Activities Farther Out

This 46-acre amusement park has wonderfully old-school carnival games and rides, a kid-size train, and a zoo.
Bois de Boulogne, 01-40-67-9082

The church is on top of a great hill and impressive enough from the distance, but it's worth the many steps for the view and a carousel ride.
35 rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre, 18th, 01-53-41-8900

Yes, these boats that snake down the Seine are mobbed with tourists, but they're still a great way to get the lay of the city without walking all over the place. The upper decks have lots of running-around space.
Pont de l'Alma, 8th, 01-42-25-9610

Essentially an underground cemetery with tons of skeletons, this might be the coolest place ever for some older. The French Resistance also used the tunnels during World War II. Open Tuesday through Friday 2 to 4 p.m., weekends 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.; 5 euros per adult, free for children under 18.
1 place Denfert-Rochereau, 14th, 01-43-22-4763

This museum has an impressive 4,000 instruments on display, some of which go as far back as the Middle Ages. Open 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., closed Mondays; 6.10 euros per adult, 4.80 euros for children under 18.
221 avenue Jean-Jaurés, 19th, 01-44-84-4484

If you're in the Tuileries and the weather turns, visit this little art museum to see its modern collections. Open Tuesday 12 to 9 p.m., Wednesday 12 to 7 p.m., and weekends 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; 6 euros
Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, 01-47-03-1252

The Ratatouille-obsessed can make like Remy and tour Paris's 1867 sewer tunnels. We know—it's a sewer—but it's oddly fascinating. Open Saturdays to Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May through September, Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. October through April; 3.80 euros per adult, 3.30 euros per child.
Pont de l'Alma, facing 93 quai d'Orsay, 7th, 01-53-68-2781

Originally planted by Louis XIII's doctor as an herb garden, the Jardin des Plantes is now Paris's largest botanical collection. The gardens also have a hothouse; a playground for kids under 10, complete with a dinosaur-skeleton slide and climbing toys; a hedge maze; and Paris's oldest zoo.
57 rue Cuvier, place Valhubert, rue Buffon or rue Geoffroy-St. Hilaire, 01-40-79-3000

This huge museum has an amazing array of activities and exhibits, all thoughtfully planned out in three main sections. There's a planetarium, the Cité de Enfants (a techno city for kids over 11), an aquarium, a geode, an IMAX theater, and an authentic 1950s submarine. A one-day ticket allows families to enter the museum up to four times, so there's plenty of time to take a break and have a picnic in the park. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Sundays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
30 avenue Corentin-Cariou, 19th, 01-40-05-7000

Every Saturday and Sunday, vendors gather at this flea market to sell gadgets, trinkets, jewelry, paintings, and a zillion other things. It's less serious than Paris's antique markets, so kids can find plenty of one-euro treasures.
Avenue Georges Lafenestre and avenue Marc Sangnier, 14th

One of Paris's famous cemeteries, it has many of the artists who lived in the bohemian Montmartre area buried beneath the quirky and beautiful tombstones, including those of Alexandre Dumas, Jean Foucault, and Edgar Degas.
37 avenue Samson, 18th

This small museum features all kinds of model boats, full-size parts of famous historical boats, maps, and more. Open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays; 9 euros per adult, free for children under 18.
Palais de Chaillot, 17 place du Trocadéro, 16th, 01-53-65-6969

A nice big indoor space, the Palais de Tokyo is a sort of raw artist's space with changing exhibitions. The shop sells fantastic works, and there's a café on the main floor.
13 avenue du Président Wilson, 16th, 01-47-23-5401

This museum has enough to keep kids entertained, whether they're train fans (it's in an old station) or ballerina lovers (you'll find lots of Degas dancers). Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, 9:30 a.m. to 9.45 p.m. on Thursdays, closed Mondays. 7.50 euros for adults, free for children under 18.
62 rue de Lille, 01-40-49-4814

The museum focused around the artist most famous for The Thinker also has gorgeous gardens. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. April to September, 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., October to March, closed Mondays; 6 euros per adult, free for children under 18.
79 rue de Varenne, 01-44-18-6110

A buffer of green space just across from Le Bon Marché and the splendid Le Grande Epicerie, this park is a good place to relax and regroup. The playground is mostly frequented by locals, the bathrooms are clean, and Le Babylone Café across the street sells Berthillon ice cream, without the Île Saint Louis lines.