This 3 Day Bangkok Itinerary for Families includes where to go each day, how to get there, what to do for fun with the kids when you get there, and an estimated cost for each place.
Bangkok has actually been our ‘home base’ for the past 16+ years, so we’ve had a chance to experience nearly every corner of this concrete jungle — all with our 3 little girls in tow!
Thailand can be an incredible place to visit with your family too — it has a rich cultural heritage, an ample amount of activities to keep the kids entertained, and it’s a haven for foodies!
We believe 3 days is just the right amount of time to leisurely explore all the main highlights of Bangkok without feeling too rushed.
Contents
Day 1 of this 3 Day Bangkok Itinerary for Families
Morning: Explore Wat Arun
For your first morning exploring this culturally rich city, we believe Wat Arun, aka Temple of the Dawn, is an iconic landmark in Bangkok that is a MUST SEE!
- Make it fun for the kids by playing dress up and renting a Thai cultural outfit there for just 200 baht (about $6 USD). What an epic family photo you’ll get!
- Boredom Buster: play this ‘Photography Game’ idea where you try to find shapes and letters in the architecture and take a photo of them. For example, take a picture of a steeple that looks like the letter A.
HOW TO GET THERE:
- Hopefully you picked a hotel in Bangkok next to a BTS Sky Train Station or an MRT Subway Station. If you havent picked a hotel yet, check out my recommendations of ‘The Best Hotels in Bangkok for Families.’
- Take the BTS Sky Train to Saphan Taksin Station (Exit 1).
- Walk down the stairs following the signs that say ‘Cross-River Pier’ and go left over the bridge following the signs that say ‘Buy Tickets’ to get the Hop-On-Hop-Off river taxi tickets that will take you to the Wat Arun Pier for 30 baht (about $0.80 cents) for just a single trip ticket.
- You could also buy a Hop-On-Hop-Off River Taxi All Day Pass for 125 baht (about $4.10 USD) if you want to explore more than just one landmark along the river.
- If you do want to just spend a day or two checking out all of the main tourist attractions along the river, be sure to have a look at our blog post providing a Hop-on-Hop-off River Boat Taxi itnerary.
COST: 200 baht entrance fee (about $5.70 USD)
Free for kids under 120cm (4 feet tall).
TIPS:
- Wat Arun is open 8:30am-6:00pm. The line usually takes about 2-5 minutes to buy tickets at the counter, which is pretty much just straight down the lane when you walk off the boat.
- Do remember to dress appropriately because this is an honored temple for the Thai people, so pants/skirts below the knees and shirts with sleeves are required. They also sell sarongs at the Ticket Counter if you forget.
- A great hotel to stay near Wat Pho and the Grand Palace is the Shangri-La Bangkok Hotel, which has worldwide recognition for being family-friendly.
BEST FAMILY HOTEL ON THE RIVER:
SHANGRI-LA BANGKOK
- Get the Family Fun Experience Package that includes airport transfer, a 2 hour sightseeing boat tour on the Chao Praya River, and a family suite.
- Luxurious pool overlooking the Chao Praya River
- Expansive breakfast buffet
- Forbes voted the Shangri-La Bangkok as the ‘Best Hotel in Bangkok for Families’
- Only 220 meters to Saphan Taksin BTS Sky Train Station
- Very easy to take the river taxis
Afternoon: Visit the Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is probably the most famous landmark in Bangkok and just across the river from Wat Arun.
The Grand Palace was previously the residence for kings in Thailand from 1782 to 1925. It is currently where many royal and religious ceremonies take place. It is also where the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is located, which is regarded as the most sacred buddhist temple in all of Thailand. The shiny, golden architecture will mesmerize your kids and will not soon be forgotten!
HOW TO GET THERE: From the Wat Arun Pier, take the ferry across to Tah Tian (for about 5 baht or $0.15 cents). Then just a short stroll away from the pier. Follow signs for the Grand Palace.
COST: 500 baht (about $15 USD)
FREE for kids under 120cm (nearly 4 feet)
Unfortunately, there is not yet a way to book tickets online in advance from the Grand Palace itself, but thankfully the lines aren’t too long.
