Panama With Two Young Kids

A difficult flight, a beautiful resort, and why we were perfectly happy to stay put.

WHEN: May 2026

LENGTH: 4 nights

KIDS’ AGES: 4 years and 19 months

DESTINATION: Playa Bonita, Panama

STAY: The Westin Playa Bonita Panama

TRAVEL STYLE: Resort-based family getaway

BEST PART: The kids’ pool and time together

HARDEST PART: The flight

WOULD WE GO BACK? Yes—but there’s a big world left to see.

We went to Panama in May 2026 for my birthday, while my husband was there for work.

It was our daughter’s first international trip and our son’s seventh country.

And the flight was awful.

Not “a little challenging.”

Not “we had to hand out a few extra snacks.”

It was five hours of two tired children, one toddler who wanted to get into absolutely everything, and two parents wondering how a five-hour flight could possibly feel that long.

But once we arrived, we had a wonderful trip.

We stayed at a beautiful resort, spent our days at the pool, ate good food, and enjoyed being together somewhere new.

We didn't do excursions. We didn't explore the city. We didn't try to maximize every day.

And for this stage of life, that was exactly what we needed.

THE QUICK TAKE

BEST PLACE TO STAY The Westin Playa Bonita Panama

BEST FEATURE FOR LITTLE KIDS The huge, shallow kids’ pool

BEST ROOM UPGRADE A separate living area and two bathrooms

BEST PARENTING DECISION Not forcing excursions

HARDEST PART The five-hour flight

MOST USEFUL GEAR Our collapsible double stroller

BIGGEST PACKING MISTAKE Forgetting sunscreen

BIGGEST WARNING Sand flies at night

BEST BIRTHDAY MOMENT A surprise chocolate cake delivered to our room

WOULD WE DO IT AGAIN? Absolutely.

01 | THE FLIGHT

★☆☆☆☆

Our flight to Panama was direct, which sounds ideal when you're traveling with two young kids.

Unfortunately, it was still one of our hardest travel days.

Our daughter was 19 months old and traveling as a lap child. She wanted to be into everything, didn't want to cuddle, and couldn't settle down to sleep.

She has always been the kind of child who sleeps best in her crib, so expecting her to nap comfortably on a plane was probably optimistic.

Our son also had a difficult time.

We brought the Flyaway inflatable airplane bed that we'd used successfully on previous trips, but this time it became another thing to struggle over rather than a solution.

Sometimes the travel gear that worked beautifully on one trip just doesn't work for the child you have today.

02 | THE TABLET TRADE-OFF

Our son had his travel tablet and watched movies during the flight.

It helped distract him temporarily.

But we've noticed that too much screen time can leave him glazed over and in a much worse mood afterward.

So while the tablet gave us some relief in the moment, it also contributed to ongoing attitude issues later.

I don't think that means tablets are bad or that other families shouldn't use them.

It's simply something we've learned about our own child.

VERDICT: USE WHAT WORKS FOR YOUR CHILD, NOT WHAT EVERY TRAVEL LIST SAYS YOU NEED.

03 | THE CAR-SEAT SITUATION

We brought our son's RideSafer travel restraint and our daughter's infant car seat.

Having transportation safety equipment that worked for our children was important to us, especially when using taxis.

The RideSafer has been useful on several of our trips because it's much more portable than a traditional car seat.

That said, travel restraints have specific age, size, vehicle and legal requirements. I'd always recommend checking the manufacturer's instructions and the rules for your destination before relying on one.

04 | THE WESTIN PLAYA BONITA PANAMA

★★★★★

The resort was incredible.

My husband booked an upgraded room for my birthday, and having the extra space made such a difference with two young kids.

We had a separate living area with a couch and dining table, plus two bathrooms.

Our daughter slept in a hotel-provided crib, and our son slept in the king bed with us.

We always bring our own crib sheets, which is one of those little things that makes traveling with babies and toddlers feel more familiar.

