Some Popular Beaches on Tenerife

Tenerife is known for a sun and sand destination & for its perfect climate and wonderful beaches.
Whilst there are plenty of inviting beautiful beaches around the island’s coastline, the island does sit in the Atlantic Ocean. As a result some sandy shores can have a beauty and the beast element to them.

Strong currents and Atlantic rollers might create a natural adventure park for surfers and strong swimmers who get a kick out of battling surf taller than themselves (it is a lot of fun), but they’re not the best conditions for anyone with a young family. If planning a lot of beach time on Tenerife, it’s important to choose a resort with a beach as family friendly as the Canarian population.

Playa La Pinta

Playa la Pinta in the heart of Costa Adeje could have been designed with families in mind. It’s smallish which makes it easier to keep an eye on the whereabouts of the children; it’s nearly completely enclosed, so no wild wave action; the sandy beach shelves gently into the sea; the narrow entrance to the bay is cordoned off,  keeping boats and wayward jet skis away and it has an inflatable iceberg.
There are loads of cafés and restaurants behind the beach and, in the unlikely case of any of the family suffering from beach boredom, dolphin and whale watching trips depart from adjacent Puerto Colón Marina.

Playa de Los Cristianos

Although Playa de las Vistas, between Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas, is the favourite Tenerife beach of many visitors to south Tenerife, it’s a bit too exposed to the sea to make it the ideal family beach. Many local families prefer Playa de Los Cristianos which is sheltered by Montaña Guaza and the port from which ferries sail to La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. Calm water and a boat-free zone make it a good place for paddling about happily in the shallows.

Playa del Camisón

Surprisingly, Playa de las Américas doesn’t boast many beaches; a section of the coastline being quite rocky and favoured more by surfers than sunbathers. But tucked between Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje is the palm-tree backed Playa del Camisón, one of the nicest looking beaches on Tenerife’s south coast. Concrete breakwaters create a man made bay, keeping the water calm enough for safely messing about on lilos and pedalos.

Playa de las Teresitas

As well as being the best looking beach on Tenerife, Playa de las Teresitas outside of Santa Cruz is perfect for families. A concrete breakwater runs the length of the golden sands creating a mirror-calm, shallow lagoon teeming with tropical fish; suitable for some snorkelling action. As Teresitas isn’t a resort beach, it’s a good choice for anyone favouring a playa with a strong local vibe.

El Muelle

he pebble harbour beach at Puerto de la Cruz may seem like an odd inclusion, but it’s a family favourite with locals and the centre of many of the town’s fiestas. If seeking a beach with bags of local character, this has it by the plastic bucket load; in June goats and horses are bathed in the harbour waters for good luck. 
If pebbles and damp goats don’t appeal, head along the town’s promenade to Lago Martiánez. It might be a man made complex rather than a beach, but it has palm trees for shade, lake-sized lagoons to swim in and a sea dragon in a shallow pool for the smallest members of the family.