Planning a family trip to Chile? At some point during your trip you will have to pass through Santiago. Perhaps to some parents’ surprise, there are plenty of things to do in Santiago with kids! Actually, a lot of them are very easy to figure out on your own so it is up to you if you would like a guide to be with you or not. Here is a list of our Chile expert’s top favorites for kids in Santiago:
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
1) The Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Natural History Museum): has Chilean mummies, a giant whale, fossils, minerals and artifacts Easter Island.
Cerro Santa Lucia
2) Cerro Santa Lucia (Santa Lucia Hill): In 1541, Santiago was founded on this hill (cerro) and today it is a large park. Start at the water fountain along the Alameda, then climb up the curving stairways to the top of the hill, which is the Plaza Caupolican. If the kids don’t feel like walking up, take the glass elevator. On the top there is an old castle which is great for kids to explore and offers excellent views of the city and of the mountains on a clear day. In summer, there are concerts in the amphitheater.
El Muro, Indoor Climbing Gym
3) El Muro: A family-friendly indoor rock climbing gym. Open all week and located at Av. Américo Vespucio Sur 1647 in Las Condes neighborhood.
Parque Quinta Normal
4) Parque Quinta Normal: For an educational experience, you should head to Parque Quinta Normal, home to many of Santiago’s museums. Here, you can visit the Museo Infantíl, which is dedicated to child-friendly science-related exhibits. Many of the exhibits are in Spanish, but there are plenty of interactive activities that your child can engage in without needing to understand the language. It is open Tuesday-Friday from 10:00 to 5:30, and admission is CLP 650 for children and 800 for adults. It is rather small, but definitely worth checking out. Moreover, it’s located inside the park, which has lots of other fun activities for children. Most notably, you can rent paddleboats in the small pond, which can be a great way to cool off on a hot summer day. The closest metro stop is Quinta Normal on the green line.
Parque Metropolitano
5) Parque Metropolitano: The Parque Metropolitano, situated on three hills, is many things in one. To get to the top of Cerro San Cristobal take the funicular (aerial tram) to Plaza Caupolican. On the way up, you might want to stop off at the zoo, the Jardin Zoologico. The zoo gets a negative review, but it has local animals, such as puma, vicuna, deer, condor and tropical birds. On Cerro San Cristobal the 115ft. high statue of the Virgin Mary is a famous Santiago landmark. The Terraza Bellavista has good views of the city.
Take the Tupahue teleferico (gondola) for even better views of the Andes in the distance. If it’s a hot day, the teleferico has an intermediate stop at Estacion Tupahue with a public swimming pool close by. (Take the teleferico up or down from Avenida Pedro de Valdiva.) Kids can easily also just spend the afternoon on hiking trails within the park or biking.
Museo Ferroviario (Railway Museum)
6) Museo Ferroviario (Railway Museum): The Museo Ferroviario is an open air museum with steam engines that once hauled trains through the Andes.
Want to plan your next family adventure to Chile? Contact us!
Check out a list of our recommended family adventures in Chile:
- 3-Day Comprehensive Tour of Santiago
- 4-Day Lakes District: Rainforest Multisport Adventure
- 5-Day Patagonia: Torres Del Paine Flexible EcoCamp
- 4-Day Wonders of Atacama
Your friendly Chile guru,
Gretchen