Visiting Montezuma with Kids
I recommend visiting Montezuma on Saturday because this is the day thta there is a Farmer’s Market in town, and I have found that the Montezuma Market has more vendors and bigger variety of items than the Santa Teresa Farmer’s Market. But if you end up going on a different day, just skip that part of the itinerary!
I highly recommend arriving to Montezuma on Saturday morning and pretty hungry so you can visit the La Vida Dulce bakeshop/café, and fully enjoy it. You cannot go wrong here. Anything you order will be delicious, and there is something for everyone- sweet or savory, gluten free options, great taste and good coffee (did I mention that I got these delivered in larger quantities to my house every Saturday when I was pregnant? That good.) The bakery opens at 8am.
After you had your morning coffee and a tasty bite, head to the Montezuma Waterfalls for a nice hike and a refreshing swim! The easiest way to get to the waterfall is to come down to the main street of Montezuma, stay on the main road past the downtown (do not go into the town), keep driving/walking, cross a small bridge, and there will be the entrance to the trailhead on your right. Park your car at the parking lot, and you are ready to go!
Montezuma Waterfalls is compromised from three waterfalls; the first waterfall is a pretty accessible hike, but I would still recommend a hiking carrier that you can wear on your back for full visibility while you are walking. The hike to the first waterfall, ends with a pool that is great for hanging out, jumping in or swimming! The middle waterfall might not be accessible with kiddos (you need to swim across a natural pool to see it) And honestly, the first one might be an adventure on its own. If you are eager to keep going to see the last waterfall, be ready to pay a small fee (c1000). The last waterfall is not as big as the first one, but it is definitely less crowded.
After a refreshing hike and swim, I recommend heading to town to explore a bit. Walk around town, check out the little souvenir shop and artists alley market, and if you are down there on Saturday, I highly recommend visiting local Farmer’s Market that starts at 11:00am! It is more than likely that you will be able to find something freshly made and tasty for lunch at the Market. If you are not there on Saturday, I recommend eating light lunch at the local soda, or grabbing some ice cream.
After you visit the market, I recommend visiting the beach, and/or Montezuma playground to let the kiddos be wild for a bit! The playground is truly great for the little ones- it is large and it has many different structure options to play at, and offers plenty of shade. It is located directly behind the artist’s stands on the main street- it is super easy to miss if you do not know to look for it there. If you have trouble finding it, ask anyone in town, and they will point you in the right direction!
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To wrap up your Montezuma trip, I highly recommend visiting a local Mediterranean restaurant, Playa De Los Artistas. Even that this is not entirely children friendly establishment, it is on the beach (offering shaded seating), so kids can still play in the sand, and explore while you are waiting for the food. The food is absolutely delicious. The restaurant is only open four days a week, from 12pm-5pm (taking orders up to 4pm). Hope you enjoy it!