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Too Hot for the Beach? 12 Ways to Beat the Heat in Mallorca with Kids

26th July 2026

Mallorca in July and August can be hotter than the hot you’d been hoping for. With temperatures topping 40°C during this summer’s heatwave, some days may even feel too hot for a day on the beach. The trick isn’t avoiding the heat altogether, it’s knowing when to head outside, when to retreat somewhere cool, and what to do instead when the beach has lost its appeal by 11am.

Here are twelve ideas to get you started, from cool caves and water parks to indoor days out that keep you active and exploring with happy kids in tow.

1.

Breezy Boat Trips

If there’s ever a time to charter a private boat, it’s now. Being on the water beats the heat in a way land-based shade simply can’t: constant sea breeze, and a dip whenever anyone needs to cool off. A bit of speed helps too.

Explore premium powerboat options here (pop in our Family Friendly code ‘FF10’ for a preferential rate), or if you’re looking for a slower day at sea – on a traditional llaüt or smaller boat – contact me to book with one of our favourite small charter partners.

For shared tours, try Sollermar from Port de Sóller, or Red Star Tours from Cala Figuera in the south.

2

Caves: Cool Underground Days Out

When the island gets busy, skip the crowds (and queues) at the popular east coast caves, and head instead to Coves de Campanet or Cuevas de Artà.

All five caves stay a constant, cool temperature underground, whatever the weather’s doing above ground, which is exactly what you want on the hottest days. Both Campanet and Artà feel more escapist than the busier circuit, and Campanet is self-guided, so you move at your own pace rather than being marched through with a group, which matters when you’ve got young kids in tow. Artà is the more dramatic setting, perched on a cliff above Canyamel.

Full breakdown of all five caves and which suits which age: Mallorca’s Caves With Kids.


3.

Water Parks & Palma Aquarium

With Europe’s deepest shark tank, a jellyfish tunnel, and a brand new outdoor splash pad added this year, Palma Aquarium makes for a great (fully air conditioned) non-beach day plan – also convenient option for a toddler too young for a proper water park. Visit website

Mallorca has three water parks: Aqualand El Arenal, the biggest, with toddler zones and two new slides for 2026; Western Water Park, Magaluf, home to The Beast, the steepest water slide in Spain; and Hidropark, Alcúdia, the smallest and calmest, useful if you’re based in the north. Katopia, the splash zone inside Katmandu Park, is a fourth option for younger children. Yes, they’re still hot, there’s no getting around that, but grab a base in the shade and the kids are usually too busy queuing for slides to notice or complain. Water shoes are worth packing for younger children too: the ground around the pools gets hot underfoot. For more info, prices and resident discount codes, see the full water parks guide.


4.

Adventures on the water: Kayaking & Coasteering

Seaside days minus the sand but staying cool in the water, here are a few of our favourites water sports around the island;

A morning on the water, Piragues Mix Kayaks, Colònia de Sant Jordi, runs a kayaking safari along the coast: paddling in kayaks for two or three, past cold water coves (yes really) onto almost deserted islands, with stops to swim.

For the thrill-seeking teens and tweens, Rock and Water Mallorca run family coasteering sessions for ages eight and above (competent swimmers only) – a mix of cliff jumping, sea caving and rock climbing along the coastline including Cala Romantica. Tours normally start at 10h and last around four hours; meeting points vary by tour, often the north or north east coast.

For something a bit different, Mallorca Wakepark, near Port d’Alcúdia, is the only cable wakeboard system in the Balearics: a 220-metre cable pulls you across a lake just behind Alcúdia beach, with the speed controlled manually so it works for beginners and pros who want to try the jumps. Sessions can be booked privately or as a group, and even the youngest swimmers can have a try.

For those who prefer underwater action, ZOEA Mallorca, based in Santa Ponsa, runs an afternoon snorkelling safari around the nature reserve islands of Malgrats. Head out on a boat from Santa Ponsa for a ten-minute ride to the nature reserve, then spend an hour snorkelling. Suitable for strong swimmers over the age of eight.


5.

Shaded Beaches for Kids

Set against pine forest at the island’s northern tip, with calm, shallow water that suits children of all ages and plenty of shade under the trees that line the beach, Playa de Formentor is a favourite for mid-summer beach days. There’s also a watersports centre near the Four Seasons if older kids want to paddleboard or kayak.

Access is the thing to plan around. Vehicle access is regulated from 10h, and once the paid car park fills, the road closes entirely, so arrive early or don’t drive at all. The alternative is the boat from Port de Pollença: a scenic 25-minute crossing that drops you directly on the sand and sidesteps both the mountain road and the parking queue.

For more of our favourite family beaches plus parking tips: best family beaches guide.


Time your day around the heat. Before 10h is the best window for the beach in July and August, while the sun is strong enough for swimming but not yet at its peak. Between 12h and 16h, move indoors, into shade, or onto the water: it’s the hottest stretch of the day and where most of this list earns its place. After 17h, many visiting families pack up mid-afternoon, which frees up beach space for a second session through to sunset.

6.

Rafa Nadal Museum Xperience

A slick, high-energy museum in Manacor celebrating Mallorca’s most famous sportsman. Between trophies, holograms and VR sports simulators, it’s part inspiration, part amusement centre, and fully air-conditioned throughout.

