Tenerife is the main island of the Canary archipelago, in its center is located the highest point of Spain — Teide volcano (3718 meters). About one million people live on the island and 5—6 million tourists from all over the world come here every year. Here you can rest at any time of the year: the air temperature in winter and summer differs by only a few degrees.
If you go to Tenerife with children, I recommend renting a car for comfortable traveling around the island. A full tank of gasoline is enough to drive around the island several times, and you can download maps of Tenerife on the official website. I will tell you more about the places that are worth visiting with little travelers.
Siam Park
There are advertisements all over Tenerife saying «Siam Park is the best water park in the world according to the authoritative TripAdvisor portal».
This largest water park in Europe has more than 20 water attractions of varying complexity and 5 restaurants. The park is decorated in Thai style, it cost 52 million euros to build and was opened in 2008 in the presence of the Princess of Thailand.
If you plan to visit Loro Parque together with Siam Park, it is more advantageous to buy combo tickets. The validity period of a combo ticket is 15 days.
- Mode of operation: May-October from 10:00 to 18:00, November-April from 10:00 to 17:00.
- Admission: adults — 38 €, children from 3 to 11 years old — 26 €, children under 3 years old — free of charge.
- Combined tickets to Siam Park and Loro Parque cost: adult — 66 €, children (3 to 11 years old) — 45,5 €.
- Siam Park's website.
Loro Park.
This popular zoo in the north of the island was opened in 1972, at which time only 150 species of parrots could be seen. Over time, the number of bird species increased to 500, the park added other animals and an orchid garden, and a large aquarium and penguin pavilion opened. In 2017 — 2018, TripAdvisor recognized Loro Parque as the best zoo in the world.
There are daily scheduled performances with parrots, seals, dolphins and orcas. Each performance lasts 20—30 minutes, and it is worth taking seats in the auditorium 15—20 minutes before the start of the show — there are a lot of people interested.
If you plan to see all the shows, allocate 5 — 6 hours to visit Loro Parque. There is a paid parking lot at the entrance to the park for visitors and tour buses.
- Opening hours: daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., the performance schedule can be found on the park’s website.
- Admission: adult ticket — 38 €, children from 6 to 11 years old — 26 €, children under 6 years old — free of charge.
- Parking at Loro Parque costs €4 per day.
Eagle Park or Jungle Park.
In this park, children will enjoy seeing animals surrounded by wildlife. Exotic and birds of prey, primates, leopards and crocodiles are just a few of the inhabitants of the 75,000 m² jungle park. You can feed the birds and animals in special pavilions, and food is sold for 2 € on site.
The park’s calling card is the eagle show, which takes place twice a day. Children will also be interested in watching the performances of seals and parrots. At 12:45 p.m., the park hosts a penguin feeding, to which everyone is invited.
It is advantageous to visit the Eagle Park and Aqualand Water Park on a combined ticket, which is valid for 2 days.
- Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 17:30, the schedule of performances can be found on the park’s website.
- Entrance to the eagle park: adult — 26 €, children from 5 to 10 years — 18 €, children from 3 to 4 years — 11 €.
- Combined ticket to Eagle Park and Aqualand: adult — 39,5 €, children from 5 to 10 years — 29,5 €, children from 3 to 4 years — 13 €.
Aqualand Water Park (Aqualand)
This water park is suitable for families with young children from 3 to 7 years old. Most of the water activities in Aqualand are designed for this age.
There is a half-hour dolphin show daily at the water park and for 100 € you can swim with them.
There are four restaurants in the park, but you can bring your own food.
- Opening hours: September through June from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., dolphin shows at 3:30 p.m.; July and August from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., dolphin shows at 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
- Ticket prices at the box office: adult — 29 €, children from 5 to 10 years — 21 €, children from 3 to 4 years — 12 €, pensioners from 65 years — 21 €.
- You can buy tickets for 2 € cheaper, as well as 2-day tickets online on the water park’s website.
Monkey park
A small zoo in the south of Tenerife, where the main inhabitants are monkeys and lemurs of 20 species. It will be interesting for young children who like contact zoos. Lemurs, monkeys, guinea pigs and parrots can be fed in the park, for this purpose food is sold at the entrance for 3 €. You can bring your own treats, such as fruit. It is forbidden to bring caloric foods into the park, so do not buy dates or bananas for the lemurs.
- Mode of work: daily, from 9:30 to 16:00.
- Admission: adults — 10 €, children under 12 years old — 5 €.
- Monkey Park website.
Butterfly Park (Mariposario del Drago)
A walk through the closed park, where more than 800 species of exotic butterflies from all over the world fly, will be especially interesting for young children. Here you can see how butterflies reproduce and give birth, what they eat and how they feed. Exotic plants of their habitats are planted in the park for comfortable life of insects.
