The beautiful city of Oaxaca is a great vacation spot for families: think incredible nature, day trips everyone will love, colourful markets, and great food (and mezcal for when the kids have gone to bed and you need a drink🍹). 👀 Let’s take a look now at how to make the most of a trip to Oaxaca with kids.

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Where is Oaxaca?

🧭 Oaxaca City is actually called Oaxaca de Juárez, although you’ll never really see this name used except on maps or maybe at the airport. It is the capital city of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. 

🌵 ➡️ 🏝While the city itself is inland, the state of Oaxaca borders the Pacific coast and it’s possible to either fly or drive down to the Oaxaca beaches should you wish to do so.

✈️There are direct flights to Oaxaca airport from the USA, and Canada as well as from various other Mexican cities including Mérida and Mexico City (both of which are also fabulous destinations for family vacations).

Where to stay in Oaxaca with kids

These are my 3 top picks for places to stay with kids in Oaxaca – all are apartments because for family vacations there’s nothing better than having space to relax and being able to give the kids breakfast and snacks at home.

How to get around Oaxaca with kids

If you’re just planning on flying in and out of Oaxaca and enjoying a city break, there’s really no need to rent a car as the city itself is very walkable. You can take tours to see the major sites from the city.

🚗If, however, you wish to stay outside of Oaxaca city (I’ve done this and it’s lovely), you’ll be best off renting a car. Likewise if you’re planning on driving to the beach after being in the city.

→ Check car rental options in Oaxaca

✈️ Getting to & from the airport in Oaxaca

^{*don’t worry, this was my tiny plane from the beach – regular size planes serve Oaxaca too}

🚖 Upon arrival in the airport you’ll see a kiosk for the official taxis. You can either take a private or shared taxi/minibus. You tell them where you’re going and they give you the price – it’s expensive but easy. The minibus option obviously costs less but it’s also less convenient as it has specific drop off points and only leaves the airport when it’s full.

♒️ A private transfer either organised by your hotel or by you in advance can actually work out cheaper than the airport cabs.

→ Check GetTransfer prices now

🚕 You can leave the airport grounds (along with many others) and order an Didi cab. It’s cheaper but more hassle if you have luggage. If you’re wondering if there’s Uber in Oaxaca, the answer is no but Didi is very similar – download the app and go.

Getting to the airport from Oaxaca – take any cab or Didi.

🚗 Or: rent a car at the airport

🪅 Stop for a meal at Tierra Negra on your way to or from the airport. This restaurant serves up delicious Oaxaca dishes and there’s an enclosed football field where the kids can run and play.

What is there to do in Oaxaca with kids?

Within the city of Oaxaca there is plenty to do with kids, including young children.

While the kids aren’t going to massively care about the gorgeous colonial architecture (and let’s be clear, it is GORGEOUS), they may still enjoy walking around the main streets because many of the stores have oversized catrinas (skeletons in clothes) outside and the souvenir purchasing opportunities are on a whole other level here. Only San Cristobal de las Casas compares in my opinion (also an incredible place to visit with kids)

​The kids will also love the street art in Oaxaca, I can promise you this. It is absolutely wildly beautiful and it’s everywhere. 

Explore the markets

Mercado Benito Juarez

🛍 The best of all the markets, in my opinion is Mercado Benito Juarez because it offers visitors a little of everything. In this wonderful place you and your kids will just love exploring.

You’ll find wonderful souvenirs, food products, fresh produce, and at the back, restaurant stands where you’ll be able to try dishes from the incredible Oaxacan cuisine – from tlayudas & mole to tacos & ice cream.

Other markets in the city worth checking out are: Mercado de Artesanías (for souvenirs), Mercado de la Merced (fresh produce), Mercado 20 de Noviembre (fresh food and street food stands).

Downtown, in Oaxaca’s historic center you’ll soon see that almost all the stores are aimed at tourists. There are souvenir stores, open air markets, t-shirt shops, co-operatives aplenty. If your family is into shopping, leave at least one day for exploring all your options.

