Lake Bled with kids was the highlight of our 8-day family trip to Slovenia. We spent three nights in Ljubljana before settling in for five nights at Lake Bled, using it as a base to explore the surrounding area. Compact and easy to manage with children yet full of activities, Lake Bled kept us busy every day. We rowed out to the island church, cycled the lakeside path, wandered turquoise gorges, and took day trips — never once running out of things to do.
Set at the foot of the Julian Alps, the 2.1 km–long lake is Slovenia’s most famous attraction. With its dazzling turquoise waters, a medieval castle perched on a cliff, and a fairy-tale island with the Church of the Assumption, it looks like a postcard come to life. When Slovenia was still part of Yugoslavia, Lake Bled was a fashionable resort for Austro-Hungarian aristocrats and later a favourite escape of President Josip Broz Tito, who built his summer villa here. Today, that villa is the four-star Hotel Vila Bled, where Tito’s 100 m² presidential suite can still be booked as a room.
If you’re visiting Lake Bled with kids as a day trip from Ljubljana, it’s absolutely worth it for the views alone. But if your schedule allows, staying overnight at Lake Bled gives the chance to explore at a slower pace, enjoy the lake in the early morning or evening, and fit in more family-friendly activities.
What we loved most at Lake Bled with kids
1. Taking a traditional pletna boat to explore Bled Island
On our first morning at Lake Bled with kids, we set off on one of the iconic wooden pletna boats to Bled Island. This tiny, postcard-perfect islet is in the middle of Slovenia’s only alpine lake. Families can also rent a rowboat and paddle themselves, but with children we chose the traditional pletna, a handcrafted 7-metre boat steered by a single oarsman standing at the back. Many of these boats are still run by local families who have been ferrying visitors since the time of Empress Maria Theresa. The pletna boats at Lake Bled leave once they are full. In August, departures ran every 10–15 minutes, and tickets were cash-only, paid on board. The return boat trip costs €20 for adults and €10 for kids up to the age of ten. The calm 20-minute ride was part of the fun as our kids leaned over to spot fish in the emerald water.
There is also a regular electric boat service that costs slightly less. Still, I recommend choosing the traditional pletna boat for a more authentic and memorable Lake Bled experience.
Exploring Bled Island
The pletna boat ride over to Bled Island takes only about 20 minutes, but it feels special gliding across that glassy green water. Once there, you’ll have around 45 minutes to explore before returning on the same boat.
Bled Island may be tiny, but it’s full of charm. The most famous spot is the 99 stone steps leading up to the Church of the Assumption. Tradition says that grooms once had to carry their brides all the way up these steps for good luck! You can pay to go inside the church and ring the wishing bell, or simply enjoy the views from the outside.
The island also has a little souvenir shop, a café, and an ice-cream stall, which makes it easy to grab a quick treat before heading back. Walking around the island takes no more than 15 minutes, so you’ll still have time to sit and soak in the scenery.
2. Biking around Lake Bled
The path around Lake Bled is about 6 km, flat, and very manageable with children and strollers. Walking it would have taken us around 2 hours to walk at a relaxed pace with kids, but we decided to rent bikes to make it more fun. The kids loved the freedom of cycling, and we stopped often to take photos.
Halfway, we spotted a sign for Café Belvedere and decided to leave the bikes to climb the steep steps to see what’s on offer. The café itself wasn’t particularly appealing, but the panoramic views from the terrace were breathtaking.
There are several bike rental shops around the lake, and we went with BledShuttle. It’s located right next to the pletna boat dock on the main lakeside promenade (by the Park Hotel). At just €10 per person for two hours. it felt like great value. They had a large fleet of family-friendly options, from trailers for under-5s and child seats to kids’ bikes and even tandem-style bikes where parents and children pedal together.
The cycling path is shared with walkers, which is probably the only downside. Go earlier in the morning for a smoother ride. Later in the day, you may find yourself weaving between walkers as you try to cycle past.
If you’re visiting Lake Bled with teenagers, renting an e-bike is a fun way to explore further. An e-bike rental in Bled makes longer routes easier, helping you avoid tired legs and enjoy more of the scenery. You can cycle through nearby villages, countryside, or even plan day trips to Lake Bohinj or Vintgar Gorge.
3. Exploring Bled Castle with kids
Perched on a cliff 130 meters above Lake Bled, Bled Castle is the oldest in Slovenia, first mentioned in 1011. It began as a single tower and grew over time into the fortress you see today. From below it looks imposing, but once inside, the castle grounds are compact and easy to explore with kids.
