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A reader’s story from Mijas, shared by Alex Dolipschi, who manages holiday homes in the town.

When somebody sends you an address in Mijas, ask them which entrance to use as well. I manage holiday homes here, and a guest once sent me photos because the property did not match the listing. He had entered the wrong house. The code he tried had worked, which made the mistake harder to spot. We moved him the following day.

After that, we added entrance photos to our arrival information. That is the part of the story I would pass on to anyone visiting a home here for the first time: compare the building with the photo before you enter. If something looks wrong, ask.

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Three tips before you arrive

• Ask for the entrance, not just the address. In Mijas, several homes can share a street number, a gate or a building.
• Send a photo of where you are standing. It is much more useful than a message saying you are outside, because the person expecting you can see which gate you mean.
• Keep the details offline and private. Save the address and entrance instructions so you can see them without mobile data, and keep any access code to yourself.

Planning a stay or a move to the area? Read our guides to renting in Spain as a foreigner and renting a car in Spain.

Story by Alex Dolipschi, SunnyCoast HomeStays, Mijas. Have a story from your town? Share it with NewInSpain readers through our contact page.

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The Costa del Sol is an easy place to keep children busy. Between Málaga and Estepona you will find animal parks, a cable car, a butterfly house, a science centre and plenty of calm beaches, most of them reachable by train or bus. This guide covers the main options, what each is best for and which ones still work when the weather turns.

Opening hours and ticket prices change by season, so always check the official website before you go. Many attractions sell tickets online, and some charge less online than at the gate.

Animal parks and zoos

Animal parks are the classic family day out on this coast, and there are several to choose from.

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• Bioparc Fuengirola: a compact zoo in the centre of Fuengirola, behind the town hall. It recreates tropical forest habitats from Madagascar, Equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, with natural-style enclosures instead of cages. It is walkable from the Fuengirola train station, so you can easily make a day of it.
• Selwo Aventura (Estepona): a large wildlife and adventure park with more than 2,000 animals spread over four zones, including lions, rhinos, zebras, cheetahs and a big walk-through aviary. Older children can also do zip lines, suspension bridges and archery. Plan a full day and bring a car, as the park is outside the town.
• Selwo Marina (Benalmádena): a marine park inside Parque de la Paloma with dolphins, sea lions, penguins and an Amazon zone with tropical fish, frogs and spiders. Dolphin and bird shows run at set times, so check the timetable when you arrive.
• Crocodile Park (Torremolinos): large Nile crocodiles, hatchlings and a small museum, right next to Aqualand. It suits children who like something a bit different.

A day out in Benalmádena

Benalmádena has more family attractions close together than anywhere else on the coast. You can easily fill a whole day, or even a weekend. Our guide to Benalmádena’s different areas explains how the town is laid out.

• Parque de la Paloma: a free public park with a lake, play areas, cafés and free-roaming animals such as rabbits and peacocks. It is a good, cheap place to let small children run around.
• Teleférico de Benalmádena: the cable car climbs to the top of Monte Calamorro, about 800 metres above sea level, in roughly 15 minutes. At the top there are walking trails, viewpoints and bird of prey displays. On clear days you can see as far as Gibraltar and the African coast. Wear proper shoes, as the paths are rocky.
• Sea Life Benalmádena: an aquarium at Puerto Marina with sharks, sea turtles and seahorses, plus feeding sessions during the day. A visit usually takes under two hours.
• Mariposario de Benalmádena: a tropical butterfly house in a Thai-temple-style building, with more than 1,500 butterflies. Young children usually love it, and it is under cover.

Newcomers often ask about Tivoli World, the old amusement park in Arroyo de la Miel. It has been closed since 2020. Plans to reopen it have been reported in the local press, but there is no confirmed date, so don’t plan a visit around it.

Beaches and water parks

For younger children, look for wide sandy beaches with lifeguards, toilets and a chiringuito nearby. Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos all have long, easy beaches next to the promenade. Our list of the best beaches on the Costa del Sol covers the options from Manilva to Nerja.

• Lifeguards and flags: lifeguard cover is strongest in summer. Teach children what the coloured flags mean before they go in: green is safe, yellow means take care and red means no swimming.
• Aqualand Torremolinos: the big water park on the coast. It is seasonal and usually opens in spring and closes around the end of October, so check the calendar before you go.
• Summer-only extras: inflatable floating water parks appear on some beaches in summer, and small fairground rides are common along the promenades in the evenings.

