Things to do in Asunción with kids: 18 weekend ideas (even when it rains)

Parks and the zoo: outdoor things to do in Asunción with kids

Asunción has more green space than most visitors expect, and nearly all of it is free. These three spots work for kids of any age: room to run, shade, and animals or playgrounds to fill an afternoon.

Asunción Botanical Garden and Zoo (Av. Artigas and Primer Presidente). It's one of the city's biggest green areas, and inside is the municipal zoo, with about 60 species and roughly 800 animals, including jaguars, pumas, Bengal tigers, tapirs, caimans, monkeys and toucans. Kids usually love spotting the animals that live semi-free on the grounds, such as some monkeys and armadillos. Tip: walking into the garden is free, while the zoo charges a separate ticket. The city asks visitors not to bother or touch the free-roaming animals, and it's worth checking which days the zoo is open before you go.

Parque Guasu Metropolitano (Av. Madame Lynch). This park covers about 125 hectares (around 300 acres) with wetlands, a lagoon, walking trails and bike paths, plus native plants and wildlife. According to Paraguay's official news agency, IP, both this park and Ñu Guasu have spaces designed for younger kids: an inclusive playground, an adapted library and a playroom for children up to age 10, all free. Tip: bring bikes or skates and plenty of water, since the loops are long.

Ñu Guasu Park (Luque, near Silvio Pettirossi Airport). Entry is free, and it has lagoons, a bike lane, sports courts and outdoor gyms. In July 2026 Paraguay's public works ministry (MOPC) announced a renovation that will add a playground for about 170 kids at a time, built around a large exploring structure called the EYWA Tree, with sandboxes, sensory play areas and a visitor center with a family restroom. Tip: the park gets around 150,000 visitors a month, so go early on weekends, and check MOPC's channels in case any section is closed for construction.

The Costanera, a hilltop lookout and a colorful neighborhood

Costanera de Asunción. This riverfront promenade along the Paraguay River is great for walking, running and biking. The Costanera Sur stretch, opened in July 2024, adds 8.1 km (about 5 miles) from Avenida Colón to Cerro Lambaré, with bike lanes and a linear park featuring an outdoor amphitheater, sports areas and open recreation spaces. Tip: with kids, the best time is the last hour before sunset. Bring bikes, skates or a ball, and sunscreen.

Cerro Lambaré (Jukyty neighborhood). This hill sits at the end of the Costanera Sur and is one of the highest points in the metro area. At the top is the Monumento a la Paz Victoriosa (Monument to Victorious Peace), opened in 1982, whose figures tend to spark questions and good history chats, plus wide views over the river and the city. Tip: go during the day, and by car if you can.

Loma San Jerónimo. Declared Asunción's first tourist neighborhood in 2013, it's now the focus of a revitalization effort by Paraguay's national tourism office, Senatur. It sits on one of the city's historic hills and is known for its brightly painted houses, murals and narrow passageways. For kids it turns into a game of spot-the-mural, since every corner has something to look at and photograph. Tip: visit during the day and pair it with other downtown plans.

What to do in Asunción with kids when it rains

San Cosmos, the MuCi planetarium (Complejo Textilia, Jara neighborhood). It opened as Paraguay's first high-resolution digital planetarium: you sit under a dome while each show takes you through space, with films on topics like the solar system, Mars and dinosaurs. It's a preview of the science museum now under construction on the Costanera, next to Parque Caballero. Tip: shows run every hour with room for up to 30 people, so buy tickets online ahead of time. Kids under 16 must come with an adult.

Sky Games at Multiplaza mall (Av. Eusebio Ayala 4501). It opened in December 2021 as the largest play center in Paraguay, with trampolines, a soft play area for little ones, a themed mini city, bumper cars, arcade games and birthday party rooms. The same mall has a movie theater, so you can spend the whole afternoon indoors. Tip: ask about entry requirements before you go. Planning a party? Our guide to where to celebrate a birthday in Asunción has more options.

Museo del Barro (Grabadores del Cabichuí 2716). This museum brings together Indigenous art, folk art and contemporary art, and its Indigenous art collection holds more than 1,700 pieces from different peoples, including masks, textiles and feather work. For kids who love to draw or ask a million questions, the masks are a magnet. Tip: admission is free and you can request a guided visit in advance; check open days on its website before going.

Centro Cultural de España Juan de Salazar (Herrera 834). This Spanish cultural center has a children's library, a play area for kids, screenings for young audiences and a theater festival for children. Tip: check the schedule on its website during the week; it's a handy backup for a rainy afternoon.

Free museums in downtown Asunción for kids

Manzana de la Rivera (historic center, across from the Palacio de López). This is a block of restored historic houses. Casa Viola hosts the Museo Memoria de la Ciudad, a city history museum with maps, objects and paintings about Asunción's past, and the free Augusto Roa Bastos Municipal Library has a children's section with storybooks and early readers. Tip: it's a great spot for some quiet reading when it's too hot outside.

