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Acapulco -- A Great Vacation Place for Kids

The popular impression of Acapulco is as a romantic getaway or a place for Spring Break parties, but in truth, the younger set also enjoys what Acapulco has to offer for a family vacation.

Beaches. The beaches inside the bay of Acapulco have waves, but they are calmer than out on the ocean front, and are just right for young children. At the beach you can take the kids on a jet ski ride, or climb aboard the big “banana.” Day trips on glass bottom boats to Isla Roqueta or excursions by boat into the bay are also good fun.

Kids’ Programs. Back at the hotel, you may find that the hotel activities desk has planned a special program just for children. Usually these activities are restricted to kids from about 6 years of age to about 12 years, and they involve pool activities, exercises, tours of the building, crafts, stories and videos. Kids’ Programs are not offered by every hotel, and usually they are set up just for high season or on weekends during the summer. If your hotel has a kids’ program, it is usually offered without additional charge.

CiCi Water Park. This water park has lots of amusements, rides, a “lazy river,” and best of all, swimming with dolphins. Delfines Paradise (with an office on Condesa Beach) also offers kids a chance to swim with dolphins in their own environment.

Parque Papagayo. Acapulco’s “central park” is a great place for strolling around, buying souvenirs and eating snacks. You can also go out in paddle boats, and the younger kids can enjoy inflated jumping equipment. A small train and a miniature bus take tours around. There is a model galleon in the lake, and lots of animals to look at. Kids enjoy feeding the ducks.

AquaPlanet. This attraction is in “La Isla” (in Acapulco’s “Diamond Zone”). Aquaplanet is an educational center for grade school children, designed to entertain as it explains about water conservation and ecology. Other options include a rock climbing wall, a large kid’s pool, mini-golf and bumper boats.

Mágico Mundo Marino is a marine museum with some water fun built in as well. It is found in between the Caleta and Caletilla beaches on the west side of Acapulco’s bay.

Other entertainment options for the kids include the malls, of course. Not only do Acapulco’s main shopping areas offer a big selection of first-run movies, but also video arcades and “fun centers.” Recorcholis is in the Gran Plaza. Another arcade is in Galerías Diana. In the Plaza Bahía shopping center there is a full-service bowling alley.

Excursions of several kinds are also in the offing. The Shotover Jet takes you in a high-speed hydrofoil along the Laguna de Tres Palos. This is a great chance to see and learn about tropical wildlife. Many families simply go to the Laguna and rent a boat for the day and go out on the lake. It is a self-guided tour to a beautiful tropical forest.

Families with older children can enjoy an historical tour, like the one of Fort San Diego, first built in 1616. There is also a small tour of the “House of Masks” near the fort, which kids in junior high and older can appreciate.

For nature lovers, the best hikes are up in the Veladero National Park, the natural, mountainous area that surrounds Acapulco.

If you take a short trip to Acapulco’s central square, or Zócalo, in the late afternoons or early evenings, you may arrive when the clowns are performing in the gazebo. If you are lucky, you will catch an impromptu show of music or dance.

Finally, browsing the local markets may be an activity that the kids will remember for a long time. The biggest is the Central Market downtown, which is busy with fish, meat and produce as well as all sorts of other merchandise. In Acapulco’s “Golden Zone” you will find several markets that cater to tourists with toys, clothing and souvenirs.

If you need the services of a babysitter while having a vacation in Acapulco, just ask at the concierge or reception desk. Almost all hotels can arrange for in-room baby sitting by a qualified person who has been screened in advance.

About the Author

Bernal Castillo writes for RealAcapulco.com, the most complete and reliable source of information about Acapulco, in English and in Spanish. To reach him, go to Acapulco and navigate to the contact page.

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