Tenerife vs Lanzarote with Kids: Canary Islands Compared

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category	Tenerife	Lanzarote	Edge
Flight time (UK)	4-4.5 hours	4-4.5 hours	Tie
Package holiday (7 nights)	From £179pp	From £259pp	Edge: Tenerife
Winter temperature (Dec)	22-23°C (south)	20-21°C	Edge: Tenerife
Wind levels	Sheltered (south coast)	Windy (NE trades)	Edge: Tenerife
Waterparks	Siam Park + Aqualand	Aquapark Costa Teguise	Edge: Tenerife
Unique attractions	Mount Teide, Loro Parque	Timanfaya, Cesar Manrique	Edge: Lanzarote
Beach atmosphere	Busy resort beaches	Quieter, less developed	Edge: Lanzarote
Island size	Large (long drive times)	Compact (easy day trips)	Edge: Lanzarote
Resort development	Very developed (south)	Lower-key resorts	Depends on preference
Free child places	Available (TUI, Jet2)	Limited availability	Edge: Tenerife

Holiday Costs Compared

Tenerife looks cheaper on paper. Thomas Cook lists packages from £179 per person, and some operators advertise Tenerife from as low as £79pp (though those deals tend to be off-season and basic). Lanzarote packages start higher, from about £259pp with Thomas Cook. But the gap narrows quickly once you factor in what families actually spend on the ground.

The Siam Park Premium

Siam Park tickets run £32-40 per adult and £22-29 per child (aged 3-11) depending on the season. A family of four is looking at roughly £110-140 just to walk through the door. Add the Twin Ticket that covers Loro Parque as well (Tenerife's famous zoo and aquarium) and you're at £200+ for the family. VIP tickets with fast-track access push above £100 per person.

Lanzarote's big ticket — Timanfaya National Park — costs about €12-22 per adult and €10-11 per child (under 7s free). Significantly cheaper. The Cesar Manrique Foundation, Jameos del Agua, and Cueva de los Verdes run €10-15 per adult each. A full day of Lanzarote's top attractions costs less than a single Siam Park visit.

All-Inclusive vs Self-Catering

Both islands do all-inclusive well, but Tenerife has a bigger range. Some Tenerife resorts (particularly in Los Cristianos) offer free child places — one child flies and stays free when two adults book, even during school holidays. That's a genuine money-saver that Lanzarote operators match less often.

Self-catering costs are similar on both islands. Eating out in resort restaurants runs about £30-50 per family meal. Lanzarote's restaurants, particularly in Playa Blanca and Yaiza, tend to be slightly cheaper than Tenerife's Costa Adeje strip.

Activities and Attractions

Tenerife: The Entertainment Island

Siam Park genuinely deserves its reputation. It's been voted the world's best waterpark multiple times, and for kids aged 6 and up, it's the kind of day out they'll talk about for months. The Tower of Power slide drops you through a tube surrounded by aquarium sharks. The wave pool creates the largest artificial waves in the world. Even the lazy river is spectacular, winding through Thai-themed gardens.

But — and this matters — Siam Park isn't great for toddlers. Most headline slides have minimum height requirements, and the sheer scale of the place (plus the crowds in high season) makes it tiring with under-5s. The Lost City area caters to smaller children, but families who've paid £120+ for entry sometimes feel short-changed if their kids can only use a fraction of the park.

Beyond Siam Park, Tenerife has Loro Parque (penguins, orcas, parrots — genuinely impressive), whale and dolphin watching boat trips from Los Gigantes, Mount Teide's cable car (Spain's highest peak at 3,718m), and Aqualand in Costa Adeje for a second waterpark option. The south coast resort strip around Playa de las Americas and Costa Adeje keeps families busy for two weeks without trying hard.

Lanzarote: The Discovery Island

Lanzarote won't wow kids with waterpark slides. But it does something different and (arguably) more memorable. Timanfaya National Park looks like another planet. The Fire Mountains have crimson craters, twisted lava fields, and geothermal demonstrations where park rangers pour water into holes and watch it erupt as steam. Kids are genuinely fascinated. The bus tour of the Route of the Volcanoes runs about 30 minutes and departs every 15 minutes.

Then there's the Cesar Manrique trail. The artist built his home inside volcanic bubbles (Fundacion Cesar Manrique), designed an underground concert hall in a lava tube (Jameos del Agua), and created a cactus garden from a disused quarry. Even kids who groan at the word "art" find these places interesting because they're so strange and unexpected.

Lanzarote is also more compact than Tenerife. Where driving across Tenerife means navigating around the massive Mount Teide in the centre (a common complaint on forums), Lanzarote's attractions are all within 30-40 minutes of most resorts. Less time in the car with restless children. That's worth something.

For our European destination comparisons, see our best European cities for families guide.

Weather and the Wind Question

This is where the Tenerife vs Lanzarote decision gets real for winter sun seekers. On temperature alone, they're close. Tenerife's south coast (Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas) averages 22-23°C in December with roughly six hours of sunshine daily. Lanzarote sits at 20-21°C in December. Not a huge gap.

But the wind changes everything.

Lanzarote is flat and exposed to the northeast trade winds. These blow consistently, particularly in winter and spring. On TripAdvisor, one of the most common discussion topics about Lanzarote is the wind. Some families find it refreshing. Others — particularly those with babies or toddlers on the beach — find it a deal-breaker. Sand blowing into pushchairs, towels lifting off, windbreaks becoming essential kit.

Tenerife's south coast sits in the wind shadow of Mount Teide. It's measurably calmer. The north of Tenerife gets wind and rain, but nobody takes a family beach holiday to the north. Smart families book south-coast resorts and get the best winter weather in the Canaries.

"Unlike Tenerife it does not have a gigantic volcano stuck in the middle that you have to drive around to get anywhere."

— TeenAndTween, via Mumsnet (on Lanzarote's advantage for driving)

The wind debate on Mumsnet is genuinely split. One poster said "Lanzarote every time! So much less windy" while another countered "I would say Tenerife more to do and less windy." The truth is both islands can be windy, but Lanzarote is windier more often, and Tenerife's south coast has better natural shelter.

Where to Stay with Kids

Tenerife

• Costa Adeje — The family epicentre. Close to Siam Park, upmarket hotels, and the calmest beaches. Recommended by Mumsnet parents repeatedly.
• Los Cristianos — More traditional resort town. Free child places available at several hotels. Good for families on tighter budgets.
• Puerto de la Cruz — Northern Tenerife, so cooler and greener. Better for families who want botanical gardens and culture over beach days. Not ideal for winter sun seekers.
• Alcala/Playa San Juan — Quieter than the main strips, with local restaurants and a relaxed pace. Good compromise between action and calm.

Lanzarote

• Playa Blanca — Southern tip, most sheltered from wind, close to Papagayo beaches. Best for families with young children. Several Mumsnet threads recommend this for a family-friendly base.
• Costa Teguise — Eastern coast, purpose-built resort with family hotels and Aquapark. Windier than Playa Blanca but more going on.
• Puerto del Carmen — The busiest resort, with a long beach strip and nightlife. Works for families but can feel touristy. More options for teens than other areas.