With kids · Mendoza · Argentina
Mendoza with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Luján de Cuyo wineries, Mendoza · Photo: Silviaanac, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Mendoza works well for families who like the outdoors: a huge park with a lake, Andes road trips, thermal pools and rafting for older children. Winery days are less fun for kids, so balance them with Cacheuta, Potrerillos or the park. Top picks: Parque General San Martín, Plaza Independencia and Museo de Ciencias Naturales Juan Cornelio Moyano. Families usually base themselves in Microcentro.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Microcentro
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- March
Plan a trip to Mendoza
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Best things to do with kids
Park · Quinta Sección and Arístides Villanueva
1.Parque General San Martín
Laid out by landscape architect Carlos Thays from the 1890s, this park of more than 300 hectares has a rowing lake, a rose garden, a football stadium and thousands of trees on what was once dry scrub. Its ornate wrought-iron entrance gates on Avenida Emilio Civit are a city landmark.
Rent a bike near the main gates and ride the loop around the lake and up towards Cerro de la Gloria.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
- Active
Landmark · Microcentro
2.Plaza Independencia
Mendoza's main square covers four city blocks with fountains, palms and the Teatro Independencia on its western edge. Beneath it is the Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno, and on weekends a crafts fair sets up along its paths. It is the hub of the grid and the start of the pedestrian Paseo Sarmiento.
Come on a weekend evening, when the craft stalls are out and families gather around the lit fountains.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Kids
- After dark
- Shopping
Museum · Quinta Sección and Arístides Villanueva
3.Museo de Ciencias Naturales Juan Cornelio Moyano
Mendoza's natural history museum by the lake in Parque General San Martín covers fossils, Andean wildlife, minerals and the archaeology of the region, including finds from high-altitude Inca sites. It is a compact, practical stop for families.
Pair it with a walk around the park lake; it is a good choice for a hot afternoon or a rare rainy day.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Nature
Experience · Maipú
4.Olive-oil tasting in Maipú
Maipú is also Mendoza's olive country, and several producers along the bike route explain pressing and serve tastings of extra-virgin oils, tapenades and preserves. It is a good break between wineries and a useful stop for those who do not drink.
Buy oil in tins rather than glass bottles if it is going in your luggage.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Kids
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Quinta Sección and Arístides Villanueva
5.Cerro de la Gloria
A hill at the western end of Parque General San Martín crowned by the bronze Monument to the Army of the Andes, commemorating General San Martín's 1817 crossing of the Andes to free Chile and Peru. The terrace gives a sweeping view over the city and the green belt of irrigated land.
Go late in the afternoon for the view; the walk up from the park lake is steep, so taking a taxi up and walking down is easier.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Market · Microcentro
6.Mercado Central
Mendoza's covered market on Avenida Las Heras has butchers, greengrocers, cheese and cured-meat counters, and simple stalls selling empanadas, pizza and sandwiches at lunchtime. It is the easiest place to buy picnic supplies or try local olives and dried fruit.
Eat lunch at one of the counters with locals, then buy olives and dried fruit for a winery picnic.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Rainy-day ideas
- Museo de Ciencias Naturales Juan Cornelio Moyano — Pair it with a walk around the park lake; it is a good choice for a hot afternoon or a rare rainy day.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and solo travellers
Microcentro
The central blocks between Plaza Independencia, Plaza España and Plaza Chile hold most hotels, banks, tour agencies and cafés, with the pedestrian Paseo Sarmiento running east from the main square. Every city sight is walkable, and wine tours collect guests from hotels here.
- Good
- Walk to restaurants and plazas; Tour pick-ups at the door; Wide range of hotels
- Watch out
- Traffic noise on main avenues; Quiet during the afternoon siesta
- Nearby
- Plaza Independencia, Plaza España, Paseo Sarmiento, Mercado Central
Family travel tips
- Many wineries welcome children and offer grape juice; check before booking a tasting.
- Rafting outfitters at Potrerillos run gentler family trips with minimum age limits.
- Pack warm layers and sun cream for the Andes; altitude and wind make it much colder.
- Restaurants open late for dinner, so plan an early meal at a café or pizzeria with young children.
- The thermal pools at Cacheuta are a good half-day when the city is hot.
Day trips for families
- Aconcagua and the High Andes (About 3–3.5 hours each way) — The road west follows the Mendoza River through Uspallata to the viewpoint at Aconcagua Provincial Park, where a short trail looks up at the 6,961-metre peak.
- Potrerillos (About 1 hour by car) — A turquoise reservoir in the foothills on the Ruta 7 towards the Andes, with whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Mendoza River, horse riding and mountain-view lunches.
- Termas de Cacheuta (About 45 minutes by car) — Thermal pools beside the Mendoza River in a rocky canyon, with a public water park of pools and a separate spa hotel.
- Villavicencio Nature Reserve (About 1 hour by car) — A protected reserve in the foothills around the historic Villavicencio hotel building, known from the mineral-water label.
- San Rafael and the Atuel Canyon (About 3 hours each way) — San Rafael is a southern wine town, and the Atuel Canyon nearby has red-rock formations, reservoirs and rafting on the Atuel River.
When to go with children
The best months overall are March–May and October–November. March is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Mendoza good for kids?
Mendoza works well for families who like the outdoors: a huge park with a lake, Andes road trips, thermal pools and rafting for older children. Winery days are less fun for kids, so balance them with Cacheuta, Potrerillos or the park.
+What can kids do in Mendoza?
Parque General San Martín, Plaza Independencia, Museo de Ciencias Naturales Juan Cornelio Moyano, Olive-oil tasting in Maipú and Cerro de la Gloria.
+Where should families stay in Mendoza?
Microcentro: The grid around Plaza Independencia, Peatonal Sarmiento and the satellite plazas.