Top Central & South America Kid-Friendly

Just outside the crowded beaches of Tamarindo, Las Baulas National Park offers an often-overlooked natural getaway. This tour takes you through the park’s vast network of mangrove forests on a relaxing boat trip. As you float down the river, your guide points out wildlife like howler monkeys, crocodiles, and tropical birds that you might not see on your own.

Just outside the crowded beaches of Tamarindo, Las Baulas National Park offers an often-overlooked natural getaway. This tour takes you through the park’s vast network of mangrove forests on a relaxing boat trip. As you float down the river, your guide points out wildlife like howler monkeys, crocodiles, and tropical birds that you might not see on your own.

Make the most of limited time in Costa Rica with a guided half-day nature walk through Manuel Antonio National Park. Don’t waste time wondering what to see next; instead, head straight to the park’s highlights in the company of a naturalist guide and benefit from their animal spotting expertise and spotting scope to see creatures you might otherwise have missed.

Experience popular Costa Rican activities on this combination adventure tour. First, hop on an off-road buggy and hit the area's rugged terrain, riding through rivers and over mountain trails. You’ll head to a sloth rescue refuge, which rehabilitates injured, orphaned, or confiscated wildlife. The habitats are designed to provide a natural setting for the animals and allows visitors to experience up-close, safe viewing of sloths, monkeys, jaguars, toucans, pumas, and more. The tour ends with a stop at different area beaches.

Home to over 100 species of animals, five waterfalls and a cloud forest the Wildlife Refuge La Paz Waterfall gardens is bursting with bio diversity. Visit, explore, learn and even hike among the sloths, monkeys, tropical birds, pumas, ocelots and more who call Costa Rica’s most visited private ecological reserve home. Take in the incredible plant life like wild orchids on this full-day, small group tour with lunch included.

Combine ziplines for all adrenaline levels with animal encounters and beach relaxation on Roatan Island. Choose mild or extreme ziplining (or skip it altogether), then hang out with monkeys, sloths, parrots, macaws, and more before snorkeling and relaxing on the white sand of West Bay Beach. Convenient pick-up at the cruise ship port or your hotel is included and a DVD of your adventure is available for purchase.

A private tour of Manuel Antonio National Park gives you a personalized look at the park’s many attractions. As you make your way through the forests, your guide shares information about the local ecosystem that you might miss on your own, and helps you spot wildlife like sloths, toucans, and monkeys using high-tech scopes—not included on most Manuel Antonio tours. This tour includes all transportation and your admission ticket, too, giving it extra value.

Wildlife lovers and keen bird watchers won't want to miss this small-group penguin-spotting tour in the Falklands Islands. See the cute birds in their natural habitat, at Magellanic penguin colonies at Bertha's Beach and Gypsy Cove. Also enjoy a cultural tour of Stanley, the islands' capital, to learn more about this remote territory.

Head out on a snorkeling adventure with this small-group tour. You'll set sail from Colorada Beach on Drake Bay and head out to Caño Island for a couple of snorkeling sessions. You'll then continue to San Josecito Beach, where you'll dine on an included lunch before returning to your departure point.

Though renowned for its wildlife, spotting the Arenal and La Fortuna area's favorite animal residents can be notoriously tricky. Tour a number of locations where wildlife sightings are all but guaranteed on this Arenal wildlife tour—expect to see sloths, toucans, dart frogs, and more with the help of your guide. Tour includes use of spotting scope and hotel pickup and drop-off.

Experience a variety of activities in once convenient and scenic location on this family-friendly tour. Drive all-terrain vehicles, go horseback riding to the top of a mountain, and zipline through the rain forest canopy. You’ll also visit a monkey sanctuary which has a snake exhibit and a petting zoo. A professional guide is with you the whole way to ensure safety, especially for the little ones.

Get a taste of Costa Rica’s famed biodiversity without straying too far from the city with this all-access day pass to La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park. Featuring hiking trails through the cloud forest, cascading waterfalls, a rescued jungle cats educational program, and numerous specialty wildlife exhibits, La Paz Waterfall Gardens guarantees good fun for the whole family. This pass can be redeemed anytime during the park’s normal operating hours and is good for accessing all of the exhibits.

