Fun Summer Bucket List of Activities for Kids in Costa Blanca

**We have been lucky enough to have sampled some of the activities listed here for free, in exchange for promotion on this website and through our social media channels. All the opinions expressed below remain entirely our own.

Introduction

As we move into the summer season on Spain’s Costa Blanca (the coastline in Alicante province) and the annual influx of tourists starts to gather pace, more and more people are looking for fun and interesting activities to do with their kids during their stay. Whether you are looking for things to do with toddlers and small children in Costa Blanca, or things to do with teenagers and older children in Costa Blanca, there are no shortage of fun activities for all the family.

Here we have compiled our ‘bucket list’ of all the best things to do with kids when visiting Costa Blanca, to help people make the most of their stay in this sunny and enduringly popular corner of Spain. So, why not drag yourself away from relaxing by your pool and get out and see what else the region has to offer?

If you are also looking for places to eat with kids during your stay, be sure to take a look at our selection of the best family restaurants with outdoor play areas in Costa Blanca, our best family restaurants with indoor play areas in Costa Blanca, or our best family restaurants with swimming pools in Costa Blanca.

Here though, we are looking at 20 of the best things to do that make up our ‘bucket list’ of the best activities for kids in Costa Blanca. We hope you enjoy your stay!

Bucket List of Activities for Kids

#1 Beach

No visit to the Costa Blanca would be complete without a trip to the beach. With some of the best, golden sand beaches in all of Spain, you will never be short of choice. Kids will never tire of digging in the sand and splashing in the sea. For some extra fun, when the waves are up, try taking a ride on a bodyboard! The beach at La Zenia is known as a great choice for this.

#2 Water Obstacle Course

For anyone looking for some extra activities to do while at the beach, there are plenty of options all along the coastline. In locations including Denia, Benidorm, Torrevieja and Mil Palmeras, you will find inflatable obstacle courses anchored out in the sea, that include some large slides. You can pay for timed sessions on the courses that include life jacket hire. This is just one of the many sea activities being offered by Martime.

#3 Banana Boat Ride / Jetski / Pedalo

For anyone wanting an experience out on the water, there are different hire options available from Martime. Older kids can enjoy the high speed thrills of a banana boat or jetski ride (as a passenger), while younger kids can take a passenger ride on a pedalo, each with a slide into the sea. If you’re lucky, you might even get them to do some of the peddling!

#4 Boat hire

For anyone wanting to spend longer out on the water, why not have a family boat trip with a self drive hire boat? There are many places all along the coast offering boat hire. We had a great experience at Cabo Roig Boat Hire, located in Cabo Roig marina, where small, modern motor boats can be hired without the need of a boat license. They even have Bluetooth speakers so you can get some of your favourite music playing while you’re out at sea!

#5 Sea Kayak

Fancy a trip out on the water, but don’t want the intrusion of the sound of an engine? Why not try sea kayaking? Siesta Advisor based in Javea offer a selection of different kayak trips to experience some of the beautiful marine scenery, sea caves and hidden coves of the northern Costa Blanca coastline. Double kayaks mean that kids can join in on family kayak tours where no previous experience is required.

#6 Water Ski / Wakeboard Cable Tow

For any older kids wanting to test their skills out on the water, try having a go on a cable tow. Whether water skiing or wakeboarding, the cable tow provides apparatus to hold onto and be pulled along across the water. It’s great fun once you get the hang of it. Locations include at La Bocana Wake Park inTorrevieja marina, and at Benidorm Cable Ski.

#7 Learn to Dive

If you are more interested in what is going on beneath the waves, older children who can swim might want to consider taking a dive course during your visit to Costa Blanca. There are many operators in the region offering both beginner sessions and longer courses. With expert instruction, First Choice Scuba in Villamartin will get you up and running in no time, ready to explore some of the diverse marine life that can be seen in this section of the Mediterranean.

#8 Parasailing

Alternatively, if you would rather soar high in the sky for a bird’s eye view, a great fun way to do this is with a parasailing trip. Suspended from a parachute while a boat pulls you along, the view along all of the coastline is incredible – just don’t look down! Kids as young as 4 are able to ride if they are brave enough and accompanied by an adult. We had an amazing time with 3 of our children when we took a parasailing trip out of Campoamor marina, organised by Martime. It should be something that is right at the top of your bucket list of activities for kids in Costa Blanca.

#9 Visit Tabarca Island

For a trip out across the sea to a whole new location, why not take a day trip to the island of Tabarca. Sadly, you won’t find the golden sands associated with the more famous and distant Balearic Islands. The short boat ride to Tabarca nevertheless makes a fascinating day out. The island is home to a charming little town and some interesting historical landmarks. Many different operators run boat trips to the island from the marinas at Santa Pola and Torrevieja. Some even have glass bottom boats so that you can see some of the marine life under the sea as you go.

#10 See Wild Flamingos

As one of the planet’s most iconic birds, who doesn’t love pink flamingos? Usually though, kids will be restricted to only seeing them on TV or in a zoo. Luckily for anyone visiting Spain’s Costa Blanca though, it is possible to see these majestic birds close up, year round and in the wild at several locations in the region. The best spots are in Calpe at the Salinas de Calpe, at the network of salt lakes outside Santa Pola and, just over the regional border into Murcia in the south, at the Salinas de San Pedro. Seeing flamingos is one of our best free activities for kids in Costa Blanca.

