🚸 Are you heading to Javea, in Costa Blanca Spain with the kids… well we can HELP you with that. Our Javea family guide is written by OUR family, for ALL families!
Javea is a family friendly destination in Spain that we absolutely love. So much in fact, that we lived there… twice. Thanks to our best friends who live in Javea, we got to know all the best family friendly spots. This family guide to Javea explains all and even drops in a couple of bonus places to get a sneaky drink!
If this is your first time to Javea, you may notice, I occasionally refer to Javea, and at other times Xabia. That’s not because I’m writing this post with one or two wines under my belt, but because Xabia is the spelling for the local dialect – Valenciano. So there we go… I’m glad we got that sorted.
Now back to the blog at hand. If you’ve landed here, it’s likely because you’re in Javea, or on your way. You’ll want reassurance that Javea is a suitable destination for a family holiday… and it really is. Below we highlight the best things to do with kids in Javea, including, beaches, walks, snorkel spots, caves, rock pools, play grounds and parks, mini putt, horse riding, even a tourist train.
AND the list goes on. And I don’t want to bore you so early!
So do yourself a favour. Read our guide, save it for later and get in touch if you have any questions!
Also Get Our: Best EVER Holiday Guide to Javea!
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The Best Things to Do in Javea with Kids
In and effort not to repeat myself (I do that enough with my kids), this list is dedicated purely to kids activities in Javea. Therefore, I’m going to point you in the direction of our other guides to Javea if they relate. You know, so that I don’t double up on ideas on my list below.
🌊 Firstly, read our complete guide to the best beaches in and around Javea, it includes the best kid friendly beaches. So go check that post out if you are searching for a holiday full of beach time.
💃 We also wrote a guide to 21 best things to do in Javea – another good read for more general ideas and activities available.
🥾 Have you got an active fam bam… then get moving with our guide to all the best hikes and walks in and around Javea. P.S our kids did them all.
Right… with that said… let’s crack on!
Arenal Beach, Promenade & Go-Carts
The Arenal is likely to be your first stop on your list of family things to do in Javea. And for good reason. Kids can safely run the promenade, this is because it’s restricted to pedestrians only. What’s more there are climbing frames, ice-cream opportunities and restaurants galore. Not forgetting the giant sand pit on hand.
Basically, what I’m saying, is that rain, hail or shine, there is ALWAYS something to do at the Arenal. Here are some extra things to do with kids, that you might not have considered.
On the beach
On the beach are the climbing frames, that I’ve just mentioned. Further down the beach, the northern end, is the giant climbing frame. It’s a good one for older kids… and without fail… mine would head straight to the top every time. Probably just to unnerve me!
The Paddle-O’s are also a good shout for when the sun is shining and the water is calm. These fun little contraptions come with a slide off the top – a guaranteed pleaser for the kids. They can be rented by the hour along with kayaks.
off the beach
For the biggest ice cream selection make your way to La Jijonenca. They have a shop entrance to both the promenade and the road side. But the best thing is that you can order a half scoop of one flavour, and a half scoop of another. Which is an ingenious idea, particularly for my indecisive kids.
If the kids need some burn off time, rent a go-cart from Javea Bikes and let them loose on the Arenal. On Av. Arenal, between the restaurants Chabada and Ammos you’ll find this fun little spot. For as little as 2€, the kids will find something to keep them entertained. They even have hoverboards!
Javea Tourist Train with Route Map
Transporting families through three key areas in Javea, is the Tourist Train. The round trip is over 8km, and for just a few Euros is worth every penny I reckon.
The prices are 4€ per adult, and 2.50€ per child for the round trip. The train operates a hop-on hop-off system, so you can get on and off at different stops, on the same fare.
There are 6 pick up and drop off points in total, which we have shared on the Google Map below. We recommend that you save and download the map, to guide you along the journey.
The train runs during the summer season from June to September. The round trip takes an hour, therefore runs every hour. It runs approximately to the timings – 10am until midnight, with a break between the hours of 2pm to 5pm.
Following are the approximate Javea Tourist Train timings for three main areas –
- Javea / Xabia Port (A) Av. Jaime, near Playa de la Grava – on the hour (10am onwards).
- Historic Centre of Javea / Xabia (B) near Av. Alacant – 20 minutes after the hour (10.20am onwards).
- Historic Centre of Javea / Xabia (C) near Plaça del Convent Placeta – 25 minutes after the hour (10.25am onwards).