If you do want to make sure you aren’t wasting any time in line and you’d like a guided walking tour in English to learn even more historical and cultural information, then I recommend this one: Half Day Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Walking Tour in English. It has excellent ratings!
TIPS:
- Grab lunch at The Deck, very near the Tha Tien Pier. It has stunning views of Wat Arun along the river, and the kids will enjoy watching all the boats and barges pass-by.
- Boredom Buster for Kids : If the kids are getting a little bored walking around, try playing a game of i-Spy. Example: I spy the color gold. I spy a black bird. I spy a monk. I spy a person with red hair.
- Be sure to dress appropriately because the Grand Palace is highly revered by Thais. Dress in pants or a skirt that goes past the knees and in a shirt that has sleeves and doesn’t reveal your belly.
- Beware of pick-pockets in this area. We usually wear our backpack on our front, put our wallets and passports deep inside a pocket, and put our phones in our front pocket. This is my
favorite sling bag for travel. I’ve taken this little satchel with me to Thailand, France, Italy, Japan, the US, etc. I like that it’s small, yet still can fit my travel umbrella, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, chapstick, passport, and mula. It’s really perfect for any international travel with kids or just the day-to-day back home.
DISCOUNT TIP: Klook is a trusted site that I use often in my travels around SouthEast Asia, and they usually have discounted prices for the most popular attractions.
Use this special 10% coupon code ‘APP10TW’ if it’s your first time to use the Klook mobile app.
Evening: Khao San Road
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take a TukTuk ride from the Grand Palace to ‘Khao San Road.’ It will probably be a bit pricy at 200-300 baht depending on the discretion of the driver and your bargaining skills.
- Since Tuk Tuks are usually only available in tourist attraction areas, this is a great time to experience the fun of a Tuk Tuk.
- Tuk Tuks can usually sit a family of 3-4 easily, but we’ve actually ridden in a Tuk Tuk with 8 of us all crammed in! It’s up to your comfort level — and also the driver’s willingness.
Stroll along Khao San Road to find some good souvenirs, yummy street food like Pad Thai or fresh-off-the-BBQ Kebabs, browse the used bookstores, or get a relaxing foot massage.
TIPS:
- Use the MuvMi app to book an electric TukTuk, which is good on the environment and also helps save you from getting scammed. The Bangkok TukTuk drivers are notorious for charging ridiculous prices and also for lying to tourists that they are not in the right location then taking them to some scam tour package place where they get a commission.
- Don’t stay too late at Khao San Road because many of the bar girls come out to attract male customers starting around 8:30pm.
- If eating street food, use your discretion. I recommend only eating street food that is being cooked right at the time of ordering and not any food that has already been pre-cooked (unless it is with ingredients that don’t go bad such as the fried banana fritters that are so yumm!).
BEST FAMILY HOTEL IN BANGKOK:
JASMINE GRAND RESIDENCE
With 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites that have a living room, dining area, kitchenette, washing machine, etc. for only about $55-$110 USD!
The delicious buffet breakfast, the friendly reception who are ready to help you 24 hours a day in a foreign country, and the epic swimming pool with a slide, fountains, and kiddie area make this a great choice!
Day 2 of this 3 Day Bangkok Itinerary for Families
Morning: Children’s Discovery Museum
With this 3 Day Bangkok Itinerary for Families, it’s important to give the kids a chance to be active and have fun! That’s why I think the Children’s Discovery Museum is the perfect place to go for Day 2 with all it’s interactive exhibits and engaging activities.
HOW TO GET THERE: It’s just an 8 minute walk from the Chatuchak BTS Sky Train Station
WHAT TO DO:
- Climb up in the treehouse playground and the large net area
- Next, go to the very back building on the right to the Pretend Play Areas.
- On the 1st floor is for toddlers age 0-3 years old. They can jump on foam lily pads, walk over a soft rainbow bridge, or pick carrots in the foam garden.
- On the 2nd floor, the older kids age 3-6 can fix a car in a mechanic shop, buy fruit at a market, or be a pilot in a big airplane.
- If you have older kids, head to the building on the left instead of the right.
- 1st floor has an interactive science exhibit area.
