The windy road up to El Valle de Anton gives you a hint of what’s to come: the air cools down as you drive, and you start to pass fancy homes that spill bougainvillea over their gates. This charming town is a haven for hikers as well as a popular getaway from the heat and bustle of Panama City. 

It’s also a worthwhile tourist destination. Our family of five planted ourselves on a beach on the Pacific coast as soon as we arrived in Panama, but by noonish we were all pinker than usual and crying out for a break. Bingo: El Valle de Anton, with its perfect weather and plethora of activities.

This town is walkable, eatable, and generally a good time for everybody, even if you don’t hike the lush mountains that surround this volcanic crater. Here were our favorite parts of El Valle de Anton:

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A Stop at the El Valle de Anton Visitor Center

We came for the air conditioning, but stayed for the education. Seriously, make your first stop the visitor center on the main street through town.

A Short Hike

The big deal here is The Sleeping Indian Girl (La India Dormida), a 2.2-mile loop that rewards you with rainforests, petroglyphs, and views.

My kids are notoriously terrible hikers, however, so we opted for the Sendero Natural Arboles Quadrado (the Square Trees Nature Trail). 

The good news: this was an easy flat trail that is great for little kids. We spent a long time watching leaf cutter ants and playing in the stream. 

The bad news: my kids were less than impressed. “We got scammed. Those trees are not square!”

There are a couple of marked “square” trees along the trail, shaped many years ago by humans but now outgrowing their shape. So, somewhat of a disappointment, but fantastical enough to get the kids on board for the hike.

The Golden Frog (Rana Dorado)

If you get excited about saving near-extinct amphibians, don’t miss the a chance to see the golden frog.

The Panamanian Golden Frog is native to this area, but extinct in the wild. It is alive and well in captivity, mostly in the U.S. and Canada. 

This frog is a big deal around here, though, with the valley hosting a Golden Frog Festival every year, so don’t miss a chance to see the rana dorado—in captivity—in its native town.

The EVACC Foundation operates a little conservation center at the entrance to Sendero Natural Arboles Quadrado (the square trees trail) that may have been my kids’ favorite thing in El Valle de Anton. In addition to a golden frog, they had other frogs, as well as a fun gift shop with stickers as well as butterfly nets that we put to good use on the nearby trail. 

And just for the giggles, when you get done with your close contact with the frog himself, you can stay in a Golden Frog Inn in El Valle de Anton.

The Zip Line Across a Waterfall

El Chorro del Macho Waterfall is worth the drive to the end of town for the winding trails, the stunning waterfall, and the natural pool for swimming. It’s perfect for the family looking for relief from the heat.

For the braver among us, though, there’s a the zip line. It’s a trek to the top of the zip line. Fortunately, my 6-year-old is tough; my other kids might have given up—but it’s worth it for the chance to zip across the mighty waterfall. They even let you stop between platforms for a once-in-a-lifetime waterfall view and photo op.

The Animals of El Valle de Anton

We don’t get that excited about flora (if we did, we would have stopped at APROVACA Orchid Nursery), but we love us some fauna, so our second stop in town was the mariposario, Butterfly Haven. The butterflies and the informational tour kept our crew occupied for over an hour, which is pretty good for us.

We did not make it to El Serpentario Maravillas Tropicales, the serpentarium, because we ran out of time (and also because we recently watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and I just couldn’t stomach it). However, my husband loves reptiles as much as he loves frogs, and if you feel the same way, head right over. 

We also missed El Nispero Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which has over 55 species of birds…so if you like feathers more than scaly skin or gossamer wings, this one’s for you.

Eating, Drinking, and Shopping

I just assume all families bribe their kids with food to get them to do things. (No? Just me?) That works well in El Valle de Anton: there are restaurants on every corner, from local establishments to those clearly catering to tourists.

We tried both, and essentially drank our way through town—with bebidas, fruit smoothies, not alcohol (although that would have worked for me).

Do not miss the Sunday market, a daily open-air market that is reportedly even busier on Sundays. It’s right on the main street through town, easy to find, and the produce is excellent (owing to the volcanic soil of the valley).

It’s also the perfect place for souvenir shopping, with multiple rows of stalls selling every handicraft imaginable. 

Visiting the Panama Canal was was the number one thing my husband—a man invested both personally and professionally in international shipping—wanted to do in Panama.