Great souvenir options

🛍 Mezcal candies (less for the kids than for you!), t-shirts, wooden toys, traditional bags and clothing, leather.

🦗 Don’t forget to buy some chapulines (crickets) to eat.

My kids’ favourite Oaxaca souvenirs: woven wicker pig bags, chapulines, tshirts, strings of pom-poms for decorating their bedrooms, alibrijes and sour candy.

Eat ice cream

🍨 My favourite ice cream stall in Mercado Benito Juarez market is Chagüita – don’t be scared, go try one, it’s not only me who recommends this place. It’s something of an iconic spot in Oaxaca these days.

♥️ I highly recommend trying the Beso Oaxaceño – it’s a mix of apple, carrot, coconut & pineapple and it is incredible.

🍨 Sherbet Helados Florales in the Casa de Barror strip on Reforma 703 is something of a modern, trendy take on the traditional nieve experience in Oaxaca and we absolutely loved it.

♥️ I tried cemepasuchil flavour (the traditional Day of the Dead flowers) served in a jicara gourd, pictured above. 

🍨 You’ll see ice cream stands and shops everywhere in Oaxaca and many of the flavours will be new to you so be brave, ask questions and try everything! Note: you’ll see the word ‘nieve’ being used for ice cream rather than ‘helado’  

Try market & street food 

Oaxaca is something of a culinary gem in Mexico. Everywhere you look there will be something delicious and magical to put in your mouth. In Oaxaca, many of these places are kind of trendy and up-market. While your kids will be welcomed into these restaurants, you may not feel like spending a fortune or being stressed out by having your kids in ‘nice’ places. If this is you, try street-food stands or the markets for good and cheap alternatives.

In the markets there are numerous food stalls/open restaurants that are all essentially street food.  

🌮 You’ll see people sitting along the side of the road selling homemade food – tamales, corn, tortas, ice creams and more. 

🌮 You will also see stands where you can buy marquesitas, hot dogs & burgers, esquites, gelatina (jelly/jello) and cake.

⭐️ Tortas La Hormiga

This is my favourite of all the food stalls in Oaxaca – come here to join locals enjoying excellent Mexican sandwiches. Grab a torta, an agua fresca (there’s a nearby stand) and sit on the plaza enjoying your meal (located on Jardín Conzatti).

And of course, for kids, there’s always fast-food such as tacos, McDonald’s pizza options and VIPs if you can’t face the stress of introducing them to new foods.

Try the traditional chocolate & hot chocolate

🍫 Oaxaca is famous for its chocolate so it’s a good option to take the kids into a chocolate shop or two. The most common brand you’ll see is Mayordomo. 

Playgrounds in Oaxaca

🛝 If you’re travelling with smaller kids you may, like me, feel it’s a good idea to break up cultural activities with playground time for the kids.

🛝 On first glance it will seem as if there aren’t really any great playgrounds in Oaxaca but this isn’t correct, you just have to know how to find them. And handily for you, I know where they are and I’m excited to share my knowledge with you.

Plaza fun

Zocalo

Don’t forget of course, that the kids can also play on the plazas in Mexican cities, you just need to keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t run off.

In Oaxaca, the zocalo (also called Plaza de la Constitucion) and the Alameda de Léon are right next to each other, on either side of the cathedral. While these plazas are always busy, there’s also plenty going on for the kids. You’ll find street performers, clowns, people selling all sorts of plastic toys, balloons and more here. The kids will be in heaven and at some point you’re bound to give in and buy something ridiculous for them.

There’s also space for them to play here. My kids, when they were small particularly liked playing in the dry fountain on the Alameda. And they’d always find local kids to play with here too.

El Llano Park

This is not a big lush green park but rather another paved plaza where the kids can play. Here you’ll find the Oaxaca city letters. There is a decent playground here and at night there are often bouncy castles (bounce houses) and electric toy cars for smaller kids. 

