Heidelberg With Kids: Zoo, Funicular, Castle
Families in Heidelberg get a good mix of animals, rides and climbing. Most of it sits either at the Neuenheimer Feld zoo or up on the Königstuhl, and the funicular ride is half the fun for younger children.
Zoo Heidelberg
The zoo is at Tiergartenstrasse 3 and open 365 days a year. Hours are 09:00 to 17:00 from November to February, 09:00 to 18:00 in March and October and 09:00 to 19:00 from April to September, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. On 24 and 31 December it closes at 13:00. The winter tariff runs from 1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027: adults €13, children and youth aged 3 to 17 €6.50. Family card A, for one adult and up to four children, is €22.50, and card B, for two adults and up to four children, is €35. In the main season these rise to €16 for adults, €8 for children and €28 or €43 for the family cards. The zoo keeps a group of young Asian elephant bulls. See zoo-heidelberg.de .
The funicular and the summit
Children tend to enjoy changing cars at Molkenkur. A Panoramaticket family fare for two adults and one child is €36 return, with each extra child €3. The upper section alone has a family return at €22, with €2 for each extra child. Fares are due to rise in January 2027. Check bergbahn-heidelberg.de for current prices.
On the Königstuhl
The Märchenparadies is a children’s amusement park on the summit. Its 2026 season ends on 11 November, and the 2027 dates have not been published, so check maerchen-paradies.de before planning a spring visit. Falknerei Tinnunculus at Königstuhl 2a holds flight demonstrations from April to October and is closed on Mondays. Look up current times with the falconry before you go.
At the castle
The Great Tun, a giant wine cask, is a quick stop for young visitors. The castle ticket costs €11 adult and €5.50 reduced for ages 6 and up until 31 December 2026, then €12 and €6. A family guided tour is €15. The garden is open during daylight hours and has space to run.
Day-trip options
Schwetzingen’s palace gardens have a family ticket at €22.50 from 29 March to 24 October. The Weisse Flotte sightseeing cruise lasts 50 minutes and starts from €19, which is a manageable length for most children.
In winter
The Christmas market runs from 23 November to 22 December 2026 on six Old Town squares and is free to enter. An ice rink returns to Karlsplatz below the castle, though its dates had not yet been announced.
Tips
The Old Town is pedestrian only, so pushchairs do best on the flat riverside route. The Schlangenweg and Himmelsleiter are steep and uneven, so avoid them with small children. Children aged 5 and under travel free with an adult on the HeidelbergCARD. Read more: Heidelberg attraction tours and the two-day itinerary . To compare family activities, search Heidelberg family tours on GetYourGuide .