- Mode of work: daily, from 10:00 to 18:00.
- Admission: adult ticket — 8,5 €, pensioners — 7,5 €, children from 2 to 12 years old — 5 €, under 2 years old — free of charge.
- Butterfly Park website.
Artlandia Doll Museum (ARTlandya)
This unusual museum, which will be of interest to girls, was moved to Tenerife from Austria in 2012. The territory of the museum is small stone houses in the Canarian style. In them «live» more than 600 exhibits of handmade dolls and teddy bears. The museum will tell and show the process of making porcelain dolls.
- Working hours: Tuesday — Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, Monday — day off.
- Admission: adults — 10 €, children from 6 to 14 years old — 4,5 €, children under 6 years old — free of charge.
- Puppet Museum website.
Museum of Science and Space (Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos)
The museum was opened at the Canary Institute of Astrophysics in 1993. Children over the age of 4 will find it interesting here. All expositions in the museum are interactive, which means you can not only look at them, but also touch them. The museum explains the laws of physics and the structure of the human body, how the Universe is organized, what processes occur on the Earth and the Sun.
The planetarium of the museum can be accessed with a separate ticket. Here a multimedia performance about the origin of the Universe and evolution on our planet takes place.
- Mode of operation: Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Monday, Sunday and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed on December 24, 25, 31, January 1 and 6.
- Entrance to the museum: adult — 5 €, pensioners and students — 3,5 €, children under 8 years old — free of charge.
- Entrance to the planetarium: 1 € for all.
- Free admission to the museum’s permanent exhibition on Fridays and Saturdays from 16:00 to 20:00, and if these days are holidays, from 13:00 to 17:00.
- Science and Space Museum website.
Parque Nacional del Teide (Teide Volcano National Park)
Teide Volcano is the main natural attraction of Tenerife and the highest point in Spain. Its height is 3718 meters and the last activity was in 1909. The road to the volcano goes through the Teide National Park.
The path to the volcano crater is divided into three parts:
- Take a rented car or bus to an altitude of 2356 m, where the cable car station is located. The unusual landscapes of the surrounding area are often compared to those of the planet Mars.
- Take the funicular to the 3555m mark in 8 minutes or walk, but it takes a day. From here you can see the neighboring islands and the whole of Tenerife.
- Walk 163 m to the crater of the volcano. Before making this journey, it is necessary to obtain a free permit on the site and do not forget to bring your passport.
During the excursion to the volcano, you will encounter a sharp drop in altitude, so the youngest children may not be comfortable.
- The national park is open 24 hours a day, and entry is free.
- The funicular’s operating mode is July-September from 9:00 to 18:00, October-May from 9:00 to 16:00.
- Round trip cable car ticket: adult — 27 €, children (3 to 13 years old) — 13,5 €.
- Teide Volcano website.
Tenerife beaches
Tenerife has more than 30 beaches, some of which are popular with surfers because of the big waves and strong winds. Other beaches are located in the north of the island, where the climate is colder. These places are not suitable for a comfortable vacation with children.
Here’s my list of the best beaches for family vacations.
El Duque Beach (El Duque)
Located in the southern part of the island and is considered one of the best on Tenerife. The beach is 700 meters long and has a «Blue Flag» — it is comfortable, safe and environmentally friendly. The fine sand is a mixture of imported yellow and local black sand. The beach is located in the elite area of the island, so the infrastructure is well developed. You can rent umbrellas and deck chairs, there are cafes and restaurants along the beach.
Las Teresitas Beach (Las Teresitas)
Las Teresitas is a 1.5 km long artificial beach near the capital of the island. Sand was brought here from the Sahara, so this beach, the only one in Tenerife, has a golden color. The water in the ocean is calm, thanks to the built dam. On the beach you can rent necessary equipment, there are showers and toilets, cafes and restaurants. In season, especially at weekends, it is very crowded.
Las Vistas Beach (Playa Las Vistas)
One of the longest beaches located in the south of Tenerife. It has barrier structures, so it is characterized by calm waters. The sand on the beach is partly imported, yellow. The infrastructure is developed: umbrellas, sun beds, showers, toilets, trash cans. On the territory of the beach there are lifeguards and you can rent water transport, and have lunch in numerous cafes and restaurants.
Hardin Beach (Playa Jardin)
An unusual artificial beach in the west of Tenerife, surrounded by exotic gardens. The shore is protected from the waves by a pier and the beach is covered with black volcanic sand. On the territory there is a children’s playground, terraces, cafes and restaurants. There is all the necessary infrastructure, including for people with disabilities. Hardin Beach is awarded the Blue Flag for cleanliness and comfort.
