A Family Guide To Costa Dorada Holidays With Babies & Toddlers!

A Family Guide to Costa Dorada Holidays with Babies and Toddlers

Costa Dorada is set on Spain’s northeastern coastline, where you’ll find brushstrokes of beautiful golden sand at beaches worthy of their Blue Flag status. This region’s a winner for families too, thanks to the friendly resorts of Salou, Cambrils and La Pineda. And of course, who could forget it’s also home to Spain’s biggest theme park, PortAventura World! It has so many amazing attractions, you could spend your whole holiday here! However, it’s well worth exploring more of the 50-mile coastline and its surrounds, as ancient sights, cultural cities, and exciting activities are all within your reach.

Salou

Salou is the most popular resort in the Costa Dorada for good reason. It’s the closest town to PortAventura World, but even outside of the theme park you’ll find plenty to do here. The resort is home to the incredible illuminated fountain show, which features over 100 water jets that dance in time to music. Lit up against a rainbow of colours at the night sky, it’s a spectacular show for the whole family. For more fun in the sun, head to Bosc Aventura. This amazing outdoor adventure park has a series of rope climbing courses and zip wires, with easier courses that are ideal for younger children. There are plenty of pushchair-friendly places to go for a stroll in Salou too, whether it’s the car-free promenade of Avenida Jaume I, the sea-facing pathway of Paseo Maritimo or the boardwalk that leads to Salou Lighthouse.

Cambrils

Peaceful Cambrils is the perfect choice if you want a relaxing family holiday in the Costa Dorada, while still being close enough to all the major attractions. The main appeal of Cambrils is its gorgeous golden beaches, so take your pick from De Cap De Sant Pere, De L’Esquirol and La Llosa. All of them feature silky sands that lead to the sun-sparkled waters of the Mediterranean. As Cambrils has a marina, it’s also the ideal place to set off on spellbinding boat trips where you can visit quieter coves and spot stunning shoals of fish gliding through the sea. Pinaret Park is perfect for a trip into town too, as it has open, spacious greenery and an outdoor playground.

La Pineda

Holidays in La Pineda are focused on its glorious golden beach. It’s a seriously spacious stretch of sand that’s ideal for sunbathing, sandcastle-making and paddling in the crystalline waters. Playa de La Pineda was awarded the Blue Flag for good reason – it’s spotlessly clean and there’s lots of space with a huge choice of sunbeds and parasols. For an alternative day out with a splash, dive into the nearby Aquopolis Water Park. It’s one of Spain’s best aqua parks, with a smaller water playground mini park set in shallow water that’s ideal for toddlers and younger children. Big kids and adults will love the speedy slides here too, including the Boomerang and Kamikaze.

PortAventura Salou

PortAventura World is so big, you can spend your whole holiday here! Spain’s largest theme park actually consists of three different theme parks rolled into one. First up, you have PortAventura itself, where little ones are sure to love the bright and colourful SesamoAventura featuring friendly characters from the classic Sesame Street TV series. Then, there’s also Ferrari World focused on the iconic car manufacturer and Costa Caribe, an incredible themed water park styled like the shores of the Caribbean. What’s more, you can stay right next door to the theme parks or hop on free shuttle buses from nearby hotels, including PortAventura’s own Hotel Caribe, Hotel El Paso, and Hotel PortAventura.

Best beaches in the Costa Dorada for families

Capellans Beach

Capellans Beach is a sandy cove set in Salou. It’s super popular with families due to the calm, shallow waters and super soft sands. It’s also conveniently close to most of the main hotels in the resort.

De Cap De Sant Pere Beach

De Cap De Sant Pere is a golden ribbon of sand that stretches for seven kilometres along the Cambrils coastline. It has gently shelving water that’s perfect for paddling, and the beach is monitored by lifeguards too.

Llenguadets Beach

This sheltered cove is nestled in a quiet stretch of coastline in Salou. The deep headlands make the water’s waves ultra-calm and the caramel-coloured shoreline is backed by an evergreen hillside. There are several steps to the sand, so you’ll need to pack away your pushchair before you reach the beach.

Playa de La Pineda

The main beach in La Pineda is a focal point for the entire resort. Many holidaymakers spend their whole time here, as the beach is spacious enough to enjoy a full day of sunbathing. It consists of a great swathe of white-gold sand leading to crystalline waters.

Ponent Beach

Ponent Beach is one of the most popular stretches of shoreline in Salou. The golden sands here are lined by huge palm trees, and its conveniently close to the main promenade and all the main hotels.

Best things to do in the Costa Dorada for families

Barcelona Zoo

The Catalan capital, Barcelona, is within easy day trip distance from Salou. You can hop on a train and reach this atmospheric city in just one hour! After you’ve admired the otherworldly architecture of Gaudi, be sure to fit in a visit to Barcelona Zoo. This huge animal park has a huge array of safari creatures to see up close, including elephants, tigers, monkeys and more.

Camp Nou

For football fans, Camp Nou will be an unforgettable visit! You can visit this huge, 100,000 seater stadium that’s home to FC Barcelona during your day trip to the city. If you plan in advance, you might be able to book tickets for a local home game. Even if you don’t, there are still stadium tours available to see the much-lauded club’s museum and silverware.

PortAventura World

You’ll find not one, but three different theme parks at PortAventura World! PortAventura itself is home to some of Europe’s speediest rollercoasters including Shambhala and Furius Baco. In total, it has more than 40 attractions as well as daily live shows across six themed areas. Meanwhile, younger children will enjoy the colourful playgrounds and slower rides at SesamoAventura, based on Sesame Street. Then there’s Ferrari World, which boasts F1 simulators, authentic Italian restaurants and Europe’s highest and fastest accelerator rollercoaster. What’s more, PortAventura also has its own themed aqua park, Costa Caribe, featuring 16 different water slides, a Caribbean-style pool and even a separate indoor water playground.