Lima with Kids
🐟 Honest family travel guide
Lima can work for families but requires more planning — here's everything you actually need to know before booking: kid-friendly attractions, where to base yourself, stroller realities, and which months to avoid with young children.
Why Lima is harder with kids
- ✦Walkable — easier with kids
- ✦Costs stay reasonable for 4+ people
Best things to do with kids in Lima
Miraflores clifftop malecón
Larco Museum
Ceviche at a proper cevichería (skip the tourist-trap ones near the malecón)
Circuito Mágico del Agua fountains at night
Where to stay with kids
For families, apartment rentals beat hotels almost always — kitchen access means breakfast at your own pace and saving on every meal. Look for places with elevators (not all European apartments have them), washing machines, and walking distance to a park or playground. Lima is amazing value for families — full villas with pools available for less than a hotel room in Europe.
Practical tips for Lima with kids
Most travelers treat Lima as just a layover for Cusco/Machu Picchu — that undersells it. It deserves 2-3 days on its own, mainly for the food, which is genuinely world-class.
Bring a lightweight stroller. Cobblestones can be rough — an off-road stroller helps.
Skip hotel restaurants entirely. A proper cevichería in Miraflores or Barranco (not the ones with English menus on the malecón) is the real Lima experience. Dinner culture is family-friendly in most local spots — staff is usually welcoming to kids.
Taxi drivers at the airport routinely overcharge — use an official app (Uber or InDriver) or a pre-booked airport transfer instead of hailing on the curb.
Best months to visit Lima with kids
For families, weather matters more than for solo travellers — extreme heat or cold turns a fun trip miserable fast. The best months for a family trip to Lima are December, January, February. Avoid June–September ("garúa" — grey, damp coastal fog season; it doesn't actually rain much, it just stays overcast for weeks) — uncomfortable weather is hard on young kids.
How many days do you need with kids?
Adults can pack Lima into 3 days easily. With kids, plan for 5–6 days minimum — you'll do fewer activities per day (one major sight is enough), build in pool/park afternoons, and need recovery days between big outings.