When people think of travel destinations in South America, Santiago, Chile has not been one to show up on the list of top vacation destinations in the past. In researching South American travel destinations a few years back, Santiago caught our attention from the pictures we had seen and the information we had read about the city as a family-friendly location.
We included Santiago in our vacation itinerary when we made a trip to Argentina. We expected Santiago to be nice but in some ways, we were blown away by how naturally beautiful, modern, and clean the capital and largest city of Chile is. Santiago is a truly unique city in that it sits in between the snow-capped Andes mountains and the Pacific coast. There are not many places where you see an abundance of snow and thriving palm trees at the same time. The views all around the city are picturesque. In terms of activities for kids, there is no shortage of beautiful parks, museums, and outdoor sightseeing activities. The locals we interacted with were friendly, the city has a generally good safety reputation, and the local cuisine is very tasty and worth exploring.
Most travel guides will recommend visiting Santiago during their spring months (September through November) when the daytime temperatures are in the 70s and there is lush greenery. However, we went in June, which was early winter there. Average temperatures in June are typically in the low 60s during the day with overnight lows in the 40s. When we went, it was generally cool but warm enough during the day to explore comfortably. The mix of snowy mountains and palm trees was a joy to view.
Our Top 5 Tips for Travel with kids to Santiago, Chile
#1 Santiago Cable Car (Teleférico de Santiago)
Santiago has plenty of fun, family-friendly activities, however, in our experience, the Santiago Cable Car ride up to the San Cristóbal Hill monument was the most unique, memorable, and enjoyable. The ride up to the top is around an 800-foot ascent that takes around fifteen minutes. There is a stop along the way, which leads to a very large public swimming pool and some outstanding views of the Costanera building(tallest in the city).
The views going up to the top in the cable car are enchanting and there are plenty of opportunities to take spectacular pictures from the summit from different angles. The highlights of this activity are the iconic views of Santiago from high up as well as the statue of the Virgin Mary. Our kids enjoyed the walk around the summit with opportunities to grab snacks and interact with a few “neighborhood” cats. We took the funicular on the way back down and it has one stop as well, which is for access to the national zoo (separate ticket purchase required).
Note: The ride up and down can be done by cable car or via the funicular. We recommend using both means in any order for a complete experience.
#2 Bicentenario Park (Parque Bicentenario)
For families that enjoy going to parks, Bicentenario Park is a must-see in Santiago. This 70-acre modern and very stylish park has incredible views of the most prominent buildings in Santiago along with a backdrop of snowcapped mountains and the park also borders the south side of the Mapocho River. There are plenty of different types of play areas for kids to enjoy as well as a large lagoon with ducks and fish that can be fed by visitors. We highly recommend visiting this park and the easiest way to get there is via taxi.
#3 Santa Lucia Hill
Santa Lucia Hill is said to be a remnant of a volcano that is millions of years old. Today it is a hilltop park that draws lots of tourism because of the beautiful, panoramic views it offers from the eastern edges of downtown Santiago. There is a notably long narrow path to get up the hill that can be a bit strenuous. Our kids (almost 2 and 6 years old then) did fine but if your children are not old enough to comfortably walk then the moderate hike up the hill might not be the most suitable without proper preparation. We walked on our way up and down but It is our understanding that there is an elevator at the hill’s western entrance that can be explored as an option if the walk up the hill seems too daunting.
Along the walk up the hill are monuments, statues, and lookout points with nice views from different angles. At the top of the hill is Castle Hidalgo (now used as an event center). There is an observation deck above with fantastic, panoramic views. There is also a cool cannon on display that our kids enjoyed exploring. This was a fun activity and we rank it as one of the top things to do while in Santiago.
#4 Chilean Food
Our experience eating in South American countries is that they have some common dishes with local flavor variations (empanadas) and some that are unique to each country. We enjoyed the food we ate in Santiago. One unique Chilean dish worth trying is Pastel de Choclo, a corn casserole with meat stuffing (chicken, beef, etc). We tried the chicken stuffed version and it was very good.
Empanadas (pastries filled with meat, cheese, and other ingredients) are very popular in Santiago. Emporio Zunino is a legendary spot for empanadas in Santiago; they have both meat-filled as well as cheese-only versions. Santiago also has a strong culture for flavor-filled sandwiches; Fuente Chilena is a very popular spot for very good sandwiches, and our family enjoyed them.
The last food we had in Santiago was ice cream from Moritz Eis. We stayed at the W Santiago hotel (right next to Moritz Els) and heard about how good and popular this modern ice cream shop was. Moritz lived up to the hype; the fresh fruit flavors combined with the perfectly creamy texture of the ice cream were delicious! Our kids loved Moritz and still talk about it from time to time.
#5 Costanera Center
Once the other major attractions in Santiago have already been covered, a visit to the Costanera Center is a good option for tourists. Costanera Center is a complex with office and commercial buildings. As a tourist, the draw in the complex is some luxury hotels, a six-story mall, and an up-close view of the Torre Costanera, which is the tallest building in Chile and the second tallest in all of Latin America.
The Costanera Mall is the largest in Latin America and features all types of retail stores (including luxury), local department stores, and a supermarket. There are a host of dining options ranging from fast food to fine dining and a movie theater. We decided not to do this (had done several “view” centric activities already) but the biggest tourist attraction in the complex is probably the Sky Costanera. The Sky Costanera boasts the highest observation deck in Latin America and also the only 360-degree view of Santiago.