Is Lanzarote Good Family Holiday Destination?

As new parents, we’re quickly finding out about all the additional things that go into planning, booking and preparing for a holiday, and in this case, one of the biggest first decisions we had to make was where we should go.

In the end, we decided on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and quickly found that Lanzarote is a fantastic choice for families travelling with babies, toddlers and children. The flight is just four hours from the UK, there’s a fantastic variety of accommodation options and plenty of things to do.

We chose Lanzarote for our first holiday as a family (travelling with a four-month-old baby) because of the range of beaches, accommodation options, variety of activities & relatively short flight time from the UK. However, what else should you consider when booking your family holiday to the island?

What Makes Lanzarote A Great Choice For Families?

There are a lot of things that make Lanzarote an excellent choice for families;

4 hour flight time from the UK – While there’s nothing wrong with going long haul with kids, it can be daunting and stressful. We’ve found that four hours is the sweet spot!

Flights from most major airports in the UK – Unlike other family-friendly destinations most airlines fly out of major airports to Lanzarote multiple times per week.

Year-round sunshine – Being just off the coast of northern Africa it’s rare for temperatures in Lanzarote to dip below 16ºC – even in winter.

A large number of tourists – As a solo traveller I looked to travel off the beaten path, however, with a child I’ve quickly found myself wanting a range of facilities nearby and staff being familiar with English tourists in case we found ourselves needing any medical assistance (can you tell I’m one of those over-anxious, super nervous parents yet?)

Relatively affordable – Travelling with kids can be incredibly expensive. Luckily, given the number of tourists flocking to Lanzarote each year prices remain incredibly competitive.

Variety of accommodation options – Whether you’re looking for a private villa, apartment, hotel room or all-inclusive resort, Lanzarote has you covered.

Plenty of things to do – Keeping kids entertained on holiday can be hard. Luckily, there are plenty of things to do, see and experience in Lanzarote.

Wonderful beaches – The beaches in Lanzarote are both beautiful and plentiful, leaving you spoilt for choice as to which one(s) to visit during your trip.

Walkable – The most popular tourist regions of Lanzarote are easy to navigate on foot which removes the expense and hassle of taxis and car hire. Alternatively, you can hire an electric scooter in Lanzarote to travel slightly longer distances.

Where To Stay In Lanzarote For Families?

Once you’ve decided that Lanzarote is right for you it’s time to start planning which region you’re going to stay in during your trip. Each area of Lanzarote has its own unique character, so it’s important to consider what kind of holiday you want before making your decision.

Puerto Del Carmen

Puerto Del Carmen is the original tourist region of Lanzarote, established back in the 1960s and the 1970s. As such, there are a significantly higher number of self-catering complexes here when compared to other regions on the island.

This high number of self-catering apartments means that Puerto Del Carmen has a number of delicious restaurants and lively bars, and in our opinion has more of an atmosphere when compared to elsewhere in Lanzarote.

This is the most popular town for tourists in Lanzarote, situated just 30 minutes from the airport it’s got a number of lovely large, clean beaches and a range of things to do during the day and the evening.

Playa Blanca

If you’re looking for all-inclusive or half-board options then consider heading to Playa Blanca. Situated in the south of the island, Playa Blanca is a relatively sleepy town when compared to Puerto Del Carmen with the majority of accommodation options here being large resort complexes.

These are ideal if you’ve got fussy eaters who might like to pick from the buffet or kids who’d benefit from entertainment from dawn until dusk.

Costa Teguise

If you’re looking for a relaxing family holiday then consider Costa Teguise. This town situated 30 minutes north of the capital of Arrecife is one of the quietest and most traditional tourist hotspots offering a range of watersport activities & marine life.

This is ideal if you’re looking to make your own entertainment or save money by dining in on an evening as there’s an extensive range of private villas.

Things To Do In Lanzarote For Families

While Lanzarote may be a relatively small island, it welcomes more than one million tourists every year and therefore has a wide range of activities, events and entertainment to suit families these include;

1. Building Sand Castles On The Beach

Lanzarote has more than 100 beaches as such, regardless of where you choose to stay on the island you’re likely never more than 1km from the nearest one.

