Colombia wasn’t necessarily high on our list for family vacations, but when a friendly recently returned raving about Cartagena, we decided to look into it. As we flipped through photographs of gorgeous beaches and read about all the fun activities that seemed perfect for our adventurous kids, it was decided – Cartagena was our next holiday!
After spending a week exploring the city’s maze of colorful streets, doing fun day trips and relaxing by the beach, we are definitely glad we made the choice to visit Cartagena as a family.
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The first thing we loved about Cartagena was, of course, the beaches. A beautiful sandy beach with calm, clear water is perfect fun for the whole family – and we certainly took full advantage of our hotel’s beachside location.
Our next stop was to wander Casco Viejo (Old Town) - by horse drawn carriage. The kids loved being in the horse-drawn carriage, while the adults loved hearing about the history of the city, which is one of the oldest in South America.
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The following day we headed out to the Baru Bird Sanctuary, which is about 45 minutes from Cartagena. They have so many different species of birds, and it’s a pleasant walk to wander around seeing them all.
Another great activity for kids in Cartagena is going on one of the nearby daytrips to explore the nature areas. We love holidays to also be educational for the kids, so we really appreciated the tour to nearby La Boquilla, about half an hour from downtown Cartagena. Here, many different species of flora and fauna live in the mangroves and wetlands – not only did we all really enjoy trying to spot different animals, but it was also very educational.
After the fun of our daytrip to La Boquilla, we decided that it was time for a special treat for the kids – so we pulled out our piece de la resistance - the Cartagena ChocoMuseo! As the name suggests, it’s an entire museum devoted to chocolate (pretty much paradise for both parents and kids, right?)
The best thing about ChocoMuseo is it is definitely not a stuffy museum where everything is kept behind glass. Instead, we got to participate in a hands-on chocolate making class – pretty much the stuff of my kid’s holiday dreams!
All in all, we had an amazing stay in beautiful Cartagena, and have been recommending it to everyone we know as a great family-friendly destination. Our kids have barely stopped raving about the flamingoes and making chocolate, and it’s a family trip we’ll always look back on fondly.
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