Havana with Kids: Family-Friendly Itinerary Ideas + Tips

Our Havana Trip with a Baby

• Length of stay: 4 days, 4 nights
• Who we traveled with: Our 10-month-old baby
• Where we stayed: Airbnb
• When we visited: December 2016
• How we got around Havana: Walking, pedicabs, and taxis

Things To Do in Havana with Kids

• Slow down – it feels like you’ve stepped back in time once you arrive in Cuba. Take advantage of this, and slow down, take in your surroundings at a leisurely pace, and enjoy the company you’re with
• Parque Central – Havana’s Central Park, great for people watching, car gawking, and feeling the vibe of the city
• Admire the cars – swoon over all the old classic cars, you’ll have no trouble finding them everywhere

• City tour in a classic car – get an introduction to Havana riding in authentic Cuban style. You’ll find classic cars lined up offering tours all around the city (particularly grouped near plazas). Typically, you can choose from a few different routes.
• Gran Teatro de La Habana – beautiful building across from Parque Central, home to the Cuban National Ballet 
• El Capitolio (National Capitol Building) – probably the grandest building in Havana, similar to the US Capitol in DC, next to the Gran Teatro
• San Francisco de Asis Square – one of the oldest squares in Havana, named after the convent
  • Convento de San Francisco de Asís – convent built in the late 1500s

• Plaza Vieja (Old Square) – large square surrounded by Colonial and Art Nouveau buildings, originally a residential square that now houses various restaurants, museums, galleries, and shops on the ground level and some residences above
• Castillo de la Real Fuerza – star-shaped fort next to Plaza de Armas, now a museum
• Plaza de Armas – oldest square in Havana, surrounded by museums, booksellers, and restaurants
• Museo de la Ciudad – history museum housed in a 1700s palace
• La Bodeguita del Medio – famous as one of Hemingway’s spots, get mojitos, sign your name 

• Catedral de San Cristóbal (Havana Cathedral) – baroque-style cathedral, located in Plaza de la Catedral, Christopher Columbus’ remains were kept here for 100 years
• La Floridita – another one of Hemingway’s spots, get daiquiris, and enjoy live Cuban music
• Museo de la Revolucion – museum about the Cuban Revolution, located in the former Presidential Palace
• Salsa dance lesson – take a group or private salsa dancing lesson, I did a private one with Baila Habana since that worked best with a baby  
• Castillo de San Carlos de la Cabana (Fort of Saint Charles) – largest Spanish colonial fort in the Americas, overlooks the water and Havana

• Museo del Ron Havana Club – learn the history of Havana Club rum and enjoy a tasting
• El Malecon – esplanade along with Havana Bay, popular spot to watch the sunset
• Playas de Este – public beach about a 20-minute drive outside of Old Town
• Varadero – beautiful beach resort area, about a 2-hour drive outside Havana

Where To Eat in Havana with Kids

• 304 O’Reilly (Paladar) – trendy Latin fusion, good drinks
• Dona Eutimia (Paladar) – cute outdoor eating, traditional Cuban food 
• Habana 61 (Paladar) – modern Cuban, small restaurant
• La Guarida (Paladar) – perhaps the most coveted dining experience in Havana, location of Cuba’s most famous film, Strawberry and Chocolate, don’t miss the rooftop, make a reservation
• San Cristobal Paladar – heavily decorated eclectic restaurant, the Obamas ate here, traditional Cuban, make a reservation

Tips for Visiting Havana with Kids

• Paladares are privately owned and operated restaurants in Cuba. All restaurants in Cuba used to be owned by the government. In the early 90s, paladares started up as the government was pressured to allow some private business operations to help Cuba’s economy.
• Food and supplies are still mostly controlled by the government, so you won’t come across convenience stores that you find in other places. Make sure to bring all your necessary toiletries, medicines, kid and baby items. 

• Cuba may not have all the modern baby facilities and all the amenities, but everyone was extremely welcoming and happy to see our baby traveling with us.
• Speak Spanish if you can; English is not as prevalent, and more will be lost in translation.

Money and paying in Cuba

Cuba is still a destination where you should plan to carry cash rather than rely on cards.

• The Cuban peso (CUP) is Cuba’s official currency. The old Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) that existed when we visited is no longer in circulation.
• If you’re traveling from the U.S., do not count on your U.S.-issued credit or debit cards working in Cuba. Bring enough cash to cover your trip, plus some extra in case your plans change.
• U.S. dollars and euros are commonly brought into Cuba for exchange. You can exchange foreign currency for Cuban pesos at authorized banks and official CADECA currency exchange offices.
• For travelers from other countries, some foreign-issued credit and debit cards may work, but acceptance can still be inconsistent. I would bring cash as a backup regardless.
• Exchange money through official channels. Currency rules and exchange policies in Cuba have changed significantly over the years and can change again, so check current requirements shortly before your trip.

When we visited Havana, Cuba still used both CUP and CUC, so our personal experience with money is no longer representative of how the system works today.

Visiting Havana with Kids

Havana was not the easiest destination I’ve visited with a baby, but that was also part of what made the trip so memorable. We had to plan ahead, bring more of what our baby needed, and adjust to having fewer conveniences than we were used to. Once we were there, however, we found people incredibly welcoming toward our family.

Our four days gave us enough time to explore Old Havana, eat well, ride around the city in classic cars, take a salsa lesson, and experience a small slice of Cuban culture without trying to pack too much into each day.

If Havana is somewhere your family is considering, make sure you research the current entry requirements that apply to your nationality and circumstances before booking. Travel rules can change, but I hope our experience gives you a better idea of what exploring Havana with a baby or young kids can actually look like.

Keep Planning Your Family Travels

Looking for another destination that pushes beyond the usual family vacation? Browse my 20 surprisingly baby-friendly travel destinations around the world, including Cuba and plenty of other places you may not immediately think of for a trip with a baby.

If you’re still deciding where to go, I’ve also broken down how I determine whether a travel destination is baby-friendly and what I actually look for beyond simply finding attractions for kids.

For more help with flights, packing, feeding, sleep, and international travel with a little one, head to my Baby Travel guides.