VERDICT: EXTRA ROOM SPACE IS WORTH PRIORITIZING WITH TWO LITTLE KIDS.

Especially when one child still needs naps and an early bedtime.

05 | THE KIDS’ POOL

★★★★★

This was the highlight of the trip for our children.

The resort has multiple pools, including a huge, shallow kids’ pool.

Our kids absolutely loved it.

We spent so much time there, and it made the days easy while my husband was working.

I didn't need to come up with a complicated itinerary.

We could swim, play, eat, rest, and do it all again.

VERDICT: THE KIDS’ POOL WAS WORTH THE TRIP.

06 | THE KIDS’ CLUB

★★★★☆

The resort also had a kids’ club.

We stayed with our children while they played, but it was a nice change of pace and gave them something different to do.

Sometimes, when you're traveling with little kids, access to actual toys is surprisingly exciting.

It gave us another option besides the pool and helped break up the day.

07 | THE PLAYGROUND

★★☆☆☆

The playground was disappointing.

Some of the equipment seemed worn and in poor condition, so it wasn't something I felt particularly comfortable relying on.

The resort had plenty of other things for our kids to enjoy, but I wouldn't choose it specifically for the playground based on our experience.

08 | THE BEACH

★★★☆☆

The resort is right on the beach, which is beautiful to look at.

But this is not the white-sand, turquoise-water beach vacation some people might picture.

The beach was rocky and covered with shells in places.

Our son loved looking for shells, but he also ended up with some small cuts on his feet.

VERDICT: GREAT FOR EXPLORING, BUT BRING WATER SHOES.

If your main priority is soft sand and clear turquoise water, I'd research other destinations or specific Panama beaches before booking.

09 | THE FOOD

★★★★☆

We ate breakfast every morning at the resort's Pacifica buffet and sometimes returned for dinner.

The food was decent, and the buffet was especially convenient with young children.

We also tried some of the nicer dinner restaurants.

But if you've ever tried to enjoy a fancy dinner with a four-year-old and a 19-month-old, you know that the atmosphere can change pretty quickly.

Sometimes the buffet was simply the better choice.

VERDICT: CONVENIENCE COUNTS AS LUXURY WHEN YOU HAVE LITTLE KIDS.

Being able to get food quickly and leave when everyone was finished was worth a lot.

10 | THE ROOM UPGRADE

★★★★★

I can't tell you exactly what the upgrade cost because my husband booked it as my birthday gift and I didn't ask.

But I can tell you that I appreciated every bit of extra space.

With two young children, one needing naps and the other needing an outlet for his energy, having a separate living area was wonderful.

It gave us room to spread out without feeling like we were all living on top of each other.

And two bathrooms?

Absolutely appreciated.

VERDICT: IF YOUR BUDGET ALLOWS IT, PRIORITIZE SPACE OVER FANCY EXTRAS.

11 | TRAVELING WITH TWO KIDS IS DIFFERENT

The biggest difference between traveling with one child and two is that you're managing two completely different sets of needs.

One needs a nap.

One needs to run.

One can't communicate everything she wants.

Both are learning how to share.

They have different food preferences, different energy levels, and different ideas about what sounds fun.

It doesn't mean traveling with two is impossible.

It just means you have to be more flexible about what a successful day looks like.

For us, a successful day in Panama might have been swimming, eating lunch, taking a nap, and going back to the pool.

And that was enough.

12 | THE DOUBLE STROLLER

★★★★★

We brought our collapsible umbrella double stroller, and it was great.

It was lightweight enough to manage while traveling but still gave both kids a place to sit when they needed a break.

Since we mostly stayed at the resort, we didn't have to navigate a lot of complicated transportation or city streets.

But having the stroller for the airport, resort walks and naps was still incredibly useful.

VERDICT: ONE OF OUR MOST USEFUL PIECES OF GEAR.

13 | NAPS AND SLEEP

Thankfully, naps were fairly easy once we arrived because we weren't leaving the resort.