Formal playgrounds in Oaxaca

Parque Recreativo Infantil Bicentenario 

^{🧭 Blvd. Eduardo Vasconcelos 617}

This modern playground will keep kids happy for a few hours. There’s also a skate park here and bathrooms too.

Parque Recreativo Infantil del Agua Centenario

^{🧭 C. de Manuel Sabino Crespo S/N, Centro}

A good selection of modern playground equipment. There are bathrooms here.

Parque Ciudad de las Canteras

^{🧭 Agencia Municipal Sta Maria Ixcotel}

There is a small playground, lake and places to run and play

El Fortin

​This is a little outside of Oaxaca (near the cerro with the auditorium) but if you’re really looking for a great playground, this is your best option.

Luis Donaldo Colosio Parque

Nearer to San Felipe del Agua than the centre of Oaxaca, this is my favourite spot to take my kids in Oaxaca.

Here, in Parque Colosio (as people call it) you’ll find a playground, small kids’ library and indoor play as well as a fun (and slightly wild) park to explore. Perfect for nature lovers with small kids who can’t get into the mountains. 

Parque Ecoturistico Huayapam

^{🧭 Carretera Huayapam km.1, San Andrés Huayápam}

My family loves this area of Oaxaca. We actually stayed for a week or so in San Andres Huayápam and made good use of this ecopark. There’s even an outdoor pool and a zipline here. We went paddle boating on the lake, the kids rode horses and we had a great time exploring the park. 

Indoor Play

💨 Oaxaca, like much of Mexico can get extremely hot so there are plenty of indoor play spaces available. Here, parents can get a drink and sit in AC while kids go wild.

💨 There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your kids to one of these places or to a fast food restaurant to enjoy a break in the AC while the kids play in the indoor play space. I do not regret one moment of the time I have spent in fast food restaurants in the AC in Mexico. Try the following options:

✅ Diversions Ping Pong (indoor play)

✅ VIPs (chain restaurant that often has indoor play spaces)

✅ McDonald’s

➕ there’s also a small playground at the Macroplaza mall if you’re needing to go to Walmart anyway.

Botanical Gardens (Jardín Etnobotanico de Oaxaca)

I’ve taken my kids to Oaxaca’s Botanical Gardens and while I enjoyed it, my kids didn’t love that it was a mandatory guided tour. They were little when they went and all they wanted to do was spin in circles and see the cacti, they didn’t want to listen to the tour (only in Spanish).

That said, not everything has to be for the kids!

Museums & Churches

✅ Museo Infantil de Oaxaca 

^{🧭 Antigua Estación del, Av Ferrocarril 511, Francisco I. Madero}

^{Open 11am – 6.30pm Tues – Sun}

This children’s museum & cultural center is housed in an old railroad station. It offers kids art workshops, events & a library. Here you’ll find lots of space for the kids to run around, play and take part in arts and crafts sessions. While this was primarily established for local kids, visitors to the city are welcome too.

​

The two biggest churches in Oaxaca are: 

Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzman (pictured above)

Catedral Metropolitana de Oaxaca Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

You could look inside them with your kids if you wanted to. 😂 My kids give approximately zero 💩 about churches so we tend to do a quick walk around and then leave.

➕ Templo del Carmen Alto – when my kids were tiny we’d sometimes stop in here to let the kids run in the secluded and enclosed plaza.

What are the best day trips from Oaxaca with kids?

One of the joys of Oaxaca is the countryside around the city. While you’re in town, it feels as if everywhere you look you see the Sierra Norte’s cerros (small mountains) calling to you so getting out into them is really something most people want to do.

👣 You can take a tour, either prearranged or you can hope to pick one up in Oaxaca – to do this I generally go to the Alameda. Behind the row of market stalls are numerous tour agencies. Do be warned that these tend to be more basic than anything you’ll find on the internet.

🚗 Rent a car and go off exploring on your own.

