Mardi Gras isn't just a single day — Fat Tuesday, the last day before Lent — but a nearly entire month of festivities. It all starts on Twelfth Night, January 6, when the city becomes obsessed with eating, costuming, bead-tossing and parading, which all increase in intensity as Ash Wednesday nears. All weekends leading up to Fat Tuesday see parades roll all over town. Bands, marching groups, boats, and costumed riders toss beads and other accessories to the crowds. The celebration is also child-friendly: the Uptown parade route and suburban parades are entirely family oriented.

Stora Holmen in Örebro is an island just for kids. Rent a pedal car and drive around in the miniature town. Run about in the play area or pet the animals. The miniature train leaving from Trollebo Central will take you around the whole island. You can reach the island via bridges, but it’s more fun to take the Victoria ferry from Stadsparken in the summer.

Gustavsvik is a major recreational facility, featuring Northern Europe's largest water park. It offers a plethora of aquatic delights, including Europe's longest wild waterfall, water slopes, and aquarium lagoons. The pool area caters to the youngest visitors, while additional amenities encompass solariums, a well-equipped gym, and an outdoor pool complex. For those seeking diverse activities, Gustavsvik provides a fishing pond stocked with trout, a soccer field, and a beach volleyball area.

In the northern part of the city winds Lilla Å-promenaden offering a place to stroll and ride your bicycle. It is approximately four kilometres long and takes you out to the nature reserve Oset-Rynningeviken. Nine sculptures are scattered along the way, as well as an art studio and a permanent illumination display.