- Kids can walk through a dinosaur mouth to go outside to dig for dinosaur fossils and bones.
- On the 2nd floor is some robotic exhibit that we didn’t even have time to go in.
- The 3rd floor, kids can make a fort out of large lego blocks, play dress up on a mock-up stage, and plan out a miniature city (this was my girl’s favorite activity there)!
- We usually save the Splash Pad for last so be sure to bring a small towel and extra change of clothes.
Other fun activities that we didn’t even have time to explore:
- A 4D cinema experience (but only in the Thai language)
- Science Lab
- Art Studio
- Library
- Playground in the very back
COST: FREE!
TIPS:
- Bring one of your passports or IDs to ‘register’ your family and get wristbands for each family member.
- You can take food, snacks and drinks inside (but there is no cafe or restaurant on the premises).
- They do have a mall right across the street that has lots of food options.
TRANSPORTATION TIP FOR BANGKOK:
Get a BTS Sky Train Pass called a ‘Rabbit Card‘.
Having this card has multiple benefits:
- Go straight to the BTS gate, tap your card, and it will automatically calculate how much the ride was based on where you exit.
- Save lots of time not needing to queue to buy individual BTS ride tickets
- You can pick up this Rabbit Card from Klook at the Suvarnabhumi Airport or at Central World (a mall in the center of the city). This makes it easy to quickly jump on the BTS Sky Train and make your way around the city with ease.
- This one from Klook is pre-loaded with 200 THB already (about $7 USD).
- If you buy yours from the BTS Station, you should pre-fill it with about 100-200 baht per day that you’ll be in Bangkok. You can top up more later, but it is quite difficult to get a refund on any amount left in the card.
- Get 1 Rabbit Card per person above 90cm (about 3 feet). Kids under 90 cm ride for free.
If you’ll be stopping at multiple BTS Sky Train stations all in one single day, it would save you money to have a BTS One Day Pass. With this card, you can go to an unlimited number of stations in one day, saving you time buying individual tickets at the long queues. This is most helpful if you’ll stop at 3+ stations in a single day. But this pass is only good for one single day and can not be ‘topped up’ like the above Rabbit Card.
Afternoon: Lunch and Souvenir Shopping
After playing at the Children’s Discovery Museum, walk across the street to Mixt Mall and eat lunch at their food court on the 3rd floor. It’s a haven for all kinds of yummy Thai dishes with menus in English. If you need some new clothes, shoes, or souvenirs, this is a great place to shop too!
Evening: Urban Hike Up Golden Mount
For incredible views of the Bangkok Skyline, take an urban hike up to the top of Golden Mount Temple, aka Wat Saket.
- The kids will enjoy the challenge of walking up the 344 steps and then getting to ring the bells at the top.
- For dinner, take a stroll to Krua Pa & Ma Restaurant for an authentic Thai meal. If you’re feeling adventurous and can handle a little spice, I recommend the Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Coconut Shrimp Soup) or the Papaya Salad. Both are the most popular food choices amongst the locals. Your kids will probably be happy with the Chicken Fried Rice or Garlic Chicken and Rice dish.
COST: 100 baht at the door — not really any queues or long lines
TIPS:
- Be sure to dress appropriately (long pants/skirt past the knees & shirts with sleeves).
- Go at sunset for the most stellar views of the Bangkok skyline!
Evening: River Dinner Cruise
- Watch the incredible Multimedia Water Fountain Show outside at Icon Siam with its vibrant display of lights and music. It currently runs at 7pm, 8pm, and 9pm.
- There is almost always some festival or show going on out there too, usually revolving around a Thai or Chinese holiday. The Chinese New Year Dragon Show here is one of those shows that imprints in your memory for a lifetime. It was truly that incredible! Check the Lunar calendar for exact dates.
- One of our family’s favorite memories was doing a Chao Praya River Dinner Cruise getting to see all the magnificent sites all lit up along the river under the twinkling lights of the city.
