The best things to do in Tenerife with the family
There are many things to do in Tenerife with the family: incredible beaches and puddles where you can take a dip, places surrounded by nature ideal for a trail, charming cities and towns with a wide range of leisure activities – or even visit what is considered the best water park in the world. Do you want to know our “Top things to do in Tenerife”? Read!
Index
Best things to do in Tenerife: Beaches
To talk about Tenerife is undoubtedly to talk about beaches. Along the coast of the island there are a multitude of beaches where you can spend an unforgettable day with the family. The little ones will have fun playing with the sand (you will find it black or gold) and enjoying the sea.
In addition, you will be pleased to know that the blue flag flies in nine of them, which guarantees a series of qualities such as safety, water quality and cleanliness:
El Camisón and Las Vistas (Arona)
La Arena Beach (Santiago del Teide)
El Socorro (Los Realejos)
Playa Jardín and San Telmo (Puerto de la Cruz)
La Jaquita (Guía de Isora)
La Arena (Tacoronte)
Low-Tidal Pools (La Laguna)
Siam Park
In our top things to do in Tenerife you cannot miss the Siam Park, chosen this 2019 by TripAdvisor users as the best water park in the world, a distinction that it obtains for the sixth consecutive year.
Siam Park is the perfect plan for the whole family. In the park you will find exciting attractions where you can release adrenaline such as the Tower of Power, a 28-metre-high slide, or places to relax such as the Mai Thai River or the natural sandy beach Siam Beach. And of course, children will also have the most fun on attractions such as The Lost City, with 15 slides in total. In short, everyone will have a great time!
Local tip: we recommend you buy the Siam Park Fast Pass to avoid queuing at the attractions, especially in summer when the number of visitors increases. With the fast pass you will have priority access!
Anaga
The Anaga Rural Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve, is one of those places that seem to have magic. It stands out for its wonderful landscape of valleys, ravines and peaks, and for its extensive network of trails.
Among the trails, we recommend El Sendero de Los Sentidos, a short walk in which you can interact with the environment through smell, sight and touch thanks to the different sensory panels that are located along the way. Kids will love it!
Another of the recommended routes in the Anaga Rural Park is the El Pijaral trail, better known as the Enchanted Forest. The great ecological value of this route is given by its laurel forests and by the huge ferns that grow thanks to the high humidity and can reach up to 2 meters in length. Amazing, right?
Local tip: For the El Pijaral Trail it is necessary to request prior authorisation from the Cabildo de Tenerife. Remember to ask for permission in advance as the demand is high. We guarantee it’s worth the wait!
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
One of the best things to do in Tenerife with the family is to experience the carnival. Every year Santa Cruz de Tenerife (and also the whole island) is filled with colour, music and fun thanks to the comparsas, murgas, musical groups and candidates for Carnival Queen.
But where you really feel and experience the carnival is in the street, when both adults and children go out to enjoy this festivity that is part of Tenerife’s identity in their best costume.
The Teide National Park
The highest peak in Spain cannot be missing from this list. The Teide National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2007, is one of Tenerife’s great treasures. Spending the day with the family admiring its volcanic landscapes or its rich flora and fauna is undoubtedly another of the experiences that do not disappoint on the island.
Our recommendations:
Climb to the top of Mount Teide by cable car.
Do some of the trails and enter the landscapes and volcanic formations.
In spring, visit it when the Red Tajinaste (endemic species) blooms
In winter, go up when it snows, always with caution and once the accesses are open.
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
The historic centre of San Cristóbal de La Laguna is also a World Heritage Site. It was declared in 1999 by UNESCO as it is a unique example of a non-walled colonial city and for preserving its original layout of the fifteenth century.
Its architectural richness joins the wide range of leisure activities in the city, with a multitude of restaurants, bars, shops and museums. And of course, as soon as you step on its streets you will be able to feel the university atmosphere that characterizes this municipality, since it is home to the first university founded in the Canary Islands. For these and many other reasons, San Cristóbal de La Laguna is in our top things to do in Tenerife!
Local tip: if you want the youngest members of the family to spend an unforgettable day, we recommend you visit the Museum of Science and the Cosmos, where they will also learn a lot while having fun.
Whale watching in Los Gigantes
What child (and also adult) is not excited to spend the day watching dolphins and whales? As indicated by the official website of Turismo de Tenerife, you can find up to 21 different species on boat trips to watch cetaceans. From killer whales to whales and dolphins!
And if you do this while admiring the imposing Cliff of Los Gigantes, with its incredible vertical walls that reach 600 meters high at some points, the memory is already indelible.
Pools and natural pools
We start this article of things to do in Tenerife with the family with beaches and close it with swimming pools and natural pools. We can find them in different parts of the island, although the natural pools that are located on the lower island (Garachico, Los Silos, Buenavista…) stand out in particular.
A very complete plan is to combine in the same day a visit to the historic center of Garachico with a good swim in the natural pools El Caletón, which you will find in this same municipality.
What do you think of our selection? Tenerife offers numerous possibilities to enjoy with the family and this list could be even longer. What is clear is that whichever plan you choose, we are sure that you will not be disappointed.
Let yourself be surprised by the island!
(Another activity you can do as a family is to visit the enigmatic pyramids of Tenerife in Güímar. In the article that you will find in this link you will find all the necessary information to prepare your excursion)