We reached the castle on foot with our children. The uphill walk from town took about 20 minutes. The climb is steep but short, and even our two managed it without complaints. At the top, the reward is incredible views of Lake Bled with its tiny island – worth the effort on their own.
Inside the castle, much of the museum isn’t especially geared toward children, though one room with interactive science displays kept them busy. The real highlight for both kids and adults was the medieval printing workshop. Using an old wooden press, the children inked a plate and stamped their own parchment sheet, which they proudly carried home as a keepsake.
Tickets for Bled Castle cost €18 for adults and €7 for children (ages 6–14), free for under 6. If you’re visiting Bled Castle with kids, look out for the family ticket – it lets one child aged 6–14 enter free when two adults buy tickets.
We stayed for lunch at the castle’s restaurant, which was a pleasant surprise. The terrace offered sweeping lake and mountain views, and the food was excellent – beautifully presented and genuinely tasty. While prices are higher than in town, the setting and quality made it feel worthwhile. The restaurant was the perfect spot to rest before heading back down.
4. Day trip from Lake Bled: Vintgar Gorge
Vintgar Gorge is only 10 minutes from Lake Bled by car, shuttle, or taxi, making it a perfect day trip. Discovered in 1891, the gorge became a must-see with wooden walkways built along the 1.6 km Radovna River path. Today, the railings and bridges make it safe for children while still feeling like a real family adventure.
We followed the boardwalks over turquoise water, past rapids and small waterfalls. The trail is very family-friendly, which meant it was something we could all enjoy together. It’s popular, especially in summer, but the timed entry system worked brilliantly. At the entrance it felt busy, but once inside we had space to stop, take photos, and let the kids point out fish in the river without worrying about crowds.
The gorge isn’t pram-friendly, and I’d agree with the official advice to avoid it with children under three. With stairs, narrow paths, and uneven terrain, it’s just not suitable for little ones in strollers. For us, with kids aged five and ten, it worked perfectly. A nice surprise at the entrance was the kids’ activity booklet (available in English). It turned the trail into a little treasure hunt: at each numbered stop, the children solved an activity and collected a sticker for their “passport.” I’d definitely recommend picking one up if you’re visiting Vintgar Gorge with kids.
What to expect from the hike
The first section of the trail takes you through the gorge itself: a 1.6 km wooden walkway clinging to the cliffs above the turquoise river. Water rushed beneath our feet, spilling into emerald pools and cascading over small waterfalls. Every few minutes, we stopped to soak it all in — the colours and the sound of rushing water. It took us about 45 minutes to cover this part of the trail.
At the end, the 13-metre Šum Waterfall crashes into a pool below. From here, you can’t retrace your steps (the gorge is one-way). Instead, you choose between two return routes: the longer Alpine Trail or the shorter, shaded Forest Trail. With kids, the decision was easy — we took the Forest Trail, which was calm, cool, and not too demanding. Both routes eventually loop back to the visitor centre or shuttle stop.
All in, the outing took us about three hours, with plenty of breaks for photos, water, and just sitting still to enjoy the scenery. It felt like a proper adventure, but one that was accessible and fun for the whole family.
I’ve written a full guide on Visiting Vintgar Gorge with Kids with all the practical details from tickets and what to expect at each stage of the hike.
5. Day Trip from Lake Bled: Lake Bohinj
Just 30 minutes from Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj feels like a completely different world. Wilder, less developed, and more natural, it’s the kind of place where you really feel like you’ve escaped the crowds. There are fewer cafés and facilities than at Bled, but that’s exactly what gives Bohinj its charm — and why it never feels overrun.
The lake itself is much bigger than Bled. Cycling or walking around it takes quite a bit longer (a full loop can take 2–3 hours by bike, compared with about an hour at Bled). With rain clouds rolling in, we decided against bikes and instead went for a gentle walk along the lakeshore. The water is beautifully clear, and the kids loved spotting fish and ducks as we strolled. We saw families swimming and plenty of kayakers gliding across the calm water. If the weather had been sunnier, we’d have rented a canoe or kayak too. Swimming is allowed almost anywhere in the lake, which makes it easy to find your own quiet spot.
If you’re visiting Lake Bohinj with younger kids and don’t want to commit to a long walk, there’s also an electric boat service that crosses from one end of the lake to the other. It’s an easy way to see the scenery without tiring little legs, and you still get those mountain reflections shimmering in the water.
Vogel Cable Car
If we’d had more time at Lake Bohinj, we would have loved to take the Vogel cable car. It carries you up to Vogel Mountain — a ski resort in winter that transforms into a hiking and sightseeing hotspot in summer. From what we heard (and saw from below), the views over Lake Bohinj and the Julian Alps are spectacular.
