If you wish to fight the heat of the summer months on the coast….this might be a good idea!

The Parque Acuatico Mijas is a great alternative to the beach…kids absolutely love it!!

It has different areas for differet age groups. For smaller children you have a shallow pool with a crocodile and water fountains. Also  a deeper area with some small slides and elephants that splash you with water. For older children and adults there are proper fast slides, donut slides and a lot more activities as well.

They offer lots of discounts for families….so please visit their site for their current entrance prices and opening hours.

More info: www.aquamijas.com

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The park opens from 11am most days apart from Mondays where they only open from 5.30pm.

Once you get to the park there is a playground, sectioned off into 3 parts, the first part being for under 3’s the middle for over and the far side a bit of both really.  Next to the playground is a tree that your little one can go and tie there unwanted dummies to when they are ready to say goodbye to them, which i thought was a nice idea as I know how hard it is to stop them using them.

In the centre of the park is a boating lake, unfortunately it was empty when we went, for cleaning and repainting but I can imagine how nice it is in warmer weather.  The pathway that goes around the park is split into two, one for cyclists and the other for pedestrians, which is always a good idea to try and avoid any collisions!

There is a “Torre” at the far end of the park which has amazing views out to see, and of course the canons and passageways with lots of information about the history of the park.

All in all a pleasant couple of hours out if you are in the area, the park wasn’t as big as I imagined it to be but still enjoyable.

Address: Zona Norte de Montemar, La Carihuela, Torremolinos

Website: http://www.ayto-torremolinos.org/web/labateria.asp

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The park was still very busy, although it was school kicking out time!

This is a great new playground in Fuengirola, just off the main road.  We went on Sunday morning about 11ish so it wasn’t too busy, by the time we left at 12 there was a lot more people there.

The playground has two sections, a smaller one for under 3’s and then the main one which is a giant pirate ship surrounded by waves moulded out of that spongy flooring they have in playgrounds, great for running up and down.

The pirate ship has different parts to it, each with a sign stating the recommended age group.  Younger kids may not find it as interesting but definitely kids from 3 years upwards will love the adventure.

There is a market on Sundays so parking can be a bit more difficult and it does get busy.

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El Pinar del Rey is a vast woodland area just past San Roque, with lots of little car parks and places to stop, and hundreds of picnic tables and bbq areas scattered around so you can make a day of it.

There are a couple of infant playgrounds dotted around but you have to go for a bit of a drive to find them, although the wood is one big adventure playground for the kids already.  There are several marked walks that can be taken, the signs indicate an aproximate length of time each will take so you can plan your day better.

I imagine this is the ideal place to go in spring and the earlier hotter months of summer as there is lots of shade, we went in November which was equally nice but not too warm, we did keep ourselves busy collecting pine cones for the fire!

I am not sure how busy the area gets but I can imagine it gets very popular at weekends when its warmer. If you have been or do try it out please do let us know your thoughts.

N340, Salida 117, follow signs for Pinar Del Rey

The picnic is being held at the park at Los Hidalgos, Manilva. (Weather permitting)

If you haven’t got any plans and fancy meeting up with some other famlies for a nice afternoon then this is the perfect event.

For more information visit www.manilvamums.com or http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3720104&id=530072153#/group.php?gid=46609700355&v=wall

Every Saturday and Sunday FREE ENTRANCE and the Supertivolino wristband for only 10€.

Opening hours form 12:00 -19:00 and Sundays open from 11:00 for the Sunday market.

They have organized great shows with different Halloween characters and mini disco for the little ones.

The supertivolino wristband will be reduced to €7.99 for the weekend as well, so you and the family can enjoy more for less.

On Sunday the bric-a-brac market will be on from 11am – 2pm, if you fancy having a browse.

For more details on Tivoli world, check out our detailed post.

Enjoy!!!

During the winter months we love to go there on Sunday’s as they have a reduce entrance fee from 11:00-13:00 for only 1€, but now in the Summer the best tome to go is in the evenings as it gets cooler and the park looks lovely with all the lights.

The park is now open everyday from 18:00 until 01:00 and the entrance fee is 7€/person (Kids under 1 meter free)

I recomend to buy the Supertivolino wristband for only 12€ as most of the rides already cost around 2 Tivolinos=2€.

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MINIPARK: The best option for children: children’s water park and amusement park, all in one swimming pool. RAPIDS: As close to rafting as it gets, in pairs: rapids, still water pools and whirlpools that will make believe that you are in a real river. BLACK HOLE: Over 100 metres of breathtaking drops, mountains and mystery bends of 100 metros. Dare to take on the unknown! BOOMERANG: A breathtaking return trip. NEW! CRAZY RACE: Four soft lanes where you can reach vertiginous speed. First to get down wins.SUPER SLALOM: Three winding slides, each with different thrills. Choose your favourite one! KAMIKAZE: The highest in Europe (22m). A vertiginous descent that will leave you breathless. TWISTER: Plenty of speed and bends in one of our most popular attractions. SURF BEACH: Over 1 metre waves in a 1440 m2 pool. LAGUNA TROPICAL: Take a bath in calm waters, relax and think about your next adventure. JACUZZI: Take a well-deserved break in our bubble pool. You will feel like new.

I used to go there as a teenager….so quiet a while ago, but I’m sure that by the look of it it has only inprooved with the years!!!

Opening dates 2009 season:
Aqualand Torremolinos will be open from May 23rd to September 13th. 

Gates open:
From May 23rd to June 21st: 11am to 6pm.
From June 22nd to June 30th: 10am to 6pm.
In July and August: 10am to 7pm.
From September 1st to September 13th: 11am to 6pm.
Prices:
Adults: 21,50 Euros 
Children 4 to 12: 15,50 Euros
Senior Citizens over 65: 15,50 Euros

For more information, please visit their website: www.aqualand.es/torremolinos

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The playground has 4 different sections with slides and things to climb on.  The park also has a small cafe if you fancy stopping for a coffee and for those who don’t mind pigeons, you can buy bags of food to feed them.  There are toilet facilities here as well. 

In the centre of the park is the Auditorium which seats 600 people, Flemenco, Opera, theatre and music concerts can all be enjoyed here, especially in the sumer months.

It is lovely this time of year with all the flowers blooming, very nice for a walk around or a sit down on one of the many benches and watch the kids running around enjoying themselves.  Parque de la Constitucion is located near to the paseo if you want to combine a visit with a nice walk, spot of lunch or a look around the nearby shops of Marbella.

Avda. De Espana, 29602 Marbella