Our Summer Trip to Copenhagen (With a Giant Slide!)

This summer, after staying with family in England, the boys and I headed to see friends in Copenhagen. I’d always wanted to visit, so we were excited to swim in the harbor, go down a giant museum slide, and eat alllll the pastries. Here are a few photos, if you’d like to see…

From the minute we arrived, we knew we were in a design capital: look at those airport carts!

We rented a sweet apartment in Indre By, the historical center of Copenhagen, so that we’d be able to walk almost everywhere.

And here are glamour shots of the boys walking 🙂

Over the next few days, we had lots of adventures, including braving the four-story slide in the Danish Architecture Center…

…having a snack at La Banchina, where you can take a dip in the harbor…

…and stopping by the Guinness World Records Museum to stand next to a life-sized statue of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in recorded history.

Since the boys and I were flying solo, I was happy to follow their lead, and we ended up going to Tivoli Gardens two days in a row. The park, which is smack in the middle of the city, has rollercoasters, bumper cars, swings, ice cream, flowers, grassy lawns, and reclining chairs. I watched the boys from a bench and sometimes read my book, so we were all happy.

On the rollercoaster, the boys had their photo taken while shrieking…

So, it made me laugh to see a snapshot of these cool, reserved Danes.

Our friends told us not to sleep on the pastries, so, each morning, we tried something different, including sourdough buns, pastries, and cinnamon buns, which were rich but somehow also airy?

I liked how the cafés around town faced their benches outward, so you could people watch.

And the people watching was excellent. Overall, the style seemed to be minimal, cool, and laid-back — lots of rain jackets and neutral palettes, and shirts and jeans were often oversized.

Also, people rode bikes everywhere — a city after my own heart! Apparently more than half of the locals commute to school or work by bike, and we spotted people riding with multiple kids, heels, suitcases, dogs, and (above) even a bed.

My favorite night was when we went to my friend Miriam’s house. You may remember her from her wonderful house tour! We have stayed in touch since I interviewed her, and while this was the first time we met in real life, I felt like I already knew her well. The internet is so weird/amazing like that.

Isn’t she lovely? When we walked in, I told her I was impressed that she was making pizzas instead of ordering them, and she laughed and said, “I immediately regretted it.”

She’d invited a few friends, including the two women behind the site Scandinavian Standard. Everyone was warm and funny.

Toby clicked with a girl at the dinner, since they both loved talking about video games, TV shows, and the exact dates and lengths of their school breaks. All kids are the same:)

Also, in case anyone was dying of curiosity, here is the single photo Anton took in Denmark lol.

We ADORED the city, and it’s always a joy to travel with these two little stinks! Thank you for having us, Copenhagen! xoxo

A few readers asked for recommendations, so with the major caveat that this was my first time in Copenhagen, I’m happy to share where we went and the insights we got from friends/locals. Also, before our trip, I made a Google map of Copenhagen with playgrounds, cafés, shops, etc. It’s far from comprehensive, but figured I’d link to it, in case it’s helpful for anyone.

Where we stayed: an two-bedroom airbnb in Indre By. The neighborhood is central and touristy, but the apartment was on a quiet street.

Where to get pastries: Hart, Lille, Apotek 57 and Atelier September seem like hot spots, but basically every café crushes it.

Where to eat: Casamadre, Apollo Bar, Mangia and Pauli were recommended by friends. La Banchina is a very cool scene for snacks, coffee and drinks. (We went to another well-reviewed Italian place and it was not good — the service was slow and cold, and there was plastic in our food!). And, we loved the burgers at Gasoline Grill; they sell out every day, so go for lunch or an early dinner.

Where to shop: Shrig Shop, Holly Golightly, Ganni (this clothing store nails that cool-girl Danish aesthetic), Rains (you see their rain jackets everywhere), Studio Arhoj, Stilleben No. 22, Dora, Dansk Made for Rooms

Where to museum: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (this is a day trip outside the city but it looks truly amazing, I wish we’d had time), Finn Juhl House

Where to go with kids: Tivoli Gardens, Guinness World Records Museum (tbh, it’s just okay, but my kids still loved it), the Danish Architecture Center (don’t miss the big slide), Gasoline Grill, and every single café!

What would you add? And if you’re a local, do you have any insider tips? I’d be thrilled to hear… xoxoxo

P.S. 12 surprising things about parenting in Denmark, and Miriam’s Copenhagen house tour.

(La Banchina photo by Nicki Sebastian.)