What to do in Granada, Nicaragua with kids? Granada with kids is a fun destination to explore. This colorful city in Nicaragua has enough fun activities to keep you entertained for a few days in this city. From colonial buildings and ancient churches to volcanoes and lakes. Granada has plenty to offer families. Whether you want to spend a day at the beach, take an adventure tour of the jungle or explore the city by carriage, there are plenty of things to do with kids. In this blog, we list the best children’s activities in Granada.
Best travel time Granada in Nicaragua
The best time to visit Granada with kids is during Granada’s dry season, which runs from November to April. During this period you have less chance of rain, and temperatures are pleasant during this period. The temperature is between 23 and 28 degrees during this period, which makes it great for swimming with the kids.
During the summer months, from May to October, it can rain heavily, but usually the showers are short and you can still enjoy sunny weather afterwards. Therefore, don’t let the period deter you from taking a city trip to Granada with kids. Do note that April and May can be very hot, which may not be ideal for a city break with kids.
Transportation to and in Granada
Granada is easily accessible from several destinations in Nicaragua. So you can be in Granada in about an hour from the capital. You can also travel to the city here by public transportation, and it is best to use the minibuses. The chicken buses to this destination are also an option from the capital because the travel time is quite short.
From the city of Leon, you are about 4 hours away and from Isla de Ometepe 2 hours. You can also explore Nicaragua by car, and you can rent a car at the Managua airport. We always rent a car with our family through the organization Sunny Cars, because we find it a very nice car rental company with a huge amount of insurance in the package and super good conditions. Therefore, check online if you want to rent a car at Managua airport with the family.
Granada is a compact city that you can easily explore on foot. The colorful streets and squares are ideal for a stroll with kids. Want a fun way to explore the city with kids? Then take a ride on a traditional horse-drawn carriage through the city center!
For the sights outside the city, you can take a cab or go on an organized tour if you don’t rent a car in Nicaragua. Cabs are usually not very expensive, especially if you take the cab with a whole family. Then an organized tour is often a lot more expensive.
Children’s activities Granada
#1 Center of Granada
If you’re visiting the city of Granada with kids, it’s definitely fun to also take a tour of the city center. It is nice to visit Iglesia La Merced in the center. At this church you can climb the tower for a small fee and from this tower you will have a beautiful view of the city of Granada with the family.
Granada’s yellow cathedral is also fun to see. The central square of the city is Parque Central de Granada, and you can have ice cream here with kids and sit on one of the benches in the square. There is plenty to see in the square. You can have a bite to eat and a drink at one of the city’s many cafes and restaurants. At Calle La Calzada there are many such nice catering establishments.
We always like when we visit a city abroad to visit a local market. In Granada, you can go to Mercado Municipal. This is a market that is not very touristy and where real locals still get their groceries. If you would like to go out with a guide in the center of the city of Granada, the Free Walking Tours offered are a good option.
Many of these tours last a few hours, and you can decide after the tour how much you give the guide for the tour. This often takes you to places in the city you wouldn’t easily visit with the family yourself.
#2 Boat trip on Las Isletas
One of the most fun activities in Granada with kids is a boat ride at Las Isletas. These small islands in Lake Nicaragua are fun to explore with kids. During the boat trip you and kids will sail past tropical islands, where you can spot special birds, turtles, monkeys and even iguanas!
This boat trip in a motorboat takes about 2 hours, making it doable even with kids. We always find these kinds of tours quite relaxing. You don’t have to do much yourself and you see a lot in a short time. Some islands have small houses and you can also see what local life is like here. Many of the tours include time for family swimming.
If you have older kids, you can also join an organized kayak tour. You will then go out in a kayak in 2.5 hours to explore the area. Look online for an organized boat tour at Las Isletas and also for the kayak tour at Las Isletas. Usually the tours are in the early morning, so the chances of spotting wildlife are greatest. Do bring something like a cap or hat for the kids against the sun.
#3 Laguna de Apoyo
A 15-minute drive from the center of Granada is this large crater lake, where you can go swimming with kids on a hot summer day. In fact, the water of the lake is not super cold. A fun place on the lake to visit with kids is the Paradiso Hostel. They have sunbeds here by the water and it is a very nice area to stay with kids at the lake.
Of course, you can also go here for snacks and drinks and it is possible to rent a kayak and explore the lake that way. Around the lake you also have a tropical jungle and in the trees you can spot monkeys, among other things. If you want a nice view of this lake, you can visit Mirador de Catarina. Here there are benches and you can enjoy the beautiful view of the water and the jungle.
#4 Masaya volcano
Nicaragua is known for its volcanoes, and you can visit one such volcano from Granada with kids. The active Masaya volcano is a 40-minute drive from Granada, and you can get almost to the rim of the crater by car. This also makes this volcano an activity you can do very well with kids.
You can go at several times of the day, but the most spectacular is when you visit the volcano with the family after dark. In fact, you can then very well see the lava flowing in the volcano. By the way, you can only stay at the volcano for a maximum of 15 minutes, as the volcano’s sulfur is not good for your health.
So go to this volcano at sunset with kids, for example, for the best view. You can do this with an organized tour. You can book this organized tour to Masaya Volcano online. Tip: for kids, bring a scarf they can hold in front of their mouths.
#5 Chocolate Museum
A fun family-friendly museum you can visit in Granada with kids is the chocolate museum. This is a museum and hotel in one and you can also swim here for a fee in the hotel pool. Suppose your accommodation does not have a pool, that could be a nice option to go swimming here with the kids.
At the museum, you can take a tour of about 20 minutes and kids can learn all about chocolate. The tour here is not super much, but combined with the pool it is a fun activity to do in Granada with the family.
Family-friendly restaurant Granada
In Granada with kids, you can eat just fine. There are several family-friendly restaurants where you can go for a bite to eat and a drink. We list some of these family-friendly restaurants in Granada below.
El Garaje: This cozy restaurant has delicious dishes such as fresh salads, sandwiches and smoothies. You can enjoy healthy and simple meals here with kids. El Garaje also has a small play area for the kids.
Pita Pita: This is a popular restaurant among tourists in Granada. You can get delicious pizza and pasta, among other things, at this family-friendly restaurant in Granada, making it a good option even for picky eaters. The informal atmosphere of the restaurant also definitely makes it a family-friendly restaurant.
La Terraza: located in the center of Granada, this restaurant has a wide selection of pizzas and pastas. For kids, there are simple dishes like pizza margherita and spaghetti.
Family-friendly hotel Granada
You can stay in Granada in Nicaragua with kids just fine. You have plenty of family-friendly accommodations you can book. We list below the top rated family-friendly accommodations in Granada. Click on the blue link for more information.
Budget accommodation: Hostal Mochilas: this budget-friendly hostel has family rooms and a pool, making it perfect for families looking for affordable, family-friendly accommodation in Granada.
Mid-range accommodation: Selina Granada: this hotel has a pool and also has family rooms for families with kids. The hotel is within walking distance of downtown and the location is rated a generous 9.
Luxury accommodation: Hotel Real La Merced: this luxury hotel has beautiful family rooms and a nice pool for kids. Families with kids rate this hotel a 9.7 overall.
Also, take a look at the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Granada, Nicaragua.