So we did, of course, see the Panama Canal, and I was pleasantly surprised how fun it was for the whole family. We went to the Agua Clara Locks and it was a fantastic place to visit with kids. Five stars. Highly recommend.

Facts About the Panama Canal

• Here’s how the canal works: ships enter the canal from the ocean; go through the locks, which help them rise up from sea level to the level of Lake Gatun; cross Lake Gatun; then are lowered down through the locks again to sea level, and exit the canal. (I had to look this up before visiting the Panama Canal…which I am only a little embarrassed to admit.)

• The whole thing takes 8 to 10 hours.

• The French tried to build the canal in the 1800s, but failed.

• The United States then negotiated control of the Canal Zone and construction began in 1904, using workers of many different nationalities. Over 5,000 people died during the construction from accidents and disease.

• The Panama Canal was completed in 1914.

• Panama gained control of the Panama Canal in 1999.

• There are five sets of locks now on the canal. The old sets are the Miraflores Locks and the Pedro Miguel Locks on the Pacific Side and the Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side. The new, larger locks, completed in 2016, include the Agua Clara Locks on the Atlantic side next to the Gatun Locks, and the Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side—which allow larger ships to go through where smaller ships use the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks.

Is the Panama Canal Worth Visiting?

The canal? Meh. The Agua Clara Visitor Center? Absolutely.

Is it fun to watch water in the locks rise and drop at a glacially slow rate? Only if you enjoy seeing paint dry. 

However, the sheer size of the ships and the number of them parked outside the locks (visible from the Agua Clara Visitor Center during the shipping backup of 2022) was impressive, and the history of the canal is fascinating.

The visitors centers do a good job of using signage and exhibits to explain the history of, conflict surrounding, and engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal. From an educational standpoint, the canal is a must-see.

Both the Miraflores and Agua Clara Locks have viewing areas as well as museums, although those have been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Miraflores Locks has an IMAX theater, although also closed in recent years. 

If you just don’t have time to make it to the actual canal, the Panama Canal Museum in Casco Viejo would be another option for this education.

Where Can you See the Panama Canal?

The primary places to visit the Panama Canal are the Miraflores Visitor Center (adjacent to Panama City) or the Agua Clara Visitor Center outside Colón City. 

The Miraflores Locks are historic and easily accessed from Panama City. The visitor center has multiple viewing platforms as well as a museum and IMAX theater.

We chose to visit the newer Agua Clara Visitor Center. The Agua Clara Locks were completed in 2016, designed to accommodate the larger Neopanamax ships, and Visitor Center is impressive. It features panoramic views of the canal, a museum, a really lovely gift shop, a playground, and picnic tables. 

Both visitors centers offer tours, but you can also roam around alone if you prefer.

If you want to actually be ON the Panama Canal, you can take day tours on boats traversing the canal. You can even take fishing tours on the canal, which is just the type of crazy “I did it so I could say I did it” thing my husband would adore.

What About the Panama Canal with Kids?

My advice: make a trip out to the Agua Clara Visitor Center. 

Kids are low on patience, and the Panama Canal is all about patience: it takes the average ship 8-10 hours to cross the canal. These are not fast-moving boats.

Fortunately, Panama is a kid-friendly country and they have you covered. The Agua Clara locks has a PLAYGROUND. Plus picnic tables and plenty of room to run.

The Agua Clara Locks visitor center was designed to be a true destination. They have giant signs leading there from Colón, making it easy to find. And although Colón itself isn’t much of a tourist town, a detour to the Agua Clara Locks while driving from Panama City over to the Caribbean Coast is worth it.

We stopped here on our way to Portobelo, where we wanted to see historic ruins and go snorkeling on Caribbean islands. It worked out well, except for the sea urchin stings—but that’s a story for another day.

When Should you Visit the Panama Canal?

This one is important. TIME YOUR VISIT CAREFULLY.

Ships only pass through the locks in the morning and the afternoon. We arrived at 3 p.m. and managed to see the tail end of a ship leaving the locks. 

The times change, so it’s worth checking with the visitor center daily for the exact times. 

How Much Does it Cost to Visit the Panama Canal?

$10 USD in 2022.

Well worth it, in my opinion.

Casco Viejo, the “old quarter” of Panama City, is ritzy. Filled with boutique hotels, fancy restaurants, government buildings, nightlife, and museums, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and on everybody’s top 10 things to do in Panama list.

