Is it just me, or does it seem like there are so many rules associated with parenting and daily life nowadays? And let’s not forget all the people judging you on those rules and nit-picking everything that you do (or you don’t do). Sometimes life at home can become so demanding and overwhelming that it makes me think that the best thing to do is just pack up the littles, book a ticket, and jump on a plane. And the best thing about traveling abroad with kids? You get to throw all those rules out the window and just say “screw it.”

Now, I say this not because I’m a carefree, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, hate-all-the-rules kind of mom. I’m actually just the opposite. I obsess over best practice car seat safety, dislike when my kid is dirty, unkempt or has snot running down her face, and say “no” and “be careful” more times than I care to admit. So, the thought of forgetting about all rules and backpacking with my daughter to a foreign country made me hyperventilate with fear and panic. Was I ecstatic to travel with her and bring her to a new country that I absolutely love? 100% yes. It’s what I’ve been wanting to do since day 1. I couldn’t wait to go. But for some reason I can book plane tickets without worrying about anything – not whether I can really afford it, or how I’ll get the time off work, or what I need to do before leaving. Then, the second those seats are booked, my over-thinking mom brain kicks in and I realize there are so many things to consider that never even crossed my mind.

But you know what? It all works out in the end. Now, as a rule-follower, it took me a lot to come to that conclusion. Trust me. There was a lot of kicking and screaming that occurred (mine, not my daughter’s this time). We had planned this trip in a totally different fashion than I’m used to when it comes to traveling with M, but in the end, everything went surprisingly smooth. Well… we did have to pay an arm and a leg in baggage fees, found ourselves knee-deep in a Mexican taxi scam, and were hustled by people we trusted, but all things considered, it was great. We learned some new tips and tricks for bookings flights, M gets to be more and more of a dream to travel with the older that she gets, and we did some pretty cool “whoa, I’ve never seen anyone do that before” things. We were blazing our own trail on this one and it did not disappoint.

It would probably take me multiple blog posts to write about all we experienced, which I’m hoping to do one day, but for now, let’s stick with an informative (albeit long) post for all you caregivers of the littles out there.

I know how scary it can be to think about taking your kid abroad. Even just to an all-inclusive resort where everything is catered for you can be stressful – trust me, I get it. Been there, done that, got the stress-lines to prove it. (Hell, you can even read about it here). So, I understand how the thought of backpacking with kids would make you want to run screaming to the nearest wine store. But hear me out. It’s really not as bad as the horror stories your mind might be conjuring up right about now. Kids really can surprise you. So, I’m here to say, put aside your fears and hesitations, and consider booking that trip with your little one. They’re only little for so long, and there’s so much to see and explore out there!

And if you want to make Guatemala your first trip, let me tell you about some of the incredible things there are to do with kids!

The Top 5 Most Unique Things to do in Guatemala With Young Kids

1. Stay in a treehouse

Having a cool please to stay is something that kids get really excited about. And no, I don’t mean a fancy hotel with nice amenities (that’s likely a you thing, not a them thing). I’m talking about a fun, super unique place to call home for the night, or a couple nights. Something like a treehouse. And yes, they do exist for a reasonable price.

Before we left, A actually found this place by chance. And if we hadn’t wanted to hightail it to the lake, we probably would have stayed here longer. This place is a hidden gem, because yes, it is hidden – high in the hills above Antigua, down a bumpy, back rural road, and then a 300m walk down a dirt hill. It’s an adventure all in itself to even get there, and 100% worth it. Earth Lodge is a wellness center in the absolute middle of nature, and located on the side of a mountain looking over Antigua. It’s magical in every sense.

There are yoga classes in a glassed fitness center overlooking the city below, an avocado forest, a rustic sauna that looks as as if you’re walking into a Hobbiton home, tree swings and hidden tree ropes, hiking trails, delicious food and drinks, and an atmosphere of healing and wholesome wellness. And best of all, you get to sleep in a treehouse! All of us (M included) were stoked on this place when we found it. (I’d shown M photos before we left to get her hyped up about our trip. Actually, I told all my colleagues too because, come on! How often do you get to stay in a treehouse!) It was also reasonably priced for what you get and where you are – around $140 CDN per night – and as a bonus, kids stay free!

This place was amazing. I can’t say enough good about it. I’d stay here again in a heartbeat. We stayed in “Casa Buena Vista”, which was an A-frame treehouse with a cozy loft (which M had all to herself, complete with a sparkly moon nightlight and a window that looked out to the stars). We also had our own private bathroom and shower (a separate room down the cobble trail) and our own private patio and hammock chill area.

2. Book a homestay

We based ourselves in San Pedro la Laguna because A had wanted to do Spanish lessons at one of the many schools in this village. (As a side note, classes fill up quickly and it’s really difficult to just show up and sign up for a class on the spot. If this is something you’re interested in, make sure you book well ahead to get into both the school you want and on the dates you want.) One of the best things about travelling is experiencing and learning new cultures and languages and embracing the unknown. And what better way to do that than by both taking a language class AND staying with a local!

