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Central America is a fantastic area of the world to visit. There is everything from adrenaline pumping ziplines to the slow paced walks through ancient civilisations. I visited Belize, Guatemala and Mexico in my late teens and had a fantastic time, completely falling in love with this part of the world. So I thought it would be awesome to share some ideas of where the best places to visit in Central America with kids are! We are definitely hoping to visit some of these fantastic areas soon, so I’ve been checking out Costa Rica Holidays amongst other locations in Central America. There is so much to see in this little part of the world, it’s just very hard to narrow it down to one country!
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Help With Turtle Conservation in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is famous for it’s turtle conservation projects along the stunning sandy beaches of both it’s East and West coasts. So what could be more fun than helping out with turtle conservation as a family?
There are lots of different turtle conservation projects to choose from across the country. Although if you are visiting as a family you will need to check whether the conservation project accepts children. Some places seem to accept children from age 5, others are for teenagers and upwards. However, there are definitely locations where you can enjoy helping sea turtles as a family.
Costa Rica is definitely a good place to visit for your first time in Latin America. It’s one of the safest countries to visit and most tourists feel very comfortable here.
Visit a Mayan Temple in Mexico
Central America has been home to many civilisations over the years, with the Mayans being a particularly well-known civilisation. You can visit Mayan temples throughout various countries in this area, although Mexico does have some amazingly preserved examples.
The ancient site of Palenque is a stunning place to learn about the Mayans and a popular destination in the Central American countries. Although it’s not the largest temple complex, it does have a lot of interesting features. It’s also important for the sheer number of inscriptions throughout the temples. Spend an afternoon wandering around the hundreds of Mayan ruins in a jungle setting, you’ll soon have the kids imaginations running! Definitely one of the best places to visit in Central America with kids!
Climb a Volcano in Guatemala
There are many active volcanoes throughout Central America. Although one of the favourites for families is Pacaya in Guatemala.
Pacaya volcano tour is usually only a 3 mile round trip, so easily do-able by kids. To climb Pacaya volcano it is mandatory to have a tour guide to show you the way. You will also need to pay the National Parks fees for entry into Pacaya National Park.
Most tours include toasting marshmallows on the warm ground at the summit of the volcano. Most kids would be happy to hike 3 miles for a tasty treat! It definitely feels like an accomplishment to little legs!
For older kids there is the possibility of climbing larger volcanoes in Guatemala or perhaps the hike around the base of the famous Arenal volcano in Costa Rica.
Visit the Cloud Forest in Costa Rica – Best Places To Visit In Central America
Walk through the dreamy, mist filled Monteverde cloud forest reserve in Costa Rica. It’s like something out of an epic adventure movie! Cloud forest is a rare forest biome, only existing in mountainous areas where cloud cover is low enough that it often hovers around the canopy. Making it particularly exciting to walk along canopy walkways!
Monteverde cloud forest has over 100 mammals, including jaguars and sloths, as well as the endangered Quetzal bird. Children will adore walking along the the trails and peering at the interesting flowers and wildlife. You can also take the Sky tram up into the forest and even zipline back down!
Chocolate Workshop in Guatemala
Food is the way to keep many a child interested! Of course a sugary treat is even better! So why not take part in a chocolate workshop in the beautiful historic town of Antigua.
You can learn how to create chocolate from the cacao bean itself, even learning the history of chocolate. Taste the ancient Mayan cacao drink, before making your own chocolates to take home to eat. Or just outside in the Plaza! This is a fantastic workshop after busy days of exploring ancient ruins!
Visit Caye Caulker, Belize
Caye Caulker is one of Belize’s small Caribbean islands and one of the best places to visit in Central America! It’s well known and can be quite touristy, but at the same time it has a fun Caribbean atmosphere, which kids love. It’s also the perfect place to take the kids snorkelling on the Belize barrier reef. Which is the second longest barrier reef in the world and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Experienced divers may also like to visit the Great Blue Hole (2 hour boat ride from the Caye), but this dive is not for kids!
If you are looking for somewhere to relax for a few days, eat delicious food and enjoy the beautiful sea then this is the place to go. Kids will especially enjoy the beaches and walking about barefoot!
Visits to Caye Caulker can easily be arranged with a reputable tour guide in Belize City, providing transport to the boat as well as the boat trip itself.
As an alternative to Caye Caulker you could visit the much large Ambergris Caye, which has many more accommodation options. Great if you need luxury hotels or somewhere a bit cheaper!