#11 Torrevieja Salt Lakes

As well as being home to flamingos, the region’s many salt lakes are also still active production facilities, harvesting salt for export far and wide. Having been in operation since Roman times, the salt lakes at Torrevieja are the oldest surviving salt production sites in Europe. It is possible to visit the salt lakes to see them up close by taking a tourist land train from near the marina in Torrevieja. Visit in summer to see the lakes looking bright pink – coloured by algae in the water (that also colours the shrimp that then in turn colour the flamingos pink).

#12 Visit a Waterpark

Moving away from the sea, there is plenty more summer fun to be had for kids in the water. With a selection of brilliant water parks (or aqua parks) spread throughout the region, this should also be something that is high on your bucket list of fun summer activities for kids in Costa Blanca. Dare you take on Europe’s highest water slide at Aqualandia in Benidorm? For more info, see our roundup of the best water parks for kids in Costa Blanca.

#13 Swim Wild at the Algar Waterfalls

If you are wanting to swim in fresh water and in more natural surroundings, consider taking a day trip inland to Les Fonts d’Algar. Located a short drive from both Benidorm and Calpe, the waterfalls can be easily reached by car. A series of cascading waterfalls and pools provide river swimming opportunities in beautiful surroundings. Unfortunately, the location is run commercially, meaning admission fees and often crowds in peak summer. The location still makes a fun alternative to a trip to the coast though.

#14 Horse Riding / Quad Biking

While the heat of summer will often understandably make visitors to Costa Blanca gravitate towards water based activities, there are also plenty of other things to do besides. Two fun ways to experience the countryside away from the coast are by taking a horse riding or quad biking tour. These are some of the best adventure activities for kids in Costa Blanca. There are several operators spread throughout the region that offer these services. We enjoyed an experience of horse riding for kids at Lo Rufete Multi Adventure Park, in San Miguel de Salinas.

#15 Dirt Buggy Tour

Another way to experience the inland countryside is with a dirt buggy tour. Motor Rent takes guided groups from their office in Cabo Roig to the resevoir at Torremendo, to experience some offroad driving and scenic viewpoints. Children as young as 4 are able to ride as a passenger in a dirt buggy, so the whole family can join in the fun. 1, 2, or 3 hour tours are available.

#16 High Ropes Course

If you are looking for something adventurous for your kids to do (or for you to do as well!), one good option is to head to a nice shady woodland to test yourselves on a high ropes course. Located just outside La Nucia, a short drive from Benidorm, is Tirolinas Go!. This high ropes centre has several different rope courses suspended high in the trees, all of which feature long zip wires to zoom down. There is also a low ropes course of obstacles suspended just above ground level which is perfect for little kids to hone their skills. To find out more, take a look at our review of our day of treetop high ropes adventures for kids at Tirolinas Go! Alicante.

#17 Go-Karts

Unleash your inner Lewis Hamilton with a spin around one of Costa Blanca’s fabulous go-kart tracks. Adults and kids alike can enjoy racing around the twists and turns of a track. Some of the circuits feature separate smaller tracks for kids. All of them also have the option of smaller kids riding alongside an adult in a double kart – allowing them to feel involved by holding their own steering wheel while the adult in the kart crucially controls the speed! For more info see our selection of the best go-kart tracks for kids in Costa Blanca.

#18 Mini Golf

A firm holiday favourite, mini golf (or crazy golf) seems to retain timeless popularity. As you can probably imagine, being a region focused around tourism, Spain’s Costa Blanca has no shortage of mini golf courses. Playing your way around the twists, turns and obstacles of a miniature golf course is a great way for all the family to spend a couple of hours. For more information, take a look at our picks of the best mini golf for kids in Costa Blanca, or read our review of when we enjoyed a fun family mini golf day at Greenlands Golf.

#19 Take a Ride at a Fairground

Distributed throughout the Costa Blanca are numerous fairgrounds and ride attractions for kids to enjoy. Wherever you are, you are sure to find something nearby. Why not add some excitement to your trip by taking your kids on some rides? One of the most established traditional fairgrounds can be found at Torrevieja. Usually located by the seafront and marina, for this summer only (2023), the fair has been relocated to Parque Antonio Soria, next to the Aquopolis waterpark. Alternatively, for more of a proper theme park experience, smaller kids will love the cute rides at Pola Park in Santa Pola, or bigger kids the larger rides at Terra Mitica in Benidorm. For more information, see our roundup of the best theme parks for kids in Costa Blanca.

#20 Paintball

For any older kids that want the thrill of a battle, they might want to test their sharp shooter skills with a game of paintball – another of our best adventure activities for kids in Costa Blanca. In summer, try to aim for a woodland centre for some shade, as it can get very hot with all of the protective clothing and equipment to wear. There are paintball centres distributed around the region.

#21 Cave of Skulls

For something to do that is a little out of the ordinary, why not take a trip to the fascinating Cueva de las Calaveras (or the ‘Cave of Skulls’). Located inland from Denia and Javea and easily reached by car from any of the tourist resorts of North Costa Blanca, the cave system consists of a tunnel network of 900m of paths underground that stay pleasantly cool in summer. The paths that leads you through the cave are well lit and flat, meaning easy access for strollers and disabled guests. There are many stalactite and stalagmite rock features, an interesting collection of fossils and, as the name suggests, a display case containing several ancient human skulls.