Eiffel Tower With Kids: A 2026 Parents' Guide to Tickets, Stairs, and Strollers
Planning the Eiffel Tower with kids in 2026? Compare stairs vs elevator, current ticket prices, stroller rules, and floor-by-floor highlights for families.
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Visiting the Eiffel Tower With Kids: The Complete 2026 Family Guide
Last updated July 2026. Visiting the Eiffel Tower with kids means picking stairs or elevators, choosing a floor, and budgeting for age-based tickets in advance. This guide breaks the visit into a clear decision tree, from the second floor's close-up views to the summit's wind chill, so the day works for toddlers and school-age kids alike.
Free guide: Stress-Free Flying with Kids
The pre-flight checklist, carry-on packing list, and in-flight survival plan we use on every family trip — from toddlers to teens.
Is the Eiffel Tower With Kids Worth It? The Quick Guide
Yes, the Eiffel Tower with kids works well as a half-day outing, provided you arrive with a plan. The monument draws heavy year-round crowds, and without a timed reservation, ticket lines and security queues can stretch past two hours. The golden rule for families: book tickets online in advance and pick a specific elevator or stairs slot before you leave the hotel. For the rest of the trip, cross-reference this visit with the broader Paris with kids guide so the tower fits around naps, meals, and everything else on the itinerary. Families also budgeting a Disneyland Paris day trip into the same week should treat the tower as a half-day stop, not an all-day one — young kids tire out fast on stairs and in ticket lines.
- Toddlers and strollers: take the elevator to the second floor only.
- Energetic kids age 6 and up: the stairs to the second floor are cheaper and skip the elevator line entirely.
- Budget-conscious families: a second floor stairs ticket costs less than any elevator or summit option.
- Cold or windy forecast: skip the summit add-on and keep the visit to the second floor.
- Morning slots, right after opening, have the shortest lines; evening visits add the tower's hourly light sparkle after dark, though it may run past younger kids' bedtimes.
Stairs vs Elevator vs the Summit: The Family Decision Matrix
Every family visiting the Eiffel Tower faces the same three-way choice: climb, ride, or add the summit on top. Here is how the options compare for kids of different ages and energy levels.
The 674-step stair option to the second floor costs nearly half the elevator ticket, but suits kids age 6 and up with energy to spare.
| Option | Best for | Steps / access | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stairs to 2nd floor | Kids age 6+ with energy to spare | 674 steps total (347 to the 1st floor, 327 more to the 2nd) | Cheapest ticket, no elevator line, but tiring for short legs |
| Elevator to 2nd floor | Toddlers, strollers, and anyone uneasy with heights | No steps required | Costs more than the stairs option and the line runs longer |
| Summit add-on (elevator from 2nd floor) | School-age kids who want the bird's-eye view | Extra elevator queue above the 2nd floor | Colder, windier, and a second wait stacked on top of the climb or ride up |
Floor-by-Floor Highlights for Children
Each level of the tower has a different draw for kids, so plan stops around attention spans instead of rushing every floor in one pass.
The 906-foot summit includes Gustave Eiffel's office wax figures and a Champagne Bar pouring kids' lemonade, but lacks changing stations and can feel up to 10 degrees colder than street level.
- 1st floor (190 feet / 58 meters): the glass floor lets kids look straight down through the deck, and a museographic path along the north and east sides tells the tower's history through touchscreen panels and digital albums.
- 1st floor: digital immersive experiences, in VR and on smartphones, run alongside the museographic path as part of the family-focused visitor itinerary.
- 1st floor: seasonal terraces reinvent themselves for summer and winter, with hot or cold drinks and light dishes served at height.
- 2nd floor (377 feet / 115 meters): the widest views for spotting landmarks, plus a souvenir shop and a buffet for a quick snack.
- Summit (906 feet / 276 meters): a recreation of Gustave Eiffel's office with wax figures, plus the Champagne Bar, which also pours artisanal lemonade and mineral water for kids.
Practical Survival Tips: Strollers, Weather, and Activity Books
A handful of logistics decisions make or break a family visit to the Eiffel Tower with kids.
- Strollers: foldable strollers are allowed, but there are no lockers or storage areas anywhere on site. A baby carrier is easier to manage than a stroller in the elevators and on the stairs, especially if the summit is on the agenda.
- Changing stations: available on the ground floor, 1st floor, and 2nd floor. There are none at the summit, so handle diaper changes before the final elevator up.