San Blas Island Hopping By Sailboat, Panama
The San Blas Islands off Panama are not very well known. There are around 378 islands and cayes, with approximately 49 being inhabited. To get here you can either take a private plane to one of the islands with a small landing strip (very expensive!), take a boat to the islands or take a sailing tour.
Although you can stay on some of the islands, it’s much more fun to sail between them and stop off at several different islands on your trip. This gives you the chance to experience the best of the islands whilst staying in one home. As they are not well know (YET!) they are not very touristy and you will find beautiful paradise islands to relax or kayak and paddle board in the turquoise seas.
You will find the best beaches on tiny little islands with swaying palm trees. Plus you will be able to swim with marine life, including fish and turtles! Some people like to sail from the San Blas Islands to Colombia in South America. A fun, but more lengthy journey on the boat!
Horseback Riding in Mexico
Mexico is well known for its numerous ranches across the country. There are lots of great tours you can take that are either just horse riding or horse riding plus visiting a cenote or ziplining. Do check if they take kids though, not all ranches accept kids on their tours.
Some of the best tours take in beautiful white sand beaches. Awesome fun for kids and adults to be trotting along beautiful beaches with the waves lapping at your horses hooves.
Amazing Beaches To Relax and Play on Roatan, Honduras
Roatan is a Honduran Island in the Caribbean sea. The island is incredibly beautiful with white sand beaches and classic Caribbean blue water. It’s definitely an idyllic place to just relax on the beach whilst the children play.
Of course you can also explore the island, with beautiful tropical gardens, ziplining, boat tours and even swimming with wild dolphins in the bay! Definitely a trip the kids will remember!
Bathe in Hot Springs, Costa Rica
My kids absolutely love hot springs, especially if it’s a natural looking pool! So I can imagine the Tabacon hot springs in Arenal, Costa Rica would be high up on their travel itinerary.
Don’t get confused by the thermal spa resort, instead head toward the river to experience the natural wonder. Kids will love the crazy notion of walking into a warm river, rather than it being cold! It also looks idyllic with the forest hanging over the river and clear water running though. A good tip is to head there later in the day to avoid crowds.
Note that if you are visiting Costa Rica in December-April it is dry season and May-November is wet season.
Cave Tubing in Belize
There are several amazing ancient Mayan sites in the caves of Belize. You can take a guided tour, where you spend much of the journey floating on rubber inner tubes through dark cave tunnels. Learn about the ancient Mayan rituals, admire the stalactites and stalagmites. It will be a fantastic history lesson and fun activity for the whole family!
There are various different providers who specialise in different branches of the cave network. So check around for which you would like to take. The lower age limit is usually 8 years old.
Family Cooking Class, Mexico
There are many places around Central America where you can take part in local cooking classes. However, one of the favourite areas for cooking classes for families is Mexico!
Choose a cooking class that also includes a tour of the local market to pick up ingredients. This is much better for kids to get involved in through the whole process. Yes, Mexican food can be a little spicy, but when making it from scratch you can also adjust it to your child’s tastes. A perfect way to explore Mexican culture through cooking.
Cerro Negro and Volcano Sand Boarding, Nicaragua
For kids who are ok with hiking up hills, then this is a good one for them! After an hour hike up the volcano the fun bit starts!
Grab the sandboard and a helmet, then start boarding down the volcano! Some people stand up trying this, but it’s probably best for younger kids to attempt it whilst sitting on the board. Much less damage if they fall off onto the slopes!
Zip Lining With The Kids, Costa Rica
There are many different areas around Costa Rica where you can try ziplining. Most are through lush jungles, where you can also hike along canopy walkways to find them!
Many ziplines will accept children, just check in advance for minimum weight. Alternatively, if anyone would prefer not to zipline there are several areas that have aerial trams, giving you a similar, but slower view of the jungle canopy. Keep a look out for various species of mammals and species of birds on your trip!
Jungle Exploration, Panama
Exploring jungles is possible in most countries in Central America. However, Panama is definitely underrated for it’s beautiful forests!
Close to Panama City and it’s famous Panama Canal, you will find the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve. If you don’t have time to travel far from the city this is the place to visit to experience tropical rainforests near the city.
If you have time to go off the beaten track a bit then you may like to head off to the Boquete region of Panama. This is an area of tropical rainforests that you will love exploring with your kids, so many fun activities and fantastic wildlife to spot!
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