Ideas for rainy or cold days

It does rain on the Costa del Sol, mostly between autumn and spring. These options are mainly indoors:

• Centro de Ciencia Principia (Málaga): a hands-on science centre near the La Rosaleda stadium, with dozens of interactive exhibits, live science demonstrations and a planetarium.
• MIMMA – Museo Interactivo de la Música (Málaga): a music museum with about 400 instruments from around the world, where visitors are invited to play some of them. It works well for children who struggle to stay quiet in a normal museum.
• Sea Life and the Mariposario: both are largely indoors, so they make good backup plans in Benalmádena.
• Shopping centres: the large centres along the coast often have play areas, cinemas and bowling, which is useful for an afternoon when nothing else works.

Getting around without a car

The Cercanías C1 train between Málaga and Fuengirola stops at the airport, Torremolinos and Benalmádena (Arroyo de la Miel). That makes Bioparc, Parque de la Paloma, Selwo Marina and the cable car realistic without a car. Selwo Aventura and the mountain villages are easier to reach by car. See our guide to public transport on the Costa del Sol for trains, buses and travel cards.

Tips that save money and stress

• Book online: several attractions sell cheaper or timed tickets on their own websites.
• Combined tickets: some parks owned by the same group sell combined tickets. Check the official sites before buying separately.
• Resident offers: town halls and parks sometimes run offers for local residents. It is worth asking at your town hall or tourist office.
• Avoid the heat: in July and August, go in the morning or late afternoon and bring water, hats and sun cream.
• Gift a day out: for birthdays or Christmas, an experience box can be a nice alternative to toys. Disfrutabox (ad) is a Spanish company that sells experience gift boxes.
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FAQ: things to do with kids on the Costa del Sol

Useful links

• Benalmádena tourism – cable car
• Andalucía tourism – Mariposario de Benalmádena
• Spain.info – Selwo Aventura Estepona
• Andalucía tourism – Centro de Ciencia Principia

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and prices change, so check with the official source before you decide. Links marked “(ad)” are affiliate links – NewInSpain may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Updated: October 2026

Taking your dog to the beach is one of the joys of living on the Costa del Sol – but on most Spanish beaches dogs are not allowed, at least not in the bathing season. The good news: several towns have designated dog beaches (playas caninas), and outside the summer some local rules are more relaxed. Here is where you can go and what the rules are.

The basic rule: no dogs on normal bathing beaches

Town halls set the beach rules through local bylaws (ordenanzas). On almost every beach in Málaga province, dogs are banned during the bathing season, which usually runs from around June to September, and many towns keep the ban all year. Fines can be issued by the local police. Always check the signs at the beach entrance – they show the local rule.

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Dog beaches in Málaga province

These dog beaches were listed as operating in 2026. Rules, opening periods and even locations change from year to year, so check the town hall’s website before you go.

• Málaga / Rincón de la Victoria – Arroyo Totalán, near La Araña, east of Málaga city.
• Vélez-Málaga – dog beach in Torre del Mar.
• Torrox – Torrox dog beach.
• Benalmádena – El Carvajal area. The former Arroyo Hondo dog beach has been closed.
• Fuengirola – next to Sohail Castle.
• Marbella – El Pinillo and Ventura del Mar.
• Casares – Piedra Paloma.

Mijas’ former dog beach has been closed for years, so dog owners in Mijas usually go to Fuengirola or Benalmádena.

Rules on dog beaches

• Your dog must be microchipped, vaccinated and registered – carry the documents or the pet passport.
• Keep the dog under control at all times; some beaches require a lead, and many require a muzzle for dogs over 20 kg or classed as potentially dangerous.
• Pick up after your dog – bags and bins are usually provided.
• Sick, aggressive or female dogs in heat are not allowed.
• Many dog beaches are marked as not suitable for human bathing.

Keeping your dog safe at the beach

• Heat: sand and promenades get very hot in summer. Go early in the morning or in the evening, bring shade and fresh water.
• Salt water: stop your dog drinking sea water and rinse the coat with fresh water afterwards.
• Jellyfish and weever fish: both sting. If your dog yelps after stepping in shallow water or picking something up, rinse with sea water and call a vet.
• Leishmaniasis: sandflies are most active at dusk in the warm months. Ask your vet about a vaccine or a repellent collar.

If your dog causes damage or an accident, third-party liability insurance helps. Providers such as Petplan (ad) offer pet insurance in Spain – see our guide to pet insurance.

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Dog-friendly alternatives

• Dog parks (parques caninos) in most towns, often with fenced areas for off-lead play.
• Riverbeds and paths inland, for example in the hills above Mijas, Benalmádena and Marbella.
• Many beach bars (chiringuitos) and terraces welcome well-behaved dogs – ask first.

More pet guides and a list of local shelters: Pets in Spain.

FAQ: dogs on Costa del Sol beaches

Disclaimer: Beach rules are set by each town hall and change. This article is general information – check the current rules with the town hall before you go. Links marked “(ad)” are affiliate links – NewInSpain may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.