What to do in Paraty with kids? Paraty is a popular tourist destination in southern Brazil. This is not for nothing, because the place is beautiful. You have a very beautiful and colorful center here and in the area around Paraty you can enjoy the mountains, beaches and various waterfalls with your family. Therefore, there is enough to do here to keep you entertained for a few days. In this blog, we list the best children’s activities in Paraty.
Best travel time Paraty with kids
The best travel time to visit Paraty with kids is from May through September. It is then the dry season and temperatures are not too hot. It is around 25/ 26 degrees during these months, which is a wonderful temperature to explore this destination with kids.
Other months may see more rain, but usually these are a few heavy showers at the end of the day. You can visit Paraty just fine in the other months because of this as well, except that it may be a bit warmer and there may be a bit more rain during the day.
Another period when it can be very busy in Paraty and in many parts of Brazil is around Carnival time. However, of course, this can also be a great event to pick up if you are touring Brazil with the family.
Transportation to and in Paraty
Paraty is located near the big city of Rio de Janeiro and by car or bus it will take you 4 hours to get to Paraty. You can book an organized tour from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty with a van you share with other tourists and you can find more information about this type of organized transportation here.
A number of families with kids may be coming to Paraty from Ilha Grande, and you can arrange organized transportation from these two destinations as well. You then go by boat and bus from Ilha Grande to Paraty or, of course, the other way around. For more information on this organized tour, take a look here.
Of course, you can also rent your own car at the Rio de Janeiro airport and then drive to Paraty by car. Then with kids you have a little more freedom. At Rio de Janeiro airport, you can rent a car through the organization Sunny Cars.
We always find Sunny Cars a very nice rental company and usually rent our cars abroad through them. Most insurance and often the deductible are included in the price, so you never have to buy insurance for the car on the spot.
That way, you’ll hit the road in your rental car with peace of mind. For more information on renting a car at Rio de Janeiro airport, click here. Keep in mind that the center of Paraty is car-free, so it is best to check with your accommodation in the center in advance where to park your car in the city.
If you have not rented a car, you can get around in Paraty by cab, but keep in mind that the cab in Paraty is not cheap as it is in other destinations in Brazil.
Children’s activities Paraty
#1 Explore the historic center
If you visit the city of Paraty with kids, you will definitely visit the historic center as well, and this center is definitely worth a visit. The center is on the Unesco World Heritage List and you still have beautiful old buildings from the colonial era here. The main square in the city center is Matriz Square.
Here you can take a look at the old Santa Rita Church on the square. You can also take a walk up the hill to the city’s old fort. There are no cars in the city center, so that is very nice with kids. A baby carriage is not really recommended in the city center, as the stones of the road are quite crooked and therefore you cannot easily drive a baby carriage. Then a sling is more likely to be recommended.
At high tide, there can be water in the streets of Paraty and you have to continue your way through the city on gangways. If you want more background on the Old Town, you can walk through the city with a guide. You will then go out in a small group for 2 hours with a guide through the center. For this organized tour, take a look here.
On the outskirts of the city is also the port of Paraty and it is also definitely fun to go here with kids and watch the fishermen bring in their fish here.
#2 Visit the waterfalls
You can go to dozens of waterfalls in the Paraty area with kids. Thus, you have the waterfall Cachoeira do Toboga that you can visit and where it is even possible to slide off. Especially the local young people make quite a show of it at this waterfall and even go down the waterfall standing and surfing.
This waterfall is fifteen minutes away by car from the center of Paraty and it is a change from the standard waterfall you normally see.
Another area where you can visit several waterfalls with the family is Cachoeira das Sete Quedas. You pay a small entrance fee to visit this park, but you can then go see 7 different waterfalls. You can also swim here with the kids during the hot summer months, so be sure to bring swimwear if you visit this area. You can also grab a bite to eat at the restaurant here.
If you want to visit Paraty’s highest waterfalls, you will have to hike a bit. You can visit these waterfalls when the kids are a little older. Melancia Falls are the highest falls and you have all kinds of pools here where you can also swim after the solid hike (of about 4 hours) to the falls.
