Nicaragua with kids

Hi! We are looking to travel to Nicaragua at Christmas time with family. I would love to find a place that isn't too difficult to get to and has a nice beach. We have a 1 year old, so I want to mainly stay on the beach, however others in the group would love to do some excursions. I have been to Costa Rica (the Caribbean side), but never Nicaragua.
Thanks!

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.

Pochomil/Montelimar..lots of nicaraguan families go there as well.........local feeling...not really a backpackersvibe....

Thanks Everyone again! We finally have the dates and locations sorted out! We are staying in Poneloya for one week, then going to Ometepe for 5 days (we found great rental houses in both places)! We still have to figure out the transportation bit (main concern with public transportation is our 1 year old). Lastly, my husband, daughter and I will be staying in Granada the last night of our trip (December 31). We are looking at hotels/guesthouses there. Any recommendations?
Thanks again! So excited!!!

Thanks Everyone again! We finally have the dates and locations sorted out! We are staying in Poneloya for one week, then going to Ometepe for 5 days (we found great rental houses in both places)! We still have to figure out the transportation bit (main concern with public transportation is our 1 year old). Lastly, my husband, daughter and I will be staying in Granada the last night of our trip (December 31). We are looking at hotels/guesthouses there. Any recommendations?
Thanks again! So excited!!!

If you do use public transport it is about 30 minutes by bus from Poneloya to Leon. In Leon you would have to take a taxi to the other bus terminal. Or take a taxi there straight from Poneloya. A minibus to Managua (UCA bus station) takes 2 hours. Then you would have to take a taxi to mercado Roberto Huembes in Managua for the 2.5 hours bus ride to Rivas. Taxi to San Jorge and ferry to Ometepe. It is a long day. You could stop in Masaya for a night as you are already going to Granada at the end of your trip. Masaya has a pleasant central park and an artisan market. The Masaya volcano is close by and they drive you right up to the steaming crater. Nicaraguans love kids so everyone will be very helpful.

As for Granada, what is your budget for that last night ?

Thanks Sonia! It would be great to keep it around $50. But we could go up a little since it's only one night.

La Casa del Agua maybe ?

If you start a new thread, you might get more suggestions!

Hi All! Our trip is getting close! I am so excited! We are looking into things to do in Poneloya/Penitas/Leon area. Suggestions are welcome. Looks like there is tons to do in Ometepe! Some of us will have a rental car, and some of us will not. I understand taxis and buses are the way to go without a car. What about Ometepe? It seems a bit tricky to get around there. Does anyone know about renting motor bikes or scooters? Also, for the beach are near Las Penitas, are there bicycle rental and/or Motor bike rentals?

Laura, you should start a new thread, this ones a bit old. You'll get more ideas that way.
Yes, you can get scooters in Moyogalpa on Ometepe.

Leon: museums (Museo de la Revolucion, the art museum Ortiz Gurdian, the museum of legends and traditions...), murals, churches, the cathedral (and the roof for the view), the market... Christmas festivities. Volcano Cerro Negro. Volcano Telica (overnight camping trip). El Hoyo (volcanic sinkhole) trek...
Las Penitas: the beach of course and playing in the waves, surfing, the Juan Venado nature reserve (kayaking and maybe still sea turtle tours... end of season).

Ometepe: two volcanoes (tough climbs but the Maderas viewpoint is not that hard). Charco Verde nature reserve with nice beach, nature trail, I hear now also butterflies. Right next to Charco Verde there is ziplining with great views (Chico Largo Adventure). Ojo de Agua natural spring pool. El Ceibo museum. San Ramon waterfall hike. Kayaking... Horseback riding:

http://www.harishorses.com/

Rural communities. For example:

http://www.losramos.org/

On Ometepe there are buses, just not that many depending on where you want to go (and hardly any on Sundays). You can rent a scooter. There are taxis. We have also hitchhiked.

http://www.ometepenicaragua.com/ometepebus.php

If you've got kids the spot on the beach in front of Hotel Playa Roca is where most the locals go....it's relatively safe with no rip currents

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