COST: about 600 – 2500 baht/adult (about $18-$80 USD)
Kids 4 and under are usually free
Kids 5-12 usually have a slightly discounted rate
TIPS:
- I found the BEST price for the Meridian Chao Praya River Dinner Cruise here on Klook! We’ve personally gone on this Meridian Dinner Cruise twice already with our three little girls, and we really enjoyed it both times!
- If you can, do the SunSet Dinner Cruise time (usually offered only on the weekends). It’s not only a better time for kids and their early dinner and bedtime routine, but it’s also the cheaper option.
- The Live Music Entertainment upstairs is usually lively and upbeat as well as being an open-air seating area. The Live Music Entertainment downstairs is usually mellow and laidback and usually has windows and a/c instead of being open-air seating. Choose which option suits your family best. We always sit upstairs as close to the live music and entertainment as possible, which helps keep our kids entertained easier!
- You can make a special request to the singers on-board by simply writing a favorite song on a napkin and handing it to the Singers at anytime during the cruise. If they know that song, they’ll probably sing it!
- Most cruises usually have a short Thai Traditional Dance show.
- If it’s the birthday month of someone in your family, let them know and they do a special birthday song and cake!
- We had great success pre-booking the Meridian Dinner Cruise tickets online twice already! They offer a discount, and I actually don’t know if they even have an actual ticket counter to buy them in person.
Best Island Hopping Tour
Hey there, we're Brittany and Witt!
Internet Service while in Thailand is a Must
It’s a no-brainer that you’ll need to stay connected while traveling in Thailand — whether it’s for using GPS, researching the best island hopping tour packages, or letting the kids have some downtime a little Bluey on YouTube.
Don’t do the T-Mobile or AT&T International Roaming plans for about $10 a day — it’s a total rip off!
You can get the same exact service for much cheaper and just as easy with our tips below:
E-SIM: I highly recommend getting an eSIM from Airalo to have great internet service all over Thailand. They are actually using the same local providers that AT&T, T-mobile and Verizon will use.
I have personally used Airalo many times traveling to multiple countries all over the world, and it works great and is SUPER easy to install.
To use your Airalo eSIM, you simply buy a package then scan the QR code they send in an email to install and activate the eSIM.
The packages run from only $9.90 for 50 GB of data to $19.95 USD for Unlimited Data in Thailand.
TIPS FOR TRAVELING AROUND THAILAND WITH KIDS: If you let your kids watch YouTube, Netflix, etc, then I recommend getting the Unlimited Data. But if you’re not video streaming, then 50 GB of data is enough to browse the internet, use Google Maps, and stay in touch with friends back home.
PHYSICAL SIM CARD: You could also pick up a physical SIM card at the airport upon arrival or at any mall, which would have a TRUE shop, DTAC shop, and/or AIS shop. You would need your passport on hand. The physical SIM + a prepaid service card would cost about 350 baht (~$10 USD), but it usually only comes with 5GB of Data. So Airalo is a much better deal.
TIP: If you plan to use a physical SIM card, then be sure to contact your local phone provider (such as AT&T or Verizon) before traveling overseas to check that your phone is already unlocked. They can usually do this for you over the phone.
MOST LUXURIOUS FAMILY HOTEL:
SIAM KEMPINSKI HOTEL BANGKOK
If you're looking for a kid-friendly 5 star accommodation right in the heart of Bangkok, then Siam Kempinski is our top choice!
Between the massive swimming pool, the fun Kids Club room, the cute child-size robes and slippers, and the exquisite breakfast buffet, you will be met with luxury at every turn.
Other Blog Posts that might help you with your upcoming family trip to Bangkok:
If you’d like to visit the most famous landmarks in person, this is an epic One Day in Bangkok Itinerary with kids on the Hop on Hop off River Taxi.
The Best Things to Do in Bangkok with Kids with recommendations to the best cultural activities, museums, kid-friendly restaurants, indoor playgrounds, and what to do on a rainy day in Bangkok.
The Best Family-friendly Temples in Bangkok with helpful info like how to get there, opening hours, entrance fees, and how to keep the kids entertained while visiting.
Don’t forget to read up on the recently updated Tourist Visa measures.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you buy something through them, we may earn a small commission. But at no extra cost to you!
This helps enable us to keep sharing helpful travel content. Thank you for your support!
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