Siam Park is brilliant. If you have not been, go. It deserves every bit of its reputation as one of the best water parks in the world and a full day there with children will leave everyone exhausted in the best possible way.
But most families visiting the south of Tenerife are there for a week, sometimes two. And even the most devoted water park enthusiast runs out of steam after one long day in the sun. The question that fills up parent forums and holiday planning groups every single week is some version of the same thing: what do we do with the kids for the rest of the holiday?
The answer, fortunately, is quite a lot. The south of Tenerife has a surprisingly broad range of family activities beyond the obvious, and most of them are within easy reach of wherever you are staying.
Aqualand (0+, from free), Submarine Safari (2+, €30 children), Monkey Park (2+, €5 children), Jungle Park (3+, €16 children), Karting (6+), Whale watching (all ages, from €25 children), Megabowl (4+, €4.50 children), Mini golf (3+, from €3 children), Escape rooms (10+, ~€15 per person).
Contents
- Aqualand Costa Adeje: The Sensible Sibling of Siam Park
- The Submarine Safari at Amarilla Marina
- Monkey Park Los Cristianos
- Jungle Park: Birds, Animals and a Bat Cave
- Go Karting at Karting Club Tenerife
- Boat Trips and Whale Watching from Puerto Colón
- Megabowl: Reliable, Easy, and Actually Good Fun
- Mini Golf in Costa Adeje
- The Coastal Walk and Rock Pools
- A Day at the Natural Pools
- Escape Rooms for Older Kids
- Practical Tips for Families in South Tenerife
- Frequently Asked Questions
Aqualand Costa Adeje: The Sensible Sibling of Siam Park
If Siam Park is the headline act, Aqualand is the support slot that often goes down just as well with the actual audience. It is a water park in Costa Adeje that is smaller, cheaper, quieter, and considerably better suited to young children than its famous neighbour down the road.
The slides are thrilling enough for older children without being the kind of thing that produces tears before you have even got to the front of the queue. Four dedicated children’s zones (Forest Land, Dragon Land, Water Town, and a medieval castle section) have shallow pools and gentle slides that toddlers and under-fives genuinely enjoy. A dolphin show runs daily at 3:30pm. A combined ticket with Jungle Park is available and represents good value if you plan to visit both.
Mixed age groups, children under six who found Siam Park overwhelming, families wanting a water park day without peak-season crowds. Children aged 0 to 2 enter free.
Aqualand Costa Adeje
| Address | Avenida de Austria 15, 38660 Costa Adeje |
| Opening Hours | From 10am daily. Check current seasonal hours at the website |
| Price | Children 0 to 2 free. Check current pricing at aqualand.es/costa-adeje. Buy online in advance for a discount |
| Free Shuttle | Runs from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos every 30 minutes from approximately 10am. Must be requested at the time of booking |
| Getting There | Taxi from most Costa Adeje hotels approximately 5 to 10 minutes |
| Age Note | Big slides have height restrictions. Check the website before visiting with younger children |
| Website | aqualand.es/costa-adeje |
The Submarine Safari at Amarilla Marina
This is one of the most genuinely impressive things you can do with children in the south of Tenerife, and it remains surprisingly underbooked compared to the water parks and animal attractions. The submarine at Amarilla Marina in San Miguel de Abona is a real submarine, not a glass-bottomed boat or a semi-submersible. Sub Fun Cinco takes passengers 30 metres below the surface of the Atlantic on a 50-minute silent electric dive to explore the seabed.
For children who have never been underwater before, the experience is extraordinary. The seabed is varied and interesting, with fish, rays, sea turtles on good days, and enough reef life to keep children’s faces pressed against the porthole windows for the full dive. Professional divers swim alongside the hull to attract fish at close range. Every passenger receives a personalised dive certificate. A multilingual audio guide runs throughout in 11 languages including English.
The submarine does not operate on Saturdays. Plan your visit for any other day of the week. Book online in advance to secure the free hotel pickup bus from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos.