The simulators cover cycling, rowing and Formula 1 alongside tennis, and there’s a good café overlooking the real-world courts if you want to catch a game. Allow around ninety minutes to two hours to do it properly. 

Visit website


7.

MUCBO Natural Science Museum, Sóller

A small but interesting museum, packed with curiosities. You’ll find fossils, Tramuntana geology, and a collection of preserved animals. The showstopper is the world’s oldest mammal ancestor, discovered in Mallorca in 2024. It lived around 270 million years ago, long before the dinosaurs.

With kids, it’s best to book a MUCBO Explorer family tour, which adds stories and games that make the visit more interactive. Once you’ve had enough of the air conditioning, the adjoining Botanical Gardens are worth a wander, and there’s a cute cafe for a cool down after. Visit website


8.

Indoor Sports and Active Fun in Mallorca

Indoor Wall Mallorca, Palma, is a bright, air-conditioned climbing centre with routes for all ages and abilities, a spacious café, and holiday camps for children during school breaks. InRock Climbing Gym, also Palma, is newer and slightly smaller, popular with serious climbers of all ages, with friendly instructors, all gear included and plenty of kids’ classes.

For trampolines and soft play instead, Super Rabbit (Marratxí) and Palma Jump both have plenty of AC controlled space for little people to burn off steam. More on these and plenty of other indoor sport-and-adventure venues in the rainy day activities guide.


9.

Indoor Padel Courts in Mallorca

Mallorca has lots of covered or indoor options if anyone in the family plays. These are two of our favourites: Padel Factory Mallorca (Palma), indoor and covered courts, lessons and equipment hire, and Smash Padel Group (Alcúdia), modern courts, a gym and a café for spectators.


10.

Indoor Amusements for Families

SeaGolf, Magaluf, is mini golf meets glow-in-the-dark art: small, silly and surprisingly fun, air-conditioned and open all year. Katmandu Park, also Magaluf, delivers serious distraction when you need it: an upside-down house full of illusions and puzzles, Spain’s largest indoor soft play in Katopia, plus 4D cinema and laser tag. If you decide to head outside into the sunshine, there’s outdoor mini golf and splash park action too.


11.

Indoor Creative Activities for Kids in Mallorca

A slower, air-conditioned couple of hours away from the sun. L’Atelier, Numéro 74, Palma, runs kids’ ceramic workshops and more for ages four and up: an hour of painting or crafting in small groups, with parents welcome to sit in. In Sóller, Lula Luca offers hand-building in a beautiful setting. Along in Deià, De Haan Gallery Studio runs ceramics workshops with the wheel, suitable for families, from their working artist’s studio.

For a taste of Mallorcan tradition instead, Forn de sa Llotgeta, in an 18th-century bakery in the heart of Palma, runs a hands-on ensaïmada workshop: shaping and stretching the dough with saïm (Mallorca lard), then eating it fresh from the oven with ice cream (or hot choc in cooler months). Suitable for kids from around seven, in small groups of up to eight, with private sessions available for younger children or bigger families.


12.

Cinema & Shopping Centres

Mallorca Fashion Outlet, Marratxí, combines outdoor outlet shopping with a cinema (some English-language screenings), restaurants and indoor EKarts, plus Monkey Park soft play to keep younger children busy while you browse. 

Porto Pi, Palma, has big-name stores (indoor and outdoor), cafés, an arcade zone for kids, and a deluxe cinema showing some English-language films.

FAN Mallorca, Palma, near the airport, is semi-covered with cinema, family dining and plenty of shops including a big Decathlon and international names like Primark, H&M and Mango, a solid backup plan close to the airport.

At any of the three, always look for VOSE (versión original subtitulada en español) when checking listings, which means the film plays in its original language rather than dubbed into Spanish. 


For more museums and indoor air-conditioned activities, our rainy day activities guide has plenty more ideas.


FAQ: Mallorca Hot Weather with Kids

Is Mallorca too hot for children in July?

 Not if you plan around it. Mornings before 10h and evenings from 17h are brilliant for the beach and outdoor play; the middle of the day (12h to 16h) is when it’s worth moving indoors, into shade, or onto the water.

What is the hottest month in Mallorca?

August is typically the hottest, with July close behind. Both regularly see daytime highs past 30°C, occasionally reaching 35°C or more inland.

What are the signs of heat exhaustion in children, and what should I do?

Watch for flushed skin, heavy sweating, tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea or unusual irritability. Move your child into shade or an air-conditioned space, loosen or remove excess clothing, cool them with water or cool, damp cloths, and encourage frequent sips of water if they’re alert and able to drink. They should start to feel better within about 30 minutes. If they become confused, collapse, have a seizure, have a very high temperature, or don’t improve quickly, treat it as heat stroke and call the emergency services immediately.

What should children wear in Mallorca in summer? 

the best thing you can do I pack a UV protected swim suit or shirt. .

What time should you avoid the beach?

Roughly 12h to 16h is when the sun is at its most intense. Many families do a morning session before 10h and a second one from 17h onwards.

Are restaurants air conditioned in Mallorca? 

Most indoor restaurants are, though many places offer outdoor terraces and shaded courtyards instead.

Is Palma Aquarium good on very hot days? 

Yes. It’s fully air-conditioned, with a splash pad outside if children want to cool off in the sun as well.

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