In this guide
With kids in Encarnación, the easiest plan is the Costanera: Playa San José has lifeguards, toilets and sports courts, and the riverside promenade has play and exercise areas along the way. Add the Plaza de Armas, with a playground and a Japanese garden, the Juan XXIII mini zoo and, with an extra day, the Jesuit ruins of Trinidad, about 30 km away. Below is what to do by area, opening times and a tip for each stop.
Costanera and beaches: a half-day plan
- Playa San José (Av. Costanera República del Paraguay). A 700 m beach with toilets, ATMs, food stalls, football and beach-volleyball courts, and buoys separating the swimming area from boats. In high season, from the second half of October until after Easter, lifeguards are on duty 8:00–20:00 (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Tip: in season, 25,000 to 30,000 people come to the beach at weekends (ABC Color, 2024 (opens in a new tab)), so with small children go early and stay near the lifeguards.
- Costanera República del Paraguay. 8.7 km of riverside promenade with play and exercise areas, toilets and tourist information points (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Great for bikes, scooters or a pushchair at sunset.
- Playa Mbói Ka'e (Barrio Mbói Ka'e). Smaller (200 m), with toilets, lifeguards and thatched shade shelters (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). A good fallback when San José is packed.
- Municipal Railway Museum. Inside the replica train station opposite Playa San José. Open Monday to Friday 7:00–17:30 and Saturday and Sunday 13:00–17:00 (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Tip: at weekends, do the beach in the morning and the museum after lunch.
To eat, the Paseo Gastronómico facing Playa San José groups pizzerias, pasta places and buffets with river views (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab); ABC Color (opens in a new tab)).
Parks and plazas in town
- Plaza de Armas (Mcal. Estigarribia between 14 de Mayo and Tomás Romero Pereira). A children's play area, ponds, a large open esplanade and the Japanese Garden with waterfalls and little bridges (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). It also has a curupay tree about 220 years old, declared a natural monument (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- Parque de la Salud (Barrio Ciudad Nueva, Av. San Blas). 7 hectares for walking and exercise, with drinking water, toilets and showers. Open daily 5:00–17:00 (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Tip: on hot days, go early.
- Plaza de la Ciudad (Av. Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia between 25 de Mayo and Villarrica). Tree-lined paths overlooking the Paraná and a skate park (Municipality (opens in a new tab)), good for older kids.
- Escalinata de San Pedro and Paseo de los Enamorados (Barrio San Pedro). The stairway has benches and outdoor games such as chess, draughts, noughts and crosses, tejo (a throwing game) and twister, and next to it is a 200 m alley covered in mosaics (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). Go in daylight to see the colours.
Animals
Juan XXIII Mini Zoo. Mostly South American wildlife, with entry by a small contribution towards the animals' care (Municipality (opens in a new tab)). The Municipality lists it as open until 17:00, but one page gives Monday to Friday and another every day (Municipality (opens in a new tab)); if you plan a weekend visit, ask first at Turista Róga, the tourist office on the Costanera Padre Bolik (Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
Rainy or very hot days
- Shopping Costanera, on Avenida Costanera near the Mbói Ka'e and San José beaches, was designed with half its space for entertainment (Infonegocios (opens in a new tab)), and the Municipality lists a cinema there open 13:00–22:30 (Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
- Nikkei Identity Centre and Tea House (Av. Irrazábal and Aquidabán). Photos, sounds and objects from Japanese immigration. Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00–15:30, and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 8:00–12:30; afternoons and weekends by booking (Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
Day trip: the Trinidad ruins
The Jesuit Mission of Santísima Trinidad del Paraná, a World Heritage Site, is about 30 km northwest along Route PY06 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). By bus, take one heading north, get off at Trinidad and walk about 500 m; the ride takes about 45 minutes (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). With kids, bring hats and water: it is an open-air site.
Getting around with kids
- From the International Bridge to Playa San José is about 6.1 km, roughly 15 minutes by car via Av. Irrazábal or Boulevard Iturbe (Municipality (opens in a new tab)).
- UberX, Uber Flash and Uber Moto operate in Encarnación (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)); with children, order UberX.
- The Costanera Padre Bolik and Costanera Augusto Roa Bastos have bike lanes (Municipality (opens in a new tab)), so a family bike ride is a good way to see them.
FAQ
What are the best parks for kids in Encarnación?
Plaza de Armas has a playground and a Japanese garden; the Costanera República del Paraguay adds play areas along 8.7 km; and Parque de la Salud in Ciudad Nueva opens daily 5:00–17:00.
Does Playa San José have lifeguards?
Yes. In high season (second half of October until after Easter) lifeguards work 8:00–20:00, according to the Municipality.
Is there a zoo in Encarnación?
Yes, the Juan XXIII Mini Zoo, with South American wildlife and entry by contribution. It closes at 17:00; check before going at the weekend.
What can kids do in Encarnación when it rains?
Shopping Costanera has a cinema and entertainment space, and the Railway Museum opposite Playa San José also opens at weekends, 13:00–17:00.