You can also go on an organized tour to see different waterfalls. You will then join a guided jeep to view these waterfalls. Also on this tour you will visit a brewery of Cachaça, a Brazilian drink you can taste here. For more information on an organized tour to various waterfalls, take a look here.
#3 Visit the beaches
You have several beautiful beaches lying around Paraty that you can visit with kids. The beach closest to the center is Praia do Pontal. Here you can go to the beach and you can also have something to eat with the family. Other beaches you can visit here in the area are Jabaquara Beach and Praia da Barra do Corumbê.
These are slightly nicer beaches than Praia do Pontal. To these three beaches you can possibly walk with kids from the center of Paraty. For some other beaches, you need to arrange transportation or drive there by car. Some beautiful beaches to visit in the Paraty area are Cao Morto, Praia de Sao Goncalo, Lula Beach, Praia do Pontal, Cepilho and Praia Grande.
You can also go from Paraty with kids on an organized boat trip and that you will visit different islands in the bay of Paraty. You will then visit four different islands and their beaches with this organized tour. You can then go kayaking and snorkeling at these islands or just relax on the beach. For more information about this tour, take a look here.
#4 Saco do Mamangua
If you want a nice view of Paraty and the Paraty area, climbing the Saco do Mamangua mountain is a nice option. This climb can be pretty tough with young kids though, but the views on the mountain itself make up for a lot. You must first travel from Paray to Paraty Mirim, which is the starting point of this climb.
There are several ways to get here. You can take the bus or drive yourself by car from Paraty and it will take you about 45 minutes or take the boat from the center of Paraty. Of course, the latter can also be a fun alternative with kids. However, a boat tour can be pricey compared to the other options.
The hike to the viewpoint takes about 1.5 hours and, of course, this is where you mainly go up the mountain. Because of this, it can be on the heavy side for young kids. Standing at the bottom of the mountain it seems very steep, but the path is not too bad and goes up gradually.
#5 Visit the mangroves of Jabaquara
You can also go kayaking with kids through the mangroves in Paraty. These mangroves are located near Jabaquara beach and you can kayak through them with a guide. In general, there is plenty of shade in the mangroves and a lot less hot than it is on land in Paraty. As a result, it can also be a somewhat cooling activity.
Along the way, you will encounter the most beautiful views from the kayak. By the way, you don’t necessarily need to hire a guide when renting a kayak, since the route through the mangrove does pretty much speak for itself. If you do a whole tour of the mangrove by kayak you can spend up to 2 hours with kids.
However, always make sure to apply proper sunscreen while boating in a kayak, as your legs and arms burn quickly in the sun so out on the water.
Family-friendly restaurant Paraty
You can enjoy good food with the family in Paraty at several places. You have several family-friendly restaurant to visit in this place and we list some of them below.
Van Gogh Hamburguería: at this family-friendly restaurant, you can enjoy burgers with kids in the center of Paraty. They also have several vegetarian burgers here and there is regular live music at this restaurant.
Zen Mongolian’s Hall: If you want to eat something different from Brazilian or Western cuisine, this restaurant in Paraty is the place to take your family for dinner. The reviews about this Asian food at this restaurant are very good.
La Dolce Vita Trattoria Pizzeria Paraty: an Italian restaurant always does very well with our daughter as well. You can eat a variety of pasta dishes and pizza here.
You have several ice cream parlors in the center of Paraty where you can have ice cream with kids. One of these ice cream parlors that is well reviewed online is the ice cream parlor Gelateria Miracolo located in the city center.
Family-friendly hotel Paraty
You can stay in Paraty with kids just fine. You have several family-friendly accommodations in Paraty that you can book. We list the top rated accommodations by families with kids in the different price ranges. Click on the blue link for more information.
Budget accommodation: Pousada Caminho da Serra Paraty
Mid-range accommodation: Pousada Apple House Paraty
Luxury accommodation: Pousada Corsario Paraty
For a list of all family-friendly accommodations in Paraty, take a look here.
