Rahmi M. Koc Museum
This one-of-a-kind museum in Istanbul's Golden Horn waterfront has a vast collection of historical Turkish exhibits related to transportation, industry, and communications. Antique automobiles, trains, vintage airplanes, and even a submarine are on display. There's also a planetarium on the premises. Enter the cockpit of a Bellanca aircraft for a fun, hands-on experience, or conduct scientific experiments in the interactive gallery. The Rahmi M Koç Museum costs approximately 21 lira to enter, with additional expenses for the submarine and planetarium.
Bosphorus Cruise
Take a ferry or a private boat to the Bosporus and take in the views of Istanbul from one of the world's narrowest natural straits. Many additional companies offer cruise cruises and Bosphorus sightseeing excursions, including the Istanbul municipal department of transportation's ehir Hatlar passenger boat service. As you travel by the Golden Horn, Ortakoy, and Bebek skylines, you may sit back and relax. Eminönü is a popular ferry port.
Visit Miniaturk
Enjoy a fun family trip that allows you to explore all of Turkey's most famous sights in one day. Miniaturk's 650,000 sq ft garden grounds are home to well over 100 1:25 scale structures. You’ll find the small scaled versions of many places like Dolmabahce Palace, Galata Tower and more. The park is located on the north-eastern coast of the Golden Horn, about 20 minutes north of Istanbul.
Istanbul Aquarium
This huge, themed Istanbul Aquarium, near the Marmara Sea, is a great place to spend a day with the family. Over 1,000 species are housed at the Istanbul Aquarium, which is divided into a dozen areas. The Pacific, Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Black Sea ecosystems are all covered in detail in each section. You can use pathways to go from one location to another, but you'll probably spend more time in the Amazon jungle and attempting to escape the mirror labyrinth.
Visit Beyoglu District!
Make time in your schedule to just enjoy the scenery. Visit Galata Tower for spectacular views of the city (not ideal for little legs, but there is a lift), then stroll around the nearby streets.
This region is renowned for its artisan culture and delicious cuisine. Take a walk along ancient Pera Route; Istiklal Caddesi is the major retail street and home to a plethora of art galleries, theaters, libraries, patisseries, nightclubs, and more. You'll arrive in Taksim Square, Istanbul's beating heart!
Istanbul's Parks
The quantity of outdoor play parks – they were everywhere! – was one thing I noticed with my ever vigilant mother eye. Although Istanbul lacks a big central park, there are many smaller parks with enough room for running. If you want to go exploring and playing, plan on leaving the city for half a day. Belgrad Forest, located 15 kilometers northwest of Istanbul in the Sariyer District, is one of Istanbul's best-kept secrets. There are jogging paths, picnic spots, and an arboretum on the 55,000 hectares of protected woods.
