Where To Take Your Kids To Celebrate Latinx/Hispanic Culture Around The US

In fact, the most recent census numbers show hispanic individuals make up the largest minority in the country, with a population of more than 57 million. As such, it makes sense folks, Latinx or not, should get to know and understand the culture. Whether you’re raising Latinx kids yourself, or simply want to teach your children about the heritage, here are some of the best places to go to learn more.

Founded in 1976, this impressive bilingual theater company has thrived in DC, a city not exactly known for its large, latin diaspora. The theatre has put on more than 200 productions, from contemporary Latin American plays to original musicals and more.

While many productions are more appropriate for teens and adults, GALA also offers GALita — a program of bilingual productions for younger audiences. The theatre also has a matinee program for students, with affordable ticket prices, study guides for students and teachers, script printouts, and a post-performance talk sure to shed light on any questions from the kiddos.

Plan your trip to DC with your kids.

For a solid education on a variety of latinx cultures, a trip to Miami is a must. But if you’re hoping to educate yourself (and your kids) on Cuban culture, you’ll want to head straight for Little Havana. This small, vibrant neighborhood is home to a number of popular Cuban places of interest, such as the Cubaocho Museum, Maximo Gomez (Domino) Park, and the Latin Walk of Fame.

You can also stop into any number of eateries in the neighborhood (including the ever-famous Versailles) so your little ones can experience authentic Cuban cuisine (delicious Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Honduran eateries are also present here). And finally, if you’re able, definitely visit during Viernes Culturales, a free art walk down Calle Ocho where your family can enjoy live music, dancing, galleries, and more.

Spend the perfect weekend in Miami

There are few places where one can view over 800 years worth of latinx art, but one such place is El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem. Created out of a collective frustration at the lack of latinx representation in mainstream museums, the museum now features a permanent collection of more than 6,500 objects that serve to spread awareness of the history and culture of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Aside from their exhibitions, El Museo also offers bilingual programs, workshops, and public lectures you can attend with your kids to further their education.

Plan a great New York City getaway

Located in Barrio Logan, Chicano Park is a location of great significance to the Mexican-American community of San Diego. In the early 1900s, this area was a thriving, middle-class latinx neighborhood, but because of a number of changes (including the construction of a major freeway), the barrio began to lose its appeal.

The land where the park now stands was once slated to become a highway patrol station, but local Chicanos put a stop to that and had the government create the park instead. Today the park is home to numerous murals telling the story of chicanos from Pre-Colombian times to the present, as well as the location for Chicano Park Day — a free celebration featuring music, art, food, cars, vendors, and more.

Where will you go in San Diego with your kids?

Film can be an excellent resource for learning, and you won’t find a larger collection of latinx movies than you will at the Latino International Film Festival. Now in its 11th year, the fest features films by Latinx Americans as well as films from Latin American countries like the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and more.

While some films might be best left to adults, the fest does offer a number of G and PG-rated films you can share with your kiddos. Additionally, LALIFF created a youth program at the festival which eventually morphed into what is now their Youth Cinema Project, a public school educational film program aimed at producing the next generation of young latinx filmmakers.

Find the best ice cream shops in the US while exploring with your kids.

Located in the predominantly Mexican Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art is one of the top art museums in the nation spotlighting the work of Mexican and Chicano artists from Mesoamerica to the present.

You’ll have to spend a few hours (if not days) to take it all in with your kids: the artifacts from Michoacan, the posters of the Chicano Movement, the classic paintings and contemporary photography by Mexican and Mexican-American artists. Moreover, the museum offers learning opportunities for families, including a bilingual summer camp, weekend and after-school art programs, workshops, and more.

Calle 24 Latino Cultural District (San Francisco)

While a trip to San Francisco’s Mission District would in and of itself provide a great education on latinx culture, if you’re short on time, take your kids straight to the Calle 24 sector. This 12 city block-wide slice of the Mission is run by an all-volunteer group who aim to preserve the rich, cultural latinx heritage of the area by advocating for local latinx small businesses and speaking out against gentrification.

Take a tour of the area and you’ll run into a number of notable spaces like Cafe La Boheme (a Palestinian-founded cafe and now artistic hub for Central American immigrants), the Brava Theatre (a company promoting theatrical works by women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ persons), Galeria La Raza (an art gallery and event space for workshops, poetry readings, and more). It’s also home to Acion Latina (a nonprofit showcasing latinx performing, literary, and visual arts), plenty of panaderias (latinx bakeries), restaurants (with cuisine from Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and more), parks, shops, and vibrant murals.