- Weather: layer up. The summit can feel up to 10 degrees colder and noticeably windier than street level, even on a mild day.
- Bottles and drinks: fill reusable water bottles before you arrive. Glass bottles and cans are not permitted through security and will be confiscated.
- Toilets: free restrooms are available on every floor, useful for potty-training-age kids mid-visit.
- Activity books: pick up the free 'Minus' booklets, in French, English, or Spanish, at the elevator boarding areas or the bottom of the stairs, for a self-guided history lesson kids can keep as a souvenir.
Tickets, Costs, and Avoiding the Line Trap
As of 2026, the official site lists four main ticket types, each priced by age tier. Prices below are approximate; confirm current prices on the official Eiffel Tower site before booking, since rates are adjusted periodically.
- 2nd floor by stairs: Adult 14.80 EUR, Youth (12-24) 7.40 EUR, Child (4-11) 3.80 EUR, under 4 free with a required ticket.
- 2nd floor by elevator: Adult 23.50 EUR, Youth (12-24) 11.80 EUR, Child (4-11) 6.00 EUR, under 4 free with a required ticket.
- Summit by stairs and elevator: Adult 28.00 EUR, Youth (12-24) 14.00 EUR, Child (4-11) 7.00 EUR, under 4 free with a required ticket.
- Summit by elevator: Adult 36.70 EUR, Youth (12-24) 18.40 EUR, Child (4-11) 9.20 EUR, under 4 free with a required ticket.
Where to Eat at the Eiffel Tower With Kids
Food logistics matter more with kids than the view does, so plan the eating stops before you queue.
- Quick bites: the buffets on the 1st and 2nd floors serve sandwiches, snacks, and drinks with a view, good for a fast refuel between floors.
- Sit-down: Madame Brasserie on the 1st floor takes table bookings; confirm current kids' menu availability when you reserve.
- Summit treat: the Champagne Bar at the top pours Champagne for adults alongside artisanal lemonade and mineral water, so kids get a toast too.
- Picnic alternative: pick up sandwiches and pastries from a bakery before you arrive and eat on the Champ de Mars lawns after the visit, away from queue lines.
Turn the Second Floor Into a Landmark Hunt
The second floor is the best level for a kid-friendly landmark hunt because the views are closer and easier to decode than from the summit. Bring a small Paris map, postcards, or screenshots saved on your phone before security.
Start on the Seine side and ask children to find the river, then trace it toward Notre-Dame and the Ile de la Cite. From another side, look for the long green Champ de Mars below, the gold dome of Les Invalides, and the Arc de Triomphe on the western skyline.
- Louvre: look for the long palace buildings near the Seine.
- Sacre-Coeur: spot the white basilica on the hill of Montmartre.
- Trocadero: find the broad plaza directly across the river.
Keep the game short and move between railings before kids get cold or restless. Binoculars are useful, but a zoomed phone camera works well too.
For trip-planning details, see Eiffel Tower official site.
Further reading: Paris on Wikivoyage · Paris on Wikipedia
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Eiffel Tower worth visiting with kids?
Yes, especially the second floor. It has close-up views, a shorter wait than the summit, and changing stations on site. Book tickets ahead so a same-day queue doesn't eat the whole morning.
Should you take the stairs or the elevator with kids?
Take the stairs to the second floor with energetic kids age 6 and up — it's 674 steps total and the cheapest ticket. Take the elevator with toddlers, strollers, or anyone uneasy with heights.
Are strollers allowed on the Eiffel Tower?
Foldable strollers are allowed, but there are no lockers or storage areas anywhere on site. A baby carrier is easier to manage in the elevators and on the stairs than a stroller, especially for a summit visit.
Is the summit worth it with young children?
It depends on tolerance for wind and cold. The summit sits about 906 feet up, and the 'feels like' temperature can run up to 10 degrees colder than street level. For toddlers, the second floor is usually the better stop.
Where can you find baby-changing facilities at the Eiffel Tower?
Changing stations are available on the ground floor, 1st floor, and 2nd floor. There are none at the summit, so handle changes before the final elevator up.
How much time should you plan for a visit with kids?
Plan on at least two hours between security, floors, and food stops, more if the line isn't booked ahead. Building in a picnic stop at the Champ de Mars afterward adds extra time without an extra fee.
Free guide: Stress-Free Flying with Kids
The pre-flight checklist, carry-on packing list, and in-flight survival plan we use on every family trip — from toddlers to teens.
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