Bring Family-Friendly Magic to Your Next European City Break

Hotels play many roles in our travel lives. Depending on mindset, mood and what we want from a particular holiday, they might be refuges from the urban hustle and bustle, or launchpads for high-energy discovery. With their ‘Camp Aloft’ programme, Aloft Hotels are celebrating the hotel’s role as base camp – somewhere you and your family can recharge and get excited about the adventures that await beyond the hotel’s front doors. In that spirit, read on for some city-by-city suggestions that will keep your family’s adventurous flame burning.

Take to the water in Strasbourg

A family of tourists looks on Bridge Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg (Photo: Getty Images)

One of the best ways to soak up the beauty of Strasbourg is by boat, spotting the colourful, half-timbered houses that line the cobbled streets. Batorama includes a special audio commentary just for children, featuring actors and drama to really bring their surroundings to life.

For outdoor fun, head to the 18th-century Orangerie Park, the largest in the city, where pathways weave together landscaped lawns, a lake, works of outdoor art and a handful of playgrounds. Your children will love the retro fun of trundling around the vintage car track.

Across the water, in the German-influenced Neudorf quarter, Aloft Strasbourg Etoile combines Pop Art decor and bold splashes of colour. The WXYZ bar is ideal for relaxed snacks – not to mention marshmallow milkshakes: the ultimate adventure fuel! – and its bold primary colours, comfy seating and picture windows make it an ideal spot for the whole family.

Visit a secret island in lovely Liverpool

A family enjoying a picnic in the park (Photo: Getty Images)

Home to the Fab Four and one of Europe’s most historic port cities, Liverpool is packed with family-friendly attractions. Aloft Liverpool, housed in a Grade II listed building, is just a short stroll away from the vibrant dock area.

Walk south from The Beatles Statue to make a splash at the Liverpool Watersports Centre at Queen’s Dock. Here you’ll find an aqua park, stand-up paddleboarding experiences and kayaks for hire as part of this beloved community project. Nearby, the five acres of Chavasse Park are perfect for a picnic. 

Or head out the Hilbre Island Local Nature Reserve, set in the Dee Estuary and famed for its seals and birdlife. At low tide, you can walk all the way to the island from West Kirby: an exciting (but low-risk) race against time! Back at the hotel, grab a healthy snack at re:fuel by Aloft and relax with games in the re:mix lounge.

Delve into the docks in East London

London Docklands at sunset (Photo: Getty Images)

The ExCeL London district has bags of family fun to offer. West India Quay is where you’ll find the London Museum Docklands. It’s free to enter and recounts 400 years of Docklands history with loads of activities for children. For more action and adventure, head to Rise Climbing – with its bouldering and training walls it welcomes complete beginners – or try WakeUp Docklands at London’s Royal Docks for stand-up paddleboarding and wakeboarding experiences.

Overlooking Victoria Dock in East London, Aloft London Excel is perfectly located for exploring the area, as well as for trips into the city centre, courtesy of the new Elizabeth Line. It also has an inviting indoor pool, Dockside Restaurant for laid-back meals and lively WXYZ Bar for drinks, live music and resident DJs.

Taste different kinds of park life in Stuttgart

On an exploration adventure in the park. (Photo: Marriott International)

Stuttgart is the perfect place for those who love the great outdoors. Both Höhenpark Killesberg and Schlossgarten are perfect for picnics, and located right next to the right by the Aloft Stuttgart, a stylish family hotel set within the hip Milaneo shopping mall. Grab a snack from re:fuel by Aloft and head out to explore the gorgeous parks.

If you venture just outside the city, you can enjoy the huge family pool complex, complete with sauna, thrilling water slides and a lazy river, at F3 Das Wohlfühlbad. A little further afield lies Erlebnispark Tripsdrill, a thrilling theme park and nature park the whole family will love.

Back in the city, get a new perspective by heading to the telecommunications tower Fernsehturm Stuttgart for fabulous views and refreshments at the Panorama Café.

Gain some outdoor skills in Birmingham

England’s second city, Birmingham, is packed with fun activities for the whole family. On the edge of the city, Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens is the perfect day out for nature lovers with its walled garden, orchards and vegetable garden. Go pond dipping, plant your own vegetables and learn all about den building and outdoor cooking.

Inspire your family’s budding creativity with a visit to the quirky Pen Museum. Making pen nibs was a major Birmingham industry in the Victorian era, and this museum keeps its heritage alive. Children can try their hand at writing with a quill and ink, learn calligraphy and analyse their handwriting.

When the comforts of base camp call, make for the centrally located and vibrantly designed Aloft Birmingham Eastside. The hotel’s Tempo! restaurant serves up fabulous international cuisine that the whole family will love, while re-fuel has food to grab and go if your next adventure simply won’t wait.

Soak up stories and music in Dublin

Riding on a scooter in a park in Dublin, Ireland (Photo: Getty Images)

Dublin’s fair city is especially beautiful when enjoyed from the water. For added adventure, you might take to the River Liffey and kayak beneath the city’s famous bridges – there’s even a Music Under the Bridges live music tour, which brings Dublin’s stories to life in a way that younger explorers will love.

Head to the suburb of Clontarf where St Anne’s Park and Rose Gardens looks out over North Bull Island Nature Reserve. Threaded with walking trails, there’s also a duck pond and a remote-controlled model car track. Don’t miss the Saturday food market for fresh local treats.

Back in the city, St Patrick’s Park is another perfect spot for a sunny afternoon picnic, set against the atmospherically Gothic beauty of St Patrick’s Cathedral. It’s just a short stroll from contemporary Aloft Dublin City, with its city views and Tenters Gastro Pub, where you can enjoy hearty food and traditional Irish music performed live.

Published: November 28, 2024

Last Updated: December 11, 2024