Gran Canaria Tourism Guide - Gran Canaria Family Attractions

Gran Canaria Theme Parks & Family Attractions

Gran Canaria waterparks - no problem. There are three big aquaparks on this Canary Island. Aquasur near Maspalomas in the south is a whooper of a waterpark and open all year round. Stretching across 5300 square metres of land, rides include 33 slides and 13 other fun rides such as Crazy Race, Kamikaze, Rapids, mini golf, a choice of swimming pools and restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, gardens and free parking on-site. Aquasur is open from 10am to 18.00pm daily.

For a smaller, more manageable waterpark - easier with very young children - head for Maspalomas' other aquapark - Ocean Park. Ample choice of 13 slides, and all amenities on-site. Buses depart from the centre of Maspalomas/Playa del Ingles regularly to this waterpark. Holidaymakers in Puerto Rico also have their own little waterpark close to hand. Aqua Park Puerto Rico has excellent bathing facilities - you can't miss it as you enter the resort. The longest and fastest slide across all Gran Canaria's waterparks is here. There's a kindergarten for the tots too. Open daily from 10am till 17.30pm in winter and till 18.30pm in summer.

On the attractions and activities side, Gran Canaria offers real choice - the benefits of being one of the largest and most longstanding Canary Island catering for holidaymakers. Many attractions are located in and around the south near the main resorts - if you want to be close to most of these holiday attractions basing yourself either in Puerto Rico, Maspalomas or Playa del Ingles is best. Palmitos Park just outside Maspalomas is one of the favourtites. It's an animal park with 100s of species of birds. Bird of Prey shows take placed here. There's also parrot shows, a cactus garden, aquarium, Gibbon Island and more.

We're not finished with Maspalomas attractions just yet. Also on offer is Holiday World - a large funfair type theme park with ferris weels, amusement arcades and a recently added health spa with gym. Nightclubs are here too as well a a karting track. Other top favourite attractions in Gran Canaria include Sioux City, Gran Canaria's own recreated wild west in San Agustin, and Mundo Aborigen, a recreation of a guanche village (urring on the kitsch side this one!) is here, plus a little archaelogical museum. Mudo Aborigen is on the raod from Playa del Ingles to Fataga. You can also hook into Camel rides in Fataga. Other delights include a Crocodile Park and Cactus Park in San Nicolas de Tolentino, a reptile park to the north between Galdar and Agaete, and in Las Palmas as well as the museums and historic quarters there's a reconstructed Canarian Village built in the 1930s located in the Parque Doramas area. Doramas by the way was one of the original Guanche kings of Gran Canaria in the Telde region. He was known for his courage.

Gran Canaria Attractions Listings

Palmitos Park Maspalomas, Barranco de los Palmitos s/n, Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 14 02 76. (see Palmitos Park Website right for full details).

Camel Safaris Gran Canaria - Camello Fataga S.L, Isla de Lobos 70, E 35100 San Fernando, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. Tel: +34 928 760 781. Check their website right for comprehensive information on the history of Camels in Gran Canaria, where they came from and so on. Camel Safaris include rides across the Maspalomas Sand dunes. Check out too Manolo's Camel Safari, Barranco de Artera 5-7, Fataga, San Bartolome de Tirajana, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 79 86 or 928 79 86 98.

RIU Perfumes and Gifts Gran Canaria - Playa del Ingles, Shopping Centre Kasbah, Tel: 928 771 502. Playa del Ingels Shopping Centre Yumbo. Tel: 928 773 577. Playa del Ingles Shopping Centre, Plaza Maspalomas. Tel: 928 774 498. Meloneras Shopping Centre, Varadero. Tel: 928 141 479.

Shows & Show Venues Gran Canaria: Let's Be Frank Musical Evening Celebrating Frank Sinatra and Friends, Garbos, Ctra. General del Sur km 44, 35107, Bahia Feliz, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 15 70 60. Gran Casino Costa Meloneras, Avda. Del Mediterraneo, 1. 35100 Maspalomas, Bran Canari. Tel: 928 143 909. Shows here include the renowned Black and Red Casino Show.

More Gran Canaria Holiday Attractions

Quad Safari Gran Canaria, Free Motion Bike & Outdoor, Avda. Alfereces Provisionales s/n, Hotel Sandy Beach, Loc. 9, E-35100 Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria. Tel: +34 928 777 470. See weblink right. They also do moutain biking tourus, bike riding and bike tours. Check their website for full details.

Waterparks - Aqualand Maspalomas, Ctra. Palmitos Park, Km 3, 35100 Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 14 05 25 (website right). Ocean Park Maspalomas located at Campo Internacional. Also, you can't miss Puerto Rico's small Aqua Park as you drive into the resort.

Sioux City Western World, Parque Canon Del Aguila, San Agustin, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 762 573. Open every day from 10am to 1700/5pm Closed on Mondays.

Mundo Aborigen Reconstructed Guanche Ancient Canary Village, Carretera Playa del Ingles, Fataga. Open 9am to 6pm daily. Tel: 928 17 2295.

Gran Canaria Boat Trips, Diving, Surfing and Windsurfing

Timanfaya Boat Trip, Puerto Rico, Gran Canari. Tel: 928 26 82 80. Weblink to the right.

Submarine Adventure on the Yellow Submarine/Puerto de Mogan, Atlantida Submarine, S.L. Local 389, Puerto de Mogan, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 565 108. Buses run from all the main resorts to this attraction in Puerto Mogan. Pick up one of the Yellow Submarine leaflets - they're everywhere in the resorts.

Top Diving Gran Canaria, 35130 Puerto Escala s/n, Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria. Tel: 0034 928 560 609/Mob: 606 026 171. PADI/BSAC and CMAS instructors.

Atlantida park (inlcudes swimming pool, water rides, multiple track slides, shops and sunbathing area all in a very entertaining kitsch style!), Prolongacion Avda. Thomas Roca Bosch, Urb. Puerto Rico, Mogan, Gran Canaria. Tel: 902 45 25 25. (checkout their weblink to the right).

Gran Canaria Shopping and Markets

Las Palmas is a hotspot for shopping, with excellent specialist shops in the Triana and Vegueta areas, and a bohemian collection of shops approaching Las Canteras beach in Santa Catalina. Thehre are two mammoth shopping centres in Las Palmas too (if you hook into a grand tour of the island which includes a trip to Las Palmas they'll usually drop you near one of these shopping centres - El Corte Ingles. The other is Las Arenas.

Shopping centres abound in the main resorts of Puerto Rico, Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles, and their suburb smaller resorts. Expect in these a selection of tax free perfumes, electricals, and various bazaar type market stalls (especially in Yumbo in Playa del Ingles). There are numerous markets across the island - with a big one in Las Palmas - bartering is usually in order at these markets.

Market Days include: San Fernando - Wednesdays and Saturdays, Arguineguin - Tuesdays, Vecindario - Wednesdays, Mogan - Fridays, Las Palmas - Sundays and Teror on Sundays.