14 Awesome Things To Do In Tenerife With Kids

Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, is a popular tourist destination renowned for its warm weather, stunning natural wonders, beautiful beaches, and exciting theme parks. Whether you’re a nature lover or an adventure seeker, you’re sure to find the best things to do for you and your kids on this magical island. From its UNESCO World Heritage Sites to its bustling local community, Tenerife guarantees an unforgettable vacation.

We recently spent a week in Los Gigantes, Tenerife, with the kids (age 6) and wanted to share a few recommendations from our trip. There is so much to do for all ages, whether you’re looking to relax or to explore, we are sure you won’t regret booking a week in Tenerife, and you can get some brilliant deals. 

Explore Tenerife’s Best Beaches

Your holiday won’t be complete without spending a day on the beach. Of course, you may want to spend more time at whichever beach is nearest to your hotel but if you want to venture out, or explore a different beach, here are some of our recommendations for the best beaches for kids in Tenerife.

1. Fanabe Beach

Fanabe, located in the stylish Costa Adeje, tops our list of family-friendly beaches. It’s a great place to relax, boasting calm waters and sandy beaches ideal for building sandcastles. This beach is large, and lively with plenty of sellers coming around to offer everything you might need from beach mats to fresh fruit, hair braiding or massages and there are also bars, restaurants, cafe and cash machine near by. 

​2. Playa de Torviscus

If you walk down the coast you’ll come to Playa de Torviscus which is also very lively and has lunch options, from McDonalds to various beach clubs with restaurants. On both of these beaches you can hire sun beds to lie down, relax and soak up the sun, although with the kids we didn’t have chance to do this but there were plenty available. 

There is also a kids entertainment area right here, with outdoor soft play, climbing equipment, trampolines and so on, which is not expensive and gives them a great opportunity to burn. off even more energy. 

3. Playa del Duque

Just along the coast, in the other direction from Playa de Torviscus, you’ll find Playa del Duque, another beautiful beach that offers a perfect place for children to enjoy the Atlantic Ocean under Tenerife’s year-round good weather. This beach is a little less commercialised, and very beautiful. 

4. Playa de Las Teresitas

If you are staying on the North of the Island then take the family to Playa de Las Teresitas, known for its breathtaking sand beaches. This is one of the most recommended beaches in the whole of Tenerife, but if you are staying in the South of the Island as most British tourists do then it is pretty far away, so if you are staying further south we would most recommend Fanabe. 

5. Playa de los Guios

Another beautiful, although much smaller, beach to visit is Playa de los Guios in Los Gigantes. This beach is quite narrow, so has a much less capacity for people, but is very beautiful as it’s right next to the famous cliffs. 

For us, this beach is not as good as Fanabe to spend a day, but is definitely worth a visit to enjoy the scenery and play in the waves. The beach is just a minutes walk from plenty of tourist shops, cafes and restaurants although there is nothing directly on the beach. A tip for this beach (and Tenerife beaches in general) the sand gets extremely hot because it is black, so make sure to bring flip flops or beach shoes of some kind because walking directly on that hot sand is not easy! 

Dive into Adventure in Tenerife Water Parks

Tenerife’s most well known tourist attraction is Siam Park, but this is not the only water park on the Island. Let us walk you through the difference between Siam Park and Aqualand so you can make the best decision on which one to visit with your family.

6. Siam Park or Aqualand?

Tenerife is home to some of the world’s best water parks, with Siam Park holding the title as one of the best. With its Thai-themed architecture and a multitude of rides suitable for all ages, it’s a must-visit for any family.

Aqualand, conveniently located in Costa Adeje, is another fantastic option. It offers a blend of thrilling slides and a Dolphin Show, perfect for a day of family fun.

Whether you pick Siam Park or Aqualand depends mostly on the age of the children. With younger kids, Aqualand is perfect as it’s not too large, has plenty of slides and attractions that they are able to use without the height restrictions of Siam Park. If your child is 1.2 they should be able to go on everything at Aqualand, whereas some of the bigger rides at Siam Park require 1.4m 

Siam Park also has more in terms of lazy rivers, while both water parks have beach and wave areas (although Siam Parks is much bigger) and Aqualand has some super colorful and fun toddler water play areas in the park. 

