Going to Lake Garda

What to do in Lake Garda

by Candyce H. Stapen

It's always wise to couple a countryside getaway to any extended urban tour with kids. After an art-intensive walk-through of Florence and Rome's crowded churches and packed museums, relax at Lake Garda. Italy's largest lake and one of the most family-friendly, Lake Garda provides an antidote to all that hushed, indoor time.

You and your kids can kick back with swimming and sunning or go active by sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, mountain biking, and hiking. On the lake's southern shore, Gardaland, Italy's largest amusement park, packs in old-fashioned fun with high-tech rides. Screaming is the universal language on the park's thrill coasters and young kids have no trouble making friends while romping through the character-themed Fantasy Kingdom's pint-sized rides or climbing the tree house. At Parco Acquatico...