Submarine Safari, Amarilla Marina
| Address | Puerto Deportivo, Amarilla Marina, Torre de Control, Urb. Amarilla Golf s/n, 38639 San Miguel de Abona |
| Phone | +34 922 736 629 |
| tenerife@submarinesafaris.com | |
| Price | Adults €50, children 2 to 14 years €30. Children under 2 cannot dive |
| Duration | 50 minutes submerged. Approximately 1 hour total including boarding |
| Dive Depth | 30 metres below the surface |
| Not Open | Saturdays |
| Free Bus | From Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos when booked in advance. Request at time of booking |
| Getting There | Approximately 20 to 25 minutes from Los Cristianos by car or taxi |
| Website | submarinesafaris.com |
Monkey Park Los Cristianos
Monkey Park sits just outside Los Cristianos and is one of those small, well-run attractions that does exactly what it says and does it rather well. Founded in 1991, it is home to a range of primate species, lemurs, parrots, guinea pigs, tortoises, iguanas, and reptiles. The particular selling point is that visitors can walk freely among certain species rather than simply looking at them through glass or fencing.
Children can feed certain animals using food boxes sold at the entrance for €3, specially prepared to suit the animals’ diets. The opportunity to have a small monkey climb onto your shoulder is the kind of thing that produces holiday photographs that get looked at for years. The staff are knowledgeable and clearly fond of the animals, which creates a noticeably different atmosphere from the larger commercial parks.
It is not a full-day destination. Most families spend two to three hours here comfortably, which makes it a good morning activity that combines well with lunch in Los Cristianos harbour or a beach afternoon.
Monkey Park Los Cristianos
| Address | Camino Real Llano Azul (TF-662), nº 17, Los Cristianos |
| Opening Hours | 9:30am to 4pm daily |
| Price | Adults €10, children 5 to 12 years €5, children under 5 free |
| Animal Feed Boxes | €3 at the entrance. Specially prepared. Do not bring your own food |
| Getting There | Taxi from Los Cristianos approximately €7 to €10. Bus 467 stops at the San Francisco stop, a short walk from the entrance. Free parking on site |
| Best For | Children aged 2 to 12. Particularly good for younger children |
| Website | monkeypark.com |
Jungle Park: Birds, Animals and a Bat Cave
Jungle Park is a 70,000 square metre zoo and botanical park near Playa de las Américas, significantly larger and more varied than Monkey Park, with over 500 animals across 100 species, impressive bird of prey shows, and the kind of layout that rewards a full day out. The bird of prey show runs several times daily and is genuinely worth seeing: hawks, falcons, and eagles performing in a large open-air arena.
Beyond the birds, Jungle Park has freely roaming lemurs in a walk-through enclosure, a bat cave, lions, pumas, white tigers, crocodiles, meerkats, and a wide range of reptiles and exotic birds throughout a tropical garden with rope bridges, tunnels, and waterfalls. The combined ticket with Aqualand starts from €21 per person and is strong value if you plan to visit both parks.
The bat cave is dark and enclosed. Worth preparing sensitive children in advance. The park also involves a reasonable amount of walking on uneven paths. A carrier for very young toddlers may be more practical than a pushchair on steeper sections.
Jungle Park
| Address | Urbanización Águilas del Teide s/n, Arona |
| Opening Hours | 10:30am to 5:30pm daily |
| Price | Adults (11+) €35, children 5 to 10 years €29, infants 3 to 4 years €16, under 3 free. Combined ticket with Aqualand from €21 per person |
| Free Bus | From the resort areas. Check current pickup points at junglepark.es |
| Parking | On site, €5 |
| Best For | Children aged 3 and above. Best for ages 6 to 14 who engage with the shows |
| Website | junglepark.es |
Go Karting at Karting Club Tenerife
Karting Club Tenerife is one of the best karting facilities in the Canary Islands with two completely independent tracks for different age groups. The junior circuit is for children from around age 6, with Pony Karts, Junior Cadets, and two-seater karts depending on age and height. The main senior circuit is for drivers aged 15 and above. A free shuttle bus runs from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos when you book online, which also gives a 15 percent discount plus two free spins.
The facilities include a covered viewing area where parents who are not karting can watch comfortably, plus a cafeteria, billiards, table football, and Scalextric. Families who visit once tend to return year after year as children grow from the junior track to the adult circuit.