But regardless of whether you decide to take lessons, I highly recommend that you stay at a homestay. It gives you both cultural and language immersion, and an incredible opportunity to meet and learn from the locals. And that’s just what we did. Plus, we stayed with a family that had children too, and M was over the moon to have kids to play with. It just goes to show how international the language of play is. They didn’t speak the same language, but they played with each other for hours – running around the neighbourhood, playing football on the rooftop, colouring, and sharing their toys.

I’ve had the opportunity to stay in homestays during previous travels and every time the experience had been so incredible. I mean, it is what you make of it I suppose, but it gives you such an amazing opportunity to learn and grow and increase your knowledge and awareness of life in that area. Like I said before, it’s something I’d highly recommend. Just remember, if you’re traveling with kids, make sure you ask them to pair you with a family that also has kids around the same age if possible.

3. Explore the Antigua Playgrounds

Antigua is gorgeous. There’s nothing quite like the cobblestone streets, the cute cafes, and the eclectic boutique shops. Not to mention the infamous pale yellow archway – Arco de Santa Catalina. But unfortunately that stuff isn’t all that exciting for younger kids. But what is intriguing about Antigua to these little grasshoppers are playgrounds! And Antigua does not disappoint in that regard. Some of them are even brilliantly embedded into local breweries, eateries, and coffee shops. A win-win for kids and parents alike!

There are three parks that I’d recommend. The first is Parque infantil, San Sebastián – a super cute playground for the littles located at the northern end of 7a Avenida Norte and C. De Chajón. It was bright, fun, had snack vendors around the area, and was highly popular with the locals.

The second park is just a block and half south of San Sebastián park, and it’s located in Antigua Cerveza. Yes, when you google it, it comes up as a bar/eatery (which it is), but this absolute gem in the middle of the city is a must visit, regardless of your child status. The unassuming entrance off C. del Desengaño leads into a fabulous garden oasis that has a beer garden, restaurant, and a play area for the kids (complete with blow up jumpy-castles, a playground, submerged trampoline, and a big grassy area to run around in). And, as a bonus, it’s right beside the beer garden. So, you can sit and sip while also maintaining visual contact with the kiddos at all times.

Finally, inside Telares Mall Antigua, is a secret playground that we had a hard time dragging M out of. It’s located in the interior courtyard of a modern mall and was a fun accidental find as we were looking for SIM cards. There are tons of stores, coffee shops (I think even a Starbucks), an arcade, restaurants and it’s incredibly clean and beautifully manicured. A perfect place if you want to browse around the shops, grab an appy, or sip coffee while you watch the littles play.

4. Lake Atitlan Boat Rides

a) San Marcos la Laguna – a hippy vibe like no other. You literally couldn’t find someone that didn’t embrace the lifestyle, whether it was dreads, bare feet, bra-less women, or loose boho apparel, it was all covered (or not covered if you know what i mean). It’s got unique shops and cafes for the adults down the narrow main uphill drag (kid friendly though – mine had a solid nap on a pillow-filled couch while we sipped on turmeric lattes), but the place the kiddos will love is a small beach beside a rarely used dock. To find it, go left when you get off the ferry pier and follow the signs along the winding back alleyways, past the many hostels and yoga retreats, for the Reserva Natural Cerro Tzankujil. The beach is right below the entrance – just pop down the stairs. And best of all, it’s free! Also, the Reserva Natural Cerro Tzankujil is also a really nice, short hike that takes you to a 12m dive platform. It’s really quite pretty and M had fun climbing up all the rocks, while A, of course, didn’t pass up an opportunity to hurl his body off a cliff and into the water below.

B) Santa Cruz la Laguna to the Free Cerveza hostel for their beer hour. I know it doesn’t sound like the most kid-friendly location, but hear me out. From the pier you take a lakeside walk to get to the hostel. But whether or not you make the stop at the hostel, keep on going along the path for a fun little adventure all on its own. You’ll find a couple of swings overlooking the lake, some banana phones (imagination required), bamboo forests, and lots of climbing up, down, through and around things. But when you make it back to the hostel (because you should), you’ll be rewarded with more fun. The hostel features a terrace common area with fantastic lake views. There are also a ton of games here – ping pong, air hockey, Jenga, board games, plus great music, bean bag chairs and dress up clothes. They had no problem with M being there and we were welcomed with open arms. The beer hour is included in the hostel room price (which is announced by all the staff yelling out “Free Cerveza!” at it’s commencement), but as a non-guest you can just pay an upfront fee of around $10 CDN and it includes unlimited beer and a set meal, which everyone is served after the beer hour (pizza while we were there). We ended up spending a couple hours at the hostel and we all had a blast! Just make sure you don’t miss the last taxi back to where you’re going, as beer hour is fairly closely to the last ferry time!