However, “ritzy” and “my kids” don’t usually go well together, so making a visit to Casco Viejo work for everyone took a little effort. It was well worth it.

These were my favorite things to do in Casco Viejo, Panama with kids.

Eat Pancakes at Cafe Coca Cola

Hear me out. Cafe Coca Cola dates back to 1875, with preserved charm and a lunch counter that makes it well worth a visit for anyone. Revolutionaries such as Che Guevara ate there, along with a host of other famous characters from history, from kings and presidents to athletes and poets.

It also turned out to be one of the least expensive places we ate in Casco Viejo. Rice, beans, and meat are plentiful here, and my kids loved the pancakes; in retrospect we wished we’d eaten here every day!

Cafe Coca Cola is located in front of Santa Ana Park, at the intersection of Central Avenue and Calle 12 Oeste.

Take a Million Photos of the Architecture

Casco Viejo may echo New Orleans for you, and there’s a reason for that: the buildings here are a blend of Spanish colonial and French architecture, because the French workers who made the first attempt at the Panama Canal lived here in the 19th century. 

Cobblestone streets with flowers draped over wrought-iron balconies may not matter to your kids, but if you give them a camera they too will become enamored with the shadows, light, and color here.

Hang Out at the Plazas

Casco Viejo features four main plazas: Plaza de Independencia, Plaza Bolivar, Plaza Herrera, and Plaza de Francia. Featuring monuments, shade trees, and benches and surrounded by stunning buildings, these make an excellent stop for a rest, especially with an ice cream in hand.

The plazas also feature open-air dining from nearby restaurants and come alive at night. A Saturday night at Plaza Herrera was a party, with live music, and families and couples roaming the streets. 

Although we try not to be out at night in foreign places with the kids for safety’s sake, Casco Viejo, filled with expensive restaurants and government buildings, also featured a heavy police presence and always felt very safe.

Absorb Some History

In the 17th century, the old town of Panama was destroyed, and the city was relocated to this area. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Panama dates back to 1796 and is a must-see. The Arco Chato, another landmark, is is the remainder of the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo after a fire destroyed the rest in 1756. 

The landmarks in Casco Viejo are well-marked with informational signs, so you can easily keep yourself busy on a self-guided walking tour. 

Visit Museums

The Panama Canal Museum and the Museo de la Historia de Panama are easy to find, featured right there at Plaza de Independencia, and if you’re kids are into history well worth a visit.

We had just visited the Panama Canal and our kids figured they knew everything already, so we skipped this one, but especially if you don’t make it to the canal, make sure to hit the museum.

Go Souvenir Shopping on Paseo Las Bovedas

Ah, what is a trip with kids without souvenir shopping? Casco Viejo features lots of upscale boutiques, including art galleries and whole shops dedicated entirely to Panama hats, of course.

For more fun and less expense, head to the Paseo Las Bovedas, a promenade that swings around the Plaza de Francia. It features excellent views of the Panama City Skyline and the monument to the French canal workers. Along the way, you may find buskers, but also Kuna Yala women selling traditional handicrafts; consider doing your souvenir shopping here.

Visit the Fish Market

My fish-obsessed family ran out of time to visit Mercado de Mariscos, but don’t let that happen to you, because I think a visit to a good fish market is a cultural experience everybody ought to have. If you are staying in an Airbnb in Casco Viejo (which I highly recommend by the way—it worked well for us) and have a kitchen, you could even cook it up! 

Rumor has it there are plenty of people selling excellent ceviche here, too. 

Explore the Amador Causeway and the Biomuseo

While not technically in Casco Viejo, the Amador Causeway is right next door and an easy ride away. A long (and hot) strip of land, it has plenty of amusements available—it’s a great place to ride bikes, shop, and eat (we had ridiculous but enjoyable pirate-themed lunch at Restaurante Bucaneros). 

My main destination on the causeway was the Biomuseo, a Frank Gehry-designed museum dedicated to the natural history of Panama. This is a partnership with the Smithsonian, and it did not disappoint.

Panama is an isthmus and the land-bridge between North and South America, making it one of the most biodiverse places in the world. The Biomuseo features excellent exhibits dedicated to the past, present and future of life in Panama, including an exhibit at the end on the people of Panama which was fascinating. 

Don’t miss it.