Family days out on the Costa del Sol: Your guide to the coast

No stretch of Spanish coastline makes life easier for families than the Costa del Sol. Children are welcomed everywhere here, from beach bars to plazas, and the region's 320-odd days of sunshine mean there's rarely a bad day to plan something outdoors.

There's a big range of things within easy reach: wildlife parks, water parks, caves and cultural activities all packed into a relatively small province, so a family staying anywhere on the coast is never more than an hour away from most of what's on this list.

This guide covers the best things to do with children on the Costa del Sol, to help families make the most of their trip.

A wildlife park dedicated to tropical species from Asia, Africa, and the islands of the Indo-Pacific, Bioparc is home to more than 200 species, including tigers, orangutans and sloths. The park also recreates the natural homes of these animals, so instead of standard cages, visitors walk through hidden, detailed pathways that look exactly like wild tropical jungles to see the animals.

General entry: €29.50

Children between 3 and 9: €23

Children under 3: Free

A wildlife park and dolphinarium, located in Benalmádena Costa. Among its attractions are its large pool for dolphin shows and an ice penguin exhibit. Visitors can also see other animals such as exotic birds, sea lions, dwarf crocodiles and snakes.

Visitors between 8 and 64: €15.90 online, €17.90 in box office

Children between 3 and 7: €13.90 online and in box office

65 years and over: €13.90 online and in box office

Infants under 3, or under 1 metre tall: Free online and in box office

Located in Benalmádena Marina, this aquarium is a good option for a slower, cooler day out inside. Sharks, turtles, octopus and otters are among the residents, and the aquarium format keeps things manageable when temperatures outside are high.

Visitors over the age of 15: €16.50 online, €21 in box office

Boat trips are available in various seaside towns across the coast, from Benalmádena to Marbella. Dolphins are a common enough sight, especially on calm days. This makes for a great family day out, not just to see this animals in their natural habitat, but also for great views of the coastline.

Prices range, starting from €20

This 200,000m² park is located in Benalmádena and boasts beautiful garden areas as well as a large lake in the centre. Children are free to run around, feed the large fish and turtles in the lake and play in the park with climbing frames and slides. There are also lots of animals running around such as peacocks, hens, chickens, rabbits and hares.

Free entry

The largest water park on the Costa del Sol, Aqualand offers a selection of exhilarating water slides coupled with many facilities (restaurants, bars, sunbathing areas). It is a great place to have fun while beating the summer heat. A standout ride is the Kamikaze slide, one of the highest in Europe, with a vertical fall of roughly 72 feet.

Prices range, starting from €17

Smaller in size than Aqualand, but has a wide selection of slides for children of all ages. The park features a variety of attractions, including kamikaze slides, a wave pool, and a 'Lizard Island' for younger children.

Visitors 12 and over: €32.50 online, €34.50 in box office

Juniors between 7 and 11: €25 online, €26 in box office

Children between 3 and 6: €18.50 online, €19 in box office

Adults over 65 years of age: €25 online, €26 in box office

A city-centre sightseeing treasure hunt that turns a walk through Malaga's streets and squares into a game - a good way to cover the sightseeing without hearing "are we there yet?".

The treasure hunt takes you to all the top sights and cultural hotspots of Malaga, but also to all the hidden gems. At each station, you have to solve a small riddle or a playful task to collect some clues that will lead you to the final station of your City Tour, where you will find a treasure.

Adults: €25

Young people between 6 and 15: €15

Children under 5: Free

Located in Elviria, in Marbella, this is the largest adventure park in Andalucía and one of the leading theme parks on the Costa del Sol. Aventura Amazonia is 500 metres from the beach, and has 6 adventure circuits. It also includes the biggest treetop zipline in Andalucía, with a length of 240m.

Adults 16 and above: from €24

Juniors younger than 16, over 1.35 metres of height: from €22

Children over 6 and between 1.15 and 1.34 metres of height: from €20

Declared a site of cultural interest in 2006, located 158 meters above sea level and spanning 4,823 meters, the Nerja Cave is one of Andalusia’s most topographically extensive caves. It has three entrances: two subcircular sinkholes and, close to them, an entryway opened in 1960, a year after its discovery, for visitor access.

The site also features a playground and virtual reality experiences. It is recommended to come here on a hot day, as the temperature in the cave doesn't go over 19°C.

The cave is open to explore for children ages 5 and older, but it is worth noting that it is not buggy-accessible due to over 200 steep and uneven steps inside.

General entry (14 and over): €18

Junior entry (between 12 and 13): €14

Adults over 65: €15

Children between 6 and 11: €13

Ćildren from 3 to 5: €6

Babies between 0 and 2: Free

There are various locations along the coast where families can test their driving skills.

You can try Circuito Campillos karting, located 72 km inland from Malaga. This professional outdoor 1588 metre long and 10 metre wide track boasts 12 right turns and 7 left turns. The track has hosted many national and international karting events since its inauguration in 2005. In addition to the main track, there is a small 550m junior track as well.

10-minute session: €22

15-minute session: €32

Karting Mijas is a 900-metre track, located just off the A-7 in the Los Pacos neighbourhood of Mijas. The circuit offers an exciting layout featuring fast straights, technical corners and challenging bends that cater to both first-time drivers and experienced racers.

Prices starting at €22

Fuengirola's Miramar shopping centre boasts 450 metre and 200 metre-long tracks located on its roof terrace. There are gokarts available for both adults and kids, and the minimum age is 5 years old. The shopping centre also features lots of restaurants and bars including KFC, Subway or Costa Coffee, so it is worth spending a whole day here.

Prices ranging from €12 to €24

Cableski Marbella is a great way to learn to wakeboard as a family or improve your skills in a sheltered, controlled way. The site offers cable-pulled water-skiing and wakeboarding park in the natural lake of Guadalmina that makes for a fun, active day out on the water for people of all ages.

In addition to nautical activities, the site offers a restaurant right on the lake.

Kids must be strong swimmers to try this activity, and for that reason it is recommended for families with teenagers.

You can pay per lap, or for half a day or full day. 5 laps is €15, half a day is €35 and a full day is €45.

Located right by Malaga Airport, on the Carretera Azucarera Intelhorce, this enormous trampoline park promises a fun and energising activity for kids.

The centre offers activities for children of all ages, including Spain's largest ball and adventure park, a round of mini-golf in a flourescent lighting setting, dodge balls, and trampolines.

Prices depend on the amount of hours you want to spend at the park and the day you choose to go. The starting price from Monday to Thursday for 1 hour of jumping is €11 and €13 from Friday to Saturday, including public holidays and school holidays.

Located in Marbella, this is the coast's first trampoline park, offering an enormous indoor arena filled with over 50 interconnected wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits and basketball dunk lanes.

Monday to Thursday: €11 per person for a one-hour session.

Friday to Sunday and holidays: €13 per person for a one-hour session.