In my opinion, Los Cristianos (Arona, Tenerife) has developed into the perfect family holiday resort. With the advantage of its perfect climate, long very hot summers and warm dry winters, (it is a small piece of Europe off the African coast) Los Cristianos has grown over fifty years from the small fishing village to the top quality holiday destination today. It is quick and easy to get to with frequent flights to the local airport from all over the UK and Europe, Reina Sofia International is only about 10 miles away so there is no tedious bus or car journey either.
There is accommodation to suit everyone in Los Cristianos, from modern luxury hotels and deluxe self catering apartments to the more basic package holiday type apart hotels. All the facilities the modern tourist expects can be found in Los Cristianos or a short ride away including the beaches, which are first class (with their famous black sand) and have all the usual water sports, showers, loungers and bars at hand. As you would expect the restaurants cater for every taste, from the fast food outlets, family friendly tourist restaurants and multi cultural takeaways to the Spanish tapas bars offering the local Canarian cuisine, all for very reasonable prices.
In the evening Los Cristianos comes alive with entertainment for everyone, although the younger generation tend to party in the famous discos of Playa de las Americas (a short cab ride away), there is every type available locally.
Tenerife has a very low tax status, so shopping in Los Cristianos is a favourite pastime, with bargains to be had in electronics, jewellery, drink and cigarettes, but remember restrictions apply to bringing them back to the United Kingdom, if you break the limits you will have to pay import duty.
When you get bored lazing by the swimming pool or on the beach in Los Cristianos there are loads of trips to take or sights to see, some of the most popular are dolphin and whale watching boat trips, pleasure cruises on glass bottom boats, fishing trips, party cruises, water parks or my favourite the tour of Mount Teide (unbelievable views). The more active visitors go for the first class golf, horse riding, biking or water sports including sailing, scuba diving and paragliding. Children are also well catered for with everything from pedalos to play parks.
Nowadays with the help of the web, people are increasingly turning away from package holidays to Los Cristianos and booking directly their own hotels or villas, flights and car hire, indeed good savings can be made especially for large families. I always advise to check the availability and prices of accommodation and flights, but book the flights first as you can always find somewhere else to stay, but especially at peak times flights can be at a premium.