4 Theme Parks on the Costa Blanca

Sun, sea and sand are some of the simplest ingredients to make a child happy on holiday. But if you want a fun change of pace at a theme park, you’ll certainly find them around Alicante! The parks can be reached by public transport, but… to be honest, a (rental) car makes things easier.

There are several great parks for little ones from toddler age, but also for teens up to around 18 — and of course for parents. All these parks are together on the edge of Benidorm. From Alicante center you’ll be standing at the entrance within half an hour.

You can buy tickets via my website. It doesn’t cost you anything extra — in fact, in most cases it’s cheaper (and we Dutch love that). I receive a small commission, which helps me keep the site running. You can also buy a combo ticket via my website so you can visit two parks with a nice discount.

1) Terra Natura Benidorm Zoo

Since becoming a mum I’ve seen quite a few zoos, but **Terra Natura** really is the most beautiful zoo in the area. Not only do the animals have space — your kids do too!

There’s plenty to do for young and old. As soon as we enter we head to the reptiles; even I stare my eyes out every time. After that we always catch one of the shows — for example the birds of prey. Then the kids can go wild in the playground, with swings for the little ones and a zip line and treetop course for the bigger kids (and adults!). The great advantage of this park is that it’s so spacious you hardly notice the visitors. And on hot days you can buy a combined ticket with Aqua Natura so that after seeing the elephants, tigers and other tropical animals you can head straight to the big waterpark.

Buy your ticket here.

The birds-of-prey show at Terra Natura — I was impressed!

2) Aqua Natura

This park lies on the edge of Benidorm. In summer you can easily spend the whole day here: countless slides, a wave pool, foam party, swim like a real mermaid, and even swim with walruses — it’s all possible. As described above, you can also visit both parks in one day. But if you just want to swoosh down slides and tan by the pool, this park is large enough. There’s a special zone for the very youngest with little slides, fountains and shallow pools. We had an annual pass for several years and it was definitely worth it. The park is open from May to the end of October. Note: by late October the water is already quite chilly for small children.

Buy your tickets here.

My daughters were allowed to pet a dolphin — so special!

3) Mundomar

This park is fantastic for children from about 2 to 10 years old. Dolphin show, sea lion show, a wonderful playground, and a restaurant with a great view of the mountains behind Benidorm. This “zoo/theme park” is spacious and beautifully landscaped. Don’t forget to visit around Halloween: the whole park is decorated and staff dress up — extra fun for slightly older kids (and sometimes a bit exciting for the little ones). You can have your photo taken with tropical animals and the dolphins; of course at the exit you can buy the photos. We also had a season pass here several times and I find this park really great with small children.

Buy your entrance tickets here.

It costs you nothing extra, you avoid queues, and you help me a little because I receive a small commission.

The bond between humans and animals remains impressive — everything appears animal-friendly here…

4) Aqualandia

The difference with the other two waterparks is that **Aqualandia** is more like a place such as Duinrell: slides, wave pools and big fast chutes. Fun for the whole family, but your kids should already be able to swim reasonably well if you want a relaxed day as a mum. When we visited we first sent our friend down the Kamikaze slide before trying it ourselves — his swim shorts were torn up to the hip. Truly **kamikaze** for the diehard slide fans! Buy your tickets online and avoid the queue.

Buy your tickets online here.

My personal tips:

• Book your tickets online — it saves time and money.
• Be prepared to walk quite a bit in all the parks (true in every theme park). Even though it’s hot, a day shuffling around in flip-flops is never a good idea.
• You may bring your own food into all the parks. This is often better for kids, since park food tends to be fries, burgers and hotdogs. Obviously you can’t eat your own food on a restaurant terrace.
• In summer, arrive early. It gets very hot, even though almost all parks have enough shaded areas. Without noticing you still stand in the sun for a long time. Between two and six the sun is at its hottest.
• In autumn at Mundomar, bring a cardigan. The park sits by the Sierra Helada; in late afternoon the wind can be chilly and the park is in the shade. Ideal in summer, a bit nippy in autumn — even if the temperature at the coast feels great!
• At Aqua Natura you can rent a locker — handy for storing your bag while you whizz down the slides with the kids.

Looking for more Costa Blanca tips — good restaurants or a nice place to stay? Then download the **Alicante Like a Local** ebook.

In Benidorm and looking for a fun kid activity? Check out **this lovely walk** to the Albir lighthouse!

What’s your favorite park? And do you have more tips for new visitors?