Benidorm is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Spain for families with kids. Not only does it have two of the best beaches in the country, it’s also packed with activities kids of all ages will love. If you’ll be taking the whole family on holiday to Benidorm, check out these top five fun things to do with your kids. You could end up having the best family vacation ever.
Aqualandia – The first water park ever built in Spain, Aqualandia, on the outskirts of Benidorm, has been open since 1985, and more than 25 years later is still one of the world’s largest waterparks.The park covers an area of 150,000 square meters and is chockful of water slides, chute rides, wave pools, man-made beaches and even caves. For older kids and adults, there are even high-adrenaline rides like Big Bang and Kamikaze – fun, but quite scary if you don’t like speed mixed with your water fun — and specific adventure areas for younger kids too.
Aqualandia is home to many shops, restaurants, and gift stores, so it’s easy to spend all day here, particularly as you can buy what you forgot to bring from home. The whole family will love Aqualandia, especially in the summer months when the temperature in Benidorm becomes extremely high.
One word of warning — the water is sea water, not fresh water like most US water parks, so be aware of that especially for little kids who may find their eyes get irritated by the salt if they spend too long in the water.
Terra Natura – If your kids love animals, the first place they’ll want to go in Benidorm is Terra Natura. Right next to the huge theme park, Terra Mitica, Terra Natura is about half an hour’s drive outside Benidorm partway up the mountains (with an amazing view out over the city and ocean, I might add).
At Terra Natura, the theme park is divided up into separate areas, one for each continent, and the animals and birds specific to that continent are showcased here. The park has rides, games, live entertainment and animal shows, as well as a number of water slides, and a huge variety of restaurants and snack outlets.
You can spend a couple of days here as there’s so much to do so be aware, if you buy passes valid for more than one day, your cost per day is quite a bit cheaper.
Terra Natura is a blast for the whole family but also educational, as your kids can return home knowing a little more about the wildlife of each continent.
Glass-Bottomed Boat Trip – One of the most popular things for kids in Benidorm is the glass-bottomed boat trip to Benidorm Island. Benidorm Island is a large rock formation you can see from just about anywhere along the Benidorm coast and, with commercial catamarns leaving for the island every hour, it’s easy to hop on one for the trip across. Of course, once on the boat, your kids will be thrilled to see it has a glass bottom, so they can spend their time peering down into the water and watching all the marine life swim by.
Afternoons in One of Benidorm’s Bars – As odd as this sounds to an American family, bars in Spain are actually places where Spanish families with kids often hang out together. Particularly in Benidorm, some of the bars have afternoon programs for the kids — karaoke, movies, clowns, juggling acts, games — there’s all kinds of things going on your children will enjoy. Plus, it’s a great way for Mom and Dad to relax over a beer and some bar food, while junior gets to have fun and make some new friends.
Just ask around the neighborhood of Benidorm you’re in, or look at the chalk boards most of the bars have displayed outside. They’ll tell you what kids’ stuff they offer and the times they start.
Go To Festilandia Amusement Park and Take the Train – There’s a small amusement park right in the center of Benidorm on Avenue Mediterraneo. Called Festilandia, it’s specifically for kids under 12, although older kids and adults are still welcome. Festilandia is a bit like an old-fashioned British or American amusement park from the 50s and 60s, with lots of kiddie rides, games to play, cotton candy, hot dogs and the like.
If you don’t feel like going far, it’s a wonderful place to amuse the kids for a few hours, especially in the evenings when it really livens up. Plus, for a small fee, it even has a Festilandia mini train that leaves every 20 minutes, and travels around the streets of Benidorm to see the sights. The kids will love it.