Our daughter had a crib, and we could plan the day around her sleep without worrying about missing an excursion or getting back from the city.

The kids were exhausted after the flight, so we all slept well the first night.

We didn't have any jet-lag issues.

After such a difficult travel day, that first good night's sleep felt especially wonderful.

14 | THE WEATHER

HOT, HUMID AND BEAUTIFUL

We had great weather during our stay.

It was humid, and there were plenty of times when it looked like rain was coming, but we only actually got rained out once. And it was still beautiful to watch from the cover of the veranda.

The pool weather was wonderful.

The one thing I would absolutely warn people about is the sand flies at night.

They were horrible.

I got bitten pretty badly, especially in the evenings.

VERDICT: BRING INSECT REPELLENT AND TAKE EVENING BUG PROTECTION SERIOUSLY.

15 | THE SUNSCREEN MISTAKE

We forgot sunscreen.

Which is not ideal when you're taking two little kids to a tropical resort.

Thankfully, the hotel had a gift shop where we could buy some.

But it was an unnecessary expense and something I would definitely double-check before leaving home next time.

VERDICT: PACK THE SUNSCREEN.

16 | THE LOBBY CHAIRS

This is probably the most toddler-specific recommendation I've ever made.

The resort lobby had what felt like 50 different chairs.

And little kids apparently love trying out chairs.

Our children were perfectly happy exploring the lobby and sitting in different seats.

It's funny how you can spend thousands of dollars on a family vacation, and sometimes the entertainment is just...

Chairs.

VERDICT: LET THEM ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS.

17 | THE EMPTY CONFERENCE HALLWAY

The resort had a long hallway in the wing where they host meetings.

After hours, when it was empty, we let the kids run down it to get some energy out.

We weren't letting them scream or disturb anyone.

But having a safe, open space where they could move around was surprisingly helpful.

Sometimes that's what a four-year-old needs more than another organized activity.

18 | THE BIRTHDAY CAKE

★★★★★

One of my favorite moments of the trip happened while I was getting ready in our room.

Someone knocked on the door and delivered a personal-sized chocolate cake that said “Feliz Cumpleaños.”

It was such a sweet surprise.

I cried happy tears.

It was my birthday, we were somewhere beautiful, and my husband had planned this wonderful trip for us.

Those little thoughtful moments are the things I remember most.

19 | THE GYM AND POOL BAR

★★★★★

I also enjoyed the on-site gym.

And there is something pretty wonderful about getting a Mai Tai at the pool while overlooking the beach.

The resort gave us enough options that I could still enjoy parts of the trip as an adult, even though most of our days revolved around the kids.

That's important to me.

Family travel doesn't have to mean that every single moment is designed exclusively for children.

20 | GETTING TO THE RESORT

We used a taxi service to get from the airport to the hotel.

The drive was roughly 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

The resort is outside the main city, and some of the roads become less developed once you leave the urban areas.

Traffic around the Panama Canal bridge can also be challenging.

On a previous couples trip, we experienced some confusing lane-direction changes and heavy traffic while exploring the city.

For this family trip, I was glad we didn't have to worry about driving around much.

VERDICT: STAYING PUT MADE TRANSPORTATION MUCH EASIER.

21 | WHY WE DIDN'T DO EXCURSIONS

We didn't do any excursions on this trip.

And I don't regret it.

We've traveled internationally with our children before, and I love adventure.

But at this particular stage of life, with a four-year-old and a challenging toddler, staying at the resort was the right decision for us.

We didn't need to prove that we could do everything.

We just wanted to enjoy being together somewhere new.

VERDICT: YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAXIMIZE EVERY DESTINATION.

Sometimes the best itinerary is the one that works for the family you have right now.

22 | A NOTE ON PANAMA CITY

FROM OUR PREVIOUS COUPLES TRIP

My husband and I had visited Panama before this family trip, so we had already experienced some of the city.

We thought Panama City was beautiful and enjoyed exploring parts of it.

