Xi'an with Kids
Family travel guide for parents planning with children
Top Family Activities
The best things to do with kids in Xi'an.
City Wall Cycling
Pedal the 14th-century walls that ring old Xi'an. The broad stone track is smooth enough for wobbly riders and delivers rooftop panoramas all the way to the distant Qinling Mountains. Tandem bikes let smaller kids ride shotgun.
Terracotta Warriors Museum
Pit 1's silent clay army hooks kids the moment they realize every face is different. Audio guides come in child-friendly versions that keep the facts bite-sized.
Muslim Quarter Food Walk
Thread through lanes perfumed with sizzling lamb, fresh pomegranate juice and sesame candy. Children stare, hypnotized, as noodle masters stretch dough into ribbons, then fill their cheeks with sweet dates.
Shaanxi History Museum
Hands-on exhibits let kids tug on replica armor and play with ancient toys. Tang Dynasty figurines and scale models of old Xi'an fire up their imaginations.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Fountain Show
After dark the fountain court erupts in water jets choreographed to music, some columns rocketing 60 feet. In summer, shallow splash zones let kids cool off.
Tang Paradise Theme Park
Think Disney-lite Tang Dynasty: costume rentals, light historical shows and gentle boat rides across lotus ponds. A solid rainy-day fallback.
Best Areas for Families
Where to base yourselves for the smoothest family trip.
Staying inside the walls plants you within walking range of Bell Tower, Muslim Quarter and three metro lines. The alleys twist like a maze yet feel safe even after dark.
Highlights: Level sidewalks welcome strollers, 7-Elevens never close and metro entrances are everywhere.
South of the walls you'll find broad boulevards, glass hotels and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda complex, more Singapore than ancient Chang'an.
Highlights: Malls hide play zones, international menus supply high chairs and the toilets are spotless.
Leafy university district with quiet streets, cheap restaurants and a straight metro ride to both downtown and the Terracotta Warriors.
Highlights: Playgrounds in the parks, cheap noodle joints around every corner, university hospital five minutes away and calm nights.
Family Dining
Where and how to eat with children.
Xi'an restaurants roll out the red carpet for children. Expect plain rice, steamed veg or mild noodles on demand. Any place with tablecloths has high chairs, and staff will often jiggle babies while you eat. Choices swing from dumpling shacks to familiar global chains.
Dining Tips for Families
- Ask for yingyang noodles, kitchens will toss them in butter and serve them plain.
- Muslim Quarter stalls have the best people-watching for kids while you eat
- International hotels offer breakfast buffets that work as backup lunch spots
Fast, cheap and hypnotic: kids watch dumpling makers fold pleats, then devour red-bean steamed buns.
Kids spear their own vegetables in clear broth while chefs cheer them on. Pick the mild stock and let them steer.
Western options when kids need familiar food, plus Chinese dishes for parents
Tips by Age Group
Tailored advice for every stage of childhood.
With toddlers, stay central and schedule naps. Crowds in the Muslim Quarter and uneven stones will test your nerves, and rows of clay warriors won't hold their interest.
Challenges: No changing tables in older quarters, naps collide with sightseeing, stroller wheels snag in the Muslim Quarter's narrow lanes.
- Book afternoon hotel rest times
- Use baby carriers instead of strollers in old town
- Download offline maps for bathroom locations
This is Xi'an's sweet spot. Kids count warrior faces, try on armor and race bikes along the wall without keeling over from fatigue.
Learning: Shaanxi History Museum labels ancient toys in clear English, the warriors reveal ancient skill and the Muslim Quarter keeps Silk Road stories alive.
- Let them choose one special souvenir from Muslim Quarter
- Audio guides keep them engaged at museums
- Pack small toys for restaurant waits
Teens might roll their eyes at Xi'an's historical focus. Yet the Terracotta Warriors' Instagram gold and the sizzling night food markets have a way of turning cynicism into selfies. Armed with metro cards and translation apps, they can roam the city on their own terms.
Independence: Main districts are safe for solo daytime wandering, the metro runs like clockwork, and English signage is everywhere. Pick a station as your rendezvous point and stick to it.
- Give them a food budget to explore Muslim Quarter
- Let them plan one day using metro map
- WiFi is everywhere for staying connected
Practical Logistics
The nuts and bolts of family travel.
Metro lines 1-4 sport elevators at every stop and extra-wide gates for strollers. Dodge rush hours (7-9am, 5-7pm) when cars turn into sardine tins. Taxis are everywhere but almost none carry car seats, pack a portable booster. Inside the wall district you can walk everywhere on smooth sidewalks.
Xijing Hospital in Yanta District runs an international wing with English-speaking doctors. Watsons and FamilyMart stock diapers and formula. Pharmacies carry Pampers, though Asian sizing runs small.
Book near a metro stop, Line 2 slices through the main sights. Many hotels feature family rooms with bunk beds or interconnecting doors. Ask for the back side to escape street noise.
- Portable high chair/booster seat
- Hand sanitizer for street food
- Lightweight stroller for long museum walks
- Face masks for poor air quality days
- Metro day passes cost $2 and cover all tourist sites
- Many attractions offer free entry for kids under 4 feet
- Local restaurants give substantial discounts for children
Family Safety
Keeping your family safe and healthy.
- ! Traffic lights here are polite suggestions rather than commands, keep hands linked when crossing, even when the green man glows.
- ! Tap water is off limits, hotels leave bottled water in your room, or grab 1.5-liter bottles at FamilyMart for pocket change.
- ! Summer pushes 100°F at the Terracotta Warriors site, where shade is a rumor, pack wide-brim hats and soak cooling towels in the restroom sinks.
- ! Street food is mostly harmless. But skip sliced fruit lounging on trays, queue for sizzling skewers straight off the grill.
- ! Download Air Matters to track pollution levels and flip between museum days and wall-cycling afternoons accordingly.
- ! The Muslim Quarter swallows people whole, pin down a café or gate as your regroup point before diving into the crush.
Book Family Activities
Top-rated family experiences in Xi'an.
Xi'an Morning Food & Market Tour by TukTuk
This is not another walking tour but a small group tour travel by private tuktuk and offer unlimited food and drinks while you and your English-speaking guide are whisked around Xi'an less crowded. Yo
Private Terracotta Warriors Tour with 2 Free Optional Attractions
Our professional guide and friendly driver meet you at your hotel lobby with your name sign at the agreed time. First explore the Terracotta Army, then visit 2 chosen attractions from 7 highlights, wi
Private Full-Day Xi'an Highlights Tour with Pickup and Lunch
Spend time in Chinese culture private tour. Save time without compromising on experience on this door-to-door private guided tour that covers Terracotta Army and key Xi'an highlights. First, explore t
Terracotta Warriors, City Wall and Muslim Food Street
Pressed for time? Whizz through the highlights of Xian in just seven action-packed hours on this private day tour. See the Terracotta Warriors, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meet a traditional cave dw
Xi'an Xianyang Airport to Hotels:Private transfer with Meet & Great service
One-way private transfer from Xi'an Xianyang Airport to Xi'an hotels. Avoid the hassle of locating a taxi by pre-booking your shared transfer service. Our driver will go inside the airport and wai
2-Day Xi'an Private Tour with Must-see Attractions and Unique Experiences
As you admire the Terracotta Army, you may also like to know how ancient craftsmen made them, and we will unveil the secrets at a local artisan's workshop in a cave dwelling. As you seek out popular d
Explore Activities in Xi'an
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Xi'an.
See All Xi'an Tours on Viator