Our family-friendly four day staycation at königs Wusterhausen 

A few weeks ago we took our first vacation since sweet Libby joined our family, and since Covid came into our lives, uninvited. We took advantage of the summer vacation from daycare to get out of town for a few days and treated ourselves to a change of vibe and scenery.

Our son Robin is almost three years old and was at the time processing all of the changes in his life - going in and out of lockdowns and a new baby sister, which meant that his behavior and mood were extremely unpredictable. With that in mind, we decided to keep things low-key, in order to allow lots of flexibility without too many negative vibes if things didn't go as planned.

Our main goal was a slight change in atmosphere after spending so many months indoors and avoiding travel. We wanted a bit of nature, greenery, lakeside views and a relaxing vibe. Slow travel, if you will. So we decided on a relatively cheap staycation, meaning staying close to Berlin.

I searched through different Facebook groups for nice recommendations for farm or lake houses but hadn't found anything nice that was available. All I came up with were a few family-friendly resort hotels, but the really nice ones were too expensive and didn't meet our initial criteria on budget.

So I went about it a little bit differently and just started exploring Airbnb. I looked at the small towns around Berlin, looking for something not too remote but also close to nature, without a specific location in mind. After a few exploring sessions I narrowed down the list to a few houses and with the help of my better half chose 

 at Königs Wusterhausen, around 35 minutes by car from our house. 

The apartment was perfect for us - nice, clean and cozy with a fully equipped kitchen, a few games in the living room storage and plenty of space. There were two bedrooms, one of them with two separate beds for the kids, but we wound up co-sleeping in the master bedroom, which is pretty much what we do at home anyway. It was conveniently located on a main road, which meant that the supermarket was very close by, in addition to a few nice restaurants.

Upon arrival, we had an "official" tour with our lovely hostess, and then we had plenty of time to explore the space. Robin had a wonderful time opening and closing every piece of furniture and running around between the rooms.

If you are planning a trip to the Königs Wusterhausen area, check out the 

 I made on Google maps with all of the recommendations listed below.

 - Our first stop before checking in to our Airbnb. Despite the confusing name, which means zoo in german, this isn't a zoo at all. In fact, we didn't see any animals of any kind whatsoever, besides a few birds maybe. However, this is a nice and stroller-friendly circular path in the woods and along the river bank. Our toddler wasn't too enthusiastic and stayed in the stroller, but we enjoyed the lovely views and the relaxed vibe.

- The weather was really nice but not warm enough to get in the cold lake water. But we did  enjoy this beach, which includes a playground, a water slide and plenty of shaded benches to choose from. Admission is 3 euros for adults, 1.50 euros for kids, and children 3 years old and younger can go in for free. luckily for us, it wasn't busy at all and pretty quiet.

 - actually, the morning we went exploring the town started out completely different. We planned to go on a 

 in the woods, but 10 minutes into the path we were defeated by the hundreds of mosquitoes and the not-so-stroller-friendly path. So we circled back and decided to drive back to town.


The town center is small but very charming. After the drive to and from the planned trail, it was already midday, so we started with a wonderful Italian lunch. Then we walked to the Schloßpark and visited its lovely playground, which includes a few small water streams, canals, pumps and dams, on top of the usual swings and slides. The park itself is not too big and is located near the Königs Wusterhausen palace. We didn't go in, but if you are interested in antique decor and history you could check it out. After some well-deserved ice cream, we went back to our apartment, not before Robin blew off some steam on the pedestrian bridge that connects the main streets and the park.

 - This was our last stop before going back home and it is actually fairly accessible from Berlin (around 40 minutes from the city center by S-Bahn). It is a sweet animal park with birds, donkeys, ponies, goats and more. There are many different buggies available for the little ones to ride along the park paths and also various seating areas and a playground. Adult tickets are 3.50 euros, kids pay 2.50 euros and there are feeding bags available for a small extra cost to feed the animals.

After months of Corona regulations, it has been a while since we took our kids out to restaurants. But because we remembered that it isn't always such a treat, we decided we were better off having breakfast and dinner at our apartment and to rely on restaurants only for lunches.