⭐️ The day trips I mention below are the ones I specifically think kids will love. Between these and spending time in the larger, more wild parks (above), you’ll be well covered for Oaxaca day trips that everyone can enjoy.

➡️ Read more about day trips from Oaxaca

Oaxaca with kids: archaeological sites

Monte Albán 

Along with the historic center of Oaxaca, this site makes up Oaxaca’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

This archaeological site is the most famous and the most visited in the region. It is breathtakingly beautiful and makes for a perfect place for the kids to run, play, learn and hopefully tire themselves out. 

The site sites at almost 2000m above sea level, which means great views today and made it an easily defensible location when it established in around 500 BCE. Nearby ruins of Atzompa and El Gallo were once a part of the city of Monte Albán.

My kids were 2 and 4 when we first visited this gorgeous ruin and although it’s enormous and there are lots of monumental steps to climb, they loved it and it remains one of their favourite ancient ruins in all of Mexico. 

🔆 Note: there is very little shade here so be sure to put the kids in sun hats, use sun spray and take plenty of water with you. There is a cafe and a drinks stand on site.

🚕 🚗 🦶🏽You can take a taxi to Monte Albán, drive it, walk if your kids are bigger and you’re a fit and healthy family, or take a tour.

Distance from Oaxaca: 7 km (20 mins in a car, 2 hour walk)

Monte Albán tour options

📌 Many tours to Monte Albán include trips to palenques (mezcal distilleries) and/or artisan towns where you’ll be shown how the traditional artisanias (usually the pottery, carpets, hammocks or alibrijes) are made and, of course, they’ll hope you’ll buy something.

⭐️ Monte Albán tour – transport from Oaxaca & guided tour around the site. No other stops

⭐️ Monte Albán + arts villages – explore Monte Albán, visit Arrazola to learn about alebrijes. Enjoy a traditional lunch and then visit San Bartolo Coyotepec to learn about Oaxacan traditional black pottery.

➕ It’s possible to buy tickets for a tour bus to Monte Albán on the zocalo.

​Mitla

^{San Pablo Villa de Mitla} 

This is a smaller ruin site dating from around 600 CE. It is the second most important site in the state of Oaxaca, after Monte Albán. Mitla was an important religious centre for the Zapotec and the Mixtec people. Its name comes from the Nahuatl word Mictlán, which means “place of the dead”. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommends: Origen Maíz – I had a delicious meal on the terrace here in 2024 and highly recommend it to everyone visiting Mitla. Note that you won’t be able to get strollers up to the terrace as access is via a small spiral staircase.

Mitla tour options

📌 If you wish to see Mitla and aren’t renting a car, you’ll probably be visiting it as part of a bigger day trip that includes Hierve el Agua and El Tule too – this is the common package.

⭐️ Mitla, Hierve el Agua & El Tule – visit the enormous tree in El Tule, learn how rugs are made in Teotitlán del Valle*, explore Mitla ruins. At Hierve el Agua you have time for a quick swim or guided tour. The day ends at a mezcal distillery where you can sample the products.

* I love wandering through Teotitlán del Valle so even if you don’t care about the rug demonstration, this is still lovely.

Hierve el Agua

💦 Visiting the famous petrified waterfall is a highlight of any trip to Oaxaca. At this ancient geological site you and the kids can explore the paths to miradores (viewpoints) to find the best views of the incredible waterfall-style rock formations. If your kids are patient and older, perhaps hire a local guide to explain everything to you as you explore. If they’re not, just have fun and marvel in the incredible views. 

You can also relax/splash around in the pools of water – note that there are changing rooms but no lockers so you’ll be leaving your bags on the side, unguarded. 

When you’ve had your fill of swimming/relaxing/exploring, grab a coconut water or a snack from the market stands at the entrance before heading off on your way. 

Hierve el Agua tour options

📌 As noted above, many of the tours to Hierve el Agua also include el Tule, Mitla and artisan villages.

