The Eiffel Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks in the world – drawing people from all over the world to visit. When we first started talking about our Adventures by Disney London and Paris trip, the one place that my kids constantly brought up was the Eiffel Tower. You can’t visit Paris without a stop at the tower!
However, since it’s so popular, it’s also extremely busy. You’ll want to be prepared for your visit before you go, to maximize your vacation time. Here are our tips for visiting the Paris Eiffel Tower With Kids.
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Visiting the Paris Eiffel Tower With Kids
About the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower, (or La Tour Eiffel) was built from 1887 to 1889 for the 1889 World’s Fair. Named after Gustav Eiffel, the Tower is known as La Dame de Fer (which is translated to Iron Lady in England).
The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world until 1931 when the Empire State Building in New York City was built. Its size has varied based on the radio transmitters and TV antennas that are placed on the top.
The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument that requires an admission fee in the world.
Where is the Eiffel Tower in Paris?
As soon as we disembarked our train in Paris, my kids immediately asked where the Eiffel Tower was. It’s so iconic, and everyone expects to see it right away.
While you will see it from a bunch of different locations in the city, the Eiffel Tower is located on Champ de Mars, near the Seine River, and in the Seventh Arrondissement. It’s accessible via public transportation and by Seine River boat.
How Do You Buy Tickets for the Eiffel Tower?
Whether you are wondering how much it costs to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, or just wondering if you can go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, you’ll definitely want to do your research in advance. The majority of tickets can be purchased in advance, and you can choose your arrival date and time.
This can save you time since you won’t have to wait in the ticket line when you get there. If online tickets are not available for your chosen time, same-day tickets are also sold in person.
There are several different ticket options available to individuals with different prices for adults, young (aged 12 to 24), and children (4-11, and handicapped guests). Children under 4 are free but still need a ticket.
You have several choices for how you get up the Eiffel Tower, and how far you go. Here are the Paris Eiffel Tower pricing levels (keeping in mind that you can access the 1st floor with these tickets):
- Second Floor Elevator (Lift) – take the elevator up to the 2nd floor, with the option of using the elevator or stairs to go down.
- Eiffel Tower Summit – take the elevator to the 2nd floor, and then transfer up to a separate summit elevator.
- Second Floor Stairs – walk up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower.
- Summit – Stairs to the second floor and elevator to the summit.
There’s also the option for a guided tour along with your tickets to the Eiffel Tower. Another ticket package includes a glass of champagne. You don’t necessarily need to do a guided visit – it’s pretty easy to explore on your own.
Wondering about the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower? In Europe, the first floor is the first floor up, not the ground level. You’ll have access to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower with any of the above tickets. The ground level is called the promenade level.
If you are wondering about skip-the-line Eiffel Tower tickets or priority access Eiffel Tower tickets, there is no such option. You can skip the ticket booth line by purchasing tickets in advance, which I would definitely recommend. However, if the tickets you want are sold out online, there may still be walk-up availability.
On our visit to the Eiffel Tower back in August, the wait times weren’t bad at all. I think we waited in line for about 20 minutes. We did already have tickets, so it was just the regular line to access security and the elevator, not the ticket line. If you visit during peak times and don’t have advance tickets, be prepared for a long wait.
Online tickets for lift access are sold 60 days in advance. Stairs to the second-floor tickets are sold fourteen days in advance.
General Eiffel Tower Visiting Tips
Visit the official Eiffel Tower website before you go. There’s a link to download their “webapp” to your phone. It offers lots of important information about your visit.
Wondering when the busiest time at the Eiffel Tower is? According to their website, late June to early September is the peak season. You can see more information about general crowd levels here.
What does the Eiffel Tower have inside it?
Everyone thinks of the Eiffel Tower as having gorgeous views of the city. It absolutely does have fabulous views of Paris, but it also has a whole lot more.
You’ll start in front of the tower, at the Park Champs de Mars. We spent some time there taking photos of the tower from afar, before proceeding into the esplanade.
At the esplanade level, you’ll find an information desk, as well as the base of the tower. You’ll definitely want to take pictures facing up – it’s a fun spot for Paris family photos. It’s so impressive to see just how big the Eiffel Tower is.
The first floor up is the newest. It was renovated in 2011, and includes an area with a glass floor so you can see directly down. There are also lots of amenities there, including a souvenir shop, snack bars, and Madame Brasserie, a restaurant that opened in 2022.
The second floor has gorgeous views of the city. Some prefer that level to the summit, because you are still up high, but are close enough that you can see more. We only went as high as the second floor and were still very impressed with the stunning views.
You’ll have clear views of all of the popular sites of Paris, including the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and the Seine River. On the second level, you’ll find The Jules Verne Restaurant, a snack bar, a macaroon bar, and two gift shops.
On the summit, there’s an open-air and indoor floor, as well as a champagne bar, and Gustave Eiffel’s restored office known as the secret apartment.
Wondering what is the best floor to visit in the Paris Eiffel Tower? I think it depends on who you are traveling with and how much time you have. We went to the second floor and loved the views from that vantage point.
After we got our photos though, we really enjoyed spending time on the first floor. It’s the most modern since it was restored pretty recently. It was so nice to get two glasses of wine (and slush for the kids) and sit in chairs looking at the beautiful views of the city. There’s some great seating in this area.
The Eiffel Tower With Kids
Depending on the ages of your kids, they may not fully appreciate the beauty of the Eiffel Tower. My kids, aged 12 and 13, absolutely loved it and considered it the highlight of our whole vacation.
For younger kids, there’s an educational booklet in French and English that you can download. It features a character named Gus (for Gustave Eiffel) and is recommended for kids aged 6 to 10.
What are the best hotels near the Paris Eiffel Tower?
You may be tempted to get a Paris hotel near the Eiffel Tower, but there are lots of great hotels that aren’t too close to the Eiffel Tower. We loved our stay at the Hilton Paris Opera, but it didn’t have views of the Eiffel Tower.
If you have your heart set on staying near the Eiffel Tower, this Tripadvisor search can help. Just be sure that you know what you are booking – look at the property on the map to make sure that the location is where you expect and request a tower view room if that is what you are hoping for.
You can also find nearby hotels on this map (these may or may not have views of the Eiffel Tower):
Where to View the Eiffel Tower in Paris?
Of course, when you are on the Eiffel Tower, you don’t have a great view of the Eiffel Tower. So, you’ll also want to go somewhere to get some gorgeous views of the actual tower.
During our stay, we went up to the top floor of the Galeries Lafayette, one of the large department stores in Paris. While you’ll probably want to shop there, don’t miss a trip up to the rooftop terrace on the very top floor. It wasn’t crowded at all when we were there, and we got such beautiful views of the Eiffel Tower and the city.
Paris is the City of Lights, and you’ll probably want to see the Eiffel Tower lit up. For a special treat, take a look at it when it “twinkles”. Every night on the hour, starting at sunset, the lights on the Eiffel Tower twinkle for five minutes. It definitely can’t be missed.
If you are visiting Paris, you may consider purchasing a Paris TurboPass. While it doesn’t include the Eiffel Tower, it does include other popular attractions, including the Louvre.
To learn more about the Paris Eiffel Tower, visit their website.