However, if you have older kids or teenagers then Siam Park is a must visit especially as it’s so famous and has some amazing thrill seeking rides that you won’t find at Aqualand, such as the Tower of Power. 

Aqualand also offers dolphin shows, and the opportunity for kids to have their picture taken with a dolphin, or to swim with the dolphins for an additional fee. 

So with this in mind, you can work out the best water park for you. Or, if you have time and your family loves water parks then why not try both? 

Discover the Wildlife at Animal Parks

There are also so many opportunities to see and interact with animals in Tenerife, whether you’re looking for the best zoo, want to see sealife or interact up close with animals. You don’t want to miss out on visiting at least one of these Tenerife animal attractions. We love interacting with animals with our kids, so we did multiple of these and each one has something different to offer.

7. Loro Parque

Tenerife’s animal parks offer a unique experience for kids to see a variety of species in their natural habitat. Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz, acclaimed as one of the best zoos globally, is home to an impressive collection of animals, including dolphins, orcas, and penguins. However, for Loro Parque just be aware that if staying in the South of the Island, there is a long transfer time to visit this attraction. You can hire trips with hotel pick up and transport included, but from Los Gigantes it is 1 hour and from Costa Adeje and surrounding areas, it is around 1.5 hours. 

8. Monkey Park

Further south in Arona, with less travel time if you have younger children, Monkey Park invites you to interact with its playful residents. This park is quite small but very interactive. Be sure to purchase food to feed to the animals, that way you’ll have a much more fun and interactive experience. As well as obviously all kinds of monkeys, there are so many guinea pigs which are great for young kids to interact with since they are pretty friendly and small. You can also get up close to animals like Lemurs as well as many kinds of birds. 

9. Jungle Park

Jungle Park provides a thrilling jungle adventure complete with exotic birds and large cats. This park includes a couple of live shows, so be sure to time your day around this. There is a birds of prey show with an amazing variety of eagles, storks and more.

It’s great to learn more about these birds and see them in action flying. All of the information is given in both English and Spanish so you will be able to understand. 

​There is also a Sea Lion show which takes place right next to the restaurant, so you could even eat lunch and watch, if you prefer. 

Jungle Park is very interactive for kids, with a fun bob sled ride that you should not miss (this is an extra 4 euro per ride, but they do accept card payments) and there is an adventurous play trail called Jungle Raid that takes you through all kinds of play equipment, climbing up and down and exploring.

This is found right next to the Bob ride. 

Jungle Park is larger than Monkey Park and you can easily spend a whole day here, whereas Monkey Park is more for half a day, or a couple of hours. 

10. Camel Park

For an offbeat experience, visit the Camel Park for a fun ride on these gentle animals. We didn’t get around to this yet, so can’t share personal experience but maybe next time! 

11. Set Sail on a Tenerife Boat Trip

Boat trips are a great way to enjoy Tenerife’s stunning coastline and abundant marine life. For a unique adventure, consider a pirate-themed boat ride like the one offered by Flipper Uno. You’ll journey across the clear waters of the Atlantic, spotting dolphins and whales along the way.

We were so impressed with the amount of wildlife we spotted on this boat ride, and how up close the dolphins and whales really are. If you are keen on whale watching, or want to see dolphins in their natural environment as opposed to in captivity at Aqualand, then do not miss this opportunity. 

This water is one of the best area in the world to see dolphins, and you will not be disappointed. 

With the Flipper Uno boat trip, you can get a 2 hour or 3 hour option. We went for the 2 hour and that was plenty of time for us to see many dolphins and whales, if you want to go for the three hour then some food will be included whereas the 2 hour is just drinks. It’s a personal preference.

Whether you go for the 2 or 3 hour, both versions of the Flipper Uno boat trip offer the chance to jump into the ocean and swim. 

