Visiting Quito with kids is the first city most families visit while touring Ecuador. In fact, most tourists arrive here by plane, and Quito is a great place to spend a day or two with the family. There is plenty to do in town for kids! This capital of Ecuador is located at an altitude of 2850 meters, so the first few days will take some getting used to the altitude for most families. In this blog, we list the best children’s activities in Quito.
Best travel time Quito with kids
The best travel time to visit Quito with kids is from June through September. This is when it is the dry season in Quito and you are least likely to get rain. The temperature in this city (partly because of its altitude) is always around 12 degrees. So it is usually not super warm here, which is why it is also important to bring warm clothing for kids. Especially in the evening hours, it can cool off quite a bit in the city.
Transportation to and in Quito
Most tourists arrive in Quito by plane, and the Quito airport is about 40 minutes away by car from downtown Quito. You can get to the center from the airport in several ways. You can take the bus. This is the cheapest option, but also the one that takes the most time and energy. Of course, you will then not arrive at your accommodation and will still have to take a cab from the bus station to your hotel.
You can also book a cab at the airport. This can be done in 2 ways. You can simply walk to the cab dispatch center at the airport and order a cab there, or you can order a cab at the airport through Uber’s app. If you want to use this option more often in Quito and Ecuador, it’s easy to buy a local sim card at the airport, so that you can have Internet coverage with your phone in the rest of the city as well and thus order a cab.
Of course, it is also possible to explore Ecuador by rental car. You can very easily rent a car at the Quito airport through Sunny Cars. We always find Sunny Cars to be a very nice company. They have a good insurance package, the deductible is often refunded in case of damage, and you can often cancel for free until shortly before booking. For more information on renting a car at Quito airport, take a look here.
Children’s activities Quito
#1 Center Quito
The center of Quito is definitely recommended for a walk around with kids. The old town in particular is beautiful and is now also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the most important squares in the center of the old town is Plaza de la Independencia. There are beautiful buildings and palaces lining this square, so it is definitely fun to take a walk around here.
In Plaza de la Independencia, you also have the Basilica del Voto Nacional church. You can visit this church and also climb its towers. You pay a small entrance fee for both. Climbing the towers of this church gives you a great view of Quito with kids. Another nice square in the city is Plaza Santo Domingo. Here you often have street performers performing, including clowns, which is of course fun to watch, especially with kids.
A nice neighborhood to grab a bite to eat in Quito is the La Mariscal district. This is a hip neighborhood in Quito that you should definitely visit with kids. If you want to visit the city with a guide, you can always do an online search for a Free Walking Tour in Quito. You have several providers of these tours and the principle is the same with all of them.
You meet at a certain spot in the city and are escorted through the city by a guide for a few hours. At the end of the tour, you give the guide a sum of money what you thought the tour was worth. That way, you also get a little more about the backgrounds of the city.
#2 Mitad del Mundo
A second attraction that is fun to visit in Quito with kids is Mitad del Mundo. This sight is located slightly outside the center of Quito in the north of the city and it takes you about half an hour by car to get here. This is the place where you are exactly in the middle of the equator and you can walk from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere right here.
You also have these big letters here that you can have your picture taken with, and the place is therefore quite touristy. We did enjoy standing exactly on the equator line for a while. There is also a large monument with a globe that you can take a picture with. Around the square are also many stores and restaurants.
You can also climb the monument for a small fee and get a nice view of the surrounding area. You also have a museum here, where kids can do experiments and see the effect of the equator. There are also local people around the monument who can show samples. Thus, we saw that the water running off in the Southern Hemisphere turns in a different direction than in the Northern Hemisphere. Very crazy to see!
#3 TelefériQo Cable Car
You can also take a fun cable car ride in Quito with kids. At the TelefériQo Cable Car, you go up the mountain in a gondola and this gondola takes you to the top of Mount Cruz Loma at an altitude of about 4,100 meters. It can be very crowded at the queue and on weekends it is possible to buy some kind of fastpass which is slightly more expensive than a normal ticket. This can definitely be an option if you are in a hurry in Quito.
You have a beautiful view of the area at the top of the mountain, but you have to be a little lucky with the weather. Of course, if it is very cloudy, then visibility is not optimal. Upstairs you have an eatery where you can buy some drinks and a snack, but don’t expect to eat entire meals here.
Also, on the mountain you have two large swings. Fun for kids to swing of course and take a picture. You can additionally hike at the top of the mountain with kids. You can hike even further up here, but obviously keep in mind that you’re already at quite a high altitude so it’s a lot more strenuous than doing this at sea level.
Keep in mind that you will also still need the ticket to take the cable car back down, so be sure not to throw it away at the top of the mountain.
#4 Interactive Museum of Science
You can also go to several family-friendly museums in Quito with kids. For example, you have the Interactive Museum of Science where kids can do all kinds of experiments in the museum. The museum is divided into different sections based on the kids’ ages. For kids under 7, it’s mainly a kind of big playground.
Keep in mind that the museum does not have the level of many science museums in Western Europe, but it is certainly an opportunity to spend a few hours in you in Quito with kids.
Another museum you can visit in Quito is the Observatorio Astronomico de Quito. This museum is located near the old town and you can see various old scientific instruments here. You also have a nice view of the surrounding area from the museum.
Another museum you can visit with the family in Quito is the Yaku Water Museum and this museum is all about water. Here, too, kids can do all kinds of experiments related to water. If you enjoy visiting a museum, then you have several options to choose from in Quito.
#5 Quito Zoo
You can also go to the zoo in Quito with kids. This zoo is located slightly outside the city center about 40 minutes by car from downtown. You can get here cheaply by bus, but you have to walk the last part, which is not ideal with kids. A rental car or cab is a better option then!
You have several large animals at this zoo that you can view such as the lion, the bear, the turtle and different types of monkeys. The zoo is quite green and therefore a great place to take a walk with the family and leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind for a while.
The price of the zoo is not too high and kids also pay half the adult entrance fee. It is a great activity to spend a few hours in Quito with the family.
Family-friendly restaurant Quito
Quito is a big city and therefore you can eat out in Quito with kids just fine. You have plenty of nice family-friendly restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat. We list below some of these family-friendly restaurants in Quito.
Sher e Punjab: If you are lovers of Indian food then this restaurant is a good option. The restaurant is located right in the center of Quito and the food here is of good quality and the service very good. You also have plenty of vegetarian options at the restaurant. Consequently, the online reviews of this restaurant are tremendously good! This is also definitely a good option if you want a change from the standard Ecuadorian dishes.
Bocatto Da Fiorentino: this family-friendly restaurant in Quito is in a shopping mall and you can eat delicious Italian food here. The prices are a little higher than other restaurants in town, but the food is of good quality. The atmosphere is informal and on the wall are TV screens on which you can watch sports games. Don’t forget to grab a delicious dessert with kids at this restaurant too!
Family-friendly hotel Quito
You can stay in Quito with kids just fine! You have plenty of family-friendly accommodations you can book in Quito. We list below some accommodations that are extremely well-reviewed. Click on the blue link for more information about the accommodation.
Budget accommodation: Colonial House Inn
Mid-range accommodation: Hotel La Cartuja
Luxury Accommodation: Casa Hotel Las Plazas
For the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Quito, take a look here.
