Georgia is a good country to bring children to for reasons that have nothing to do with facilities. There are no theme parks worth the name and very little that is designed for families, and none of that matters, because Georgians treat children as ordinary members of a table rather than as a problem, the food is cheap and simple, and every city seems to have a cable car in it. What can go wrong is entirely a matter of geography: this is a country of long mountain drives, and small passengers do not forgive them.
What works reliably
Cable cars, in Tbilisi, Batumi and Borjomi, each with a view at the top and a park.
The Batumi seafront, with beaches, a funfair, a long promenade and dancing fountains.
Caves, at Uplistsikhe and Prometheus, both of which are genuinely exciting for children.
The narrow gauge railway up to Bakuriani, which beats any minibus.
Borjomi central park, with a river, paths, a small funfair and mineral water taps.
Horses and rivers in the mountain villages, which need no organising at all.
What is harder
The drives, which are long, winding and slower than the map claims.
Restaurant pace, which is leisurely by design.
Portion sizes, which are enormous and hard for children to face.
Pavements and steps in the old towns, which are uneven and stroller hostile.
Summer heat in Tbilisi and the eastern lowlands.
Car seats, which are inconsistently available and inconsistently enforced.
Eating with children
Khachapuri and khinkali, which are cheese bread and dumplings and need no explanation.
Grilled meat, bread, cheese, tomatoes and watermelon, on every table in the country.
Nothing chilli hot, which surprises people who expect it.
Ice cream everywhere and good, including in small towns.
Order fewer dishes than the waiter suggests, because portions are large.
Bakeries for a fast breakfast when the restaurant pace will not work.
Practical notes
Bring or pre book a car seat, and expect variable quality.
Marshrutkas have no child provision; taxis and hire cars are the practical options.
Pharmacies are widespread, well stocked and used for minor problems first.
Cash in the mountains, for guesthouses and shops.
Water and shade in summer in the lowlands.
Guesthouses are frequently better than hotels for families, with a family kitchen attached.
Where this fits in a Georgia trip
The same country at half the pace, with the mountains chosen for proximity rather than fame.
For the practical basics of a first visit here, our first time guide to Georgia covers the ground.
For the closest big mountain day and the stops that break the drive up, our Tbilisi to Kazbegi guide covers the road.
And for the easiest single place in the country to spend a day with children, our Borjomi and Bakuriani guide covers the park and the train.
The short version
Our five days in Georgia with children does exactly that, with the cable car and the funicular in Tbilisi, the canyon boat and the cave near Kutaisi, and the black sand at Ureki to finish.
Alternate one long drive with two nights in one place, and choose the close mountains over the famous ones, because Kazbegi is three hours and Svaneti is most of a day. Book an apartment with a kitchen so you can feed children early and eat properly later. Use the cable cars, the caves, the Borjomi park and the narrow gauge train, which are the reliable hits. Pre book a car seat and check what you are given. And order fewer dishes than the waiter recommends.
