Everything we read & heard prior to our arrival was that no visit to Copenhagen would be complete without a trip to Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli is the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world, opened in 1843. I have to admit, when I heard “2nd oldest amusement park in the world” I expected an out-dated, dingy, hokey place, falling apart at the seams, and with rides so old they were no longer safe. Silly (especially that last part), I know.
Expectations Far Exceeded!
Happy to report that Tivoli was anything but! It was incredibly charming, pristinely groomed with gorgeous gardens and magical lights everywhere. Its old-timey-ness completely won us over; it was well done and not off-putting or chintzy at all.
We’ve taken the girls to two other amusement parks, both last August (2018) when we did a family trip out to the Los Angeles, California area: Santa Monica Pier and Disneyland. To this day, if you ask them their favorite family trip, they’ll say Disneyland! Tivoli treated us to the same kind of joyful experience; the girls (us too) had perma-smile the whole time :)
Rides, Rides, Rides
Quite a few rides were off-limits given the girls’ heights; but quite frankly, a few of those looked dizzyingly torturous, so we were happy to opt-out. On the upside, there were several rides where the girls were able to ride on their own, without an accompanying adult. We happily gave them the chance for those independent experiences. They’d bound off to each ride with glee, and come running back over to us afterward, excitedly telling us how fast the roller coaster went, or how they got the seats in the very front! Doug & I even took turns riding solo on two rides: the big loop roller coaster, and the big drop one (200+ foot drop!).
The big thrill ride for everyone (minus me) was the Star Flyer, a classic swing carousel with a twist; the twist being that it whizzes around over 260 feet up in the air! I sat alongside Paige and was terrified. The. Whole. Time. I could barely bring myself to enjoy the dizzying views of Tivoli & surrounding Copenhagen. Paige sweetly held my hand the whole time, telling me it was OK. It’s official: me & heights do not get along :)
Tivoli was a real trip highlight. It’s so fun to give the girls (and us) a purely joyful experience like that.
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