There are many other companies doing boat trips for whale watching and dolphin spotting too, so check where each one sets sail and pick the better one for you.

There are lots of companies sailing from Los Cristianos too, so although we personally recommend Flipper Uno, if you are staying a little further south, nearer to Los Cristianos or Tenerife South airport then you can find something similar with a closer sailing point. 

12. Visit Natural Wonders

Tenerife is blessed with an array of natural wonders, from the towering Los Gigantes cliffs to the mystical Cueva del Viento – the largest volcanic tube in Europe. The Anaga Rural Park offers spectacular views and diverse flora and fauna, ideal for nature lovers.

The Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is another must-visit, if you’re an adventurous family. You can take a cable car to the highest point of Spain – the peak of Mount Teide – and marvel at the moon-like landscape shaped by lava flows. There are also night time tours to mount Teide for stargazing, we didn’t have the chance to do this time but would love to experience this unique experience. 

Enjoy Evening Entertainment

After an action-packed day, unwind with some family-friendly evening entertainment. The Tenerife Light Park offers a mesmerizing light show, while the medieval dinner at San Miguel Castle provides a unique dining experience complete with a knight tournament.

12. Tenerife Light Park

We visited the Light Park (also known as Tenerife Chinese Lanterns) and really enjoyed the restaurant experience too, with live music and a super fun atmosphere our girls had amazing  time interacting with the band, dancing, and were also given some of the instruments to use and participate. The evening finishes with a stage show, which is very much aimed at kids rather than adults. It has bubbles, a giant polar bear, and lots of audience participation for the children.  

Other suitable options for the evenings include strolling along the bustling promenade of Playa de Las Americas or enjoying local traditional food in the small town atmosphere of La Orotava, or check out the evening entertainment at your hotel. Many all inclusive hotels have an extensive entertainment programme. Our hotel had entertainment on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday so we were able to watch a Flamenco show there. 

13. Tenerife’s Hidden Gems

Apart from the mainstream attractions, the island also hosts several lesser-known spots that are worth exploring. If your family is interested in botany, a visit to the Botanical Garden in Puerto de La Cruz or a walk through the pine forests in Anaga Mountains is highly recommended.

For the more adventurous families, Barranco del Infierno offers intriguing hiking trails. Another highlight is Icod de Los Vinos, home to the ancient Dragon Tree and known for its delicious wine tastings. Just a short boat trip away, you can even take a day to explore La Gomera, a neighboring Canary Island known for its pristine natural beauty.

14. Tenerife’s Rich History and Culture

History buffs will enjoy visiting San Cristobal de La Laguna, a university city filled with historic buildings and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Town Hall in Santa Cruz de Tenerife also stands as a testament to the island’s rich history.

For a taste of local culture, try the traditional Papas Arrugadas – wrinkled potatoes served with Mojo sauce, a Canarian specialty.

When to Visit

Tenerife boasts a subtropical climate, making it a perfect destination all year round. However, the summer months bring more predictable weather patterns and warmer sea temperatures, ideal for beach and water activities.

We recently visited in April and the temperature was very hot with strong sun, while in February it was still hot enough to enjoy the holiday and the water parks. We would not hesitate to visit all year round even in the Winter months, as Tenerife is much further south than mainland Spain it is ideal for winter sun. 

Whether you’re looking for relaxation, adventure, or education, Tenerife has it all. This Canary Island gem is more than just a popular tourist destination; it’s a place where families can create lasting memories while exploring some of the world’s most remarkable landscapes, from the rock formations of Los Gigantes to the volcanic peak of Mount Teide.

Whether it’s discovering the island’s unique volcanic geology or witnessing bottlenose dolphins in their natural environment, Tenerife is not just a great place for a family vacation but also a destination full of learning opportunities for kids,

Every trip to Tenerife offers something new and exciting to discover, making it a perfect place for families to return to time and time again. No matter the time of year, you can be sure to find a warm welcome and a wealth of experiences in Tenerife, creating an unforgettable vacation for you and your children.

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