At the top, families can enjoy gentle walking paths, viewpoints perfect for photos, picnic spots, and plenty of open space for kids to stretch their legs. If you do go, bring a light jacket since it’s cooler at the summit, wear comfortable shoes, and pack snacks for little ones.
6. Trying the Famous Bled Cream Cake
Of course, no family trip to Lake Bled or Bohinj is complete without trying the famous Bled Cream Cake. It felt like just about every restaurant we visited — even in Ljubljana — claimed to serve the “original” Bled Cream Cake, so of course we had to give it a try. But if you want the real deal, you have to go to the Park Hotel Bled, right on the lakeshore near Bled Castle. This is where the dessert was first created in the 1950s by pastry chef Ištvan Lukačević, and remains the hotel’s signature. To date, millions of slices have been served here, and it’s still made fresh daily following the original recipe.
Known locally as kremna rezina, the cake looks simple but is anything but ordinary. It’s made up of crisp, golden puff pastry layered with silky vanilla custard, topped with a thick layer of light, airy whipped cream, another thin sheet of pastry, and finally a dusting of powdered sugar.
Other fun activities to do on Lake Bled
Zipline Dolinka Bled
We tried the Zipline Dolinka, and my older child gave it a big thumbs up. The course runs across the Dolinka River and is made up of several different ziplines strung between platforms. The guides take safety very seriously, and once you’re clipped in, it’s just pure fun.
From my child’s perspective, it wasn’t scary at all — more exciting than anything — but I’d say it’s best suited for older kids (around 10+) and teenagers who want a bit more adventure. The highlight was soaring above the river with the mountains in the distance, a really memorable way to experience Bled’s nature.
Summer toboggan at Straža Bled
We didn’t end up doing the summer toboggan ourselves, but we watched plenty of people flying down the track. The setup is simple: you take the lift up Straža Hill and then ride a little sled down a winding track through the trees. It looks like a fun activity to do.
Tips for visiting Lake Bled with kids
If you’re planning a trip to Lake Bled with children, here are a few things we learned from our stay that might help you decide how long to spend and what to prioritize:
- How long to stay: We based ourselves in Bled for 5 nights, which gave us plenty of time to see the main attractions at a relaxed pace. Honestly, you can do the highlights with kids in 2–3 days. After that, we found ourselves branching out into day trips (like Vintgar Gorge and Lake Bohinj).
- Day trip option: If you’re short on time, you can also do Bled as a day trip from Ljubljana — it’s only about 1 hour away by car or bus. In that case, I’d focus on just a few key experiences:
- Take a pletna boat ride out to Bled Island.
- Walk or cycle along the lakeside path.
- Sit down at a café by the lake for lunch and order the famous Bled Cream Cake.
- Why stay overnight: If you can spare the time, I’d absolutely recommend at least one night in Bled. Once the day-trippers leave, the atmosphere shifts — the lake is calmer, the castle lights up, and it feels much more magical (and less rushed).
Getting from Ljubljana to Lake Bled with kids
Lake Bled is only 55 km (34 miles) from Ljubljana, which makes it one of the easiest family day trips in Slovenia. You can:
- Rent a car and drive – about 45–50 minutes. With kids, this is the most flexible option since you can stop at places like Vintgar Gorge along the way.
- Take the bus – direct buses leave from Ljubljana’s main station and get you to Bled in around 1–1.5 hours.
- Hop on the train – the ride to Lesce-Bled station takes about the same, and from there it’s a short taxi or local bus to the lake.
- Join a guided tour – if you’d rather not worry about transport, plenty of agencies offer organized day trips from Ljubljana to Lake Bled, often combined with stops at nearby sights. It’s an easy, stress-free way to fit Bled into your Slovenia itinerary.
Where to stay in Lake Bled with kids
There’s no shortage of accommodation around Lake Bled, but one that we liked is the Rikli Balance Hotel. Perched on a hillside overlooking the lake, it combines comfort with some of the best views in town. The hotel has spacious family rooms and a large wellness area that guests can use for free. Kids will love the large water slide and indoor pools. Toddlers have their own shallow areas to splash and play. After a swim, it’s just a short five-minute walk down to the lake itself, making it a convenient and relaxing base for exploring Bled.
More on Slovenia
Slovenia with Kids: Our 8-Day Family Itinerary from Ljubljana to Lake Bled – our detailed itinerary and suggestions for things to do with kids.
Hiking the Vintgar Gorge in Slovenia with Kids – practical details and our own experience of hiking with kids.
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