Explore the best family activities and experiences on the beautiful Balearic Island of Menorca. Discover things to do that are fun for the whole family, including outdoor adventures and free suggestions.
Contents
- Introduction to Family Activities in Menorca
- Getting Around
- Best Family Activities in Menorca
- 1. Spend a Day in a Water Park
- 2. Visit the Zoo
- 3. Fun at the Beach
- 4. Take a Boat Trip
- 5. Enjoy Some Water Activities
- 6. Take a Walk
- 7. Explore Caves
- 8. Horse riding
- 9. Shopping
- 10. Go Karting
- Family Dining Out at Restaurants
- Conclusion: Enjoying Menorca as a Family
Introduction to Family Activities in Menorca
We have been visiting Menorca almost every year with our children since they were small.
We find that Menorca is the ideal place for a family holiday because of the welcoming, child-friendly atmosphere and tranquillity.
Menorca is a calm, laid back, island paradise, which is perfect for families.
Getting Around
🚗 By Car
The best way to explore Menorca is by car. There are many car hire companies on the island and it is easy to navigate by road. Prices vary greatly according to the time of year and demand so we find it best to compare prices.
👉 We usually search using www.rentalcars.com
🚍Bus Service
The bus service in Menorca is operated by TMSA.
👉 Find the network of services, prices and time table schedule here.
🚂Land Train
There is a land train that operates in the summer months between Punta Prima and Binibeca.
🚖 Taxi
The official taxi service in Menorca, which is regulated by law can be found on the link below:
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Best Family Activities in Menorca
1. Spend a Day in a Water Park
There are a few water parks in Menorca, some of which are part of hotel complexes. The 3 best water parks in Menorca that are open to everyone are:
Aqua Rock
Aqua Rock is in Cala en Bosc. It has a large pool with wave machine, jacuzzi, a smaller children’s pool and slides. Sunbeds are available to rent and there is a restaurant and bar.
👉 See opening times and ticket prices for Aqua Rock
Aqua Centre
The prettiest water park is Aqua Centre in Los Delfines. We found this park perfect for our children when they were younger. It has an inviting pool, free sun loungers, a few slides and a lovely cafe. Lots of happy memories made here.
👉See opening times and ticket prices for Aqua Centre
Splash Sur ⚠️ (Update! Sadly, this waterpark has been forced to close – I’m hoping this will change in the future).
Situated in Punta Prima, Sur Splash is the best park for older children. There are plenty of slides for all ages, a lazy river, sun beds and restaurant. The water is salt water so can sting the eyes but it is a firm favourite for our family.
2. Visit the Zoo
Lloc de Menorca is a fantastic zoo farm. My children love it here and always insist on going, even now.
The children get to have close encounters with the animals; stroking the snakes and reptiles, feeding baby goats and walking through the lemur enclosure.
The zoo has pretty gardens and a fantastic souvenir shop. There is a cafe and play area too.
👉 See opening times and ticket prices for Lloc de Menorca
3. Fun at the Beach
Menorca has over 80 beaches around the island.
Beaches in Menorca are clean and the water is usually beautiful and clear. It was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993.
🌟 Tip: The beaches with the calmest waters are mostly located in the south as the north can be affected by the wind.
The beaches we recommend for families have amenities, life guards and parking close by.
Our favourite family friendly beaches are:
🏖️Binibeca
You reach Binibeca beach through a pinewood forest. It is a small cove with white sand and calm clear waters.
There are rocky areas where children can search for creatures in the rock pools too.
Although the beach bar has closed in recent years, there are places to buy snacks and drinks in the parking area.
You can rent sunbeds, kayaks and there is a life guard and toilet facilities.
🏖️ Son Bou
The largest stretch of beach in Menorca, Son Bou has white sand, crystal clear water and spectacular sunsets.
Son Bou has all the amenities you need and enough space for everyone. There are restaurants on the beach, which sell a wide range of drinks, snacks and great dishes.
Lots of water activities are available and a floating bouncy play area although this wasn’t there last time we came.
🌟 Tip: It’s best to arrive early because although the carpark is large, it sometimes runs out of spaces in the height of summer.
🏖️ Cala Galdana
This is probably the prettiest beach in Menorca. It is surrounded by limestone cliffs and trees on the edge of the sand, making it very picturesque.
It has all the amenities you need, including pedalo boat hire and a great restaurant overlooking the water.
🌟 Tip: You can take a walk to the other beaches not far away through the pine forest.
🏖️Arenal d’en Castell
Arenal d’en Castell is a large cove with golden sand and it gently slopes so the water is shallow and still.
🌟 Tip: We found it calm here even in October when everywhere else was choppy.
Again it has all the amenities like water activities, sun beds, restaurants, cafes and life guards.
🏖️ Calan Porter
The beach at Calan Porter has white soft sand, turquoise water and white cliffs surrounding it.
There are 181 steps down but you can also walk down the road to get to it.
There are 2 cafes, sun beds, life guards and kayak hire. Behind the beach is a natural grassy area that stretches far back.
