has a playground and a meliponary of stingless bees, according to the park. Under-16s must be accompanied by parents or guardians.
- Botanical Garden and the Lagoa: room to run and cycle.
- Museum of Tomorrow: an interactive exhibition.
- Olympic Boulevard: flat, colorful and car-free.
- Maracanã: a guided tour for football fans.
Beaches
Leblon, near Posto 12, is popular with families. Praia Vermelha is a smaller cove. On any beach, stay close to the lifeguards.
Christ the Redeemer with children
The Corcovado Train has a child fare for ages 7 to 11, and children up to 6 ride free on a lap, according to the official website. During the escalator works, there are 80 steps up to the platform: bring a baby carrier rather than a stroller, which must be folded on the train.
Places mentioned
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PaidKids South Zone Sugarloaf Mountain and its cable car The cable car climbs from Praia Vermelha to Urca Hill and on to Sugarloaf, 396 meters above the bay. The sunset from the top is the most sought-after in town. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Copacabana Beach Rio’s most famous beach, with its Portuguese stone wave promenade, kiosks, beach sports and the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve party. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Ipanema Beach The bossa nova beach between Arpoador and Leblon, with Dois Irmãos on the horizon and one of the most applauded sunsets in Rio. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Leblon Beach The continuation of Ipanema to the foot of Dois Irmãos Hill: a calmer seafront, the Leblon lookout and a neighborhood of restaurants and bookshops. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Praia Vermelha and the Pista Cláudio Coutinho Next to the cable car station: a small cove beach and a flat walk between forest and sea, where marmosets are a common sight. See details -
Free accessKids West Zone Barra da Tijuca Beach A long, wide seafront with open sea and mountains behind, in a modern neighborhood further from the postcard sights. See details -
Kids North Zone Tijuca National Park The forest Emperor Pedro II ordered protected and replanted in 1861. Today it is home to Christ the Redeemer, waterfalls, viewpoints and the city's main trails. See details -
Kids South Zone Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden A research institute open to the public, with an avenue of imperial palms, greenhouses and the Tijuca Forest as a backdrop. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon The stretch of water between Ipanema, Leblon and Jardim Botânico, with a cycle path around it, kiosks and Christ the Redeemer high above. See details -
Kids Downtown and Lapa Santa Teresa and its tram The neighborhood of cobbled streets and old mansions above downtown, with the yellow tram that crosses the Lapa Arches. See details -
Free accessKids Downtown and Lapa Selarón Steps The staircase covered in colorful tiles between Lapa and Santa Teresa, the work of Chilean artist Jorge Selarón. See details -
Kids Downtown and Lapa Confeitaria Colombo A traditional downtown confectionery with a hall of mirrors, display cases and chandeliers, a sight in its own right. See details -
Kids Downtown and Lapa Museum of Tomorrow A science museum about the future of the planet, in a Santiago Calatrava building on the shores of Guanabara Bay. See details -
Free accessKids Downtown and Lapa Olympic Boulevard and Praça Mauá The bayside promenade born from the port's renewal, with the Etnias mural and Praça Mauá. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Copacabana promenade (Calçadão) The Portuguese-stone waves came before Burle Marx. He turned them parallel to the sea and designed the mosaics along the rest of Avenida Atlântica. See details -
Kids South Zone Copacabana Fort The 1914 fortress at the tip of Copacabana, now the Army History Museum, with one of the finest views of the beach. See details -
Kids South Zone Parque Lage A mansion with a courtyard and pool at the foot of Corcovado, surrounded by forest, gardens and the start of Rio's most famous trail. See details -
PaidKids Downtown and Lapa AquaRio, Rio's Marine Aquarium A marine aquarium with thousands of animals of hundreds of species, in an old warehouse in the Port Zone. A good outing for children and rainy days. See details -
Free accessKids South Zone Flamengo Park (Aterro do Flamengo) A whole park built on the sea, between downtown and Botafogo, with Burle Marx gardens and views of Sugarloaf Mountain. See details - Free accessKids South Zone Urca and the Mureta da Urca The quiet neighborhood where the city was born, with old houses, moored boats and the low wall by the bay for late afternoons. See details
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Kids Downtown and Lapa Paquetá Island A peaceful island at the back of the bay, with no cars, reached by ferry from Praça XV. A Rio from another century. See details
Frequently asked questions
Is Sugarloaf Mountain good for children?
Yes. The cable car is a short ride, and Morro da Urca has a playground and other attractions, according to the park.
Do children pay on the Corcovado Train?
Children up to 6 ride free on a guardian's lap; there is a child ticket for ages 7 to 11, according to the official website.
Keep reading
Keep planning
- Rio de Janeiro beaches From the classic South Zone beachfront to the forest-framed beaches of the West Zone. Read guide
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What to do in Rio de Janeiro when it rains Museums, historic interiors and covered outings so you do not lose the day. Read guide - Where to stay in Rio de Janeiro Compare neighborhoods by beach, metro access, nightlife and distance to the main landmarks. Read guide