Spain is the most popular destination for holidaymakers from Ireland and the UK, which means that those seeking sunshine and sand will have considered visiting the Canary Islands at some point.
Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma are the most popular islands for families to visit, so here’s a brief overview of each island to help you to decide which one is the right destination for your next family holiday.
Tenerife
Tenerife is the biggest island of them all, so there’s plenty going on to keep you and the kids entertained. And you can easily book a taxi in Tenerife to get around.
The top half of the island is great for trekking if you want to show the kids some scenery, whereas the south has all the amenities a family could need on holiday, such as shops, restaurants and bars. And, because it’s the biggest island, it also has the highest number of beaches to chose from.
Book a holiday to Tenerife and you could sprawl out on golden sand shipped in from the Sahara at Playa de las Americas, or experience the black sand in Puerto de la Cruz. You could even take the kids to Siam Park for fun on the waterslides if you fancy getting off the beach for a bit.
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is a lot like Tenerife, but it’s much smaller. However, some families think the beaches are better in Gran Canaria, and there’s great scenery too if you fancy heading out into the countryside for a drive: it can get a bit Arizona-like in places!
Playas de Ingles is perfect for families who want lots of shops, bars and restaurants (with menus catering for kids who prefer British food, as well as Spanish cuisine), whereas Maspalomas (just next door) is much quieter and features a string of sand dunes… the perfect place for a family walk as the sun sets after dinner.
Take the kids to Palmitos Park if you want to give them a chance to see exotic birds, monkeys, fish and even dolphins.
Lanzarote
There’s not much in the way of high rise developments in Lanzarote, so it’s a fantastic place to see the landscape. In fact, Lanzarote is a popular choice for families who like being outdoorsy and sporty.
The island attracts cyclists and runners to its cliffs and volcanic peaks, and there are lots of golden beaches too with 30 kilometres of beaches to enjoy. Take the kids to Aquapark if they fancy a day hurtling down waterslides.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is the windiest island in the Canary Islands. The breeze means it’s an incredibly place for windsurfers and kiteboarders, which is fantastic if your family like to do something rather than just sunbathe while you’re on holiday! The sand dunes are great fun to run up and down if you still need to wear the kids out after they’ve spent the day learning how ride the waves.
Jandia is set on Fuerteventura’s southern tip – a small resort that borders onto Morro Jable, and with some restaurants and shops, it’s perfect for families who want to be close to amenities but away from anywhere too busy.
Fuerteventura is the island that’s closest to Africa, and the landscape is ‘softer’ than Lanzarote – you’ll see lots of goats wandering over the hills, and looking for them out the window is a great game to play with the kids to and from the airport. However, you can take the kids to Oasis Park to check out the wildlife if goats aren’t quite exciting enough.
La Palma
Finally, La Palma is beautiful island, rich in history and culture. In years gone by, the island was a stopping-off point by pirates when roaming the oceans, making it somewhere your kids’ imaginations will run wild!
There are plenty of things to do in La Palma, and the bigger towns offer great shopping opportunities, restaurants and choices of entertainment. Walk around cobbled towns, check out the old architecture and pay a visit to the Blue Flag beaches if you fancy a picturesque family holiday.
Time to Make Your Choice
So, now that you know a little more about each island, which one do you think you’d like to head to with your family? Will you and the kids try windsurfing in Fuerteventura, check out the history in La Palma, or benefit from a little bit of everything in Tenerife? Whatever the case, you’re bound to enjoy your time away together!
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- Here’s a brief overview of each island to help you to decide which of the Canary Islands is the right destination for your next family holiday.
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- Here’s a brief overview of each island to help you to decide which of the Canary Islands is the right destination for your next family holiday.
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Photo credits: Tenerife mountain scenery by ::Lenz. Black beach by Iain Cameron. Lanzarote by IGEO.
13 Comments
I don’t have a family (yet), but I would pick Lanzarote. I love seeing and taking photos of beautiful landscapes. I hope I can visit here one day soon :)
Wow, Tenerife looks incredibly beautiful. There’s something I love about black sand beaches and the landscape of those mountains are drool worthy. I hadn’t even heard of Tenerife before this post! Thanks for introducing me to another place I have to visit with or without family!
Lanzarote or Fuerteventura as Tenerife and Gran Canaria are too commercial for me. I like to get away from it all and that includes my fellow countrymen! No offence
I’ve made a short documentation about the Tenerife a while back, but didn’t know there are so many options in the nearby area. Lanzarote seems great for me, I don’t know why, but I would definitely go there too.
La Palma sounds like it would be right for me. I like anything to do with history or pirates. But Gran Canaria also sounds lovely because I like the beach. I hope I get to visit some day!
My choice would definitely be Lanzarote, but I’d love to check out every single one. Do most people travel by boat to get from one island to the next? Would it make sense to visit more than one island in a single vacation? You’ve got me kind of excited to check it out!
Have been hearing great things about canary islands. I wish I could’ve made it there where I was in Spain but only managed Barcelona and Ibiza. So little time so much to see. Lanzarote sounds like my kind of place with spectacular landscapes.
Thanks for this summary. We are stopping on 3 Canary Islands on our coming cruise – Lanzarote, La Palma and Tenerife. Still haven’t decided on excursions for our day stops. Maybe we will just wander.
Meg We had the most amazing stops in the Canary Islands. It was so much more spectacular than we expected. We saw Lanzarote, La Palma and Tenerife. We didn’t get into the water. That will be a next trip! Linda
Great read! I would love to go underwater in Gran Canaria, especially after having heard diving reviews from friends. Really liked your post…!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece of information.
This is nice. My wife and I are excited for the vacation we’ve booked in Europe to Spain and definitely we will go to the Canary. Fuerteventura is one of our eyeing place for our 1st stop :) There so many thing we want to do from a page we’ve read on Canary Islands Info.
I had already been to Gran Canaria and experience the perfect blend of relaxation, sightseeing and a party atmosphere. The glorious year round sunshine, volcanic landscape and beautiful beaches of gran Canaria are woaho!. I really enjoyed my family vacation in Gran Canaria and surely now for next I would like to go on Tenerife as it looks pretty beautiful.
Gran Canaria Holidays offers lots of fun like you can enjoy Elvis Presley´s live show or explore underwater. Best for Family Holidays!!
Lots of wonderful things to do in all of them, but I think I would like Gran Canaria the best. Smaller, but scenic with a few amenities. Thanks for sharing this list and adding another place on our ever growing bucket list, lol.