Estepona area
So you have decided to spend your vacation in Estepona. This is the best choice.
Things to do in Estepona
Estepona has so many wonderful places to eat, visit and see and lots for families to do.
If you are traveling with kids the best beach is Playa Del Cristo which is 5 minutes walk from Estepona Marina. This beautiful cove beach and almost no rocks and is shallow enough for little kids.
Here there are two great Chiringuitos to choose from Lolailo or Havana.
Havana is the slightly more relaxed of the two so maybe more suitable for kids, but children are welcome at both places.
If your kids get bored of the beach and they want to do something different in the evening or you just want to tire them out you can take them to SuperJump trampoline park which is situated at the top of the Polígono. This is a only a short drive from the port. If you need a taxi there is a taxi rank situated at the entrance to the marina.
Great fun for all kids and adults too is Karts & Fun – a great karting track just a few minutes drive from the port or the centre. All the family will love it.
Further in is Palm Beach Chiringuito, set on the beach just past Carrefour supermarket – great food in a relaxed setting – seafood, meat dishes, Mediterranean dishes and cocktails, and as its Dutch owned they have a selection of Dutch snacks too. Great for lunch or dinner especially on the those lovely warm summer nights, or an early evening cocktail or three. Plenty of parking on the other side of the road, and its easy to walk into town from here, otherwise you can park in the underground car parks that run under the road at the beach – under Avenida de España.
A couple of popular fish & seafood restaurants can be found here – one Restaurante La Rada is on the other side of the road from the beach but still with seaviews. Another, Restaurante El Pescador is found further along the paseo right beside the beach. Both serve fantastic fresh seafood and are popular with locals and tourists alike, so booking is essential.
Water park in Estepona
During the summer months on Playa La Rada almost in front of our Darya apartments you can find any inflatable water park in the sea. Kids under a certain age/height must be accompanied by an adult. It’s great fun and worth paying for the day pass so the kids can go as many times as they like.
A little further down towards the centre is a free outdoor childrens play park on the Paseo. Perfect for your little ones in the morning and evening – too hot during the day as it unshaded and in the full sun. But perfect in the evening and popular with the local families who can be here until late after their daytime siesta.
Out of town are two great indoor play parks both close to Cancelada. You will need to catch a bus or taxi to these or drive (free parking is available onsite). Kids Kingdom and Mundo Mania. Both have a cafe area for snacks and drinks. Check their opening times on the Facebook pages.
A few minutes walk from the port is a children’s play park in Las Mesas called Parque de Los Niños. This is an outdoor play area and perfect for little ones in the evening when it’s cooler. There is a lovely cafe there too, Vida Sana where parents & kids can relax and refuel.
If your kids are bigger you can take them on a off road buggy ride with one of these type of companies in the area. Dusty, dirty but so much fun.
There are also two fantastic stables in the area that run pony clubs and hacks for adults & kids of all levels. The first is The Stables Estepona which is the closest to the old town and the other is Finca Las Siesta, a little further out near Selwo Adventura. Here you can explore the Spanish countryside on horseback and spend a morning reconnecting with nature.
Zoo in Estepona
Speaking of Selwo – this is an African style zoo. Most animals here have space to room in large enclosures and to see them they provide Safari style trucks. You can walk back from the top across a rope bridge and through the exotic bird enclosure. There are a couple of places to eat – food isn’t great mostly fast food. Avoid the heat of the day and either go early in the morning (they only open until 18.00). Best to get a taxi here or go drive as the bus stop is pretty far away. Reserve your tickets online on their website.
If your family is more about spending time on the sea rather than on land then Estepona Marina is the place for you. Here you can book boat trips, dolphins spotting trips, parasailing and jet skis as well as banana boat rides for the more adventurous. Also here on a Sunday they hold a weekly market from 9-2 pm – great for clothes, sunglasses, bags and a gift idea or two. Bring some bread with you and feed the fish – the kids will love it and the fish do too.
In and around the old town there are some great ice cream parlours, most famous ones are in Plaza Dr. Arce known amount the expats as Ice cream Square. Here you will still find children & families out at 1am in the summer having a vino and an ice cream sunday.
Dotted around the old town are little outdoor play parks and even the odd slide slipped in between buildings. A beautiful place to walk around, enjoy the atmosphere and check out the different coloured plant pots in every street.
Estepona is the perfect place for a family holiday. You will want to return for sure.
