Traveling with kids can be tricky. If you’re in town and wondering which activities your kids would love, we highlighted the best things to do in Cebu with kids.
Kids’ imaginations can run wild. Thus, what better way to let them explore the realms of their minds than by bringing them to places they will love? Traveling with your little ones is not just a physical adventure. It is a magical odyssey where the world around them unfolds in vibrant hues, as destinations become more than just mere places on a map. Rather, they become the backdrop for family memories you will cherish throughout your life.
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From safari adventures to waterpark fun, Cebu has many different places to visit that your kids would love. Spend quality bonding time with your family and be guided by this list of the best things to do in Cebu with kids.
1. Visit the Philippines’ Largest Ocean Park in Cebu City
Let’s admit it. You as parents wouldn’t be brave enough to just let your kids go diving in Cebu’s waters by themselves. So, if you want them to experience the province’s rich marine biodiversity, you can instead bring them to Cebu Ocean Park.
At Cebu Ocean Park, the whole family can visit several halls and aquariums filled with diverse and colorful fish, as well as other marine creatures from the big blue sea.
If your kids have the guts, they can experience the ocean park’s SeaTrek, which will have them walking alongside the fish. Or, the arduous Crog Cage where they can be with a 14-foot-long saltwater crocodile up close and personal. Then, cap off your Cebu Ocean Park experience by dining in its underwater restaurant surrounded by fish tanks.
Cebu Ocean Park is located within the SM Seaside Complex. The weekday rate is 550 PHP (~10 USD), while the weekend and holiday rate is 700 PHP (~13 USD). Children under two feet can enter for free, and senior citizens and PWDs are entitled to a discount. Visiting as a large group? You may qualify for a group ticket discount.
👉Get your Cebu Ocean Park ticket here!👈
2. Go on a Safari Adventure in Carmen
From traversing the deep waters, your kids, while in Cebu, can also meet with the animals roaming the land. Cebu Safari and Adventure Park has been home to a diversity of creatures, such as the swan goose, Mandarin duck, black swan, tiger, African lion, meerkat, Burmese python, and so much more. They’re all in one place, so you won’t need to jump from one ecosystem to the next.
Plus, if your kids want to stay longer at Cebu Safari, the park also offers the best accommodations. Ticket prices are 900 PHP (~17 USD) on weekdays and 1,100 PHP (~20 USD) on weekends. Your ticket already includes visits to the park’s animal exhibits, interactions, gardens, and bird shows, to name a few.
👉Get your Cebu Safari and Adventure Park ticket here!👈
3. Snorkel at Panagsama Beach in Moalboal
For kids who have grown to be beach lovers, too, among the best places for them while they’re in Cebu is Panagsama Beach. Panagsama Beach has swiftly become a favorite among tourists thanks to its pristine shores and clear waters home to a vibrant marine life.
Sure, it is a popular diving spot, but snorkeling is also great here. As your kids snorkel and swim, they’ll be able to witness sea creatures like sardines, Pacific lionfish, razorfish, and giant green sea turtles drifting underneath the waters. Entrance to Panagsama Beach is free, but if you want to rent snorkeling gear, you may need to pay some fees.
👉Book your Moalboal island hopping and Badian canyoneering experience here!👈
4. Swim With Whale Sharks in Oslob
Oslob is located at Cebu province’s southern tip. If you want to give your kids an entirely different experience than just the famous indoor playgrounds in Manila, take them to Oslob.
It is a small coastal town that has been recognized worldwide because of the whale sharks, locally known as butanding or tuki, some of the largest fish on the planet.
For many tourists, swimming with these Oslob whale sharks is an activity that should always be part of your bucket list, creating an unforgettable experience. Don’t worry because the whale sharks won’t bite. In fact, they are actually very tame when you encounter them underwater.
The entry fee for locals is 500 PHP (~10 USD), while it is 1,000 PHP (~19 USD) for foreigners.
👉Book your Oslob whale shark snorkeling and Badian canyoneering experience here!👈
5. Experience Exhilarating Rides in Minglanilla
The municipality of Minglanilla is located within Metro Cebu. It has been known as the “Sugat Capital of the South.” In Cebuano, “sugat” translates to “meeting.” Today, Minglanilla is a spirited locality with an upbeat economy.
If you are passing by Minglanilla because you need to do some errands at work or in your business, but you are also bringing kids in tow, you can treat them to a memorable trip to Anjo World Theme Park.
Anjo World Theme Park is Cebu’s first theme park and the largest theme park in Visayas. It features over 12 world-class rides and attractions for families to enjoy. There’s the snow world, spinning roller coaster, Ferris wheel, bumper boats, and more. The Day Unlimited Pass costs 550 PHP (~10 USD) from Mondays thru Thursdays, and 650 PHP (~12 USD) from Fridays thru Sundays and holidays.
