Travelling with children can be one of the most rewarding ways to explore the world - and experiencing it as a family makes those moments even more memorable. That said, it does require a little more planning, patience, and the right equipment.

Visiting a famous landmark with little ones in tow can quickly become overwhelming when the reality doesn’t match expectations - from long queues in the heat to limited toilet access or baby-changing facilities, these practical limitations can turn what should be an exciting day out into a stressful one.

Being properly prepared, from choosing the right compact travel pushchair, to packing all the essentials, and knowing what to expect on your travels, means that a little groundwork can go a long way.

In this guide, our team analysed over 200 landmarks and attractions across the globe, and created a definitive ranking of the world’s top family-friendly landmarks, helping you plan ahead and travel as a family with confidence, or simply for some child friendly travel inspiration.


How did we determine the top family-friendly landmarks?

When choosing your next holiday destination, particularly for those on the hunt for adventure, landmarks that genuinely cater to families, with accessible pathways, rest areas, and child-friendly amenities, helps to ensure that everyone can enjoy the experience on family days out.

To build our ranking, we analysed hundreds of landmarks, taking into account the things that really matter the most to parents when travelling:

• How accessible the landmark is (including elevators, escalators, and accessible walkways)
• The average yearly temperature
• The average ticket price for a family (based on two adults and two children)
• Overall online reviews for each landmark
• Available amenities (such as toilets, baby-changing, and nursing areas)

Each landmark was then scored individually across these categories and given an overall rating out of 100, allowing us to create a definitive ranking of the world's top family-friendly landmarks.

Taking the top spot in our ranking of the world’s best family-friendly landmarks was the Grand Canyon South Rim, with a total score of 92.75/100. Located in Arizona, this 278-mile-long national monument was carved out over the course of 6 million years by the Colorado River, and became a national park in 1919.

When it comes to unique family days out, the Grand Canyon is certainly a spectacle for all, not only for its natural beauty, but also for its family-friendly facilities. Accessible walkways and park shuttle buses with lifts and ramps make navigating the area with a pushchair entirely manageable.

Ticket prices are also generous, with the average cost for a family equaling a total of £27, and the park offers amenities such as public toilets, baby-changing areas, and water bottle refill-stations. Not only that, online review ratings are at 4.9/5 for this landmark - the second highest out of any in the top five - making it one of the top family friendly destinations in the USA.

In second place was the Griffith Observatory, located in Los Angeles, USA (score of 92.10/100). The observatory first opened in 1935 by Griffith J. Griffith, with the aim of making astronomy and science accessible for all, and is a well-recognised landmark across the globe - perfect for family days out.

With overall online review ratings at a 4.6/5, the observatory offers children the chance to touch a real meteorite, test what their weight would be on other planets, and take part in various interactive space exhibits. And unlike many landmarks where the costs quickly add up, the Griffith Observatory is completely free to enter - making it a great choice for families looking for a memorable day out.

The Forbidden City completes our top three in the ranking of the best family-friendly landmarks, with a total score of 90.47/100. Located in Beijing, China, the Forbidden City is regarded as one of the most iconic palaces in all of Chinese history, and is the largest preserved royal palace complex still standing in the world.

Families are well catered for here, with plenty of toilets and rest areas to take a break, and the average ticket price for a family sits at around £13.  There’s also a treasure hunt on site, where children are able to hunt for various imperial symbols, mythical animals, and hidden details across the complex, making it a genuinely engaging fun family day out.

The Forbidden City is a hugely popular landmark, allowing a visitor capacity of around 40,000 per day. It's worth planning your visit for spring or autumn, when the weather is milder and crowds are smaller. It would definitely be worth it, as online review ratings for this landmark were 5/5, making it the highest review-rated landmark in the entire top 50 rankings.

The Taj Mahal takes fourth place with a total score of 90.00/100. Located in Agra, India, the temple was commissioned in 1632 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Described as a "teardrop on the cheek of time", the Taj Mahal is said to change colour depending on the time of day, appearing pink in the morning, white in the evening, and golden at night.

With an average yearly temperature of 25 degrees, this landmark is one of the ‘hottest’ in the rankings,  so it’s worth reading our guide on how to keep your baby cool in hot weather. Children under the age of 15 can enter for free, with the average ticket prices for the rest of the family coming to around £21.

Pushchairs are generally allowed on the Taj Mahal's grounds and pathways, but are typically not permitted inside the main mausoleum, as this area is only accessible by stairs. However, there is stroller storage on-site, perfect for packing up your own pushchair.

In 2019, the Taj Mahal was also the very first UNESCO World Heritage site to have a breastfeeding room, with this facility also including a baby-changing table and rest areas, offering a private space for nursing and care.

Rounding out  our top five is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco,with a total score of 89.17/100. Built between 1986 and 1993, the mosque features a 210-metre-tall minaret (tower) and is situated partly over the Atlantic Ocean - symbolising a bridge between heaven and earth.

Children under four enter free (and sometimes under six, depending on the ticket type), with full family ticket prices averaging around £25. Plus, the mosque is also easily accessible with a pushchair, with large open spaces and guided walking tours both outside and inside the landmark, giving families the chance to see the architecture and 360-degree projections at a comfortable pace.