With kids · Bogotá · Colombia
Bogotá with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Felipe Restrepo Acosta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Bogotá suits families who plan around traffic and weather: big parks, interactive museums and the Sunday Ciclovía are highlights. Bring warm layers, as evenings are cold. Top picks: Museo del Oro, Maloka and Ciclovía. Families usually base themselves in Parque 93.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Parque 93
- Rainy-day options
- 2
Best things to do with kids
Museum · La Candelaria
1.Museo del Oro
The Banco de la República's Gold Museum on Parque Santander displays tens of thousands of gold objects and thousands more in ceramic, stone and textiles from Colombia's pre-Hispanic cultures. The highlight is the circular Ofrenda room, where the lights rise to reveal hundreds of gold pieces, and the Muisca raft linked to the El Dorado legend.
Allow at least two hours, and hire an audio guide or join a free guided tour to understand the cultures behind the objects.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Ciudad Salitre
2.Maloka
An interactive science museum largely underground, with hands-on rooms on the human body, biodiversity and technology, and a dome cinema. It is a good rainy-day choice for families.
Visit on a weekday morning to avoid school groups at weekends.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Experience · Citywide
3.Ciclovía
On Sundays and public holidays, more than 100 km of main roads close to cars from early morning until early afternoon, and cyclists, runners and skaters take over. Carrera 7 and the routes through the north are the most popular, with juice and repair stands along the way.
Rent a bike from a shop in La Candelaria or Chapinero, or join a guided bike tour on a Sunday.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Active
- Outdoors
- Kids
Park · Teusaquillo
4.Simón Bolívar Park
One of the largest urban parks in Latin America, with a lake, paths and lawns. It hosts large free concerts and festivals, and families come to fly kites and boat on the lake.
Combine it with the Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis nearby.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Garden · Engativá
5.Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis
Colombia's largest botanical garden shows the plants of the country's ecosystems, from Andean forest and páramo to tropical glasshouses with orchids and palms. It is a calm, green half-day near Simón Bolívar Park.
Head for the tropical glasshouse on cold, grey days.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Market · Usaquén
6.Usaquén Sunday flea market
Every Sunday the streets around Usaquén's colonial square fill with stalls selling crafts, jewellery, leather, antiques and street food. Street performers and musicians add to the atmosphere, and restaurants nearby fill up for long lunches.
Arrive mid-morning, browse, then have lunch at one of the restaurants around the square.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Free
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Museo del Oro — Allow at least two hours, and hire an audio guide or join a free guided tour to understand the cultures behind the objects.
- Maloka — Visit on a weekday morning to avoid school groups at weekends.
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families, quiet stays and couples
Parque 93
Parque de la 93 is a lawned square surrounded by restaurants, cafés and bars, in a polished business and residential district north of Zona Rosa. It is calm, green and well-policed, with many mid- to high-end hotels and serviced apartments.
- Good
- Calm and green; Good restaurants around the park; Feels very safe
- Watch out
- Expensive; Long drive to the old town
- Nearby
- Parque El Virrey, Zona Rosa, Chicó
Family travel tips
- Take the altitude easy on day one with naps and plenty of water.
- The Ciclovía is ideal for families on bikes or scooters on Sunday mornings.
- The Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá impresses children with its lights and tunnels.
- Stay in the north near Parque 93 or Usaquén for parks, restaurants and calm evenings.
- Pack rain jackets and warm sweaters for every outing.
Day trips for families
- Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral (About 1–1.5 hours by bus) — An underground church carved deep inside a working salt mine, with the Stations of the Cross, a vast main nave and dramatic lighting.
- Lake Guatavita (About 2 hours by bus or car) — This round mountain lake was a sacred site of the Muisca people, whose gold-offering rituals inspired the El Dorado legend.
- Suesca rock climbing (About 1.5–2 hours by bus) — Suesca's long sandstone cliffs along the old railway line are Colombia's best-known climbing area, with local guides offering beginner sessions and walks along the river.
- Chicaque Natural Park (About 1 hour by car) — A private cloud-forest reserve on the edge of the plateau, with trails dropping steeply through mossy forest to a lodge and horse rides.
When to go with children
The best months overall are July–August and December–March. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bogotá good for kids?
Bogotá suits families who plan around traffic and weather: big parks, interactive museums and the Sunday Ciclovía are highlights. Bring warm layers, as evenings are cold.
+What can kids do in Bogotá?
Museo del Oro, Maloka, Ciclovía, Simón Bolívar Park and Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis.
+Where should families stay in Bogotá?
Parque 93: Smart residential area around a manicured park with restaurant terraces.