Upon arrival at Königs Wusterhausen we went to the nearest supermarket and stocked up on snacks and groceries, such as bread, cereal, milk, vegetables, fruit, yogurt, cheese, juice, coffee, etc.

As I wrote above, our Airbnb was perfectly located on a street with a few restaurants, which enabled us to comfortably walk to lunch and back. A great find was a Greek restaurant, with yummy food and super nice and kid-friendly service.

We are no experts, but here are some things that helped us to make the most out of this experience:

Recreate the nighttime routine and vibe from home

 - we brought all the equipment we needed in order to recreate as much as possible the nighttime routine that our toddler is used to, away from home. That made the evenings and nights easier for all of us and helped reduce anxiety and stress.

Pack games and books for the hotel and for the road

 - we were lucky to find an apartment with a selection of books, puzzles and games, but that is a luxury that isn't always available. We packed a few new games to excite our son and a few of his favorite books. A reusable sticker book was perfect for the road, we took it out every time we sat down to eat at a restaurant and had to wait for the food.

Make plans but be prepared to change them

 the weather in Germany isn't always predictable, and don't even get me started on the lack of predictability of children... To best prepare for every situation, I created a Google maps list with different attractions, trails and options in the area. That allowed us to decide what works best according to the situation, mood and weather conditions.

Make sure the hotel is nice and comfortable

 - before having kids, we didn't spend much time in our room while traveling. We would usually wake up, get ready, go exploring and be back only in the evening. Traveling with young kids is different. We spent most afternoons in the apartment, so we really got to enjoy the cozy decor, the huge sofa and all the small details that the hosts so carefully laid out.

Staycation at königs Wusterhausen

A list of museums, attractions and suggestions for a family-friendly winter vacation in Berlin

Before moving from the Mediterranean weather of sunny Israel to Berlin, one of my main concerns was the cold weather. I remember taking our dog Louie for a walk in our neighborhood just outside Tel Aviv, during what was a typical Israeli winter evening, and worrying about how I would adjust to the European snowy and frozen days. 4 years and 3 winters later, I can say that it’s not that bad. Yes, the winter here is long. Yes, I find myself enjoying every tiny bit of sunshine that I can get during the colder months. And yes, exploring the city with kids during the wintertime can be very uncomfortable. Just getting dressed to get outside the door, when all four of us have to put on our winter gear, can be exhausting. And don’t even get me started on pushing the stroller around town after it snowed.

Having said that, a city like Berlin has a lot to offer families who wish to visit during winter. The true locals don't believe in bad weather, only bad clothing, and can spend a day out on the playground or the forest, even when it's extremely cold. We are not there yet, and after an hour or so we need to warm ourselves up and run inside. Luckily for us, since the winter is very long, there are many indoor activities to choose from. 

Here are a few of our favorites, all are listed in this 

 in Prenzlauer Berg with temporary exhibitions on different themes and a permanent indoor play area on the second floor. We were there twice for two different exhibitions and really enjoyed it. There are also craft tables with relevant materials and lots of areas to explore. If you visit, don't miss the amazing pastries next door at Cookies and Co.

Most of you are probably familiar with this 

 with different backdrops for exploring, playing, and of course - photographing. It's a bit pricey, but suitable for different ages. We went there with a baby, a toddler, young kids, pre-teens and adults, and we all liked the experience, and got some great family photos from it. 

That being said, an hour or so was enough for us, so it's possible to combine it with something else. You could easily take a hop-on-hop-off bus from there, explore the beautiful Tiergarten if the weather is nice, go shopping at the Mall of Berlin, visit the museum of musical instruments if you're up for something more educational, and/or grab a burger at Burgermeister.

Walking distance from Hauptbahnhof and by the lovely Spree river is the 

, which explores the future from different angles, such as climate, housing, technology, food and innovation. The building is amazing and very accessible, and the exhibition is very interactive and could appeal to different ages. On the top floor, there is a restaurant and a balcony overlooking the city. Oh, and it's free! If you are here, you could check out what is showcased at the Hamburger Bahnhof museum or visit the Museum für Naturkunde.

 with a permanent exhibition on all aspects of food - how it is grown and made, how it reaches our plates, shopping, cooking and eating, while discussing topics like environment, healthy eating, distribution and much more, all in a very child-friendly and interactive way. It is far from the city center but easily reachable using public transportation (S2 - S-Bahn station Lichtenrade).

