Move over Greece! Bodrum is less crowded, cheaper, and stunning!! We visited in July with our 3 year old and 10 month old and had a great time!
Where to stay in Bodrum with Babies
We stayed in Gümüşlük which is a cute fishing village on the tip of the peninsula. It is small and basically a bunch of restaurants with the same menu competing for your attention with their crazy decor! Many people come here for dinner one night but it doesn’t seem like many stay in Gümüşlük. Our hotel Oza Boutique Hotel was okay but not really recommendable. There are some amazing accommodation options in Bodrum but we were on a budget. I would recommend staying somewhere more central.
Getting around Bodrum with Babies
Definitely rent a car if visiting Bodrum. We were driving up from Fethiye so we already had one. When planning our trip I just assumed Bodrum was a city and we would arrive and then walk around and check it out. This is true, however many times when people say Bodrum they mean the entire peninsula. So points of interest ended up being far from one another. We ended up driving around the peninsula to check out different spots which was fun but a lot of car time for little ones. The town of Bodrum itself was over 40 minutes from where we were staying.
What to do in Bodrum with Babies
Dine in Beautiful Restaurants and Beach Clubs
We went to some great restaurants in Bodrum. We celebrated Grant’s 36th birthday with an amazing dinner at Sakhalin Bodrum in Yalıkavak Marina. Think a jaw-dropping raw bar and caviar-shaped birthday cakes! This area is very high-end, and it was fun to stroll around with an ice cream and admire the mega yachts.
And don’t miss out on the beach clubs for lunch. Even if you’re not a hotel guest you can see some beautiful places by having an overpriced but delicious meal! We loved the Buddha-Bar. I also recommend lunch at Folie Restaurant. These beautiful restaurants have pricey beach clubs but you can get the same view for free with lunch!
And of course, if you’re not staying in Gümüşlük, you should still head down to check out one of the waterside restaurants. If looking at the water the ones to the right are all the same but go left and you’ll see cute beach bars, great restaurants like Mükellef Gümüşlük (our favorite!), and jazz clubs.
Your hotel will likely include a traditional Turkish breakfast spread but if you’re looking for something trendy check out Hey Joe for coffee and Raw Low You next door for acai bowls.
Go to the beach
We spent one afternoon at Akçabük Beach. It is a public beach with umbrellas you can rent and the water is gorgeous but the beach is more rocks than sand. This beach is very kid friendly and we brought our inflatable kiddy pool and it worked out great!
Visit Old Town Bodrum
Bodrum town center is full of old charm and I loved the bougainvillea-lined cafes and shops. Yula and Caravan are cute spots right on the water.
We also enjoyed shopping at the market (Marin got some new knockoff nikes!) and exploring the old Bodrum Castle (this was cooler than expected!).
Bodrum is designed for more of a luxury couples vacation than a family vacation with babies, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it work. Next stop, Kusadasi!
Not Bored in Bodrum,
-Ray