For most families, visiting Bogota with kids is the first destination of a tour of Colombia. In fact, most families with kids land at the Colombia airport. Bogota doesn’t have super many kids’ activities, but it’s obviously nice to recover from the plane ride if you’re traveling with kids. You can have a great time in Bogota for 2-3 days with the family and in this blog we list the best children’s activities in Bogota.
Best Travel Time Bogota
The best travel time to visit Bogota with kids is from December through February and in the months of July and August. During these periods the least rain falls and these periods are also called the dry season. The city of Bogota is at an altitude of 2625 meters, so temperatures in the city are not super high.
Throughout the year the temperature is around 20 degrees in the city, so the temperature is generally very pleasant for a city trip to Bogota. The busiest periods in Bogota are in the months of July and August because of international vacations and the Christmas period (late December, early January). During this period, accommodation prices may be higher compared to other months of the year.
Transportation to and in Bogota
Most families with kids arrive in Bogota by plane. The airport is quite close to the center of Bogota and therefore it will take you about 20 minutes by cab to get to the center. You can arrange a cab in advance through the accommodation, for example, or use a cab app.
You can easily use the cab app Cabify on your phone. You’ll just have to buy a local SIM card at the Bogota airport. You then install the app and then you can very easily order a cab anywhere in the city. You’ll know the cost of the ride right away. We always find this a very easy system to order a cab.
So you can get around the city just fine, but of course you can also use the city buses in the city. These are obviously a lot cheaper, but you are then usually not at the destination right away, and we always find this to be quite a lot of research. We ourselves in Colombia really only used cabs through the app and we found that to be a super nice mode of transportation.
Children’s activities Bogota
#1 Center of the city
Downtown Bogota is fun to visit briefly with kids and you can do this safely during the day. Of course you are in a big city in South America and of course you have to pay attention. Don’t wear expensive jewelry, make a copy of your passport and pay a little attention to exactly when you use your phone to take photos, for example.
La Candelaria district is the old center of the city and this district is definitely fun to visit with kids. Cathedral Primada de Bogota is the largest cathedral in Colombia and you can see this cathedral inside. This cathedral is located at Plaza Bolivar which is the central square of the La Candelaria neighborhood. This is mainly a large square with beautiful buildings, but you will find few terraces where you can have a drink.
Bogota’s la Candelaria neighborhood is home to a lot of street art. You’ll already see plenty of artwork as you walk through the neighborhood, but it’s also possible to book a street art tour. In doing so, you can join a Free Walking Tour of the city. This leaves 2x a day and shows off the city’s finest works of art.
By the way, you can also join several other Free Walking Tours around the city (if you search on Google, you will find several) and the principle works the same everywhere. You go on a tour of the city with a guide for several hours and afterwards pay a fee to the guide what you thought the tour was worth.
Parque Metropolitano Simón Bolívar is Bogota’s most fun city park in the downtown area and here you will also find a large playground for kids. This is a good place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while. By the way, another park with a fun playground can be found in Bogota at Parque Cuidad de los Ninos.
#2 Monserrate mountain
You can see the city of Bogota with kids from a great height at several places. One such spot in the city is at Monserrate Mountain. You can go to the top of this mountain in Bogota by cable car and have a good overview of the city (provided the weather is a bit clear and there is not too much smog). You will be at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters.
On top of the mountain you can take a walk and enjoy the view. There is also a beautiful little church that you can visit. You have some cafes at the summit where you can also buy some drinks. Keep in mind, of course, that if you go hiking with kids that you are at altitude.
The city of Bogota is already at an altitude of more than 2,500 meters, making it possible for kids to suffer from altitude sickness. Be sure to keep a close eye on this and take it easy the first few days and don’t ask too much effort from the kids.
Another place where you can get a great view of the city is at Torre Colpatria. This is a skyscraper that is open to the public only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and here you have a viewing platform overlooking the city.
#3 Bicycle tour of the city
You can also explore the city of Bogota with kids by bike. The organization Baja Bikes organizes guided bike tours of the city of between 4 and 5 hours. That way, you get a nice introduction to the city and pass by the various highlights the city has to offer.
Kids can also join this tour very easily. The organization has both children’s bicycles and child rear-mounted seats, allowing kids of all ages to participate in this organized bike ride through the city. We have already participated in a tour by Baja Bikes in several cities and always find it a very enjoyable tour of the city.
You get to places you don’t get to easily as a tourist, and you can see a lot in a city pretty quickly by bike. You can book this organized bicycle tour of Bogota online. By the way, you can also just rent bikes through this organization and explore the city independently with kids.
If you don’t feel like biking yourself, another option is to explore the city by hop on hop off bus. This bus stops at various points of interest in the city where the bus stops for a photo opportunity. They also have an English audio guide here, which allows you to learn more about the city.
#4 Science Museum Maloka
One of the best museums to visit in Bogota with kids is science museum Maloka. This museum is located in the city center and kids can do many experiments in physics, biology and technology here. The disadvantage of the museum is that fairly few exhibits are explained in English, but many of the exhibits speak for themselves.
Kids here can also watch various demonstrations in different areas of the museum. You can have a great time here for half a day with the kids. The museum is interesting for kids as young as 8 years old. Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays.
#5 Salitre Magico
You can also go to an amusement park in Bogota with kids. Salitre Magico is located in the south of the city about a 15-minute drive from the city center. They have more than 20 different types of attractions here for both young and older kids. There are also several shows you can watch at this amusement park with kids.
They have several restaurants where you can go for a bite to eat and a drink, so you can have a great time with the family for an entire day at this amusement park. On weekends it can get very crowded and then the queues can increase. Therefore, try not to visit the park on weekends.
For more information on admission tickets, the various attractions and opening hours, visit Salitre Magico’s website.
Family-friendly restaurant Bogota
Bogota is a big city and therefore you have plenty of family-friendly restaurants in Bogota where you can go with the family. You have several neighborhoods where you have many nice restaurants together such as Zona T, Parkway and Parque 93. We list below some of the family-friendly restaurants in Bogota.
Oliveto: this is an Italian restaurant that you have in different neighborhoods. They sell various Italian dishes here such as pizza and pasta and this restaurant has a good price-quality ratio.
Crepes and Waffles: most kids love pancakes and at this restaurant you can eat a variety of pancakes and waffles. There will always be a variant here that will appeal to kids.
Cantina La 15 Bogotá: This family-friendly restaurant in Bogota offers delicious Mexican food. The atmosphere in the restaurant is very nice and it’s like being in the Disney movie Coco with live music from a Mexican band in the restaurant, among other things.
Ushin Japanese & Grill: if you are looking for a restaurant in the slightly more expensive segment, this sushi restaurant is a good option. You also have a great view of the city while eating here.
Family-friendly hotel Bogota
You can stay in Bogota with kids just fine. In this city, you have plenty of family-friendly accommodations in Bogota that you can book. We list the top rated family-friendly accommodations in Bogota. Click on the blue link for more information.
Budget accommodation: Hotel WLH Silver Bogota – White Lighthouse
Mid-range accommodation: Hotel Rosales Plaza
Luxury Accommodation: Hotel 101 Park House
Also check out the entire list of all family-friendly accommodations in Bogota.
