Among Guatemala City's attractions are some excellent museums, though none is more kid-friendly than Museo de los Niños (Children's Museum), located in Zona 13 near the city's international airport. There are a number of interactive displays and opportunities for hands-on learning and play.
Across the street is La Aurora Zoo, housing exotic animals from Guatemala and around the world, including monkeys, jaguars, elephants and giraffes. It also has a charming old tea house surrounded by lovely gardens.
Museo de los Niños
5a Calle 10-00 Zona 13
Guatemala City
2475-5076
museodelosninos.com.gt
La Aurora Zoo
5a calle interior finca La Aurora, Zona 13
Guatemala City
2475-0894
aurorazoo.org.gt
Near the Pacific coast town of Retalhuleu are the twin theme parks of Xocomil and Xetulul, which are must-sees for families traveling with children. Xocomil is a water park on par with the finest in the United States where you can beat the sweltering heat often experienced in this part of the country. Xetulul, meanwhile, is not unlike Disney's Epcot and includes re-creations of famous Spanish, French, Italian, and Guatemalan landmarks, along with exhilarating roller-coasters and rides. There are recreations of Guatemala's Gran Jaguar Mayan temple, Italy's Trevi fountain and France's Moulin Rouge.
After the parks close, the fun continues across the street at the Hostales del IRTRA, the parks' accommodations featuring large swimming pools, various restaurants, and activities.
Further east are the black-sand beaches of Monterrico and the community's namesake sea turtle preserve, where (in season) kids and adults can release baby sea turtles and watch them crawl along the black sand beach as they make their maiden voyage out to sea.
Xocomil and Xetulul (also hostales del IRTRA)
2423-9100
irtra.org.gt
Monterrico Beach
monterrico-guatemala.com
Guatemala's spectacular Lake Atitlan is home to Reserva Natural Atitlan, where kids and adults can stroll through nature trails leading to waterfalls and enjoy the company of raucous monkeys and coatimundis along the way. Other attractions include a butterfly farm, private lake beach and informative visitors center.
Reserva Natural Atitlan
atitlan.com/resnat
Guatemala's northern Peten region is home to vast expanses of rainforests. Hidden among the trees are the remains of the Mayan civilization. Most children enjoy seeing and climbing the Mayan ruins at Tikal National Park as well as viewing the abundant wildlife found along the park's nature trails and swinging from the trees. At the entrance to Tikal, older kids and adults might enjoy the Tikal Canopy Tour, a zipline and hanging suspension bridges across the forest canopy. In similar fashion, Parque Natural Ixpanpajul features a variety of outdoor activities, including walks along hanging bridges over the forest canopy, a zipline tour, a night safari, and mountain biking.
Canopy Tours Tikal
Tikal National Park
canopytikal.com
Parque Natural Ixpanpajul
Km. 468 on road from Rio Dulce to Flores
4146-7557
ixpanpajul.com/en/
