Riga—super fun! It turns out this city loves its little citizens, with its fabulous parks, enchanting Old Town, and kid-friendly venues. We had a blast on our three-day whirlwind exploration in this historic city. Here are some of our highlights:
Riga National Zoological Garden was our first stop. The zoo was old, a bit rundown, yet charming. The new giraffe enclosure is beautifully crafted and lets you view these graceful creatures at eye level. Quite spectacular. The zoo is on the outskirts of the lovely Mezaparks. You can rent bikes or ride the train around this huge park to find great playgrounds among the forest trees or indulge in the water sports on the lake.
We visited the much talked about Lido Complex, which is basically an amusement park and restaurant. Charles had a great time here (even in the rain), obeying the traffic lights in a car on miniature streets, bouncing in the fun house and on trampolines, and exploring the pirate playground. The in-line skating rink looked like fun as well.
Touching the Baltic Sea was a first for me! We walked along the beach, collected shells and rocks and admired the many restaurants, bars and clubs on the sand. In the summer, this must be quite the hang out.
Just outside of Riga is one of the largest indoor waterparks in Europe called Akvapark Waterpark. Charles was full of giggles and funny faces at this super-fun watery playground. I am a sucker for waterslides, so I was sad to say goodbye at the end of the day. Age makes no difference here; there are plenty of shoots, pools, lounges, and slides for the entire family.
The best view of the city was on the 26th floor of the Reval Hotel Latvija. At this skybar, we indulged in teatime while gazing down at charming Old Town and the winding Daugava River.
Our favorite eating experience was at a great Italian Restaurant called Monterosso. Although its known for the black pasta, Charles had plain penne, broccoli and grilled chicken. After such a busy day, we decided to see Old Town by means of a horse drawn carriage. A bit touristy, I know, but Charles was all smiles and excitedly feed the horse after our leisurely ride through the picturesque cobblestone streets.
