Family travel · 2 days
Macau with kids: the 2-day plan.
Updated 29 September 2026
Old town on day one, Cotai on day two. Early starts, a proper midday break, and evenings when the territory looks its best. Built for families with children roughly 4 to 12.
Key facts
- The shape
- Day 1: the historic Peninsula. Day 2: Cotai's resorts and teamLab.
- The rhythm
- Out early, back for a midday break, out again in the evening.
- The base
- Cotai for most families. See the hotels guide.
- Getting there
- Ferry from Hong Kong (~1 hr) or the 24-hour bridge shuttle bus (~40 min).
Day 1 · Morning
The old town, before the crowds
Ruins of St. Paul's, first thing. Get there early, as the attractions guide advises: the facade is at its best with few people around, and the staircase is made for sitting on. Walk down through the old lanes afterwards.
Senado Square. Ten minutes on foot. The wave-patterned mosaic, the pastel Portuguese-era buildings, the lanes running off it for wandering and snacking. This is the stretch kids enjoy most on foot.
A-Ma Temple. Macau's oldest temple, on the hillside above the harbour: incense, moon gates, banyan trees. A working temple, so visit respectfully. Note the steps if you have a stroller.
Day 1 · Afternoon
Lunch, then the midday break
Lunch. Eat in the old town lanes, or head to Taipa Village: the food streets around Rua do Cunha pack Macanese, Portuguese and Cantonese into a few walkable blocks, and grazing suits kids better than one long lunch. See the dining guide.
Back to the hotel. This is the non-negotiable part of the plan. Macau is hot for much of the year, and a pool hour or a nap resets the afternoon. The Cotai resorts' pools are the payoff for basing there.
Day 1 · Evening
Egg tarts and the Strip at night
Lord Stow's egg tarts. The legendary Portuguese egg tart, warm from the oven in Coloane. Worth the detour on its own.
The Cotai Strip after dark. The Parisian's Eiffel Tower lit up, the Venetian's canals, Wynn Palace's Performance Lake, the Galaxy's diamond lobby show. The Strip comes alive in the evening, and none of it requires a casino.
Dinner. A hotel buffet keeps everyone happy: seventeen of Macau's hotel dining rooms sell bookable tickets online. See our buffet ticket guide.
Day 2 · Morning
teamLab and the resorts
teamLab SuperNature. Start at The Venetian: 5,000 square metres of interactive digital-art installations, a permanent exhibition. Give it two hours. Kids of any age get something out of it.
Resort wandering. The Venetian's canals and gondolas, the Londoner's Big Ben, the Parisian's tower. The resorts are attractions in themselves, and most public areas are open to non-guests.
Day 2 · Afternoon
Coloane, or the pool
Option A: Coloane. Macau's quiet side: black-sand beaches, the original Lord Stow's, and Fernando's for the classic Portuguese lunch in a relaxed village setting. See day trips.
Option B: stay put. Another pool afternoon is a legitimate itinerary choice with kids. Nobody ever regretted it.
Day 2 · Evening
One last evening out
Macau Tower. The observation decks are open daily, and the city from 338 metres up is a strong finish. Time it for sunset if you can.
Farewell dinner in Taipa Village. End where the food is: the Rua do Cunha food streets, then the ferry or bridge bus home. See getting there for the late-evening options.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is 2 days in Macau enough with kids?
Yes for the essentials: the historic centre and a Cotai resort day. Keep the pace honest and build in the midday break. Add a third day for Coloane's beaches or a slower Taipa afternoon.
Should families stay on the Cotai Strip or the Peninsula?
Cotai for most families: pools, kids' facilities and free shuttles, with everything on site. The Peninsula for sightseeing-focused trips. Taipa is the quieter middle ground. Hotels, honestly compared.
Do we need a car in Macau with kids?
No. Free resort shuttles cover the ferry terminals, airport and Cotai; the light rail serves Taipa and Cotai; taxis are cheap and metered. The historic centre is walkable.
What if it rains during our trip?
Swap the outdoor morning for teamLab SuperNature at The Venetian, a permanent indoor exhibition. The Cotai resorts' malls and indoor attractions fill the rest of the day.