Morocco is a family-centric, peaceful country with genuine warmth and love for children of all ages. It’s home to cultures where large families are standard – a family of five to six children, and multi-generational homes are considered the norm. It’s not unusual for people you’ve just met to offer kisses, hugs, and cadeaus (gifts) for your kids. Traveling with kids to Morocco can open doors to unique experiences, connecting you deeper to its people and your own family.
Is Morocco good for kids?
The Moroccan culture reveres pregnant women. Breastfeeding in public is acceptable, but take a shawl for privacy. In case of any medical requirements, pharmacies are available in most neighborhoods, and while state-run hospitals are basic, the private clinics are affordable and professionally run.
While it is a country modernizing at speed, some places lack infrastructure – expect uneven roads, basic public facilities, and hit-and-miss health and safety protocols. That said, public amenities in the new parts of cities and major airports are clean, modern, and user-friendly. King Mohammed VI recently granted large budgets for improving public gardens and children’s play areas, so most neighborhoods and autoroute service stations have green spaces for your little ones to run off energy.
Mealtime in Morocco with kiddos is easy – restaurants are very child friendly © Chris DeSouza / Getty Images
Traditional Moroccan cuisine is home-cooked, prepared from local seasonal ingredients and rarely spicy unless you see red harissa or chili peppers on a dish. Moroccans usually share meals from one plate or a tagine. While locals eat with their right hand, cutlery is always available. You will rarely find a kid’s menu, but most restaurants have staple kid’s foods such as pasta, pizza, and burgers as standard. Restaurants are child friendly and it’s common for children of all ages to join for meals, including late-night dinners with their parents.
Traveling to Marrakech with kids? Bear in mind some riads in the Medina are more geared toward aesthetic and tranquility than a kid’s club. It is advisable to research hotels in the Hivernage, Palmeraie and suburbs, where you will find spacious gardens and large swimming pools. These hotels are also much easier for parking and taxi drop-offs than those in the narrow streets of the Medina.
Where is best in Morocco for kids?
From the treasure-lined souk alleys of ancient medinas in Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira, and Rabat, to the crumbling historic kasbahs of the movie set fame in Ouarzazate, there is plenty to bring your children’s imagination to life. Sand lovers will delight in the Sahara desert dunes and never-ending beaches of the Atlantic coastline. Adventurous families will enjoy mountain hikes, water sports galore, and wildlife experiences in the country’s national parks. Luxury resort hotels and former palaces provide extensive kids club programs so parents get a dose of pampering and relaxing downtime.
Best things to do in Morocco with babies and toddlers
The climate in Morocco makes for plentiful dry, sunny days. Choosing accommodation with shaded gardens and a swimming pool makes it easy for your toddlers to practice their first strokes.
Being in Morocco with a baby is a heart-warming, human connection experience. Expect your babies and young children to receive much attention, love, and a warm welcome.
Morocco is full of wonders for kids – including tree climbing goats © Paul Biris / Getty Images
Best things to do in Morocco with kids 4-11 years
Explore car-free Medinas and cultural hotspots
Take them on a treasure hunt in the souk and watch your children’s eyes light up at the wonders of Morocco’s major cities. Marrakech and Rabat are home to world-class museums, galleries, and theaters celebrating African culture, history, and art. For an open-air classroom, the Roman ruins at Volubilis will bring history books to life.
Aqua play in water and theme parks
With so much sunshine, it’s possible to max out a full day of play in one of the countries’ waterparks. Oasiria, close to Marrakech is a peaceful oasis with multiple slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, the Aquaroc climbing wall, and lush tropical gardens.
Embrace your wild side on an African safari
Wildlife and its conservation is becoming more prominent in Morocco. Rabat Zoo has many African species and offers educational workshops for children 5-12 years old. Nearby Ifrane National Park is a nature-enthusiasts heaven with alpine forests, fresh mountain air, and Barbary apes. A visit to the Souss Massa National Park near Agadir gives a safari fix as you search for oryx and other antelope species in their natural habitat.