- Arenal (D) near the Parador Hotel – 40 minutes after the hour (10.40am onwards).
Jet Ski or Kayak Tour
🙈 Oh so here I go repeating myself already.
But when you make a list of things to do for kids in Javea, then water sports kind of needs to be at the top. However, I won’t go into a lot of detail. I’ll just say, go for a kayak tour because it will probably be one of the coolest 3 hours you’ll spend on the water.
Then I’ll tell you to go read our dedicated post on which kayak tour to take.
Jet-skiing is another popular water activity for families with older kids. You can rent a jet-ski if you have a nautical license. Or if you haven’t take a boat licence, book a 1 or 2 hour excursion with MareMoto Sports at the Arenal. Tours start at 150€, the price includes 2 people per jet ski.
🛶 Read our review of our kayak tour, including how much it costs, tips for taking younger kids and loads more.
Pinosol Playground and Park
There are loads of little parks around Javea, but one of our family favourites was Pinosol Park.
🤫 It’s also one of my favourites, because while the kids play the adults can have a sneaky cerveza. Pop up to the Kiosko Bar in the car park and they’ll let you order a cerveza to go. I know… Spain is super cool like that right.
The park itself has playground equipment at the centre suited to younger children. Then for the older kids are some monkey bars and other equipment. Probably the favourite part of the park is the trees where the kids can go explore, have a game of hide and seek or build a den.
Years ago there was a big fire that swept through the park, and an artist carved figures out of the remaining tree stumps. And so you could also take the kids on a walk around the park, looking for the carved figures.
Learn to Snorkel in the Calm Calas
There are loads of special snorkelling bays in and around Javea. What’s best about snorkelling in Javea is that the water is calm. Therefore it’s the best place to learn, our kids have become avid snorkellers in our travels and they love snorkelling in Javea.
Some of our favourite snorkel spots are –
- Portixol Beach – right off the beach and around to the right is some of my personal favourite snorkelling in Javea. There is good fish life, which live in and around the deep rock crevices. These rocks also work well as a good resting spot for your little when they get tired legs, or water in their mask.
- Our second favourite spot is the San Antonio Marine Reserve at Cala Tango. This destination is best for kids aged 6 and above as it requires a bit of a walk in. The water is clear, the fish life abundant and the snorkelling is great!
🤿 Read our guide on how to walk to Cala Tango in our post on Javea’s best beaches + it also comes with a trail map.
Soft Play, Mini Putt & Bouncy Castle at Brevis in Moraira
This one is another activity with the parents in mind – see don’t say I don’t think of you too.
Brevis just beyond Moraira village is an outdoor restaurant and playground. On site there is an enclosed soft play area, a mini putt course, a bar and restaurant. It’s a popular place on the weekends, and you’ll often find several birthday parties on the go.
The opening hours of Brevis are 11am to 7pm and entrance is free when you purchase food and drinks. There is a kids menu, with meals ranging between 6€ and 9€.
The food is simple, the drinks are fast, and the play area means the kids are entertained for a good couple of hours. In fact, you’ll likely need to drag them away, when it’s time to leave.
Rock Pooling in Javea’s Beautiful Calas
Such an easy entertainer… rock pooling!!! Our kids could literally keep themselves busy for hours in rock pools.
Don’t have the equipment, don’t worry. On Av. de la Llibertat, near the Arenal is the Bazar Shanghai. Every summer this shop is our go to for the beach necessities. They have it all (and more).
When you’ve got the net, the bucket, the spade, and any other treasure hunting equipment deemed necessary, it’s time to find a rock pool!
A couple of places to check out –
- The Queen’s Baths also known as the Minister’s Cove which you can access from Av. del Mediterraneo beside the Parador Hotel.
- Cala Blanca & La Caleta de Dins are another easy couple of bays to access. Park at the Cala Blanca Parking and follow the easy walk to the two bays.
Geocaching – Wait… What is That?
Have you ever heard of Geocaching? If not, you’re in for a treat! But I’m taking a risk in telling you about this, as Geocaching is a very secret kind of club. So should you decide to embark on an adventure into Geocaching, then you need to respect it.
I’ve got you intrigued now haven’t I. We have travelled the world, and one of our favourites way to explore a new place with the kids is to go Geocaching. And Javea is no exception. Geocaching in Javea with kids is great fun!
Geocaching newbies listen up. Download the Geocache app on your phone and signup. There is a free version, which is what we use. If you get really serious about it, you could join for a fee, for an even wider selection of caches.
