XI'AN · FAMILY TRAVEL
Xi'an with kids
Xi'an's historical richness is genuinely engaging for children who have some prior exposure to Chinese history — the Terracotta Warriors is one of the few archaeological sites that reliably impresses all ages. The compact ancient city walls and the vibrant Muslim Quarter street market offer varied experiences beyond the main sites.
Terracotta Warriors Museum
Ages 5–16Three excavation halls with thousands of life-sized clay soldiers; Pit 3 (the command post) is easier to understand for younger children than Pit 1.
Getting there: Bus 306/914 from Xi'an Train Station; tourism shuttle buses from city hotels
Xi'an City Wall Cycling
Ages 5–16Bike hire is available on the 14km Ming-era wall circuit; tandem and carriage bikes suit younger riders.
Getting there: Metro Lines 2/6 to South Gate (Yongningmen) or West Gate
Muslim Quarter Food Walk
Ages 4–14Sugar-coated hawthorn sticks, lamb skewers, pomegranate juice, and honeycomb toffee — a sensory food experience that children usually enjoy.
Getting there: Metro Lines 2/6, Bell Tower station
Tang Paradise Theme Park
Ages 6–16Large Tang dynasty–themed park with a spectacular nightly water, music, and light show; suited to older children and evenings.
Getting there: Metro Line 2, Xiaozhai station, then taxi
Shaanxi History Museum
Ages 7–16One of China's best provincial history museums with well-labelled displays (some English); the Tang dynasty gold and silverware section is visually engaging.
Getting there: Metro Line 2, Cuihua Road station
The city moat park running around the base of the ancient walls has walking and cycling paths accessible from multiple gates; it is well-used by local families in the evening. Qujiang Park (metro: Qujiang, Line 2) near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has a lakeside park popular with families, particularly in the evening when the pagoda is illuminated. Xingqing Park in the university district has a pond, traditional pavilions, and a small funfair.
Restaurants near the Bell Tower area and Beiyuanmen Street cater well to families; many offer English menus or picture menus. The dumpling banquet (饺子宴) restaurants offer many different varieties in small portions — well-suited to children who like exploring different foods. Western-style cafes and burger restaurants are plentiful around the South Gate and Xiaozhai neighbourhoods.