July 15, 2009

Central and South America - Adventure for Kids too!

In today's travel climate, budget is a huge determining factor on deciding where to go. Central and South America have long been an adventure traveler's delight and low prices are a major reason why. And now, with the Internet and cel phones making remote places seem not that remote, and so many transportation and accommodation option, families are finding the lower Americas a great alternative to that same old USA vacation. In the off-the-beaten path locations like these, you can expect to find mid-range hotels for as little as $30-70/night...even less if you are willing to give up amenities like private bathrooms, air conditioning, location, etc. Spending a little more will offer uniwue opportunities like beachfront locations and remote nature lodges.

Some of our favorite Travel With Kids destinations have been in the Central and South America regions. Adventures that come to mind immdeiately - watching lava actually oozing down the side of Arenal Volcano from our hotel room in Costa Rica; finding bugs, bugs and more bugs on hikes through the Amazon Rainforest in Peru; hiking the last bit of the Inca Trail for the most brilliant view over Machu Picchu in Peru (and riding the fancy train to the trail head!); and watching turtles lay eggs on the beach of the Mayan Riviera in Mexico.

Combining adventure, nature and a budget these Central and South American options have given our family memories to last a lifetime and now they're more accessible than ever.

How We Got There:
We flew TACA Airlines to Costa Rica and Peru - They had great rates and the staff was superb with the kids!

Where We Stayed:
Arenal Observatory Lodge in Arenal, Costa Rica
Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel - Aguas Calientes, Peru
Refugio Amazonas - Amazon Rainforest, Peru
Zahra Beach Bungalows in Tulum, Mexico

To help you plan, check out our family travel documentary series:
Travel With Kids Mexico: The Yucatan & Mayan Riviera
Travel With Kids Costa Rica - due out Summer, 2009
Travel With Kids Peru - due out Summer, 2009

1 comment:

Lorraine Akemann said...

It's great to see a post for this part of the world. We took the kids to Nicaragua and had a great time, but I'm still gaining my confidence to get back down there because one of my kids had some bad luck with a bug. These suggestions look solid and family friendly, and may just help get us back down there again.