Basically, it’s like an orienteering app. Other cachers, normally residents, set up hidden cache spots. These range in sizes from micro, small, medium and occasionally bigger. Generally speaking, they hide a small vessel of some kind, with a little log book, on a secret trail. Sometimes other cachers add a trinket inside, which you can take and replace with one of your own. We love to leave stickers in the cache containers we find. Then you log it on your app, to keep a record.
Our Geocaching adventures in Javea took us to some very unique sites and stunning views. Just remember to watch out for muggles when opening the cache.
Explore the Caves in and Around Javea
Just a short drive from Javea, there are a number of cool caves to explore with the kids. And I don’t know about your kids, but exploring caves is right up there for mine. Any opportunity to put on a headlamp and go all caveman, and my kids are all over it.
There are several caves within a 25 minute drive from Javea, some are a good challenge for the older kids, while there’s one option perfect for younger kids. Click the corresponding links to learn more.
Cueva de las Calavares –
This is a super little cave with great geological importance to the region. In 1913, artefacts dating back to the Stone Age were discovered, as well as the remains of hyenas, bears, hippos, rhinos and more. Mind blowing stuff right! It’s also perfectly suited to families with little kids.
Autumn and winter hours are 9am to 6pm; summer and spring hours are 9am to 8pm. Cueva de las Calavares entrance price is 4.90€ per adult and 2€ per child (2 to 10 years old).
Cova Tallada –
This is one of my favourite cave walks of all times, probably because it included spectacular views, as well as cave snorkelling! Bring head torches and you can also explore further back into the deeper caves. But read our complete guide to Cova Tallada for all the info.
Montgo Caves –
Mount Montgo!
Yes families with older kids, this one is for you. This is labelling as a hard trail but we’ve read reviews where kids aged 7 years have walked the trail. Read our detailed guide with trail map for more information regarding the 1.6km hike.
Horse Riding in Javea
If your kids enjoy horse riding, then contact Montgo Vall Equestrian Centre / Hipico Javea. They primarily cater for local lessons, however they also take horse riding tours. The backdrop for horse riding doesn’t get any prettier with the Montgo Natural Park propped in behind.
Reach out to the team via their Facebook page to arrange a horse riding excursion and to enquire about their prices.
Museums in and Around Javea
I was debating whether to add museums to my list here. If you’re on holiday, you may not be inclined to head for a history lesson. But when I asked my kids to tell me their favourite activities from Javea, this one made it onto their list.
Therefore, the Soler Blasco Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum gets the thumbs up. And I get it! This was a fab little museum, nothing too intense and given that it’s in the Historic Centre, makes for a great morning out. The museum is set in an old palace and covers several floors. We also loved the view from the roof top terrace over the old town.
If you’re a real history buff, and just can’t get enough! Then you might like to visit the Toy Museum. This is located in the town of Denia, which is just on the other side of Montgo, a 15 minute drive from the Xabia Historic Centre.
🎬 For more about what you can expect to see at the Soler Blasco Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum read our post – 21 Things to Do in Javea.
If it’s Raining See a Movie
Right… if it’s raining in Javea, what can you do to keep the kids from climbing the walls? Well there are a couple of places to see a movie. There is a theatre in the Xabia Port, and another in Ondara at the Portal de la Marina mall.
Jayan Theatre is a boutique theatre in the Javea / Xabia Port – Occasionally the movies are screened in English. Their movies are always listed on their website, including the language of the film.
IMF Cines at Portal de la Marina Mall is a bigger cinema with more movie options. The mall is a 20 minute drive to Ondara, from the Historic Centre of Xabia, or 22 minutes from the Arenal.
Map of Things to Do with Kids in Javea
Just to make your life a little easier, I’ve mapped out everything on our list here for you. You’re welcome 😊
More on Javea
Well sheesh!!! I was going to say “I hope this list has helped you find some things to do in Javea with kids.” But the reality is… I know it has! We had so much fun exploring Javea and finding things to write about. IF you find something new let me know… and I’ll add it to our list.
I just want to add, this guide would never have been possible without our Javea family – we love you guys and miss you tonnes! Thanks for the forever fun memories of Javea 🤍
You might also want to check out some of these other posts below –
🏰 Take a family day trip to Guadalest Castle
💎 Read our guide to planning the perfect holiday in Javea (post coming soon)
🐙 Explore Calpe with our day trip guide
🛋 Need an awesome family holiday home – read our full guide to accommodation in Javea.
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