👉Book your Anjo World and Snow World ticket here!👈
6. Learn More About How Emotions Work in Cebu City
Museum of Emotions is like experiencing Disney’s “Inside Out” movie in person. You know, that movie that features characters like Joy, Disgust, Sadness, and Fear.
Located in Ayala Center Cebu, the Museum of Emotions is an interactive attraction promoting the understanding of emotions via its colorful art showcases and displays. This experiential museum allows both adults and kids to appreciate and recognize the various emotional states humans have.
Admission, which the museum calls the “Emo Pass,” costs 499 PHP (~9 USD). If you are visiting as a group, you will save more by availing the Emo Squad ticket at 1,400 PHP (~26 USD), good for four persons already.
👉Get your Museum of Emotions ticket here!👈
7. Shop and Dine at SM Seaside in Cebu City
Certainly, you will remember childhood memories in SM Supermalls. Somehow, this mall has become the favorite meeting and hangout place amongst Filipinos. In Cebu City, they have SM Seaside.
SM Seaside is your one-stop destination for shopping, dining, entertainment, and other kinds of fun. You can shop for toys and dresses for your little ones at the SM Store, or treat them to a movie experience at SM Cinemas. And, when it’s time to gobble up, kid-friendly restaurants here include Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, and the Botejyu Japanese restaurant.
👉Book your private transfer in Cebu here!👈
8. Visit Flower Gardens in Cebu City’s Highlands
When your kids have grown a little bit tired from all your Cebu City tours, and when they need to commune with nature to refresh their minds, bodies, and spirits, visit the many flower gardens in the city’s highlands.
One of them is Sirao Garden, located in Barangay Sirao. The garden, dubbed “Little Amsterdam,” isn’t only where you can find windmills that will remind you of those in the Netherlands, but also fragrant flowers like celosias, hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips.
The entrance fee to Sirao Garden is 120 PHP (~3 USD) per person. Senior citizens, PWDs, and children from four to 12 years old are entitled to discounts. Children below three years old can enter for free.
Then, you might also want to visit Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden, situated in the Busay neighborhood. If Ifugao has its rice terraces, Cebu has its flower terraces here at Terrazas de Flores. This flower garden has over 120 species of plants and flowers meticulously arranged on terracesThe entrance fee is 60 PHP (~2 USD).
Another amazing flower garden in Cebu is Buwakan ni Alejandra, situated in the municipality of Balamban. This garden is inspired by movies like “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Lorax. The entrance fee is 100 PHP (~2 USD). Senior citizens, PWDs, and children six to 10 years old pay only 75 PHP (~1-2 USD).
👉Book your Cebu City private day tour here!👈
9. Have Fun at a 5-star Waterpark in Mactan
If you want a waterpark that’s also luxurious for your kids, choose to head to JPark Island Resort and Waterpark. Among the facilities of this five-star waterpark are rooms, themed pools, and a private beach.
Its luxurious rooms give the perfect views of Mactan’s beachfront. Your children will also love the dining options here, which include Asian cuisine and a sumptuous buffet. Day use rate for adults is 3,000 PHP (~55 USD), while it is 1,500 PHP (~28 USD) for children ages seven to 12 years old.
👉Get your JPark Island Resort and Waterpark day pass here!👈
10. Discover Cebu’s Rich History
Your kids can learn so much about Cebu’s rich history within the four corners of the classroom. But, isn’t it wonderful if they can witness history right before their eyes?
Cebu offers this historical tour as it is home to several historical landmarks that date back from the time Spain colonized the Philippines or even earlier with landmarks that tell about Cebu’s heritage from the Chinese.
Some of these historical landmarks are Magellan’s Cross, Fort San Pedro, the Basilica del Santo Niño, Plaza Independencia, the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House, Cebu Taoist Temple, Heritage of Cebu Monument, and the Jesuit House Museum.
👉Book your Cebu City private rediscovery tour here!👈
Your Complete Cebu Travel Guide
Traveling offers lots of benefits for children. Aside from making them happy, of course, it also boosts their development, creativity, and resourcefulness, as well as promotes independence and teaches responsibility. It also is a quality bonding moment for the family. Cebu is one of the best places to realize these benefits. Discover Cebu and weave unforgettable memories with your kids.
If you are still preparing for your trip to Cebu, check out our range of travel guides:
- Best Hostels in Cebu City
- Best Budget Hotels in Cebu City
- Best Hotels in Cebu City
- Best Luxury Resorts in Cebu
- Best Cebu Tours
- Best Things to Do in Cebu
- Best Things to Do in Cebu City
- Top Tourist Attractions in Cebu City
- Cebu IT Park Guide: Restaurants, Cafés, and Bars
If you have questions about your trip to Cebu, let me know in the comments. We’ll get back to you ASAP.
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