Casa de la Independencia Museum (14 de Mayo at Presidente Franco). The house dates from 1772, and it's where patriots secretly met to plan Paraguay's independence in 1811. It's free and small, which suits short attention spans: colonial furniture, weapons, portraits and the sword of independence leader Fulgencio Yegros. Tip: tell the kids the story in two minutes before you walk in, then let them hunt for the objects in each room.

National Pantheon of the Heroes (Plaza de los Héroes). It holds the remains of key figures in Paraguayan history, including the Child Martyrs of Acosta Ñu, a story that stays with many kids. Tip: there's a changing of the guard outside the Pantheon on Saturdays that younger kids love to watch; confirm the time with Senatur before you go. All three spots are downtown and easy to combine in one morning.

Things to do with older kids and teens

CONMEBOL Museum (Luque). For soccer-crazy kids, this is a must: it covers the history of South American soccer with statues of Pelé, Maradona and Messi, 360° projections, interactive screens and a VAR experience. Admission is free. Tip: you need to register ahead of time on CONMEBOL's official website.

Escape rooms. Asunción has venues such as Escape Room Paraguay, with themes ranging from a school of magic to horror challenges. Your group solves puzzles together to get out within 60 minutes. Tip: pick the room based on age, since some are scary.

Laser tag and bowling at Multiplaza. The mall has Laserland, a laser tag arena for groups, and AsuBowling, whose lanes have automatic bumpers so kids can play. With older kids you can add a round after a movie. Tip: it's more fun with a group of friends; check prices and hours on their own channels.

Day trip from Asunción with kids: Areguá

Areguá is less than 30 km (under 20 miles) from Asunción and one of the easiest getaways with kids. In 2019 it became the first Paraguayan city in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, for crafts and folk art, and it's known for its ceramics; Senatur launched its Crafts Route there so visitors can see artisans' techniques firsthand.

Cerro Kõi Natural Monument. This protected area, managed by Paraguay's environment ministry (MADES), has sandstone shaped into columns with a hexagonal pattern, a geological formation found in very few places in the world. The trail is short, a little over a kilometer, with park rangers who give a briefing at the start and guide the visit, and it leads to a lookout over Lake Ypacaraí. Tip: entry is free; wear comfortable shoes, bring water and leave the bikes at home, since they aren't allowed. It may close on rainy days.

Expo Frutilla. Every year Areguá celebrates strawberry season with a fair in the town center, free to enter, where small producers sell strawberries and cream, ice cream, cakes and smoothies. The 2026 edition runs through September 30; for other years, check the dates on the Areguá municipality's official channels. Tip: let each kid pick their own treat, it's the best reward after climbing the hill.

How to plan a family weekend or Sunday

Group plans by area so you don't spend the afternoon in the car: the historic center (Manzana de la Rivera, Casa de la Independencia, the Pantheon and Loma San Jerónimo) fits into one morning; Luque (Ñu Guasu and the CONMEBOL Museum) makes another outing; and the Botanical Garden is a half-day plan on its own.

In the heat, outdoor plans work best early in the morning or late in the afternoon, with indoor plans during the hottest hours. Pack water, sunscreen and bug spray, and always keep a rainy-day backup, like a park in the morning and the planetarium in the afternoon.

Hours, open days and prices change often, especially on holidays and Sundays, when some downtown museums are closed. Always confirm on each venue's official channels. For more ideas, see our guide to things to do in Asunción on the weekend.

Coming soon: virtual reality in Ycuá Satí

One more plan to keep in mind for later: VR.one, a free-roam virtual reality arena where teams play while walking around together, is being built in Ycuá Satí, 7 minutes from Shopping del Sol. It opens soon. If you're curious, subscribe to the news to hear when it opens, and in the meantime you can read how free-roam VR works. We also explain how we're designing it for kids and families and for VR birthday parties.

Quick answers

What free things can you do in Asunción with kids?

Plenty. Walking into the Botanical Garden, Ñu Guasu and Guasu Metropolitano parks, the Costanera and Cerro Lambaré are all free. The Casa de la Independencia Museum, the municipal library at Manzana de la Rivera, Museo del Barro and the CONMEBOL Museum in Luque are free too, though the CONMEBOL Museum requires advance registration.

What to do in Asunción with kids when it rains?

The best indoor options are MuCi's San Cosmos planetarium, Sky Games and the movie theater at Multiplaza, Museo del Barro, the Juan de Salazar cultural center and the children's section of the municipal library at Manzana de la Rivera. With older kids, add the CONMEBOL Museum, escape rooms, laser tag and bowling.

What to do in Asunción on a Sunday with kids?

A good Sunday pairs an early park visit (the Botanical Garden, Ñu Guasu or the Costanera) with an indoor plan for the hottest hours, like the planetarium or Multiplaza. Check hours first, since some downtown museums are closed on Sundays.

Is there a zoo in Asunción, Paraguay?

Yes. It's inside the Asunción Botanical Garden and Zoo, on Avenida Artigas, and it has about 60 species, including jaguars, pumas, tapirs and toucans. Walking into the garden is free, while the zoo charges a separate admission.