We also felt that some areas required more caution, and we chose not to walk around after dark.

On that trip, we visited a very upscale restaurant with a rooftop bar and several themed dining concepts in one location, which was a really cool experience.

But with two young kids on this visit, we didn't feel the need to return to the city.

We were happy staying at the resort.

23 | THE PANAMA CANAL

FROM OUR PREVIOUS COUPLES TRIP

We also visited the Panama Canal on our earlier trip.

The history is incredible, and I understand why it's such a famous attraction.

But the visitor experience was a little underwhelming for me.

I felt like it could have done a better job explaining what we were looking at and building excitement around the experience.

We watched ships move through the locks and had the option to watch a movie about the canal's history.

I'm glad we saw it, but it wasn't the highlight of our trip.

VERDICT: WORTH SEEING IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY, BUT MANAGE EXPECTATIONS.

24 | WAS PANAMA SAFE?

We felt very safe at the resort and on its grounds.

The hotel was away from the city, and we were comfortable spending our days there with the kids.

Our previous experience in Panama City was more mixed. We enjoyed the city, but there were areas where we felt more cautious.

I wouldn't make a blanket statement that the entire city is unsafe—or that every area is equally safe.

For families planning to explore beyond a resort, I'd recommend researching current neighborhood guidance, transportation options and official travel advisories before going.

25 | WOULD WE GO BACK?

Yes.

We've now been to Panama twice, and I've enjoyed both trips.

But my personality is also very much:

It's a great big world out there, and I have more to see.

So while I would happily return, I'd probably save our next big travel budget for somewhere new.

That's not a reflection of Panama.

It's just that there are so many places we still want to experience as a family.

WHAT I'D DO AGAIN

✓ Stay at The Westin Playa Bonita Panama

✓ Book a room with extra living space

✓ Spend plenty of time at the kids’ pool

✓ Use the kids’ club as a change of pace

✓ Bring the collapsible double stroller

✓ Bring our own crib sheets

✓ Keep the itinerary flexible

✓ Eat at the buffet when convenience matters

✓ Enjoy the resort without feeling obligated to leave

✓ Make time for a poolside drink and a little adult relaxation

WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY

✕ Forget sunscreen

✕ Underestimate the sand flies

✕ Expect the inflatable airplane bed to work for every child

✕ Rely too heavily on screen time when it affects our son's mood

✕ Assume a fancy restaurant will be relaxing with two little kids

✕ Feel pressure to plan excursions just because we're in another country

THE SHORT LIST

BEST RESORT FEATURE The huge, shallow kids’ pool

BEST ROOM FEATURE Separate living area + two bathrooms

BEST FAMILY GEAR Collapsible double stroller

BEST DINING OPTION WITH LITTLE KIDS Pacifica buffet

BEST ADULT AMENITY On-site gym + pool bar

BIGGEST WARNING Sand flies at night

BIGGEST PACKING MISTAKE Forgetting sunscreen

HARDEST PART The flight

BEST BIRTHDAY MOMENT The surprise chocolate cake

WOULD WE GO BACK? Yes.

WOULD WE DO EXCURSIONS NEXT TIME? Maybe—but only if they fit our family's needs at that stage.

THE PART THAT MADE IT WORTH IT

Traveling with two young kids can be a lot of work.

Sometimes it's beautiful and fun.

Sometimes it's just parenting in a different country.

And sometimes you're on a five-hour flight wondering why you thought this was a good idea.

But those hard moments don't last forever.

What I remember most is how much I love doing life with my husband.

The sacrifices he makes to provide these opportunities for our family. The work he puts in during the day, then coming back and helping me with the kids. The way we handle the hard parts together.

Traveling with young children has shown me how much we're capable of as a team.

And even when a trip isn't easy, I come home grateful for the life we're building and the memories we're making.

The flight was hard. The trip was worth it.

THE FAMILY FIELD GUIDE

Real experience. Honest recommendations. Just the useful parts.

Last updated: September 2026