Lanzarote with kids: things to do by age, water parks and beaches

Lanzarote with kids works very well if you choose your base carefully and do not try to see everything in one trip.

The decision that shapes the holiday most is where to stay. Playa Blanca has Flamingo and Dorada beaches and the Aqualava water park. Costa Teguise has the Aquapark, the aquarium and Las Cucharas beach. Puerto del Carmen has Rancho Texas, with a free transfer, and the long beaches along the main avenue. More detail in our guides to Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.

Things to do in Lanzarote with kids, by age

Babies and toddlers (0–3)

This is the age when you pay most for least, so make the most of what is free: under-2s go free at Aqualava and Rancho Texas, under-3s at the aquarium, and under-6s at Timanfaya and the Cabildo (island council) attractions (Jameos del Agua, Cueva de los Verdes). On the camels, small children ride free with an adult (Yaiza town council charges from age 4, according to its website). The Líneas Romero ferry to La Graciosa is free for under-2s.

What they cannot do: the submarine does not take under-2s, and H2O's dolphin speedboats do not take under-4s. At Aqualava, the Corsario Bay area is for children between 60 and 150 cm.

Ages 4 to 7

The best age for the water parks. At Aquapark Costa Teguise most rides need 100 cm; at Aqualava, the Timanfire slide tower needs 120 cm. The aquarium's touch pools, with sea urchins and sea cucumbers, and the sea lion shows at Rancho Texas tend to be what they remember most.

Children this age love the submarine, which dives to about 30 metres. The cabin stays at normal pressure, so there is no ear discomfort and no seasickness.

Ages 8 to 12

Horse riding with Lanzarote a Caballo is possible from age 7 with an adult: from €55 for a one-hour ride and €85 for two hours, from Tinajo. The Gran Karting Club go-kart track near Puerto del Carmen has a children's class for ages 5 to 10 and a junior class for ages 10 to 15.

Teenagers

From 14 they can ride horses without an adult, and the surf schools in Famara teach young people. To drive a jet ski you need to be 18 (16 with signed parental consent). More in water sports.

Water parks in Lanzarote for kids

Aqualava is smaller, but it opens all year and its pools are heated with geothermal energy. It runs a free bus for tourists on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (daily Monday to Friday in July and August) from Costa Teguise, Puerto del Carmen and Puerto Calero.

Aquapark Costa Teguise is the biggest of the three by number of slides (25) and pools (11), but the water is not heated, and in April and May it closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Booking online on its website gets you 8% off.

Aqua Rancho, inside Rancho Texas, has heated pools and eight slides, which open at 12:30.

None of the three lets you bring in outside food: plan to eat inside.

Animals: zoo, aquarium and camels

Rancho Texas (Puerto del Carmen) is a zoo, shows and water park on one ticket: dolphins, sea lions, birds of prey, a white tiger. The animals live in captivity; some families avoid it for that reason.

Lanzarote Aquarium (Costa Teguise) takes about an hour: 33 tanks, a tunnel under the shark tank and turtles in rehabilitation. The family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) costs €50.

The Timanfaya camels: at the Echadero de los Camellos, on the LZ-67 road, a 20–25 minute ride costs €11 per person and small children ride free. Families do not need to book. Go before 11:00, before the coaches arrive, and bring a cap: the heat is a common complaint. Animal welfare groups criticised the treatment of the animals in 2021 and 2023, in case that weighs on your decision.

At sea: submarine, boats and dolphins

The submarine run by Submarine Safaris leaves from Puerto Calero: 44 seats, each with its own window, and a dive to about 30 metres on a one-hour trip including boarding. On the official website it costs €61.75 per adult and €39.90 per child aged 2 to 14, with a free bus from the three main resorts and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

See the submarine and availabilityfrom €65Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Boats. The shortest and cheapest trip to Papagayo is the Líneas Romero mini-cruise from Playa Blanca: 2 hours, €35 per adult and €25 per child. For a full day, Catlanza runs a family sailing catamaran from Puerto Calero (€85 adult, €60 teenager, €50 child) with lunch. La Graciosa island is easy on your own by ferry from Órzola: €29 return per adult, €15–16 per child aged 3 to 11, about 25 minutes' crossing. Once there, La Laja beach, next to the harbour, is the one for little ones. All the options in boat trips.

Dolphins. You can see them in the wild from Puerto del Carmen and Puerto Calero, but swimming within 60 metres of them is prohibited. Speedboats bounce a lot: with small children, a catamaran is better. More in dolphin watching.

The three trips that work best with kids

1

From age 2

Dive to 30 metres without getting wet or feeling the pressure. Short and no seasickness; it is slightly cheaper on the Submarine Safaris website.

GetYourGuide1 hour

Lanzarote: Real Submarine Dive

4.6 (1,513)

from €65Check availability

2

Kids who can swim

Boat trip to La Graciosa with lunch, swimming and water activities: a full day at sea.

GetYourGuide6 hours

La Graciosa: Island Cruise with Lunch and Water Activities

4.6 (2,110)

from €66Check availability

3

Families keen to see Papagayo

Catamaran to the Papagayo beaches with a swim stop, without paying the car access fee.

GetYourGuide

Lanzarote: Day Trip to the Papagayo Beaches by Catamaran

4.4 (1,123)

from €66Check availability

Family-friendly beaches

Look for calm-water beaches with showers and, ideally, a Blue Flag:

• Playa Flamingo (Playa Blanca): 200 m of white sand, calm water, green areas and step-free access. The Canary Islands tourist office calls it perfect for little ones.
• Playa Dorada (Playa Blanca): a 300 m man-made bay, calm water, showers, parking and sunloungers.
• Playa de Las Cucharas (Costa Teguise): 650 m with the best facilities in town. With small children, stay at the northern end, away from the water sports area.
• Los Pocillos, Playa Grande and Matagorda (Puerto del Carmen): golden sand, calm water, sunloungers, toilets and parking. All three have a Blue Flag.

The Papagayo coves have no facilities and car access costs €3 (card only). Famara has strong currents: not for bathing small children. The sea ranges from about 18 °C in February and March to about 23 °C in September. Full comparison in our guide to Lanzarote's beaches.

What is closed or does not exist

Other recent changes: the Famara cliff path has been closed since a landslide on 12 May 2026. Lanzarote a Caballo is no longer in Uga and no longer offers pony rides for very young children: it now starts from Tinajo, from age 7. And Aquapark Costa Teguise closes from early November to late March.

Rainy or windy days

The simplest plan is the aquarium (an hour) and Indoor Crazy Minigolf, an 18-hole covered mini-golf on the Puerto del Carmen seafront. The heated pools at Aqualava and Aqua Rancho work even on a grey day. Check the weather by month.

Practical tips for Lanzarote with kids

• You can manage without a car. Aqualava's free bus (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and Rancho Texas's free transfer from Puerto del Carmen save a family €20–30.
• Timanfaya runs to a timetable. Timanfaya tickets are bought online, with a fixed time slot and no refunds: €30 adult, €15 for ages 7 to 12. You cannot wander freely around the park; the visit is by coach.
• Food at the parks. Neither Aqualava, the Aquapark nor Rancho Texas lets you bring food in.
• Boat hire. Since 1 October 2026 boats can no longer be hired without a qualification. If someone offers you one "without a licence", be wary; a skippered trip is the better choice.