Nicaragua with kids

How long do you have for this trip? What are the groups interests, what type of excursions?
Be aware, anywhere close to water and any type of beach will be crowded during Christmas, you will need to book very soon.

Ometepe could be great for a family, no big waves like most of the Pacific beaches, really beautiful area with lots to do.
Couple other areas, Jiquilillo, remote and very laid back, Las Peñitas gets good reviews here, bigger town with more options. Both are close to Leon, a fantastic town to explore and enjoy.

Jiquilillo is great but remote and so not as easy for excursions although there is the Padre Ramos nature reserve and volcano Cosiguina. Check out this website with lots of info about that area: http://rancho-esperanza.com/about-jiquilillo.html By bus it is 3 hours or so from Leon.

Las Penitas is a fishing village with a nice beach, big waves though. There is also a nature reserve. It is close to Leon (30-45 minutes by bus). Leon is a great colonial city with churches, museums, murals... Nearby there are some great volcanoes like Cerro Negro (active crater, great views and you can board or run down) and Telica (impressive crater). There is also volcano San Cristobal. And a trek to El Hoyo, a volcanic sinkhole.

As mentioned above the beaches get very busy around Christmas/New Year. In Las Penitas there were no rooms available. Not sure about Jiquilillo.

Some great festivities around Christmas in Leon.

But Ometepe would be great. Nice lake beaches. Rural communities. Two volcanoes to climb, one active and one covered in cloud forest, nature reserve with trail and wildlife, ziplining nearby, natural spring pool, kayaking, waterfall hike, horseback riding...

Thank you so much! We are looking into rentals through airbnb and vrbo for these areas!

Thank you for the helpful info! We have 2 weeks. We are looking into all of these areas. Las Penitas/Poneloya seems to have a few big houses for rent. We haven't found much in the other areas...

Would it be too much to go to both Las Penitas and Ometepe in 2 weeks? What is the travel time between the two? Also, what is the weather like around Christmas? (Some of the houses on vrbo have AC and some do not... wondering how hot it will be?)
Thank you so much!

Nicaragua is hot. We were there in December and slept in hostels and never had AC, just a fan, and we were okay although we did take lots of cold showers ! Leon will be hot and Ometepe too but a bit cooler than Leon. From Leon it is a two hour minibus to Managua (UCA), taxi to mercado Roberto Huembes, 2.5 hour bus to Rivas, taxi to San Jorge, ferry to Ometepe (one hour). A shuttle Leon to Rivas would be 5 hours or so. By car (Leon-San Jorge) maybe 4 hours ?

So a week Leon/Las Penitas and a week Ometepe can certainly be done. When you travel between the two you could take a peek at volcano Masaya and Granada.

Soniaberode, Thanks again! Usually I travel on a budget - no AC, local buses, etc. But this trip we have a 1 yr old, my 65 yr old mother, and my sister-in-law who is pregnant! So we will look into the rental houses that have AC. I know my brother and sister love the idea of doing both Las Penitas and Ometepe, and I am open to it also. It does sound like a long day of travel with the baby though. The shuttle you mention - is that like a taxi-bus? Also, do you know how much it is to rent a car? Would it be ideal to rent one in Managua or Leon? Sorry for all of the questions- I am usually god at doing my own research. It is just hard to be on the computer for long with a one year old baby! You are being so helpful!

What time does your flight get in?
Actually a week Leon/Las Penitas and a week Ometepe would be excellent, very easy.
You could easily break the trip up with a night in Granada.

I would not rent a car, easy to get shuttle or hire a taxi, even for the longer drives, Las Peñitas/Leon to Rivas, where you take the ferry over to Ometepe, it's less then a 4hr. drive.

Hiring local taxi's is very easy and affordable in Nica.

When you are in Las Penitas make sure you do visit Leon as well and for the people in your group who want activities check out the treks and volcanoes.

And I agree, a night in Granada to break up your trip to Ometepe would be fun.

I have never rented a car in Nicaragua. A shuttle is a tourist minibus. Look at Tierra Tours, Lazybones hostel or Bigfoot hostel in Leon. They have shuttles to San Juan del Sur but can probably drop you off in Rivas where you take a taxi to San Jorge for the ferry to Ometepe. The shuttle is $25 per person to San Juan del Sur. Or take a taxi (your hotel can arrange one). I am not sure how much that would be. Leon-Managua was $50-60. Managua-Granada $30-35. Maybe you could find a taxi for $100.