Our kids walking in a neighborhood of Matagalpa.

We recently spent an entire month in Nicaragua, and as always our two kids, ages 7 and 11 tagged a long. And, like most Latin American societies, we found everyone to be warm, welcoming, and overall just wonderful people.

FOOD & GROCERIES
When visiting a foreign country, one of our favorite things to do is explore the local grocery store scene. Unfortunately for us, our first grocery store we visited was a Wal Mart in Managua. We were still happy to note the unique differences between the Wal Mart experience. We grabbed a handful of unhealthy snack options for the roadtrip to Matagalpa.

After checking out most grocery stores in the country (Pali, La Colonia, Ahorra Mas, and more) we all agreed La Colonia (especially the store in Rivas) was the best of all.

We also work hard to assimilate and appreciate the local cuisine. So our kids (even though they are vegan) don’t get to cheap out on french fries and pizza. They enjoyed many of the local Nica food options, like traditional Gallo Pinto (rice and beans), fruits and veggie options.

We especially enjoyed our time at Brooklyn Cafe in Matagalpa, Ding Repair Cafe in San Juan del Sur, and The Garden Cafe in Granada. They all served a great combo of local versus gringo options with local fruit and produce options. Even though its a Gringo cliche, el Pital on Ometepe was a stellar place as well, with cacao smoothies, hummus bowls, and so much more.

Overall though, our favorite restaurant was J Kitchen which sits right on the beach at Playa Majuagal. Ice cold Tonas, great smoothies, and curries and vegan burgers that always hit the spot (and no judgement, please… I got gallo pinto with the burgers). And the view? It cannot be beat.

The hummus bowl at El Pital on Ometepe Island.

We also always made sure to buy groceries and cook at home as much as possible. This allowed us to save money and also experience local cooking styles. The kids enjoyed harvesting local fruits in the mornings, especially Mangos.

Kristin cooking dinner at our cabin on Ometepe Island.
THINGS TO DO
I will not be able to share every option in Nicaragua for families. But I will share some of the things we did, and what they were like.
First and foremost, our kids are natural born road warriors. In Colombia, we have all survived 12+ hour roadtrips crammed into a tiny rental on sinuous mountain roads. So your mileage may vary.
That being said, the backbone of any international travel we do as a family is based on just hitting the open road and exploring.
One place we really enjoyed North of Matagalpa was Selva Negra. This cloud forest area features interesting German history in a cooler and rainforest setting. Their coffee farm is absolutely beautiful, and the grounds are breathtaking. We took a mountain hike (and heard howler monkeys) then ended the day at the restaurant and enjoyed traditional hot cocoa and some delish cakes.

The kids exploring a former Sandinista (FSLN) armored vehicle at the entrance of Selva Negra.
Matagalpa as a city was fine for wandering around, but we didn’t find much specifically for a family to do. We did check out a flower festival and the downtown markets.

Ometepe (an island in Lake Colcibolca) is a family paradise. So we will lump a lot into just Ometepe. Ojo de Agua is a beautiful volcanic spring set up for swimming, complete with a rope swing. The entire resort has changing rooms, a restaurant, table service, and so much more. We purchased some homemade baked goods from some of the older ladies that live in the area and they were amazing. We ended up spending two days here and just soaking in the natural beauty of Ometepe.

We also hiked on the island, and the kids loved finding monkeys in the canopy. We explored the vegan ice cream scene (Bustavo) and had an amazing sunset dinner at Playa Mango.

As a bonus, the kids enjoyed the ferry rides to and from the island, providing perfect bookends for a week in this paradise.

In San Juan del Sur, we booked surfing lessons for the kids at Playa Maderas which was a lot of fun for them. We spent tons of time at various beaches along the coast, with our favorites being Playa Majuagal and Playa Yankee.

Arlow’s surf lesson at Playa Maderas, and her favorite rock formation in the background, which she named “Cookie Island.”

MONEY

The kids enjoyed learning about Cordobas and on this trip, they earned allowances so they had spending money.

We also met the “Coyotes” on the street, to help us exchange dollars for Cordobas. Many of them were very kind and enjoyed teaching the kids about what it all meant and helping them count their beautiful, colorful money. Arlow even lost a tooth and was reimbursed in cordobas.

A money changer (coyote) teaching the kids about exchanging money.

SAFETY & SECURITY

We would be remiss to avoid the topic of safety, as so many of us have completely false narratives of countries like these. We have spent months in Colombia, and this month in Nicaragua. We felt exponentially safer in Nicaragua than certain parts of Colombia. In Colombia, when sunset hits, we typically head home. However, in Nicaragua we drove at night, and enjoyed the Hipicas and other events until almost midnight. Not once did we feel unsafe or exposed.

Nicaragua, like every other country on the planet has security risks. But just in our home state of Tennessee, we have some of the most dangerous cities (Memphis and Nashville) in the World within our borders.

Like other places, don’t leave valuables in your car. Don’t be flashy, be respectful and kind, and you will have no issues. The kids were always treated with nothing but kindness and that typical Latin American warmth.

Nicaragua is a special place and a perfect option for families to visit!

What is it Like Traveling with kids in Nicaragua?

Hello Pine Knot.