Fuerteventura is among the most relaxed Canary Islands for a family holiday, with calm, shallow beaches that do most of the entertaining and a handful of reliable attractions for the days you want more than sand. This guide is about what to do with children here, by attraction and by age, rather than where to sleep, which our hotels for kids guide covers. For the full island picture, see our Fuerteventura travel guide.
The beaches do the heavy lifting
The single best thing for families here is free: the island’s sheltered, gently shelving beaches, where small children can paddle and dig for hours. The standouts for families are:
- La Concha at El Cotillo: a reef-protected lagoon on the north-west coast where the water stays shallow and calm, the safest swimming on the island for little ones.
- Caleta de Fuste: a sheltered horseshoe bay with calm water right in front of the family resorts, ideal for a low-stress beach day.
- The inner Sotavento lagoon: at the right tide, a vast warm shallow that older children love for splashing and trying watersports.
- Corralejo’s Grandes Playas: long golden sand by the dunes, glorious but more exposed to wind, so better for older children and windbreak days.
- Aguas Verdes natural pools: on the west coast, lava-formed rock pools that fill with clear, sheltered water, calm paddling for toddlers away from the open Atlantic swell.
Our best beaches guide maps the rest, including which are calm and which catch the surf.
The two big attractions
When you want a fixed day out, two attractions anchor family trips:
- Acua Water Park: the island’s only water park, at the top of Corralejo’s main street and formerly known as Baku Family Park, spreading over around 25,000 square metres with slides, pools, a lazy river, a children’s area and dining, enough for a full day with mixed ages.
- Oasis Wildlife Fuerteventura: a large zoo and botanical garden near La Lajita in the south, where a camel safari, sea lion and parrot shows, a reptile house, a petting area and extensive gardens fill a day for all ages. It is the biggest single attraction on the island.
On the water
The sea offers some of the most memorable family days:
- Glass-bottom and catamaran trips: gentle boat days from Caleta de Fuste, Corralejo and Morro Jable, often with swimming and snorkelling stops, good for spotting fish and sometimes dolphins.
- Dolphin and whale watching: a responsible, accredited Blue Boat trip to see wild dolphins and whales is a highlight for older children, covered in our dolphin and whale boat trips guide.
- The ferry to Lobos: the short crossing to the islet of Lobos, with its lagoon and easy trails, makes a simple adventure, though it needs a free permit booked in advance, as our boat trips guide explains.
- Learning a watersport: older children and teenagers can try windsurfing or surfing at the beginner spots, in our windsurfing guide.
On land
Away from the water, the island still keeps children busy:
- Camel rides: at Oasis Wildlife and on some interior excursions, a nod to the animals that once worked the island’s fields.
- Buggy and quad tours: families with older children can ride together in a two-seat buggy through the volcanic interior, covered in our quad biking guide.
- Mini-golf and go-karts: the resort towns of Corralejo and Caleta de Fuste have the usual family-fun options for a low-key afternoon.
- Easy volcano walks: the short Calderon Hondo crater walk near Lajares suits active families, with tame ground squirrels at the top, in our volcano walk guide.
- The salt museum: the Salinas del Carmen salt pans and museum make a short, interesting stop on the east coast.
By age group
Matching the day to the children’s ages saves a lot of grief:
- Babies and toddlers: the calm bays at Caleta de Fuste and El Cotillo, the resort pool, and short outings to Oasis Wildlife. Keep to the sheltered, walkable resorts.
- Young children: Acua Water Park, the camel rides and shows at Oasis Wildlife, glass-bottom boats and the calm lagoons.
- Older children and teenagers: surfing and windsurfing lessons, dolphin trips, buggy tours, the Lobos crossing and the volcano walks.