Explore one of the world’s most diverse collections of species gathered in one place with a visit to the animal sanctuary at Diamante Eco Adventure Park in Guanacaste. From adorable three-toed sloths to scaly reptiles and sleek jungle cats, see an amazing array of animals rescued by the Costa Rican Ministry of Wildlife, and learn about the park’s conservation projects. The naturally designed habitats include hummingbird gardens and a large butterfly observatory teeming with jewel-toned beauties.

Discover Roatan’s most colorful creatures—then hit the beach—on a private tour that explores an iguana farm, a wildlife sanctuary, and a butterfly garden. Touring the island with a private guide means an outing that’s tailored to your group; with the option to snorkel, dive, parasail, or just enjoy the view on West Bay Tabyana Beach, the day can be as relaxed or active as you want.

You don’t need to venture deep into the rain forest to see Costa Rica’s spectacular wildlife on this guided nature walk in a La Fortuna nature center. On this tour, a guide accompanies you on an easy, kid-friendly walk through the forest, pointing out wildlife like sloths, birds, and tree frogs along the way.

Safely immerse yourself in Costa Rican nature and wildlife on a 7-hour tour to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Leave the busy streets of San Jose behind in comfortable air-conditioned transportation from your hotel. Discover more than 100 species at the sanctuary, including titi monkeys, 2-toed sloths, pumas, and margays. You can even feed hummingbirds by hand. Have your camera ready for the cloud forest, waterfalls, and aviary.

Combine sights of native Roatan animals with a relaxing beach break on this private tour. You'll meet and learn about sloths, capuchin monkeys, green and black iguanas, macaws, and parrots. Embarking on a private tour means you'll have the ability to travel at your own pace and ask plenty of questions. Finish up your tour with a beach break for some rest and relaxation on the sand.

Manuel Antonio may best known for its beautiful beaches, but another world comes alive in its jungles at night. Get an up-close look at nocturnal creatures like spiders, frogs, snakes, and bats on a private night hike through a nature reserve. A certified naturalist guide knows just where to find these creepy crawlers and ensures the safety of your group on this educational adventure.

Manuel Antonio National Park is a must-visit for nature lovers but without a guide you’ll miss many of the local residents, quiet and camouflaged among the trees. On this 2.5-hour private guided tour you’ll explore with a naturalist guide who knows where and how to spot sloths, monkeys, toucans, iguanas, and much more. Watch them through a high-powered spotting scope.

Head out into the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the world's highest concentration of big cats, with this river tubing experience. You'll start with an educational hike to learn about the local plants and animals, followed by a river tubing experience that will take you to a waterfall area that's great for swimming!

Learn about Costa Rica’s most remarkable creatures on a 1.5-hour tour of a La Fortuna wildlife rescue center. Explore the center with a naturalist guide, get a glimpse at some of the center’s cutest inhabitants, and see how conservation efforts are saving vulnerable species from development and poaching.

Get an up-close look at the Falkland Islands’ Gentoo penguins during this 3.5-hour visit to Bertha’s Beach with a small group. Travel aboard a vehicle with a maximum of four seats as you observe the colony of more than 500 penguins that call this section of the Islands’ East Coast home, watching as they swim and feed their young. Round-trip port transport, entrance fees, and a snack are included.

Saddle up for a thrilling 2-hour horseback riding adventure from Playa Flamingo and soak up the scenery from the back of a beautiful horse! Look out for Howler monkeys, iguanas, magpie blue jay and parakeets as you amble along rainforest trails or let loose with a gallop along the beach. Best of all: there are a range of horses and trails suitable for all levels, from complete beginners to experienced riders.

The Costa Rican jungle is home to a number of unique species, many of which come out at night. This nighttime jungle tour visits the forests of La Fortuna for a guided walk. Learn about various jungle species from your naturalist guide and get tips for photographing the nocturnal creatures. Animals you may see including frogs, sloths, bats, and reptiles.

Learn all about Panama’s unique culture and environment on this small-group day tour that’s especially designed for cruise-ship passengers in Colon. Make the most of your time on land on this half-day tour to the rainforest, San Lorenzo Fort, and the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal. Spot wildlife including monkeys and sloths, learn about Panamanian history, and be amazed by one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering.