Family vacations in the Azores

Azoreans like to make a fuss of their children, so yours will be welcome wherever you go – and with wild dolphins, waterfalls, caves and fun, easy cycling routes to discover, there’s more than enough to keep little ones entertained.

This is not a place for diehard resort lovers. The few sandy beaches on these volcanic islands are wild, natural and definitely not lined with ice cream shops and arcades. But some have good surfing and rockpooling, and at others, your family can take a coastal dip with the local kids in seawater swimming pools, some of which have toilets close by. Inland, you could swim in a forest pool fringed with ferns or relax in a geothermal pool in a botanical garden.

Kids are never too young to start learning about the principles of conservation, and the Azores is the perfect place to do that in a fun, safe environment. On some whale and dolphin watching trips, the onboard specialists can tailor the programs for kids, helping to impart knowledge and passion for these incredible creatures, and lasting memories too.

Amanda Stafford of our partner, the Whale and Dolphin Connection suggests you ask about age restrictions when looking for a whale or dolphin watching trip in the Azores with kids, as different operators have different policies: “Boat trips are great for kids as long as they’re the right kind of age and into wildlife. On the larger, more stable wildlife-watching boats babies will be safe if held, but toddlers are likely to get bored, especially if there are lengthy waits between sightings. Zodiac RIBS and small, open fibreglass boats are not really suitable for young children. There’s no legal minimum age but operators tend to have their own restrictions on carrying pregnant women or kids under four or five, since the sea can sometimes get choppy without warning. If your family wants to go snorkelling with wildlife in open water, your kids must be confident swimmers. At six or seven they’re usually old enough to have a really worthwhile experience.”
“São Miguel is unique. For active kids and teenagers, there’s an array of fun biking routes with lots of natural delights to take in along the way, from geothermal heated pools you can swim in and bubbling hot springs to whale watching in the Atlantic.”