Gran Canaria with kids: Palmitos Park with its dolphin show, the Poema del Mar aquarium, beaches sheltered from the wind, children’s parks in Puerto Rico, Cocodrilo Park and a banana plantation. My tips on where to go with children and where to stay.
Palmitos Park is definitely one of the most beautiful attractions for children on the whole island. It lies inland, just a short distance from Maspalomas.
What children enjoy most here is the dolphin show. There is also a birds of prey show. Check the show times as soon as you arrive and plan your visit around them. You will see parrots, giant tortoises, meerkats and other animals from this climate zone.
The park is set in beautiful surroundings and also has a botanical section with local plants, so adults enjoy it too. Allow about half a day for your visit. Bring comfortable shoes and something to drink.
You can get to the park by car or by Global bus. Line 45 runs from Playa del Inglés and San Agustín, and line 70 from Puerto de Mogán, Puerto Rico and Meloneras. Timetables change during the year; you will find the current times at guaguasglobal.com.
Parrots, giant tortoises, meerkats and animals from this climate zone.
Inland, just a short distance from Maspalomas.
By car or by Global bus, lines 45 and 70.
The dolphin show – click to play the video.
The Poema del Mar aquarium in Las Palmas is wonderfully set up for children. You will see fish, jellyfish, a crocodile and a large panoramic tank with sharks.
The restaurant has a children’s corner with crayons. The aquarium is also a good choice for a day when it is cloudy or windy.
You can combine your visit with Las Canteras beach. Leave the car in the car park by the aquarium and walk to the sea in about ten minutes. There is a playground on the beach.
Within walking distance there is also the Museo Elder de la Ciencia y la Tecnología science and technology museum with a planetarium. You will find more about the city in the article Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Park by the aquarium; you can walk to Las Canteras beach with its playground and to the Elder museum.
With children I recommend the beaches of Amadores and Anfi del Mar. Both are sheltered from the wind and the water tends to be calmer than on the open beaches.
Amadores is a short distance from Puerto Rico. It has light sand, and behind the beach runs a promenade with restaurants and cafés.
Anfi del Mar lies between Arguineguín and Puerto Rico. It is a landscaped beach with light sand, palm trees and full facilities. You will find more about both beaches in the article The best beaches on Gran Canaria.
Amadores gets full in high season and at weekends. With children it is better to arrive in the morning.
Boats leave Puerto Rico harbour to look for dolphins. Nobody can guarantee you will see them; your chances are better on warm, less windy days when the sea is calm.
It is usually windier at sea than on the beach, so take a jumper, sun cream and a hat for the children. The boat I recommend is the Spirit of the Sea.
On a warm, calm day. When it is windy, there is less chance of seeing dolphins.
Aqualand Maspalomas lies in the same direction as Palmitos Park, a little above Maspalomas. It has classic slides and flumes, gentler ones for smaller children and faster ones for older kids.
The water park is best on warm days, as the water is quite cold. It is best to go in summer or on a sunny, warm day.
There are two children’s parks in Puerto Rico.
Pokiddo is in The Market shopping centre. The indoor area is suitable for smaller children too, and there are trampolines outside. At the entrance you have to buy their non-slip socks, for both children and adults.
Angry Birds Activity Park is an outdoor park with rides, trampolines, slides and mini golf. Children look forward most to the foam show. The park is outdoors, so bring a hat and sun cream for the children.
Pokiddo has an indoor area that is suitable for smaller children too.
Cocodrilo Park lies in the east of the island near the small town of Agüimes. It is a family park and also a rescue centre for animals confiscated by the authorities or given up by their owners. The entrance fee goes towards caring for the animals.
More than three hundred crocodiles live here, along with parrots, monkeys, tigers and other animals. There is also a parrot show. You can combine your visit with a trip to the nearby Guayadeque gorge.
It is hard to get here by public transport, so plan on going by car. Check the opening hours before you go, as they change during the year.
A tour of a banana plantation is easy and children like bananas. They will see how a banana plant grows and flowers, and there is a tasting at the end.
There are facilities and toys for children too. My daughter loved it when she was three and a half, and it is suitable for older children as well. I recommend going by car.
An easy tour with a tasting, facilities and toys for children. I recommend going by car.
If you have more time, you can also go here with the children.
Holiday World is an amusement park in Maspalomas with fairground rides, a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel and a children’s area for the youngest. More on the official website.
In Bahía Feliz there is the Wild West town of Sioux City Park.
For older children there are go-karts at Gran Karting Club in Bahía Feliz.
For a full day out in the mountains, a barbecue in the pine forest at Llanos de la Pez is a good choice. Expect a longer drive along a winding mountain road, though.
For families with children, Abora Interclub is a good choice – it is away from the main bustle, in the resort of San Agustín. In the Maspalomas area I recommend the bungalows at Suites & Villas by Dunas and Maspalomas Resort by Dunas – a pleasant setting that also suits families.
To Palmitos Park with its dolphin and birds of prey shows, the Poema del Mar aquarium in Las Palmas, the beaches of Amadores and Anfi del Mar, dolphin watching from Puerto Rico, Aqualand, the Pokiddo and Angry Birds children’s parks in Puerto Rico, Cocodrilo Park and a banana plantation.
By Global buses – line 45 from Playa del Inglés and San Agustín, line 70 from Puerto de Mogán, Puerto Rico and Meloneras. You will find the current timetable at guaguasglobal.com.
Amadores and Anfi del Mar, because they are sheltered from the wind and the water tends to be calmer. In Las Palmas, Las Canteras beach, which has a playground right on the beach.
Yes. Leave the car in the car park by the aquarium and walk to Las Canteras beach in about 10 minutes. There is a playground on the beach. You can also walk to the Elder science and technology museum with its planetarium.
Yes, the tour is easy and there are facilities and toys for children. My daughter loved it when she was three and a half.
Gran Canaria is great for a holiday with children. Palmitos Park, the Poema del Mar aquarium, the beaches of Amadores and Anfi del Mar, the children’s parks in Puerto Rico and Cocodrilo Park – there is plenty for children to do. In the south the sun shines almost all year round, so bring sun cream and a hat even in winter.