Karting Club Tenerife
| Address | Carretera Cho a Las Chafiras nº 66, 38640 San Miguel de Abona |
| Price | Book online at kartingtenerife.com for 15% discount and 2 free spins |
| Junior Circuit | Ages 6 to 14. Pony karts, Junior Cadets, two-seater karts |
| Senior Circuit | Ages 15 and above |
| Free Shuttle | From Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos when booked online |
| Getting There | Approximately 20 minutes by car or taxi from Los Cristianos |
| Age Note | Minimum age and height requirements apply. Check at kartingtenerife.com before visiting |
| Website | kartingtenerife.com |
Boat Trips and Whale Watching from Puerto Colón
Whale and dolphin watching from Puerto Colón marina is one of the most reliable wildlife experiences available anywhere in Europe. The waters between Tenerife and La Gomera are home to a permanent resident colony of pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, and sighting rates are exceptional year-round. The moment when a pod of pilot whales appears alongside the boat produces genuine, unscripted excitement in children of all ages.
For families with young children, the large catamaran tours are the most practical option. Stable, enclosed enough to feel safe, and typically including drinks and food in the price. For older children who can engage with commentary, the small eco tours with marine biologists on board are an excellent step up.
Puerto Colón marina, Avenida de Colón, 38660 Costa Adeje. Walkable from most Costa Adeje hotels or a short taxi from anywhere in the south. Most large catamaran tours are suitable from birth. Small RIB boats have minimum age restrictions. Always check with the operator before booking.
For full details on tour types, operators, prices, and which ones are best for families, see our complete guide to whale watching in Tenerife.
Megabowl: Reliable, Easy, and Actually Good Fun
Megabowl in Costa Adeje is one of those activities that sounds unremarkable until you are actually there with children who are completely absorbed in it. A large, well-run bowling centre with multiple lanes, bar, food, pool tables, air hockey, arcade games, and complimentary popcorn. Bumper rails for younger children mean everyone can play at the same level, and the combination of competition, food, and noise tends to keep even restless children engaged for a couple of hours.
Book lanes online in advance, particularly during school holiday periods and when the weather turns. Megabowl fills up quickly on rainy days and early evenings. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays so check the schedule before heading over.
Megabowl
| Address | Calle Londres 5, CC Playa Fañabé 1, Planta Baja, 38660 Costa Adeje. Lower level of the Fañabé 1 shopping centre, walkable from most Costa Adeje hotels |
| Phone | +34 922 713 040 |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday: 2pm to midnight. Wednesday and Saturday: 2pm to 2am. Closed Monday |
| Price | 1 game: adults €5.50, children €4.50. 2 games: adults €9.50, children €6.50. 3 games: adults €10.00, children €7.50. Shoe hire additional |
| Best For | Children aged 4 and above. Groups and mixed age families. Good rainy day option |
Mini Golf in Costa Adeje
Mini golf works across a wide age range, takes about 90 minutes, and is one of the more relaxed options on this list. Particularly good as an early evening activity before dinner when everyone is a little tired but not ready to go back to the hotel. Costa Adeje and the surrounding area has several courses within easy reach, including Vivo Mini Golf in Las Américas (open until midnight daily) and Kapital on the seafront (closes 6pm, closed Saturdays).
For a full guide to every mini golf course in the south including addresses, prices, and honest assessments of which ones are worth visiting, see our dedicated mini golf guide for south Tenerife.
Prices from approximately €3 to €5 per child per course. Vivo Mini Golf Treasure Island in Playa de las Américas is the most elaborate option, with two 18-hole pirate-themed courses open until midnight. Suitable from age 3.
The Coastal Walk and Rock Pools
This one costs nothing and tends to stick in children’s memories more than some of the expensive activities on this list. The coastal path between La Caleta and Playa de las Américas passes through stretches of volcanic rock coastline where natural rock pools form at low tide, filled with small fish, crabs, sea urchins, and marine life that children can explore safely with nothing more than a pair of goggles.
Check the day’s tide times before you set out and plan to arrive at the rock pool areas at low tide when the pools are most defined. A small net for enthusiastic naturalists is optional. The path is entirely flat and pushchair-friendly along most of its length. A rock pool exploration, a picnic on the coastal path, and a paddle in a calm cove makes for a full morning at zero cost.
Supervise young children carefully on the volcanic rock sections, which can be uneven and slippery when wet. Reef shoes protect feet from the rough volcanic surface and sea urchin spines.
A Day at the Natural Pools
The south of Tenerife has several natural rock pools that are considerably calmer and safer for young children than the open beach. Playa de la Jaquita near El Médano has a good natural pool section popular with families. The rock formations around La Caleta and El Puertito provide natural pool conditions on calm days ideal for young snorkellers and paddlers. The key advantage over beaches is the absence of waves, allowing children to float, swim, and explore at their own pace.