Explore Rabat, a cool city with a clean beach
Rabat is the country’s “clean and green” capital, with a child-friendly, well-maintained and city center sandy beach. A great place for swimming and surfing with on-site surf schools offering lessons for kids. The city is off the main tourist path, so even the significant sights of the Chellah, Kasbah des Oudaias, and Medina are quiet. A modern tram system, tree-lined avenues, green central parks, shopping malls, and exciting cuisine. With ferry trips on the River Bougreg, Rabat Zoo, pottery workshops, playgrounds, there is lots on offer for both adults and children.
Sleep out under the stars in the Sahara desert
Introduce your little ones to unpolluted star-filled skies, remoteness, and a life where water is a precious commodity. Delight in the joy from campfires, sleeping in bedouin tents, and an ocean of dunes for running up and rolling down. If traveling overland, it can be a lengthy drive. Check into internal flights or take it slowly and enjoy the journey. Pack warm clothes for the evening, plastic bags to protect phones and cameras from sand, and books and card games for quiet evenings in the camp.
If the Sahara is too far, check out the Agafay desert near Marrakech, or the Timalin dunes “Le Petit Desert” near Tamri.
Hit the beach
Morocco is home to a vast coastline. Some of the country’s best beaches include Oualidia with its safe and gentle-sloping lagoon and Taghazout Bay with a 5km stretch of sandy beaches and luxury beach resorts. Sandcastles, rockpools, surfing, pedalos with built-in slides, and camel and pony rides provide plenty of fun for the whole family.
Teens and tweens will want to take full advantage of all Morocco’s adventures © Paul Biris / Getty Images
Best things to do in Morocco with teenagers and tweenagers
Embrace the country’s football fever
Watch a live game in one of the stadiums, or join in with one on the beach. The locals will love to share their nation’s favorite sport with you. Check if there are any international matches through the FRMF (Royal Moroccan Football Federation) website, tickets from $5 USD. A quick rummage in the souk will find you a Hakimi shirt to wear to the game!
Chase that adrenaline
Whether it’s karting fun in Marrakech, sandboarding in the desert, surfing, or the wind watersports on offer in Essaouira and Dakhla there’s plenty to feed your teenagers thirst for adrenaline and high-speed action.
See where the movies are made
Did you know Morocco has its version of Hollywood? Ouarzazate is home to the Atlas Film Studios, where you can wander around and learn about the making of some of the famous films made in the area, such as Gladiator and Jewel of the Nile.
Disconnect digitally
The Atlas Mountains offer day or longer hikes through rural villages in this trekkers paradise. A day or two here provides a glimpse into the Amazigh culture and hospitality, a reminder of how grounding life can be without digital distractions.
Planning tips
Choose accommodation that caters to your needs. If required, check if a cot will be provided by your accommodation. Bear in mind not all accommodations have air conditioning. If close to a mosque, consider that the Call to Prayer will sound throughout the day, including an early morning wake-up call.
Traveling in Morocco comes with a lot of stimulation – build in some quiet time to retreat and recharge.
Street dogs and cats are all over Morocco. Most animals are part of the community and, if so, will be tagged. Encourage your children not to frighten them, pull their tails or run – the dogs will chase them back, thinking it is a game.
Most attractions do not charge for under 3-years. Some entry tickets are free for children under 12-years and discounted 50% for 12-16-years.
Taxis don’t have car seats as standard, and some don’t have seatbelts or air conditioning. To guarantee these throughout your trip, book a rental car or private driver-guide and consider using domestic flights and trains for longer journeys.
New parts of cities are stroller-friendly, but the medina and crowded souks are not. Elevators are rare; a lightweight umbrella stroller may be more suitable than a heavy buggy for carrying upstairs.
Book a tour guide who speaks your language and will keep your kids attention, bringing to life the country’s unique culture and history.
Standard travel vaccinations are recommended but not mandatory.
Morocco has a great public transport network, including CTM and Supratours coach network, but children pay the same fare as adults. The high-speed Al Boraq train offers heavily discounted travel for children. The national rail ONCF also has some affordable train journeys including bunkbed cabins for their overnight journey from Marrakech to Tangiers.
Bring refillable water bottles. Some places offer filter systems for tap water – only drink tap water if it is filtered.
