Panama
ESMy trip
Forested hills among banks of mist with Panama City buildings in the distance.

Panama · Panama Canal & Gamboa

With kids

Short visits with restrooms and shade, and a good return on travel time.

5 places

  1. 1

    CultureOpen

    Miraflores Visitor Center

    Pacific side of the canal, Ancón, about 15 minutes by car from downtown Panama City.18 km from the centre

    Entry
    Non-resident adult B/.17.22
    Hours
    8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
    Booking
    Not stated

    Panama Canal Authority (ACP) center beside the Miraflores Locks, with terraces to watch ships transit, exhibits and an IMAX film included in the ticket.

    Source: Miraflores Visitor Center – Visit Canal de Panamá (ACP) · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Non-residents: adults B/.17.22; children 6–12 B/.7.22; under 6 free. Nationals and residents: adults 19 and over B/.3.00, up to 18 free, seniors B/.1.50 (ACP, 2026). Includes the IMAX film. A 2026 blog quotes US$20/US$10; the official figure is ACP's.
    Hours
    Daily 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; ticket office 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. IMAX (45 min): 8:45, 9:45, 11:00, 12:15, 1:30, 2:45, 4:00 and 5:15.
    Time needed
    About 1.5 hours according to ACP.

    Tip: Ship traffic is not continuous. The tour operator Canal Panama Tours' blog (April 2026) reports northbound transits around 9–11 a.m. and southbound 2–5 p.m.; ACP runs live webcams (multimedia.panama-canal.com) to check before you go.

    Nearby: Pedro Miguel Locks viewpoint (3.3 km) · Panama Canal Railway (special trips) (3.5 km) · Camino de Cruces National Park (3.7 km)

    Sources: Miraflores Visitor Center – Visit Canal de Panamá (ACP) · The Panama Canal – Visit Panamá · Panama Canal Authority · Miraflores Locks Visit 2026

  2. 2

    WildlifeOpen

    Summit Municipal Park

    Road to Gamboa, next to Soberanía National Park.8.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    B/.5.00
    Hours
    Sources disagree
    Booking
    Not stated

    Botanical garden and wildlife rescue center run by the Municipality of Panama. It cares for animals rescued from illegal trafficking or the pet trade.

    Source: Tarifas y Horarios – Parque Summit (MUPA) · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Foreigners B/.5.00; nationals and residents aged 6+ B/.2.00; retirees B/.1.00; under 6 free (park site).
    Hours
    The park's fees page says: closed Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday–Friday 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. In July 2025 the Municipality announced Wednesday–Sunday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The two disagree: check before going.

    Nearby: El Charco Trail (3.2 km) · Pedro Miguel Locks viewpoint (6.5 km) · Camino de Cruces National Park (7.6 km)

    Sources: Tarifas y Horarios – Parque Summit (MUPA) · Parque Summit estrena nuevo horario en julio – Alcaldía de Panamá

  3. 3

    NatureOpen

    El Charco Trail

    About 1.5 km past Summit Park, on the way to Gamboa.5.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Last known: 2022
    Booking
    Not stated

    Short 0.8 km trail in Soberanía National Park, with a small waterfall and a pool on the Sardinilla River. A community organization manages it.

    Source: El Sendero El Charco espera por los visitantes – MiAmbiente · 2022 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Free entry according to MiAmbiente (2022 reopening). The community organization charges B/.2.50 for restrooms and B/.2.50 for the picnic area, per person per day. Whether the park entry fee also applies in 2026 is not confirmed.
    Hours
    Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; closed Mondays for maintenance (MiAmbiente, 2022; not confirmed for 2026). Capacity 72 people per day.
    Booking
    Book at least 72 hours ahead, according to MiAmbiente (2022); the booking e-mail differs between sources, so confirm the contact on miambiente.gob.pa.

    Tip: No pets, alcohol, smoking or feeding wildlife.

    Nearby: Summit Municipal Park (3.2 km) · Gamboa Aerial Tram (Gamboa Rainforest Reserve) (5.6 km) · Panama Rainforest Discovery Center (8 km)

    Sources: El Sendero El Charco espera por los visitantes – MiAmbiente · El Charco Trail – Recorriendo Panamá · Soberania National Park – Visit Panamá

  4. 4

    NatureOpen

    Gamboa Aerial Tram (Gamboa Rainforest Reserve)

    Gamboa Rainforest Reserve, Gamboa (Colón).1 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Last known: 2023
    Booking
    Not stated

    Aerial tram at the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve hotel that climbs over the forest to an observation tower overlooking the canal and the Chagres River. The hotel says it is wheelchair accessible.

    Source: The Reserve – Gamboa Rainforest Reserve · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Not confirmed on the hotel's site. A blog updated in 2023 quoted US$44.94 per person; 2026 agency packages vary widely.
    Hours
    Per that blog (2023): Tuesday to Sunday, first ride 9:15 a.m., last 3:30 p.m.; closed Mondays. Not confirmed for 2026.
    Booking
    Booked through the Gamboa Rainforest Reserve hotel, whose website lists a tours email and its general phone numbers. The “The Reserve” page checked in October 2026 does not detail the aerial tram’s price or hours.
    Time needed
    Just over an hour (blog, 2023).

    Nearby: Panama Rainforest Discovery Center (2.7 km) · Soberanía National Park (3.6 km) · Pipeline Road (Camino del Oleoducto) (4.6 km)

    Sources: The Reserve – Gamboa Rainforest Reserve · Gamboa Aerial Tram – Recorriendo Panamá

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  5. 5

    CultureOpen

    Agua Clara Visitor Center

    Gatún, Colón province, near Colón city; about an hour's drive from the capital.28.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    Non-resident adult B/.10.00
    Hours
    Sources disagree
    Booking
    Not stated

    ACP center on the Caribbean side, facing the Neopanamax Agua Clara Locks of the expanded canal, with a screening room, two short trails and a lookout over the locks.

    Source: Agua Clara Visitor Center – Gatun – Visit Canal de Panamá (ACP) · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Non-residents: adults B/.10.00; children 6–12 B/.5.00; under 6 free. Nationals and residents: adults 19 and over B/.3.00, up to 18 free, seniors B/.1.50 (ACP, 2026).
    Hours
    ACP's page says: daily, including holidays, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; tickets sold until 3:30 p.m. The same site's homepage shows closing at 5:00 p.m.: unresolved discrepancy.
    Booking
    Tickets at tickets.visitcanaldepanama.com or at the ticket office.
    Time needed
    About 3 hours according to ACP (12-min film, 1 km trail, 0.5 km ecological trail and the New Gatún Locks view deck, reached by transport from the center).

    Nearby: Gatún Lake boat tour ('Monkey Island') (11.6 km) · Fort San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo el Real de Chagres) (12 km) · San Lorenzo protected area and new visitor centre (12.3 km)

    Sources: Agua Clara Visitor Center – Gatun – Visit Canal de Panamá (ACP) · Visit Canal de Panamá – portada (ACP) · The Panama Canal – Visit Panamá

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