Situated at the very epicenter of Austria’s capital city, the Prater is a surprising escape from urban European city-life. Half carnie funhouse, half sprawling meadow, the Prater is a public park to be rivaled, and one of Vienna’s top must-visit attractions.   Man-made machines and Mother Nature coexist in perfect harmony at the Prater. The park is home to over 250 attractions; including casinos, restaurants and the famous Riesenrad Ferris wheel. Beside the amusement park, over six-million square meters of endless green space set the scene for visitors to relax, keep active or just enjoy the great outdoors. Most incredible is that all of this can be found at the hub of metropolitan Vienna.   Admittance to the amusement park is free, which allows visitors to wander and explore at their leisure and pay only for the attractions they enjoy. The park opens most of its attractions from early March until late October; still many more are open year-round. Even in peak season, visitors are hard-pressed to find a lineup to stand in or a restaurant with no free tables. If you wander the grounds in the spring you might be amazed at how few people stand in your way of enjoying all the Prater has to offer. Restaurants are all open and waiting to serve just you and rides are up and running on standby until you work up the courage to take them on.   The main tourist attraction is the Riesenrad. The massive Ferris wheel stands almost 200 feet tall and boasts the best bird’s-eye view of the city. Built in 1897 by English architect Walter Basset, the Riesenrad has a rich history and has become a key element of Vienna’s city skyline. The wheel is well known for it’s role in several movies, most notably Orson Welles’ 1949 film-noir  The Third Man.  It was burned down during the Second World War and was rebuilt along with Vienna’s Stephansdom (St. Stephan’s Cathedral) and the Staatsoper opera house. Recently remodeled for the 2008 Euro Cup soccer games, the Riesenrad has gone  “Zuper”  kitschy, with Mozart chocolates, Mozart souvenirs and Mozart music creating the ambiance around the massive attraction.   There is also another Ferris wheel that proves itself a pleasant alternative to the over-hyped Riesenrad but fails to provide as good of a view, and an adrenaline-pumping spinning swing monument that provides a comparable view, but spins a bit too fast to catch a good glimpse of it all.   Even so, you may not have to choose: With plenty of time to explore and ride-fares as low as three or four Euros, you can afford to enjoy whatever you fancy.   And you’ll never go hungry at the Prater. There are over 60 restaurants and eateries ranging from hot-dog stands to beer halls to cafes to local and international cuisine. And yes, of course there’s a McDonalds.   The “Green Prater” is an attraction unto itself. Endless grassy meadows surround dozens of bike and foot paths, and ponds and playgrounds pop up where you’d least expect them. If the weather permits, the Green Prater is the best place to spend a day lounging with a good book, cycling through a wonderland of shady trees or joining in a soccer game with some friends you have yet to meet.   That being said, anyone who has traveled through Austria may have noticed the air of sophistication and snobbery that many Austrians possess: It is an attitude that says “we are Austrian and you are not, so there.” But everything changes in the Prater. The typically stiff and conservative Viennese leave their pretentiousness at home and transform into carefree, friendly and downright chipper human beings.   The Prater has that effect on people. Everyone coexists peacefully with one another; thrill-seekers and tree-huggers compliment each other, locals and tourists exchange smiles and young and old blend seamlessly into the all-ages ambiance. The Prater is a must-see, so if your journey lands you in Vienna, be sure to coexist in its glory, even if only for a moment.

The "Prater" It is not only an amusement park but also a relax area for young and old ones`s. Perfect for jogging, walking or biking it is behind the amusement park in the center of the city easy to reach via Underground and a good alternative to the fitness center ;) Often reccomended as a destination for a walk is the "Lusthaus" where you can order traditional austrain dishes, but it is definitely no "must-have" for a vienna visit any longer.

i think i wrote another review about this place, but it was called the fun park in vienna :-)
anyway, a great place to be, not only for kids :-) all sorts of attractions, full or half full of adrenaline, food, music, drinks, ice-cream, all sorts of spinning or falling stuff to make you feel dizzy and screaming happily :-)

Personally, I didn't really like Vienna. The people I met were extremely cold and unfriendly. The sites are profound but I never felt embraced by the city. My favorite site was the Butterfly House Museum, which is near the Hofburg Palace.

Prater park is one of the most beauiful and serene places, around that area is the famous giant ferris wheel where the amusement park is also located which is amazing at night with many exciting rides!!