⭐️ Mitla, Hierve el Agua & El Tule – visit the enormous tree in El Tule, learn how rugs are made in Teotitlán del Valle*, explore Mitla ruins. At Hierve el Agua you have time for a quick swim or guided tour. The day ends at a mezcal distillery where you can sample the products.

⭐️ Hierve el Agua hiking tour – this tour allows 2 hours to explore the petrified waterfall area, which is more than most tours. Next stop is a traditional smoke house for lunch followed by a stop in Teotitlan del Valle.

Santa Maria del Tule

The first time I visited this small town in 2016 there was little here to do but see the famous Montezuma Cypress tree here – known as El Arbol del Tule. It’s over 1,400 years old, is the widest tree in the world and yes, it’s pretty cool. There’s a small charge to enter the proximity of the tree (20 pesos I think). I paid the first time I went, the second (in 2024), I didn’t as it’s possible to see this very big tree without walking through the barriers. 

All around the plaza are some interesting market stalls where you can pick up some decent souvenirs. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommends: If you have time, stop in at Restaurante El Milenario for a truly delicious meal.

​El Tule tour options

⭐️ Mitla, Hierve el Agua & El Tule – visit the enormous tree in El Tule, learn how rugs are made in Teotitlán del Valle*, explore Mitla ruins. At Hierve el Agua you have time for a quick swim or guided tour. The day ends at a mezcal distillery where you can sample the products.

Where next in Oaxaca with kids?

Los Pueblos Mancomunados 

While it would be hard to visit the Sierra Norte as a day trip, taking a trip into the lush forest on the small mountains surrounding Oaxaca is a great thing to do with kids. Everyone will have a wonderful time as they explore around the which ever of the eight villages you decide to visit. From horse riding & bike riding, to ziplining & waterfalls there’s plenty to do to entertain the entire family. In fact, in my opinion, this is one of the best places to take kids in the state of Oaxaca. 

If you want to stay overnight (highly recommended) in the pueblos mancomunados you’ll need to book all your accommodation in advance

➡️ Read more about visiting the pueblos mancomunados

➡️ Read more about visiting the pueblos mancomunados with kids

⭐️ Spend the day in Cuajimoloyas – upon arrival in the village (3,200m above sea level), enjoy a meal before heading off to hike with a local guide. Visit a trout farm to learn about traditional farming before eating on site. Go ziplining over the village before returning home to Oaxaca.

⭐️ Book your full tour (of choice) with Expediciones Sierra Norte

Pacific Ocean Beaches

Oaxaca’s Pacific beaches remain unspoiled by mass tourism and are extremely beautiful. While not all the beaches offer calm seas where children can swim and play unsupervised, there are certainly beaches that are suitable for family vacations around Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. My favourite beach in the whole of Mexico is located in a difficult to reach secret bay not far from Huatulco. 

​🐬 There are dolphin & whale watching tours and more that you can take from Puerto Escondido and the other small towns along this coast.

How to get to the beach from Oaxaca

🚗 – thanks to the new highway, this is now just a  3 hour trip (when I drove in 2021 it took us 7 hours on small, winding mountain roads). If you aren’t renting a car, you could organise a private transfer.

🚌 – 3 hours with ADO (book in Spanish or English)

✈️ – if your kids (or you) are not scared of tiny planes then I can whole-heartedly recommend flying from Oaxaca to Huatulco with Toucan Airlines. Not only is it the quickest way to get to the beach from Oaxaca (45 minutes) but the views from the plane brought tears to my eyes they were so beautiful.

📹 You can see a video of my incredible flight on Instagram

Oaxaca with kids: Día de los Muertos

And of course, we can’t talk about Oaxaca without mentioning Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Mexico’s most popular festival. Oaxaca is one of the most popular places for visitors to Mexico to experience this celebration of life and death and I can assure you that the whole family will have a great time.

➡️ Read more about experiencing Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca