Why

The Costa Dorada is also known as the Golden Coast and gets its name from the sun kissed breaches. It is a great family friendly holiday destination beaches and lots to see and do with the kids. Tarragona is a beautiful town with an old district, Cathedral, Harbour and Roman walls. Stiges is a long established and trendy resort but most family holiday makers go to Salou which is one of Spain's prime Mediterranean holiday resorts.

A visit to the Costa Dorada gives you the opportunity of visiting the cosmopolitan and surprisingly family friendly city of Barcelona which is just over an hour and a half away and you can read our guide to family friendly Barcelona here. You can also visit traditional Spanish villages and go further inland to explore the countryside and the mountain ranges. There are also lots of opportunities for theme park fun at the PortAventura and Caribe Aquatic theme parks which all of the family will enjoy.

Platja de Ponet and Platja de Lievant have gently shelving beaches and there are less crowded beaches near Cap Salou.

When and how

The climate is typically Mediterranean so avoid a high summer if you can travel outside of school holidays as you are likely to get better value accommodation. May, June and September are best as the beaches can get crowded in high summer.

The area is well served with flights from Ireland and the UK ranging from scheduled and budget flights through to charter flights. You can fly to Reus or Barcelona and check special offers or deals here and for budget flights with wegolow. Tour Operators may also have some charter flights if you are travelling from Ireland.

Most of the Irish tour operators feature the Costa Dorada and you can look at some of the packages with operators such as Panorama, Sunway and Directholidays.ie

Hiring a car is relatively inexpensive and we would recommend that you do hire a car is so that you can explore this wonderful area even if it is just for a few days. You can book car hire here.

Family Friendly Accommodation

The Costa Dorada has lots of family friendly accommodation options including apartments, family villas and hotels. You can check for special offers and deals here with booking.com.

The Hotel Port Aventura is a four-star hotel located just outside the theme park which offers a wide array of family entertainment and leisure activities. There is a property run kids club, children’s entertainment programme, a playground and evening entertainment. Guests staying at the hotel can access to the new PortAventura Beach Club which offers seven swimming pools and lots of leisure facilities. You can book this here with booking.com.

From Ireland tour operator packages with companies include those from Sunway Sun Holidays, Directholidays.ie and Panorama who all feature the Hotel Port Aventura.

The Hotel Caribe is another family friendly hotel designed in the Caribbean style set in tropical gardens. It has two white sandy beaches and is surrounded by palm trees. There is a kids club for children aged between four and twelve, a children's pool and playground and guests have access to the new PortAventura Beach Club which offers seven swimming pools and lots of leisure facilities. You can book this here with booking.com.
From Ireland tour operator packages with companies include those from Sunway Sun Holidays, Directholidays.ie and Panorama who all feature this hotel.

The Hotel el Paso is designed in a Mexican-style ad is a property with good facilities for all of the family. It is located right beside gates to PortAventura and Caribe Aquatic park and has a property run kids club, playground, children's maze, evening entertainment and a large outdoor swimming pool with a Pirates sunken ship in the middle. You can book this here with booking.com. From Ireland tour operator packages with companies include those from Sunway Sun Holidays, Directholidays.ie and Panorama who all feature this hotel.

If you want to try camping The Cambrils Park in Salou is a family favourite and is an excellent park especially suited to families with children. It is well located within close proximity of Barcelona and the PortAventura theme park. There are lots of things to do on site including organised activities for children from four years and upwards. There is a fantastic pool complex, a beach 1km away and lots of sports facilities. You can book this through Eurocamp.

Another campsite is The Park Playa Bara in Roda de Bera is also a family friendly site with a great pool complex and beach close by. It is also within close to Barcelona and PortAventura and you can book this with Eurocamp or Siblu. The Vila Nova la Geltru in Vilanova with Keycamp also has great facilities, a beach close by and great sea views. Have a look at our guide to camping in Spain.

What to see and do with the kids

The main attraction in the area is the PortAventura theme park. There are a whole range of experiences for all of the family and lots of things to keep kids occupied. There are stomach churning rides, thrilling roller coasters and a free fall tower which are bound to excite older children. Families with younger children have a number of softer options including spinning armadillos, a South Pacific dance show and submarine rides. The Caribe Aquatic park is always a great day out too. It certainly seems as if there is more than enough to occupy two or three days of a family holiday in the park. Always check for special offers and deals on online tickets

If you want to book some sightseeing and fun things to do with the kids before you go have a look at the excursions offered by isango which will save you time and hassle when you are on holiday and help you to plan what to see and do with the kids.

The beaches are of course a huge draw and you can explore the area for quieter beaches if your closet one gets too busy.

Enjoy the hustle bustle around the brightly coloured stalls of Bonavista Market. You will find beautiful ceramics, lace, tablecloths, handbags, shoes, apparel, music, toys, artwork and an impressive range of local handicraft. Pick up armloads of souvenirs for your family and friends back home. If you are staying for a longer time in Salou, don’t miss out to shop for a bagful of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Have a fun day out at the Aquapolis water park in Le Pinada.

An excursion to Aqua Leon in Costa Dorada is a great chance to enjoy exciting water activities and see wildlife in its natural habitat. Explore the park in a safari bus and spot Bengal tiger, boa constrictors, wallabies, African elephants and Chapman zebras to name a few. At the water park section, try out exciting rides such as Black Hole and Twister.

Slide down the famous Kamikaze and feel the surge of adrenalin. Enjoy at the wave pool or simply recline on a sun deck and work on your tan.

The Catalan countryside is stunning and you can drive through the countryside of Tarragona and Lleida. You will come across sleepy villages shrouded by vineyards and hazelnut groves.

Enjoy the dramatic scenery of Andorra surrounded by valleys and steep mountains.

You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday. 

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