10 Best Family Things to Do in Guadalajara

Bosque Los Colomos is a lush and lavish park that encompasses 92 hectares and features over 32,000 trees representing dozens of species, with hiking, bicycling, and wildlife watching. The park offers miles of trails that you can hike to go bird watching and see animals in their native habitats. Families can spread blankets and enjoy a picnic under the groves of eucalyptus trees or explore an elegant, colorful, and serene Japanese Garden marked with waterways and walking bridges.

At the park's center is a huge lake where you can see wildlife coming to swim and drink. It's only a short half-hour drive to the northwest of downtown.

Selva Magica, or the Magic Jungle, is a classic amusement park offering a world of roller coasters, thrill rides, live entertainment, food, games, and fun for everyone. The little ones will especially love the Sesame Street area where they can meet Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, and all their favorite characters from the TV show up-close and in person. Older kids enjoy the Command Training Center, an outdoor adventure park with go-karts, zip lines, free-fall rides, and other exciting activities.

The park is dotted with games and eateries, so when you want to take a break between rides, you can easily find more relaxed attractions. The park is only 30 minutes to the north of downtown.

Calaverandia – Parque Temático is a full theme park dedicated to the traditions and celebrations of the Day of the Dead, with dozens of rides and attractions. This family-oriented adventure park offers something for everyone, from fun but relaxed rides for the littlest kids to thrilling outdoor adventure rides for teens and grown-ups. You can enjoy live shows like costumed dancers, take in a theatrical performance, grab some traditional local food, and get immersed in local culture.

Caleveranda is a place to have a blast while learning all about this important Mexican celebration. It's also just 30 minutes to the north of central downtown Guadalajara.

Navidalia – Parque Temático is a theme park about 30 minutes north of downtown that offers rides, games, and entertainment all themed around the winter celebrations. This theme park is perhaps best described as a cross between a European winter market and a Mexican mining town. It offers a vibrant range of culture and fun with live musical performances, theatrical productions, and an atmosphere that's nothing short of a fairy tale.

No matter when you come to visit this park, you'll be lost in a winter holiday world. It's a fantastic experience that enables you to feel the spirit of giving any time of year.

Parque Nacional Barranca de Huentitan is a vast outdoor park with miles upon miles of hiking trails, picturesque surroundings, wildlife viewing, and lush forested terrain. You can spend days walking the nature trails of this vast park untouched by the crowds, hustle, and bustle of the city and reconnect with nature. You'll see rare local flora and fauna in this unspoiled wilderness and capture photos of thickly forested terrain for miles around from natural viewpoints.

If outdoor family adventures are attractive to you, a trip to Parque Nacional Barranca de Huentitan will allow you to reconnect with each other as a family and with nature. The forest park is just 30 minutes east of downtown.

Museo de Cera is a quirky and fun wax museum in the heart of downtown Guadalajara where you and the kids can see your favorite celebrities in wax up close. The museum is run by Ripley's Believe It or Not! and you can get dual tickets to visit both museums at once. Here you can find sculptures of everyone from rock bands to world leaders, movie stars, and even children's television shows.

Museo de Cera is quirky, fun, unforgettable, and unique for kids and adults alike. If you ever wanted to get your picture taken with a celebrity, this is the place to make it happen, and no one will ever know it's just a wax statue.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is a fun museum with curiosities and oddities, including artifacts like shrunken heads. The museum features several galleries packed with hundreds of wonders that highlight the strange and unusual.

Along with the exhibits, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! features 3 immersive attractions to test your senses and distort reality, including the dizzying mirror maze and rotating tunnel. Be sure to catch a showing at the 4D cinema for a once-in-a-lifetime theater experience. The oddities museum offers exciting photo opportunities and souvenirs to remember your trip with the kids.

Tlaquepaque was a former city of its own that is just over 5 miles south of central Guadalajara, offering a deep history with gorgeous buildings and a traditional public plaza. Here you can find historic mansions, beautiful classic churches, groves of orange trees, and live mariachi music on the central bandstand. You can explore tons of local restaurants serving up regional dishes from family recipes and learn all about the city's artisan tradition. You'll find shops selling pottery, candles, pewter smiths, and local art.

From its artistic traditions to historical buildings, Tlaquepaque is the historic heart of Guadalajara. If you're here in June, don't forget to attend the San Pedro festival when the streets are decked out with colorful banners.

Plaza De Los Mariachis in San Juan de Dios is a quaint public square surrounded by great restaurants, takeaway food stands as well as tons of upbeat Mariachi music. You can visit any of the local eateries here for delicious local dishes while enmeshed in a vibrant, festive, and merry vibe. Locals and visitors alike love to come here just to spend a few hours hanging out and enjoying the live music and great conversation.

Plaza de los Mariachis in Guadalajara is a cultural hub of the region and a wonderful place to soak up local color. It's also easy to get to, just 10 minutes to the north of central downtown.

Museo de Paleontología de Guadalajara houses an important collection of fossilized remains of animals dating to the Pleistocene era, complete with full skeletons and geological information. One of the main attractions is the complete skeleton found along the Lake Chapala banks in 2000. Still, you can also see bones of animals such as saber-toothed tigers, mammoths, extinct birds and amphibians, and many other animals. You'll see a collection of minerals and rocks from throughout history at the geology pavilion, among the most complete collections around.

You can take guided tours or self-guided, watch films, take workshops, and view permanent and temporary exhibitions. It's located right in the heart of downtown.