If you are seeking out beaches off the beaten path, Menorca has many wild beaches that can be reached by foot.
⚠️If you seek solitude, don’t go to the so called “secret beaches” like Cala Turquetta, Cala Macarella, Cala Macarelleta and Cala Mitjana because they are certainly not a secret. They are beautiful and get very crowded in the summer months.
👉 See here for a map of beaches in Menorca
4. Take a Boat Trip
🛥️ Boat Day Trips
Boat trips around the island are available on Get Your Guide and Viator. We chose a full day tour with Paella lunch on Get Your Guide.
The boat sailed from Cuitadella, which we drove to but there is a pick up option available too.
We visited the beautiful beaches Cala Turqueta, Cala Macarella and Son Saura.
We ate a delicious paella lunch with a glass of sangria on the boat. The paella was made onboard and was fascinating to watch.
👉 See Boat Trip on Get Your Guide
Glass bottom boat
If you are visiting Mahon, you can take a tour of the harbour on a glass bottomed boat and learn about the history of Mahon. Mahon is the largest natural harbour in the Mediterranean. It has a long and interesting history, which you learn about on the tour.
5. Enjoy Some Water Activities
There are all sorts of water activities on offer in Menorca. Sailing, jet skiing and scuba diving.
🌟 Tip: The calm waters make it ideal for paddle boarding and snorkelling.
Kayaking
You can hire kayaks from many places and if your children are older, you can paddle board to caves around the island.
A good place to hire a kayak and go on cave tour is from Callan Porter or from Binibeca.
Peddle boats
On a really calm day, renting a pedalo is a fun activity, They have a slide so children (and adults!) can slide into the water. I say on a calm day because we have tried this when there was a breeze and found this not so much fun.
Banana Boats
For adrenalin junkies banana boats are pulled along by a speed boat and turn sharply to make participants fall into the water.
Snorkelling
The crystal clear, warm, calm waters around Menorca make it ideal for snorkelling. Menorca has unique species that are attracted by the rocks and vegetation.
🌟 Tip: If you want to be shown the best places to snorkel, you can book a snorkelling tour on Get Your Guide👇
👉 See Snorkelling Tour on Get Your Guide
6. Take a Walk
🚶 Cala Galdana to Cala Macarella
From the bridge in Cala Galdana, you can walk up the hill through the pine forest to Cala Macarella.
There are scenic views on the way and it is an easy walk for children. There is a cafe there or why not take a picnic?
🗺️ Google maps location for Cala Macarella
🚶 Binibeca to Binisafuller
This is a flat coastal path walk and takes half an hour. Binisafuller is quiet pretty cove and there is a cafe along the road to stop for a drink.
🗺️Google maps location for Binisafuller
7. Explore Caves
Menorca has a few caves but the easiest one to see with children that doesn’t involve hiking or kayaking is Cova d’en Xoroi.
This famous network of caves has been a popular nightclub since the 1960s.
🌟 Tip: During the day it is open to everyone and families are welcome.
👉 See opening times and ticket prices for Cova d’en Xoroi
8. Horse riding
For families who enjoy horse riding, you can book experiences in a few places across the island.
👉 See Horse Riding Activities on Trip Advisor
9. Shopping
Mahon
Shopping is low key in Menorca but we enjoy shopping in Mahon. There is a great shoe shop that sells traditional Menorcan shoes in a captivating array of colours. You will find beautiful clothing in boutique shops, leather goods and souvenirs.
Markets
There is a market in Mahon on Tuesday and Saturdays next the bus station.
In the summer months there are night markets in Cuitadella, Es Castell and some beach resorts like Punta Prima, Calan Bosch and Calen Porter.
10. Go Karting
There are 3 go karting places on the island. The biggest is Castillo Menorca in Ciutadella, which has a fleet of go karts for children and adults.
👉 See opening times and prices for Castillo Menorca
The other go karting places are Karting Mahon in Mao and Kartingrock, which is next to Aqua Rock Waterpark in Calan Bosch.
Family Dining Out at Restaurants
Dining out in the evening is a wonderful experience in Menorca. Dining is mostly outdoors in ambiently lit restaurants. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with delicious smells and hum of chatter from happy diners.
Restaurants in Menorca are child friendly and families are very welcome. Most people tend to dress in smart casual clothes in the evening and wear dresses and short sleeved shirts.
We have always found that most restaurants have a children’s menu available and a fantastic selection of desserts.
🌟 Tip: A good way for children to try different foods is by ordering the tapas menus so they can sample lots of Menorcan delicacies.
Conclusion: Enjoying Menorca as a Family
Menorca is idyllic and peaceful. You will find it to be a safe haven, with little traffic, calm waters and few crowds.
There are many family friendly hotels, which have entertainment for children such as kids clubs.
Plenty of accommodation is self catering from apartment complexes to villas with private pools.
We have found play parks everywhere we go and parking tends to be free too.
See my other blogs below for more helpful advice and tips about holidays in Menorca.
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