Our Panama City Family Itinerary

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Here is our Panama City family itinerary, the real one we followed with two kids in tow. It mixes the old town, the Canal, and a little rainforest, with enough downtime that nobody melted down. For more on each piece, see our Panama City with kids guide, things to do in Panama City with kids, and where to eat in Panama City with kids.

Our Panama City Family Itinerary

Panama is a great destination for families with kids of all ages.  If you are coming from North America it is a very convenient destination that provides diversity and adventure but is not a long flight.  It is also a great destination for families looking to start traveling but maybe haven’t traveled outside of the US before.

Let’s talk about the infrastructure…

Compared to neighboring Costa Rica, the infrastructure of Panama is superior.  For many decades there was a very large US military presence in Panama and many things were learned and gained by the Panamanian people during this time.  For example, the water system.  Unlike the other central American countries, Panama has a pretty state of the art water treatment system.  It is one of the only countries in Central America where it is safe to drink the tap water.  Your kids can brush their teeth and get shower water in their mouths and you don’t have to worry about them getting sick!  That being said, our family rule for travel is usually to stick to bottled water for drinking, just to be safe.

The roads in Panama appear to be better cared for.  Full disclosure, we did not go to very remote locations, however, the quality of the roads were far superior to our experiences in neighboring Costa Rica.  In Costa Rica, many of the roads are referred to as “monkey roads” because of their state of dilapidation.  We saw no “monkey roads” in Panama.

Medical care is probably one of the best you can get in Central America.  In fact, that is why Panama is such a popular destination for aging expats to retire.  As a mom, I am always considering the quality of medical care and access to such medical care while we are traveling.  I will stress a lot less if I know my kids will have quick access to medical help should an emergency arise.

Aaaannnd… they use the US dollar!!  Just one more convenience when traveling from the US, you don’t have to worry about exchanging any money!

Is Panama Stroller friendly?

I would say for the most part, yes, Panama City is stroller friendly.  There are some sidewalks in Casco Viejo that ran a little narrow in spots and a stroller may not fit without having to deviate into the street for a bit (which can get a bit sketchy with the way some locals drive).  For the most part, streets and sidewalks are pretty well maintained in many of the tourist areas.  Just remember, most countries do not have ADA compliance rules, something in American we often take for granted.  Just expect that there will probably be times when you have to carry the stroller up/down a few stairs.  Ask Dawson about the time he had to carry Kaida, in her stroller, up a couple hundred steps in Prague…not cool.  But we do what we gotta do in the moment, and we survive!

Picky little Eaters

In case you have a picky little eater, like we do, you might be wondering, what is my kid going to eat in Panama?!  Well, eating in Panama with kids, was pretty easy.  French fries and chicken fingers!  No, really, the kids ate a lot of chicken fingers here!  Better yet, they were actually really good everywhere we went.  I don’t even eat chicken fingers but I was stealing them all the time!

Most places also had ketchup.  I thought that Kaida would eat a lot of quesadillas but turns out, quesadillas are not super popular in Panama.  Even when they could make a quesadilla, they often only had corn tortilla’s which Kaida won’t eat.  Oh well.  There were lots of fresh juices and smoothies on offer everywhere, being as it is hot year round in Panama.

Pro tip: Take your littles favorite snacks.  Since Kaida is SOOOO picky, I usually pack a giant carton of goldfish and a Costco size pack of granola bars in our suitcase.  Seems like a pain is the ass but really you are just reserving space for the trinkets you will probably buy.  If you don’t go through all of the snacks then who cares if you leave a few granola bars behind, no biggie!

There are no car seat laws…

Like many countries we have visited, there are no car seat laws.  This can be a tough spot for parents, especially when we are used to your kid always being in a car seat, ALWAYS.   You absolutely have the option of carrying one on the airplane or gate checking it.  If you plan on renting a car or spending a lot of time in a car, this may be a good option for you.  On this trip we opted to take the portable booster for Kaida, who was 4, and poor Viona just had to ride with a lap belt.  We were not spending too much time in a car in Panama so we took the risk.  Everyone will have a different opinion and comfort level about this.  Do what you need to do!

Activities for kids

There is no shortage of activities to do in Panama with kids.

Whether you decide to go on a bike ride or boat ride, take a chocolate making class or explore the sites, there are options that will keep the whole family happy!  Check out all of our recommended activities on our What to See & Do in Panama page!

How We Paced Panama City With Kids

If we planned this trip again, we would keep the same rhythm: one anchor activity a day, mornings outside, afternoons slow. Day one we eased in around Casco Viejo, letting the kids set the pace between plazas and ice cream stops. Day two we went early to the Miraflores locks to watch the ships, then cooled off indoors through the hottest hours. Day three we traded the city for green space at the Metropolitan Natural Park and the Amador Causeway, where the breeze off the water made the heat bearable.

We never stacked two big outings in one day, and we always built in a pool break or a quiet lunch. That single rule, one big thing a day, is what kept Panama City fun instead of exhausting for everyone, kids and adults alike.