If there’s a recipe for the perfect family vacation, the ingredients are usually easy access, a safe environment, and plenty of sun, sand and sea. In other words, everything that Tenerife offers in abundance.
Tenerife is the largest island in the Spanish archipelago known as the Canary Islands. Aside from relaxation and battery-charging, this sunshine magnet offers natural appeal and activities for everyone, from bar-hopping to volcano-climbing.
The sunny southern side of the island is home to the most popular resorts. The town of Los Cristianos offers plenty of bars, restaurants and accommodation choices. Despite the tourism development, there are still remnants of the fishing village that Los Cristianos once was, and you’re never far from beach relaxation and water sports. Right next to Los Cristianos is Playa de las Américas, a resort renowned for vibrant nightlife and traveler-friendly restaurants, entertainment and shopping.
It's a given that most holidaymakers in Tenerife will want to spend sizable time sunbathing, but there are also fun activities including boat tours, kayaking and snorkeling. And why not pay a visit to one of the island’s wineries and try out the local produce?
For travelers who prefer to stay outside the main tourist hotspots, the west of the island might appeal, including towns such as Puerto de Santiago and Los Gigantes. As elsewhere on Tenerife there's no shortage of lovely beaches, and one of the area's main attractions is the magnificent natural wonder of Acantilados de Los Gigantes. The name translates as the Cliffs of the Giants, and with good reason – in some places these vertical walls rise from the sea as high as 500 meters (1640ft)!
One attraction on Tenerife towers above all others, literally. The volcano Pico del Teide is the highest peak in all of Spain, topping 3718 meters (12,200ft). Fancy a workout? It’s a somewhat arduous five-hour hike to the top, but you can always take the cable car. You can also simply enjoy the peak as a backdrop to the natural beauty of the park that surrounds the volcano. The lunar landscape is home to viewpoints and a network of roads and trails, to help you get close to the craters, lava rivers and rock formations.
