Menorca with Kids: Calm Beaches, Short Boat Trips and the Animal Park

Menorca suits families because the water is calm in the right places and the distances are short. What you need to plan is the day around the sea and the heat, and which activities a small child will actually put up with.

One rule runs through this guide. The GetYourGuide listings for the trips below do not state minimum ages, so we give none. Where a limit matters, we tell you to read the booking page.

Beaches that suit small children

Cala Galdana. Often called the best beach on the island for children. It is nearly 400 metres long, the water is very shallow, and high cliffs shelter the bay, so even on windy days there are hardly any waves. A lifeguard service runs in high season, and the car park is close to the sand. There are bars and restaurants on the beach, which helps with lunch.

Son Bou. The longest beach on the island at about 3 km, with fine white sand and shallow, clear water. It sits next to family hotels.

Arenal d’en Castell. A shell-shaped bay about 650 metres long with calm, shallow water, heavily built up and with services on the sand.

The little coves such as Macarella look better in photographs and are harder with children, because you walk in from a car park. Our guide to the best calas and how to reach them covers the access rules. Take water, shade and patience.

A boat trip that a child can finish

A long boat day is a risk with young children. The listings do not describe toilets or shade on board, so ask before you book.

• The shortest is the one-hour harbour cruise in Mahón with underwater viewing: €18, rated 4.4 from 862 reviews. It is in the harbour, which is calmer than open sea.
• The two-hour glass-bottom boat trip from Cala Galdana: €28, 4.4 from 719 reviews. The sea life is seen through the glass. The listings do not say whether you can leave the boat to swim.
• The full-day boat tour with paella lunch is seven hours. It is good value at €55, but long for a toddler and not a trip to try as your first.

For seasickness in a child, speak to a pharmacy or your paediatrician before the holiday. On the day, the things that cost nothing are a morning departure, sitting in the middle of the boat and looking at the horizon.

An animal park, for when the beach is too much

The Lloc de Menorca animal park is a sanctuary for rescued animals from around the world, set in gardens. It costs €16.50, is rated 4.7 from 114 reviews, and the listing gives no duration. It is in the Alaior area.

Operator pages describe a petting zoo with dwarf goats, lemurs in open enclosures and a splash area. We have not confirmed those details on the booking page, so check which are open on your day.

A farm visit

The farm tour with cheese-making workshop is 2 hours and €65 per person, rated 4.9 from 111 reviews. The listing names families among the people it suits. The cheaper Subaida farm visit (€14, 1.5 hours) includes seeing the animals; our guide to the cheese farms says what each is.

When it is a poor idea

• The quad tour with toddlers. The South Coast quad tour (€134 per group of up to two) has no age information in the listing. Check the passenger rules before you plan around it; our e-bike and quad guide lists the options.
• Midday sun on a beach without shade. Go early or go late.
• A packed day. Two activities and a long lunch is plenty. Menorca is small, so the temptation is to add a third.

For the full list of trips, see things to do in Menorca and boat trips.