Travel Beautiful Guatemala
Viewpoint from Cerro de la Cruz
Antigua, Guatemala
When we learned that we’d be relocating to Guatemala, I realized wow - I have no clue what to expect from this move! Since I was newly pregnant with my second child, safety and health facilities were top of mind for me. If you’re traveling with kids, I’m sure you’ll read everything you can to truly gauge what the safety is like here. Having lived in Guatemala City for 3 years now, while raising 2 kids here, I can tell you that if you have basic travel smarts and overall awareness of your surroundings, you will likely be fine here. That’s not to say that things don’t happen, because they do, and it can be nerve-wracking. If you are traveling with kids, always keep them close to you (goes without saying, regardless of the country you’re in) and stick to visiting popular places in the country, and safe “Zonas” in Guatemala City. Try to not stand out like an obvious tourist always helps too! The locals are so kind and have such great energy and love for their country. You will discover that Guatemala has so much to offer and maybe even book a second trip!
Safety chat aside, let’s get to the fun stuff! Traveling Guatemala with kids is very different than traveling it without kids. It’s a bit tough to do the long nature hikes and volcano related activities with 2 little ones., however, if your children are older and pretty self-sufficient (and don’t need snacks every hour) then you could likely experience so much of the fun outdoor activities that Guatemala has to offer. We still have a few places we’d like to visit but listed below are some of the exciting experiences we’ve had thus far!
Family-Friendly Places in Guatemala
1.El Paredon beach, guatemala
El Paredon, and the other popular black sand beach Monterrico (see #3), are about a 3-hour drive from the capital city. It’s the perfect getaway from the busy city traffic and gives me Southeast Asia vibes (my favorite vibes). These Guatemalan beaches are a popular spot for surfers as there are pretty high waves, so just keep that in mind if you’re traveling with little ones. There are a variety of restaurants, small convenience stores, and really cute Airbnb options. We stayed at this one that was a short walking distance to the beach and some restaurants. A lot of the bnbs have pools which is nice since the ocean isn’t very swimmable. If you’re traveling with a baby and need specific food, or want to stock up in general, there is a supermarket La Torre located right before turning onto the beach road that leads to El Paredon.
2. antigua, guatemala
Antigua is the old capital of Guatemala and a definite must-see when visiting. It’s a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. The beautiful quaint town is situated amongst volcanic scenery, cobblestone roads, and historical architecture. Every time my family goes back, we discover something new we didn’t see during the previous visit, and revisit places we love. If you are traveling with a baby, a baby carrier would be ideal in Antigua because the cobblestone streets make it difficult to push a stroller easily. We brought our stroller the first time we visitied and it was a bit tricky to maneuver it in between the bumps, motos and walking traffic.
The Santa Catalina Arch is one of the most popular photo ops in Antigua. It was built in the 17th century, and was used tor connect the Santa Catalina convent to a school. This allowed the nuns to pass from one building to the other without going out on the street. If you want a good photo (and a more peaceful experience) without too many people, head there first thing in the morning when the streets are still quiet. Also, there are souvenir shops on the same street that it is on as well as people selling special Guatemalan style scarves, toys, hats, and more. One store we love to visit is Nim Po’t. They have really unique items compared to the main indoor market and it’s really spacious without the hassle of feeling obligated to buy something.
Cerro de la Cruz is great spot, newly renovated, with excellent views of the three volcanoes surrounding Antigua. It is the viewpoint in the main picture at the top of this page. On a clear day, you could see Volcan de Agua, Volcan de Fuego, and Volcan de Acatenango. There is parking, so you don’t have to hike up but you do have to walk a little bit from the parking lot. It isn’t too difficult for the average person, but for an elderly person with low mobility it might be. That being said, we did it with a newborn, a 5 year old, and my parents who are in their 70s and 80s. Once you’re at the viewpoint overlooking Antigua, there is plenty of seating to relax and enjoy the view. There are also clean and spacious bathrooms as well which is always a bonus.
The food options are plenty with various restaurants and delicious dishes - both local as well as standard burger & fries dishes. Make sure to visit Caoba Farms which is an outdoor farm-to-table restaurant. It’s so cool to walk through and see the different foods they grow, and the overall dining vibe is so relaxed, fresh, and delicious. There is also a little store selling different food products and a farmer’s market that is set up on certain days. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have some live music with your experience!
If you’re a beer lover, don’t miss Antigua Brewery specialty beers and rooftop views.
Our personal favorite is Cafe Condesa and we go there every time we visit. They serve breakfast all day long and have a pretty decent-sized menu - offered in both Spanish and English. The quiet garden setting is a nice little break from the - what can be - busy streets. There are also gift shops within the restaurant, and one of my favorite shops sells authentic paintings made by Guatemalan artists It’s located right at Central Park and next to Choco Museo, which is another great place to visit.
3. monterrico, guatemala
It’s February 2025 and we just returned from a weekend trip to Monterrico and had such a nice time. It took us about 4 hours to get there from the city since (shocker!) there was a lot of traffic on the way. It should take 2.5-3 hours and luckily on our way back, we left at 6 AM Sunday morning, making it back to the city in just 2.5 hours. Coming from Guatemala City, there are a couple tolls along the way and they accept cash and also credit card, which was a relief for us to re-learn. When you turn left onto the coastal road that takes you to Monterrico, there is a little toll booth where they ask for Q15 cash only before entering. We only had Q10 and they accepted it without an issue. So keep some cash handy!
Despite a few of us being under the weather, we had a great time and I think our accommodations are what made it so much fun. We stayed at El Arrecife Martin Pescador and opted for a room with a private pool, and a kitchenette. Even though the main pool wasn’t that busy, it was fun and convenient to pop into our pool, or out if needed, especially with having 2 kids. There is also a kiddie pool attached to the main pool that is shallow, big, and perfect for little ones. The property is surrounded by exotic greenery and is just a few steps from the beach. Similar to El Paredon, the waves are pretty strong so we just played in the sand and left the swimming for the pools. There are several stands before getting to Monterrico and also in the town, that sell rafts, beach toys, swimwear, etc., so if you forget anything - you can purchase it there! Though there aren’t restaurants right near the hotel, there are options just on the main road as well as convenience stores. We particularly liked Luca Camaron. It wasn’t too far away, had great food, and a nice relaxing ambiance. Plus it shares a name with our son, Luca!
A popular attraction is the Tortugas El Banco where you can pay Q10 (a little over $1) to release a baby turtle into the ocean. The turtles are placed in a coconut bowl and then released onto the sand, slowly making their way to the water. We just showed up and watched the turtles because we didn’t book ahead, but regardless, it was still exciting for the kids to witness them making their way home.
On our way home, we stopped at a Coco Frio outdoor stand and bought a couple of curbside coconuts to drink on the way home. There are a few places that sell them, just look out for the signs and pop in!
All in all, Monterrico is a very laid-back beach town and is the perfect place to escape when you get burnt out from city life.
More to come!