Technisches Museum + Science center Spectrum

Two large museums, located side by side. Entry to both is possible with one ticket per person. 

 is all about the development of different vehicles, such as trains, airplanes and ships, and types of machinery like textiles, print and computers. 

 is devoted to science with different experiments on sound, vision, gravity, electricity and more. It is smaller but more interactive, and I imagine that most kids would love it. If you need a break between the two, and the weather is not too cold or stormy, you could visit the enjoyable Park am Gleisdreieck and its many playgrounds, green areas, skatepark and street-art views.

Another great duo for a fun family-friendly activity for every weather. 

 is very large and offers a few indoor areas that would allow you to escape bad weather, such as hippo bay, the empire of the hunters, the home of the monkeys and more. There are also amazing playgrounds that could offer the kids some excitement in between animal-spottings. 

 is right next door and is entirely indoors. There is a large area at the edge of the first floor where the kids can run (or crawl) around and it’s always my kids’ personal favorite.

One of Berlin’s most famous sites is the glass dome above the 19th-century building, which functions as the home of the German Parliament. 

 was designed by the British architect Sir Norman Foster in 1994 and is made out of steel and glass. Spiral ramps lead the visitors up to an amazing view of the city, and kids (mine at least) love running up and down the pathways. It is a very impressive building and the visit is completely free, though you do need to book your tickets in advance.

, even though it’s not as impressive as others that I mentioned here, it still offers some nice and interesting indoor time with the kids. Definitely better than a crowded indoor playground. The exhibition takes place in a large industrial building and focuses on ecological themes such as protecting the environment, climate change and animal kingdoms. If you made it all the way there, consider visiting the children’s farm Pinke-Panke, I haven’t visited it yet personally, but heard that it’s really charming and well worth a visit. The farm is outdoors though, so take that under consideration.

There are quite a few cute ones around the city, most of which I haven’t gotten around to visiting myself. The concept is very simple - you can have a cup of coffee, with a piece of cake or a bite to eat, while the kids are playing in the play areas. Amazing, right? The menus and facilities are naturally very accommodating for young kids and babies. The quality of the food and drinks, as well as the variety of toys and activities, vary from one cafe to the other. One cafe that I highly recommend (and have even mentioned in a 

 in Steglitz. The food and drinks are great, lots of toys and activities for babies and toddlers, and the owners are super nice and accomodating. You need to go out of the city center for it, but there are great shopping opportunities and playgrounds in the area. 

Other well-known cafes are - Kindercafé Wunderland, Mini Me Kindercafé, Kreuzzwerg and Kindercafé Spielzimmer.

If you are visiting between November and December, then you should definitely grab a good coat and all your winter accessories to visit one of the Christmas markets. There are many all over the city, some are more family-friendly than others and offer rides and different attractions, while others are organized around a theme like medieval, arts and crafts, local artists, etc. 

. A few of the best-known markets are Gendarmenmarkt, Schloss Charlottenburg, Alt Spandau, Rotes Rathaus and RAW Friedrichshain. You should try to come early before they get too crowded. 

If you want some more holiday vibes, the KaDeWe and Ku’damm offer one of the best locations for some sparkling holiday decorations.

A few other ideas for a winter vacation in Berlin -

- A cafe that allows kids (and adults) to construct ball tracks using wooden blocks, I haven't visited yet but heard great things. 

 - the children's section of the Jewish museum, it's supposed to be amazing but it's very difficult to get tickets (entry is free but tickets need to be reserved in advance).

 - we visited once, two years ago. It's going through some renovations at the moment, so make sure to check the website to see what is currently offered.

 - we had a great time here, but that was before the pandemic and I can't be certain that things are still exactly as they were.

Tag: Staycation