5 Epic Days in Copenhagen with Family or Friends

There is so much to do in Copenhagen, and it's a perfect size, so you can explore it all. What I highly recommend is to do a bike tour, such as Bike tours Copenhagen. It will give you the lay of land and the guidelines for biking in the city. It can offer you the highlights, which you can go back to and see castles, gardens, canals and, of course, the Little Mermaid (which, if you want to see, go early).

Nyhaun is a touristy but must-see area, with its beautifully colored buildings all built on the canal. Again, I would go on the early side before it gets too busy. Walk over the bridges and explore the less crowded areas.

The fancy name-brand shopping area is called the Storget, which is lined with shops and cafés, and it's in a pedestrian street area great for walking around. (Inside scoop: there is a main subway stop there that takes you directly to the airport.) I preferred the cooler, more hip area of Norrebro, the city's coolest neighborhood. We stayed in that area, which I felt was a perfect place to stay. It's close to everything, and my daughters loved the shopping and cafés. It's right near two lakes, and if you are a runner or like a beautiful walk, this is a great place to stay. You can get the app for Donkey BIkes (they are located all over the city), and rent a bike for a day (it comes with its own lock).

Vintage Clothing Shopping is big in Copenhagen, and you can see the great sense of personal style that everyone has there. I suggest vintage shopping near Norrebro and Vogue. On Saturday and Sundays there are also markets (a big hit for teens and for me!).

More classic places you won't want to miss:

• Rosenborg Castle and Gardens 

• Kongelisgeslotte: Kings Garden is a beautiful place to walk around in, and relax and enjoy the beautiful gardens; you can get tickets to go inside the castle and also watch the changing of the guards (we were lucky enough to be there at the right time). Make sure you have time to just walk the grounds, and admire the trees, sculptures and gardens.

• Design Museum is a must and is not huge; you can grab a coffee or a snack at their café.

Next, I would recommend biking or taking a taxi to Reffen (make sure you are hungry). It is a SEASONAL outdoor food truck, with music and a hang-out area across town. It's also one of the best places to watch the sunset. Try every kind of food imaginable, and have some cocktails. Or, play bocce, sit on a chair and chill.

On your way to Reffen, you will go by Freetown Christiania, which is not for everyone. We walked through it during the day, and felt perfectly safe, and thought is was interesting. It's up to you, read up on it first and see if it seems interesting.

One amazing thing about Copenhagen is you can swim in all the canals. The water is completely clean. We swam there, in a beautiful little dock just on the way to Christiania that we spotted while we were on Hey Captain. I highly recommend social sailing. We did the last boat at the end of the day and we loved our guide. We learned a lot, met some fun people and had a few drinks (they have wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages), and gained a totally different perspective of the city).

For families with older kids on their own, or for the fun of it, head to Tivoli Gardens. I would do this toward the end of the day. In the evening, the lights are on and you can go on some fun old-school rollercoasters and the super-high swings (best view ever!). On the weekends, they have evening concerts; you can buy bands that include rides, or buy rides separately, and eat some good "fair food, Danish style".

If you are a thrill-seeker, try these:

Bungy Copenhagen: great outlook and scene of the city. There are seasonal hot tubs and saunas, but you can book before or after.

Ski on the Grass: very cool, and you can see how "green" Denmark is as a country, with panoramic views of the city.

Day trips

Louisiana Museum: An absolute must!!!! Take the train out there and plan to spend the day there. Outside, there are gardens, lawns and sculptures. Inside is a delight of modern art: you name it, and it's there. (If it's a beautiful day, bring your swim suit, as there is a dock to take a little dip.) They have a restaurant with inside/outside seating that overlooks the water, and other places for snacks. They have a great bookstore. Book tickets in advance. It's about a 15-minute walk from the train station (follow the signs and the people).

To start, Copenhagen has a huge foodie scene, so my recommendation is to look at Eater Copenhagen, and make a reservation way in advance for anything that sounds intriguing to you. I do have some other recommendations for you to try.

You have to try smorrebord (open-faced sandwich). I loved the ones at the Torvehallerne food market.

Omar: off-the-beaten path, with a fun, funky vibe and good food and drinks.

012: breakfast, brunch.

Kayak Bar: great area, fun activities to do.

Food Market: Eat and drink torvehallen (food market). Go for lunch or an early dinner. You can also buy food for a picnic, or for your fridge in your hotel. Drinks are also available there.

Pizzeria La Fionta: eat-in / take-out, fun little neighborhood place.

Mahalle: cool area, small Lebanese food (delish).

Reffen

Barkowoksi Bar: lively bar and place to eat, young vibe.

There are coffee shops and bakeries all over. It's hard to pick what is the best.