/ TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN
BRINGING THE KIDS
Children aged five and up are welcome on our small-group tours. Here’s what to know before you book.
We take families out most nights of the season, and kids are a big part of why this job is fun — there’s nothing quite like watching someone see the aurora for the first time at eight years old. That said, it’s a cold evening with a fair bit of standing around, so it’s worth knowing what you’re signing up for before you book.
Ages and pricing
Children aged 5 to 12 travel at a reduced rate. Ages 13 and up pay the adult fare.
We don’t take children under 5 on the small-group tour. It’s a long evening outdoors in the cold, often with a lot of waiting, and it isn’t fair on a very young child or on the rest of the group. If you’re travelling with under-5s, book a private tour instead — you set the start and end time, and we build the evening around your family.
One thing worth knowing: private tours don’t include our free Re-Try Tour, so if the lights don’t show there’s no free second attempt.
Booster seats
We carry booster seats and there’s no charge for them. Tell us when you book if you need one, and how many. You’re welcome to bring your own if you’d rather.
What it’s actually like for kids
Honestly, it varies. Some children are gripped the whole evening; others lose interest once the novelty of standing in the dark wears off. It depends far more on the individual child than on their age.
Two things help. The vehicle stays running and warm all evening, so anyone who’s had enough of the cold can go and sit inside — kids and parents both use this, and there’s no need to ask. And bring a phone or tablet with something downloaded on it. Parents who’ve done that tell us it made the difference during the quiet stretches.
If in doubt, go private
A private tour removes most of what makes this hard with young children. You choose when to head out and when to call it a night, we plan around nap times and bedtimes, and nobody else’s evening is affected if you need to cut it short.
