whether travelling alone or with family
Activities for everyone
San Juan del Sur is known for attracting a wide variety of visitors. Walking through its busy and colourful streets, you spot families with children and dogs on one side of the road and young twenty-somethings buckling under the weight of monstrous travelling backpacks on the other.
A good time is accessible for everyone, young or old, with money to spare or on a tight budget. Whether you’re only passing through for the week, or settling down for a life by these dreamy shores, you’ve come to the right place. From surf lessons, to catamaran trips, to pub crawls, to horseback riding, to kids’ acrobat lessons and chess tournaments, San Juan has something to offer to all.
We’ve listed some of the best activities to do in town below, in three categories:
Water activities
family and individual activities
for water and beach lovers
Whether you prefer a long, lazy day of sun bathing, a day-long adventure on a catamaran or a more active and physically challenging water sport, San Juan del Sur has them all.
Sun Bathing
A small fishing town with not 3, not 5, but 16 beaches in total cannot possibly disappoint.
Surfing
Playa Maderas, Playa Remanso and Playa Yankee are San Juan’s most popular surfing beaches.
Catamaran Adventures
Catamarans are available for rent either as Open Charters, Organized Trips to out-of-the-way islands, or Organized Surf Trips. Rent alone or with a group of friends.
Surf Lessons
For those of you just starting out, or looking to make new surfing friends. Available at various beaches.
Family Activities
fun things to do in San juan del sur for all ages
San Juan is and always has been very welcoming and accommodating to families. These are some of the adventures and experiences your entire family can enjoy.
Las Nubes Zipline Tours
Located about 15 minutes outside of San Juan del Sur, the Zipline Adventure Park is a fun and adventurous outing for older kids and those of us who are still kids at heart.
Turtle Release at Playa La Flor
One of the truly magical experiences in San Juan, the night-time sea turtle release will leave your kids talking about it for weeks.
Cristo de La Misericordia
Walk or take a taxi up to the famous Christ statue that rests above San Juan’s main beach. The view is impressive.
Horseback Riding Tours
Enjoy horseback riding on your own or with a group – various places offer it, such as Big Sky Ranch, Rancho Chilamate and some tour companies.
Tree Casa Resort
It would be difficult to write about family activities in San Juan del Sur without mentioning Tree Casa Resort. It would be like ignoring the fun, colourful, most-loved elephant in the room.
The Art Warehouse
The Art warehouse is a wonderfully creative space that has regularly scheduled activities (art classes, camps, paint nights) that cater to both kids and adults.
Late-night entertainment
activities to enjoy after the afternoon’s siesta
The centre of San Juan del Sur is made up of several streets lined with some great bars and restaurants. Beyond that, there are also some fantastic events you can take part in.
Sunday Funday
Known throughout Latin America, Sunday Funday is a day-long pool crawl that takes you to different bars in and around San Juan.
Tuani’s Bar and Grill
Right on San Juan’s main beach shore, Tuani’s hosts regular event parties, plus Ladie’s Nights on Fridays and Dance Parties on Saturdays.
Karaoke Night at Moonshine
Stop by on a Friday night and sing to your heart’s content or watch other travellers practice their shower voice in public. Good times.
Open-Mic Night at Cerveceria
Every Wednesday night, the Cerveceria in downtown San Juan opens its doors with live music, games and cold craft beer. Definitely a fun night.
BE SAFE WHILE TRAVELING
Travelling alone?
Read our article on what you need to think about when travelling to San Juan solo, what the town is like at night and our top 5 tips for staying safe.