C) head back to Panajachel (or warmly, Pana, as it’s known to the locals) and take a tuk tuk over to Atitlan Reserva Natural. Here you’re in for a day of hiking, tip-toeing over suspension bridges, searching for monkey and coatis, and playing in the rustic playground. It’s open from 8:00am – 5:00pm and the entrance fees are $10.50 USD for adults and $5 USD for kids under 12. It’s easily a full day experience if you factor in play time in the park, plus there’s also a cafe with basic food and cheap(er) beers.

5. Hike a Volcano

As much as some people say it can’t be done with kids, let me tell you – it can! It might take some work and modifications, but it’s worth it! There are a couple volcano trek options you can go with.

The popular choice from Antigua is Volcan Pacaya. I made this hike many years ago when I was first in Guatemala and it’s great. This is the hike you take if maybe you’re short on time and want a shorter, “easier” day trip that lets you hike up to an active volcano and roast marshmallows or cook pizza over steaming hot lava. It’s definitely a cool experience and lots of families do it. Plus, there are lots of places in Antigua where you can organize a private tour or join a group and it’s sure to be a very memorable experience. I remember loving it and would recommend it.

The other option, albeit the more daring and exciting one, is the overnight Acatenango trek to see Volcan Fuego. Now, this hike isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s nearly straight up (and hence straight down) and is a tough trek without kids. BUT, with the right gear (and attitude) I can assure you it’s worth it in every way. I mean, come on, how often do you get to spend the night in front of an active volcano spewing lightning hot lava into the sky multiple times an hour? See. Worth it. Especially when you do it on a private guided tour that comes with your own guide, a private hut, wine, cheese, and pastries for days.

There’s a lot I could say on this trek, and really, I should write an entire post on it. But let me start by saying that it’s completely possible to do with a pre-schooler, with a few tips:

a) Because it is a lot of hiking (straight up) bring a hiking backpack. We literally used her baby carrier backpack because she was still within the weight limits of it and it’s lightweight and squeezes up pretty small.

b) Do the private guided tour. This is how you get your own private hut and meals and can do things at your own pace. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with a group of 30 people and crammed into tiny bunks with a little one and a whole lot of adults.

c) Hire a porter to carry your stuff – because someone’s back is going to carrying a kid and you need to bring a lot of stuff – including 3L of water/person.

d) Buy a couple of key warm pieces of clothing for the little one in tow (ie. toque, mitts, pants, jacket). We just went to the second hand market in San Pedro and bought M warm pants and a jacket, and a locally-made toque from one of the markets!

e) There are a ton of organizations that run this hike, but the company we booked with (Tropicana Hostel in Antigua) was awesome. The only downside was that they only provided adult-sized warm clothing (kids don’t do this hike often!), and it is HELLA cold up there overnight (even when it was above 30 degrees celsius during the day).

Pro Tips from the Field

• Take a chance and book with Kiwi – by doing this we saved a ton on flights and were able to slide in a trip to Mexico on the way home. However, I will caveat this with a warning. Make sure you do your research and read everything. Some of the budget airlines they book you on can result in high baggage fees. They also have a lot of “self-transfer hack” flights where you’re actually booking multiple round trips or one-way flights where you have to do the leg work of picking up any checked baggage and re-checking in for a totally new flight. It can be a bit confusing, but this is how we were able to spend an afternoon splashing around in a pool in Mexico on our way home.

• Car seats. This is a massive question and concern when traveling with kids and a hugely controversial topic amongst parents, so proceed with caution but do whatever works for you (and is legal in the country you’re going to). If you have more questions about backpacking with car seats, check out my blog post on it: Backpacking with Car Seats

• Only pack the essentials, plus a bar of soap. I kept things lean and trim and managed to cram EVERYTHING for M and I (10 days worth of stuff), into one 40L bag. It did mean a lot of hand washing clothes in the sink with a bar of soap, but if you stay on top of it, it’s not a hassle at all. Plus, things dry quick in hot climates.

• Carry-on backpacks only! It makes it a whole lot easier to backpack with kids when you have more free hands and less weight to haul around (because you KNOW you’ll be carrying your wee one from time to time too and you’ll want to make it as easy as possible for yourself). We made sure to get bags that would be carry-on friendly, light, and back-pack style (for the hands-free mode). We both used the 40L Patagonia Black Hole Duffle Bag (which we first tested out in Colombia) because it’s been proven to be carry-on friendly on almost every airline, is lightweight, durable (I mean, Patagonia, right?), and has backpack straps. (And no, I don’t get paid to promote them… unless Patagonia wants to sponsor me… anyone know someone at Patagonia who could hook me up?! I just really, really like this bag.)

– Happy Travels!