La Herradura is a small town along the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. And although there are plenty of things to do with kids in the Costa del Sol, if you don’t want to set foot into a car during your stay in La Herradura, you’ll find plenty of activities to do within the actual town of La Herradura with kids and the whole family!
So what is there to do in La Herradura with kids?
If you’re wanting to spend some time in nature and check out some viewpoints, you can hike up to Cerro Gordo to the west or the lighthouse to the east. If your kids just want to be kids, there are a few playground options for them. If you’re wanting to go out to eat, there are plenty of kid-friendly restaurants and cafes in La Herradura. If you want to meet other families, head over to the Friday beach meetup or sign up for some arts and crafts classes. And finally, go to the sea! Spend time at the beach, paddleboarding, or even snorkeling!
It should also be noted that plenty of families in La Herradura utilize the bus system to travel to neighboring towns like Almunecar and Nerja. But for the sake of this post, I’ll only be sharing activities for families in La Herradura that can be reached by foot.
Quick Note: Have you gotten travel insurance yet? If you're already on your trip, it isn't too late! SafetyWing allows you to purchase insurance when you're already traveling. Plus, it's perfect for families because with each paying adult, a child is free!
SafetyWing provides comprehensive health and trip coverage. Plus, they have add-ons available for things like electronics and adventure sports. Once I started using SafetyWing for my family's travel insurance, I haven't even looked for anything else! Check out their options here.
Cerro Gordo Nature Preserve
When you’re in La Herradura and look to the west, you may notice a tower up on the hillside. If you’re like me, you may have mistaken this for La Herradura Castle. And if you’re like me, you’re wrong! That tower is one of the main attractions of Cerro Gordo.
If you want to walk up to Cerro Gordo, follow the beach west. At the very end, you’ll find a path amongst the boulders. That path leads up to Cerro Gordo. But when I say up, I mean up! Be prepared with water and plenty of time. It’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll have some spectacular views, though.
Check out the Wikiloc app if you’re unsure of the path. It’s a pretty popular activity so plenty of people will have recorded their route.
La Herradura Lighthouse
This working lighthouse between La Herradura and Marina del Este sits atop a restored defense watchtower that was originally built in the 18th century. It provides some amazing views of both La Herradura and Marina del Este, and is just a short (uphill!) walk from La Herradura town.
When you’re finding the route on Google Maps, you can type in “Faro de la Punta de la Mona”, and using the “walking” option should get you there. There are also a few nature trails up that way to explore. And some trails even lead to Marina del Este. But if you get that ambitious, just remember you’ll have to walk back at some point!
If you're looking for some other hiking options in and around La Herradura, I talk about a few in this post.
Playgrounds
When it comes to playgrounds, despite its small size, La Herradura has plenty of options. Plus, if your little ones aren't quite up to a hike up to Cerro Gordo, a tour of playgrounds could be the perfect thing to do in La Herradura with kids.
Main Playground
The main playground, located here, is always hopping in the evenings. It’s a gathering place for families after the sun has set and the air has cooled a bit. A final place to connect as the kids get their crazies out before bed.
The main playground has play equipment for all ages, including regular swings, baby swings, and an accessible swing. There are multiple play structures with plenty of climbing, sliding, spinning, and hanging. Your kids will almost never be without friends at this local hot spot!
Beach Playgrounds
There are at least two “beach playgrounds” in town. One toward the west near Chiringuito Bueno, and one toward the east near Chiringuito Bambu. The one more by Chiringuito Bambu is also across from a couple of gelato cafes, including Bahia Gelato that consistently has dairy free options!
If you're looking for other dairy free and vegan places to eat in La Herradura, Spain, you'll want to head over to Where Can Vegans Eat in La Herradura.
The beach playgrounds are certainly more limited in structure and variety than the main playground, but they still provide plenty of fun when the kids want a break from the water. And their sandy, wet swimsuits are certainly welcomed at these playgrounds. They are also both nearby some on-beach workout equipment for the adults in your group.
Maravillas Playground
There’s another playground further up the hill, but you would probably only visit this playground if you were staying up that way. It certainly has beautiful views and a quieter nature than the playgrounds that are in town. And on windy days, it tends to be a bit calmer. But it’s also a little over a kilometer walk uphill to get to from town.
Go to the Beach
I mean, you’re probably in La Herradura mostly for the beach. So this activity for kids in La Herradura is kind of a given, I know. But it needs to be mentioned. As far as the stretch of beach goes in La Herradura, in general, the further west you go, the sandier the beach gets. Further east will be rockier.
The far east side has a little “Playita” that snorkelers frequent. You’ll need to walk partly up the road that leads to Marina del Este, and then follow a small, steep path down to the beach. A word of warning… things have been known to be stolen from the area at the top. So if you ride a bike or bring a stroller, best to endure the struggle of getting them down the path rather than leaving them at the top of the path.
