Things to Do in Lanzarote with Kids: 10 Family Favourites & Prices

We spent four days in Lanzarote in November 2017, from the 5th to the 8th, with Damian, who was 4½, and Marc, who was 1½. We stayed in an apartment in Arrecife, without a car: two days with a private guide and the rest on beaches and in town. So everything on this list has been tested at toddler pace. Lanzarote is the island that looks like another planet: black lava fields, volcanoes you can feel the heat of, and white villages. It’s also one of the easiest islands in Europe to do with small kids, because it’s warm all year and small enough that nothing is far.

Good to know before you plan: the island’s main sights are run by the Cabildo’s tourist centres (CACT), and children up to 6 go free at all of them. With a 4-year-old and a toddler, we didn’t pay a single child ticket.

1. Timanfaya National Park (the Fire Mountains)

The one you can’t skip. You park at the Islote de Hilario visitor area and tour the lava fields on the official bus, which is the only way through. The landscape really does look like Mars. Then come the demonstrations: straw bursting into flames in a hole in the ground, and water poured into a pipe that shoots back up as steam. Lunch is at El Diablo restaurant, where the grill is heated by the volcano.

2026: €30 adults, under-7s free. Arrive early, because the queue for the car park builds fast, especially at weekends.

2. A camel ride at the Fire Mountains

At the foot of the Montañas del Fuego, camels carry visitors two to a camel on a short, bumpy ride. The boys were nervous getting on and loved it by the end. We paid €12 per camel in 2017, so check today’s price.

3. Feel the heat of the ground

At Timanfaya, the ground a few centimetres down is hot enough to feel with your hand, and the guides let children try it. It’s a geography lesson they’ll actually remember.

4. Charco de los Clicos (the Green Lagoon)

A lagoon inside an old volcanic crater, bright green from algae, next to a black-sand beach at El Golfo. Kids love the colours. You look at it from the path; you can’t swim in it.

5. Jameos del Agua

César Manrique, the artist who shaped modern Lanzarote, turned a collapsed lava tube into a garden, a lake, a pool and a concert hall. The dark lake is home to tiny blind white crabs found nowhere else in the world, and spotting them is the kids’ mission.

2026: from €17 adults, under-7s free.

6. Cueva de los Verdes

A guided walk through a lava tube formed by the eruption of the Corona volcano. Thanks to the acoustics there’s a concert hall inside, and there’s one famous surprise at the end that the guides ask you not to spoil. Pushchairs don’t work here, so bring a carrier for a toddler.

2026: €17 adults, under-7s free.

7. Jardín de Cactus

Manrique’s cactus garden, built in an old quarry, with thousands of cacti from hundreds of species and a windmill on top. Damian was amazed by every corner of it. It’s short, easy and good for small kids.

2026: €9 adults, under-7s free.

8. Mirador del Río

Another Manrique creation: a viewpoint built into the cliff at the island’s north tip, looking across to La Graciosa. The kids loved the stairs. The adults loved the view.

2026: €9 adults, under-7s free.

9. Family beaches: Playa Dorada, Playa Blanca and Playa Chica

Lanzarote’s calmest beaches for small children are in the south around Playa Blanca, where Playa Dorada is sheltered and shallow. Playa Chica in Puerto del Carmen is a small cove where you can snorkel with fish from the shore. In early November we had beach weather: Lanzarote stays at about 22–25°C most of the year.

10. Arrecife

The capital, where we stayed. It’s walkable, with local shops and restaurants, and close to the airport. It’s not the prettiest town, but for a family with a toddler, a kitchen and no car, it was practical.

Where to stay in Lanzarote with kids

We rented an apartment in Arrecife for the kitchen, the laundry and the flexibility, which is what you want with a toddler. If you’d rather have resort pools and calm beaches on the doorstep, stay in Playa Blanca. For snorkelling and more restaurants, choose Puerto del Carmen.

Do you need a car in Lanzarote?

Not necessarily: we didn’t rent one. For the sights, we spent two days with a private guide from Lanzarote Experience Tours, and the rest of the time we stayed around Arrecife and the beaches. Renting a car gives you more freedom, especially for Timanfaya, where the car park fills early.

How many days in Lanzarote with kids?

Four to six days. We had four: two for the volcanic sights and caves, and two for beaches and Arrecife. That was enough with a toddler. With older kids, add a day or two for snorkelling and a slower pace.

Choosing between islands? Compare with Fuerteventura with kids (better beaches, fewer sights), Tenerife with kids and our top 10 European islands with kids.

Lanzarote with kids: FAQ

Is Lanzarote good for families with kids?

Yes. It’s warm all year, the sights are short and memorable for children, the southern beaches are calm, and children up to 6 enter the island’s main tourist centres free. We went with a 4-year-old and a toddler.

How much is Timanfaya National Park for kids?

Children up to 6 go free. Adults paid €30 in 2026, which includes the official bus route through the lava fields and the heat demonstrations.

What are the best beaches in Lanzarote for toddlers?

Playa Dorada near Playa Blanca, which is sheltered and shallow, and Playa Chica in Puerto del Carmen for calm water and snorkelling close to shore.

Do you need a car in Lanzarote with kids?

Not necessarily. We didn’t rent one: we used a private guide for two days and stayed around Arrecife and the beaches for the rest. A car gives more freedom, especially for reaching Timanfaya early.

How many days do you need in Lanzarote with kids?

Four to six days. We had four, two for the volcanic sights and caves and two for beaches and Arrecife, and it was enough with a toddler.

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