The wind, and how to plan around it
The one thing to plan around is the trade wind, which picks up most afternoons and is strongest on the open north and south coasts. It is what keeps the summer heat comfortable, but it can drive fine sand and chop on exposed beaches. The fixes are simple: choose a sheltered beach like Caleta or El Cotillo on windy days, pack a beach windbreak and good sun protection, and use the calmer mornings for the sea and the breezier afternoons for the pool, the water park or an indoor attraction. With that one adjustment, the wind stops being a problem and becomes the reason the island is pleasant when the mainland is sweltering.
A sample family week
One way to balance beach days, attractions and the wind is to spread the highlights across the week rather than cramming them. A relaxed plan might run like this:
- Arrival day: settle in, find the nearest supermarket and beach, and let everyone acclimatise at the resort pool.
- A calm beach day: the sheltered bay at Caleta de Fuste or the El Cotillo lagoons for paddling and sandcastles.
- The water park: a full day at Acua Water Park in Corralejo for slides and pools.
- The wildlife park: Oasis Wildlife near La Lajita for the camel safari and animal shows, paired with a southern beach.
- A boat day: a glass-bottom or dolphin trip, or the permitted crossing to Lobos for older children.
- An adventure: a family buggy tour or the short Calderon Hondo volcano walk, then an easy afternoon.
- A slow last day: the beach, the pool and a final ice cream before the flight.
Windy and rainy day backups
Rain is rare on Fuerteventura, but wind is not, and a few indoor or sheltered options save a difficult afternoon. The Acua Water Park works even on a breezy day, as do the indoor and covered areas at Oasis Wildlife. The resort towns have the usual cinemas, bowling and shopping centres, the Salinas del Carmen salt museum is a short, sheltered visit, and a drive inland to Betancuria, the old capital, gives a calm, wind-shielded afternoon of cobbled streets, a small museum and a cafe lunch. On the windiest beach days, switching to a sheltered cove like Caleta or moving the day to the resort pool keeps younger children happy without writing off the holiday.
Practical tips for family days
- Hire a car for the big attractions: Acua is in the north and Oasis Wildlife in the south, so seeing both from one base needs a car or an excursion.
- Book Lobos ahead: the free visitor permit is required and the daily quota fills, so sort it before you go.
- Go to attractions early: mornings are cooler and quieter at the water park and the wildlife park.
- Pack sun and wind protection: high-factor sunscreen, hats and a windbreak earn their place every day here.
- Choose a responsible boat: for dolphins and whales, pick a Blue Boat accredited operator that follows the wildlife code.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do with kids in Fuerteventura?
Calm beaches for paddling, the Acua Water Park in Corralejo, the Oasis Wildlife zoo and botanical park in the south, glass-bottom and dolphin boat trips, camel rides, buggy tours, mini-golf and easy volcano walks.
Is there a water park in Fuerteventura?
Yes, Acua Water Park in Corralejo, the island’s only water park, formerly called Baku Family Park, with slides, pools and a children’s area over around 25,000 square metres.
What is the best attraction for young children?
Oasis Wildlife Fuerteventura near La Lajita, with its camel safari, sea lion and parrot shows and petting area, is the biggest and most varied attraction, while the calm beaches suit the very youngest.
Is Fuerteventura too windy for families?
The afternoon trade wind is real but manageable: choose sheltered beaches like Caleta de Fuste and El Cotillo, bring a windbreak, and use mornings for the sea. The wind also keeps the summer heat comfortable for children.
Can you visit Lobos island with children?
Yes, the short ferry from Corralejo and the islet’s easy trails and lagoon make a good family adventure, but you must book the free visitor permit in advance and bring your own water and food.
What is there to do on a rainy or very windy day?
Rain is rare, but on windy days the Acua Water Park, the covered areas at Oasis Wildlife, the resort cinemas and bowling, the Salinas del Carmen salt museum and a sheltered drive to historic Betancuria all keep families happy away from exposed beaches.
Sources and further reading
- Reserva de la Biosfera Fuerteventura
- Cabildo de Fuerteventura, island council
- Acua Water Park, Corralejo, visitor information
