Winter sun, calm beaches and water parks, an hour south of the airport
🏜️Gran Canaria
Spain
Gran Canaria is the family island you can rely on in the depths of winter. While northern Europe freezes, the south of the island stays warm and swimmable, with calm, sheltered beaches, big resorts built around water parks, and the surreal golden dunes of Maspalomas to run around in. Flights from the UK and mainland Europe are direct, the resort strip from Maspalomas to Puerto de Mogan is well set up for children, and heated pools mean the sea being a touch cool never stops the day. It is warm-weather, low-stress family travel that works from November right through to spring.
22C
Typical winter daytime high
4h
Direct flight from the UK
3+
Aqua parks and animal parks
Live prices & availability
Stays near Gran Canaria, Spain
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Why it works with kids
- Year-round warmth, so the south stays swimmable even in December and January
- Aqua parks and resort water zones everywhere, from big slides to toddler splash pools
- Calm, shallow, sheltered beaches in the south like Amadores and Puerto Rico
- The golden Maspalomas dunes, a giant natural playground right by the resorts
Best areas to stay
- 1Maspalomas and Meloneras: the premium resort hub, dunes on the doorstep and the biggest family pools
- 2Puerto Rico and Amadores: calm, sheltered beaches and clifftop pools, great for younger swimmers
- 3Puerto de Mogan: the quiet, pretty Little Venice end, best for relaxed young families over nightlife
Our KidProof picks
Hand-picked and scored on the eight things that matter to families.
in Gran Canaria
Lopesan Baobab Resort
Rooms are dressed up as an African lodge, and the family rooms add a sofa bed so four sleep without anyone on the floor. Ask for a pool-view room on a lower floor if you have a toddler and a buggy, it saves the lift queue.
in Gran Canaria
Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Gran Canaria Mogan
Modern, spacious rooms, many with connecting doors, which is the easy fix for a family of four or five. Suites add real living space. Rooms feel newer and calmer than most of the south's older resorts.
in Gran Canaria
Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort & Spa
A colonial-style resort with rooms spread over huge grounds. Family rooms take four, and connecting doubles are worth asking for if you have older kids. The trade-off for all that garden is a proper walk from the far rooms to the pools.
in Gran Canaria
Suites & Villas by Dunas
Villas and suites with a kitchen area (fridge, microwave, coffee maker) and a private terrace, spread through palm gardens. The self-catering setup is a real plus for babies and picky toddlers, and the single-storey feel keeps things easy.
in Gran Canaria
Hotel Cordial Mogan Playa
Big, calm rooms with furnished balconies set in botanical gardens. For self-catering families the sister property next door, Cordial Mogan Valle, has apartments with kitchenettes, which suits babies and fussy eaters.
in Gran Canaria
Gloria Palace Amadores Thalasso & Hotel
Rooms are bright and many have a balcony over the bay. Family rooms sleep four, but the hotel is built into a cliff, so ask about the layout if you have a buggy or a child who tires on stairs.
in Gran Canaria
HD Parque Cristobal Gran Canaria
Single-storey bungalows with a small kitchenette set in gardens, so there are no lifts and no long corridors, just a door onto the grass. The Kid Suite bungalows come baby-kitted with a babyphone, bottle warmer, blender and highchair, a genuinely useful touch.
in Gran Canaria
Servatur Puerto Azul
Simple, comfortable rooms, many with a balcony and a sea or valley view. It is a value hotel, so expect clean and functional rather than stylish. Family rooms and adjoining options can sleep four.
Compare our picks in Gran Canaria
| Hotel | Score | Kids club | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lopesan Baobab Resort | 89 | ✅ Free kids club | 260€ |
| Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Gran Canaria Mogan | 84 | ✅ Free kids club | 240€ |
| Lopesan Costa Meloneras Resort & Spa | 83 | ✅ Free kids club | 175€ |
| Suites & Villas by Dunas | 82 | ✅ Free kids club | 155€ |
| Hotel Cordial Mogan Playa | 81 | ✅ Free kids club | 165€ |
| Gloria Palace Amadores Thalasso & Hotel | 80 | ✅ Free kids club | 150€ |
| HD Parque Cristobal Gran Canaria | 80 | ✅ Free kids club | 110€ |
| Servatur Puerto Azul | 77 | ✅ Free kids club | 105€ |
Browse Gran Canaria by what matters
Family things to do in Gran Canaria
Maspalomas Dunes
A vast field of golden sand dunes to walk and run across, magical at sunset. Take water, hats and sun cream, and stick to the marked routes.
Palmitos Park or Aqualand
Palmitos Park mixes birds, dolphins and a butterfly house in a palm valley, while Aqualand near Maspalomas is the island's big water park.
Sioux City Park
A Wild West theme park in a canyon near San Agustin, with cowboy shows, horses and a barbecue. A fun change from the pool.
Puerto de Mogan
Wander the pastel canals of Little Venice, take a boat trip along the coast and time it for the big Friday market.
Parents also ask
Is Gran Canaria warm enough for a winter beach holiday?
Yes, the south of the island typically sees daytime highs around 22C even in December and January, and most family resorts have heated pools for cooler days.
Which area is best for young children?
Puerto Rico and Amadores have the calmest, most sheltered beaches, while Maspalomas and Meloneras have the biggest pools and the dunes. Puerto de Mogan is the quietest and prettiest.
Is it windy, and are the beaches sandy?
The south can get breezy, especially around Bahia Feliz and the dunes, which is why the calm coves of Amadores and Puerto Rico suit families. Most south beaches are golden sand, though a few coves are pebbly.
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