El Médano is accessible by bus route 116 or taxi from Los Cristianos, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. La Caleta and El Puertito are accessible by taxi from Costa Adeje in around 10 minutes. Reef shoes recommended for all children on volcanic rock surfaces. Always check sea conditions before visiting.
Escape Rooms for Older Kids
For families with older children, particularly those aged 10 and above who are past the phase of being excited by bowling and mini golf, escape rooms provide something that requires genuine engagement and teamwork. A good escape room gives a family group 60 minutes of shared problem-solving, and older children often find themselves leading the group, which produces a welcome change in the usual holiday dynamic.
Escape Tenerife
| Address | Paseo Dulce María Loinaz 16, Local 2, Los Cristianos |
| Price | Approximately €15 to €20 per person |
| Best For | Children aged 10 and above. English-speaking games masters |
| Website | escapetenerife.com |
Island Phobia Escape Room
| Address | Avenida Eugenio Domínguez Alfonso 23, Playa de las Américas |
| Opening Hours | Daily 10am to 11pm |
| Price | Approximately €15 to €20 per person |
| Best For | Children aged 10 and above. Harry Potter themed room specifically praised in recent reviews |
| Note | Book in advance as evening slots fill quickly |
Minimum ages vary by operator and room. Check directly before booking with children under 12. Both venues suit teenagers particularly well.
Practical Tips for Families in South Tenerife
The submarine, Aqualand, Karting Club, and whale watching tours all benefit from advance booking, particularly in July, August, and UK school holiday periods. The free shuttle buses for Aqualand, Karting Club, and the submarine also require advance booking to secure the pickup.
South Tenerife can get very hot from late morning onwards in summer. Starting outdoor activities at 9am or 10am and returning to the hotel pool by midday is much more comfortable than the reverse.
Children dehydrate quickly and the Atlantic sun reflects off sand and water with deceptive intensity. Bring significantly more water than you think you will need, apply sunscreen every two hours without exception, and keep hats on for all outdoor activities.
Monkey Park in the morning followed by harbour lunch in Los Cristianos and whale watching in the afternoon covers a full day. The submarine pairs well with El Médano beach for a full eastern coastal day. Aqualand and Jungle Park have a combined ticket. Think about how activities sit geographically rather than treating each one as a separate trip.
Do not fill every day with paid activities. Children on holiday also need days of doing nothing much beyond the beach, the pool, and an ice cream on the promenade. The activities on this list are more enjoyable when they punctuate a relaxed holiday rather than dominate it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best family activity in south Tenerife besides Siam Park?
The submarine at Amarilla Marina is the most genuinely unique experience at €50 adults and €30 children. Not open Saturdays, book online at submarinesafaris.com for the free bus pickup. Whale watching from Puerto Colón is the most reliably impressive for all ages. Both deliver something children talk about long after the holiday is over.
Is Aqualand suitable for toddlers?
Yes. Aqualand Costa Adeje has four dedicated children’s zones with shallow pools and gentle slides suited to toddlers and under-fives. Children aged 0 to 2 enter free. It is a better choice than Siam Park for very young children. Free shuttle bus runs from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos.
How far is Karting Club Tenerife from Costa Adeje?
Approximately 20 minutes by car or taxi. Free shuttle bus runs from Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos when you book online at kartingtenerife.com, which also gives a 15 percent discount and two free spins.
What age can children do the submarine at Amarilla Marina?
Children aged 2 and above can dive. Children under 2 cannot. The submarine does not operate on Saturdays. Adults €50, children 2 to 14 years €30. Phone: +34 922 736 629. Book at submarinesafaris.com for the online discount and the free bus from the main resort areas.
Is whale watching suitable for very young children?
Large catamaran tours are generally suitable for babies and toddlers as the boats are stable. Small group RIB tours have minimum age restrictions and are better suited to children aged 6 and above. See our complete whale watching guide for specific operator details and family-friendly recommendations.
What can you do with kids on a rainy day in south Tenerife?
Megabowl at Calle Londres 5, CC Playa Fañabé 1 (closed Mondays, +34 922 713 040), escape rooms in Los Cristianos and Las Américas, Aqualand, and Karting Club Tenerife are all good options when the weather turns. For a full guide to rainy day options, see our rainy day guide for south Tenerife.
Activity details, opening times, age restrictions, and prices are subject to change. Always check directly with each operator before visiting, particularly for minimum age requirements and advance booking availability.