The far west side of the beach has some large boulders that are perfect for kids that love exploring. There’s also a trail that eventually leads up to Cerro Gordo. And depending on the day, sometimes different ends of the beach can be more or less windy than others.
For sunset viewing, the east side of the beach will have a longer view of the sunset and remain in the sun for longer. Plus, if the peninsula is blocking the final moments of the sunset from where you’re viewing it, moving further east may just allow you that extra bit of viewing to see the sun fall directly below the horizon.
Pro Tip: If you’re lacking in beach toys, you’ll find plenty of options like boogie boards, buckets, rafts, towels, beach chairs, and beach umbrellas at Libreria Coral near the beach and at the Bazar Asia store in town.
Bahia Gelatto Playa
When you’re at a beach town, it’s pretty hard to say no to gelato. Plus, when the kids drip chocolate all down their arms, you can just walk across the street and rinse off in the sea!
Our favorite was Bahia Gelatto Playa, mostly because they are the only gelato place in La Herradura that offers gelato “sin leche”... aka dairy free gelato. They have a rotating selection, but usually had 2-5 dairy free options. You can eat it there, or take it to go and sit on the beach with your sweet treats!
If you're looking for other dairy free and vegan-friendly restaurants and cafes in La Herradura, check out Where Can Vegans Eat in La Herradura, Spain?
La Herradura Castillo
La Herradura Castillo is an old “defense castle”, that I equate more to a fort. The walk to the castillo is short from town, and it’s well worth the visit for the small entry fee. It's an easy educational activity in La Herradura with kids.
There are seven rooms to explore, each with a bit of a theme to the history of the Castillo. There are signs in English and Spanish explaining what you are viewing and we learned a lot about a famous shipwreck, slaves, pirates, daily life, and other bits of its history. There’s also an outdoor space so see where the cannons were housed, as well as the courtyard.
It took us around an hour to see everything, going at a leisurely pace. It was perfect for the older kids to learn a bit about history. For my toddler, there was absolutely nothing for her to get into and she had a lot of fun climbing up the steps and just having the freedom of space.
Cafes
There are a number of cafes and restaurants in town to visit that won’t break the bank and are more than child-friendly. Enjoy a leisurely morning coffee, watching cyclists on their morning ride. Or how about a sunset glass of wine on the beach at one of the many chiringuitos?
For a full list of cafes and restaurants that are vegan friendly in La Herradura, check out this article.
Get In and On the Water
In addition to sticking to the beach, there are a number of water sport activities available in La Herradura for kids and adults alike. You have your choice of scuba diving, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, snorkeling, and boating. There are multiple companies in town that offer both guided tours and equipment rentals. You’ll have your choice of water sports and fun during your visit with kids to La Herradura!
Las Palomas Swim Club
Aside from certain apartment complexes that have pools available, Las Palomas Swim Club is the only pool you’ll find within the town of La Herradura. It’s a bit of a further walk than anything else on this list, but it’s definitely doable. For pool loving families, Las Palomas Swim Club could be the perfect activity in La Herradura with kids.
Aside from swimming, there are drinks and food available to purchase. Plus, there’s a large grassy area for relaxing and sunbathing.
Friday Meetup
A guaranteed way for your kids and the entire family to be able to meet, play, and connect with other families is at the weekly beach meetup. And you definitely won’t need a car for this one! It takes place every Friday either at 4 or 5pm and is always at the beach playground close to Chiringuito El Bambu.
You’ll always find a multicultural crowd gathering and enjoying the sunset together. So pack up the beach blanket and a few snacks, and enjoy meeting some fellow traveling families!
Sign Up For Kids’ Activities
There’s a constant stream of kids’ activities in La Herradura for kids of all interests and ages. You’ll often find arts and crafts classes, circus classes, sailing classes, and martial arts happening along the beach and in town. There’s a Telegram group that often posts these activities, or just ask around town or at the family meetup!
Activity leaders and coordinators are used to short term families coming in, so it won’t be a problem that you don’t live there. Most classes are in English or a mix of English and Spanish.
If you're visiting over the summer, there are summer camp options available. I've seen horseback riding camps, sailing camps, and a few others pop up. Spain tends to be not as "Google-able" as other countries, so I'd ask around, join the telegram group, and keep your eyes open for flyers around town!
If you’re in the area and wondering what other activities there are to do with kids in La Herradura, you may be interested in these articles:
- Indoor Activities in La Herradura With Kids
- Free Things to do With Kids in La Herradura
- Vegan Friendly Restaurants and Cafes in La Herradura
Plus, if you're spending time in Malaga, be sure to check out 11 Things To Do in Malaga With Kids - No Car Necessary!