2. Swimming With Dolphins At Rancho Texas Park

Rancho Texas Park located just outside of Puerto Del Carmen and roughly 10 minutes from Lanzarote Airport is one of the biggest and most popular attractions in Lanzarote.

This park combines a waterpark with animals and incredible shows – it’s no surprise it’s such a hit with families of children aged five upwards.

For older kids and adults interactions with animals including dolphins and sea lions are available for an additional fee.

3. Go Scuba Diving

Lanzarote is well known for its incredible marine life and while you can experience fish swimming around by your feet as you paddle along the beach nothing compares to snorkelling or scuba diving alongside them.

Snorkels can be purchased from the majority of stores along the front while scuba diving equipment and lessons can be booked both online and in-person in most tourist towns on the island.

4. Check Out The Teguise Market

There are a number of different markets in Lanzarote held on various different days of the week, however, the largest and most popular with both tourists and locals is the Teguise Market which is held from 9am until 2pm on a Sunday.

You can take your hire car, the traditional local bus or book a day trip to this market from most major tourist shops and online.

5. Head To AquaLava Waterpark

Located in Playa Blanca, AquaLava is a fantastic waterpark that’s sure to provide you with a fun-filled day out.

With a range of slides, pools and activities on offer, both young children and adults are sure to find something to enjoy.

AquaLava is open from 11am until 6pm daily, with tickets costing €25 for adults and €20 for children.

6. Explore Timanfaya National Park

Want to feel like you’ve stepped onto Mars? or be left in awe of how incredible mother nature truly is, in which case head out to Timanfaya National Park.

Situated on the far side of the island this volcanic wasteland is the number one tourist attraction on the island and is like nothing I’ve experienced elsewhere in the world.

While you can drive here in a hire car I’d recommend booking a tour instead given the narrow winding roads. Tours leave around 8am and return back between 3pm and 5pm depending on where you’re located.

Tours can be booked online in advance or in person at a number of tourist spots in most of the major towns on the island.

7. Take The Boat To Fuerteventura

If you’re looking to explore more of the canaries then consider taking a day trip on the ferry over to Fuerteventura.

Ferries leave from the town of Playa Blanca on the south of the island multiple times a day. Return journeys start from €35 per person (discounts are available for children).

After a 30-minute boat ride, you’ll be transported to Corrolajo on the northside of Fuerteventura, a tourist beach location with white sandy beaches, and an extensive range of bars and restaurants.

8. See Incredible Marine Life At The Lanzarote Aquarium

If you’re looking to see more of Lanzarote’s incredible marine life then consider visiting the Lanzarote Aquarium in Costa Teguise.

This awe-inspiring educational centre is a fantastic choice on a rainy day and allows you to have hands-on experiences in the touch pools full of spiky sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

9. Watch The Iron Man

If you have the pleasure of visiting Lanzarote over the Iron Man weekend then it’s well worth going down and supporting these incredible athletes.

One of the longest standing Iron Mans, the race begins at 6am with a swim out on Playa Blanca beach in Puerto Del Carmen before riders take to their bikes on a 180km ride across the island of Lanzarote.

Upon returning back to Puerto Del Carmen athletes lace up their running shoes to run back and forth from Playa Grande beach to Playa Honda with the first handful crossing the finish line at roughly 4.30pm.

10. Play Mini Golf

Lanzarote is home to a number of different mini-golf courses, the most popular being located in the Biosfera Plaza Shopping Centre in Puerto Del Carmen.

With 18 holes, this course is great for both young children and adults and is situated next to a number of other family-friendly activities such as bumper cars and trampolining.

11. Head Out On A Submarine Safari

For something truly unique and unforgettable consider heading out on a submarine safari where you’ll have the opportunity to see Lanzarote from a whole new perspective.

Submarine safaris leave from the Marina Rubicon in Playa Blanca and take around an hour. Prices start from €50 per person with discounts available for children..