Canaries in winter - advice please

[Lemonmeringue1]

Hi, hope someone can share their experiences/advice. Thinking of booking a week in the Canaries (warmest in winter in Europe) last week of January/early February. Travelling with an 18-month old and probably all inclusive, as the difference in price from half board to all inclusive is relatively small so seems good value. (And hopefully, will avoid spending extra as much as possible!!)
I've never been to the islands, or travelled with a child, or all inclusive! So any tips, tricks, recommendations and questions to ask most welcome.
Thanks in advance x

I've been to Tenerife twice in Feb, both times it was sunny but not hot, hot, prob 19/20 on a good day, sitting in the shade was a bit chilly and evenings got colder. You'd definitely want a heated pool! I have no other advice though as I went in my younger days and spent most of my time either hungover or drunk - the freezing cold pool was a great hangover cure!

It might be worth having a look at Cape Verde. Being 2 hours south of the Canaries the weather is usually better.

Of course Lemon I'm no Simon Calder though

A lot all depends on resort & hotel.

Tenerife:
Pro's: lots to do, some nice resorts
Los Gigantes for example. Also accessible from more regional airports
cons: can feel very built up in places in major resorts

Lanzorote:
Pros: Lots to do again
Cons: windy. Not like Fueturventura however, more so than normal

Gran Canaria:
Pros: nice resorts, good duty free shopping & Maspalomas was good to visit
Cons: some areas are very built up

I think a resort & hotel can make a holiday, so picking them wisely would be my main consideration

Thanks all. Funny that you should mention Cape Verde nbee84, as I ended up looking at "any destination" in my price bracket and it came up, it is more expensive but looks nice. Seems like a new destination as not a huge amount of info out there. Some posts mention it being gale force-level windy in winter though which is freaking me out somewhat!

One of my best friends has just come back from Cape Verde and says she'd never go back in a million years.

One of my friends goes to Cape Verde for great windsurfing!

Why is that BitOutOfPractice?

Tbh I have looked at some more reviews for Cape Verde and they are at best mixed, for a total flight time of 10 hours and the expense I would want to be a bit more convinced!

Back to the Canaries drawing board...

I went to tenerife in Oct once and it was distinctly cool. Too cold to swim in either the pool or the sea. Dd was on the beach and I remember having a fleece on, that was the coldest day. Other days were ok in a tshirt, maybe slightly too cool, but not sunbathing weather at all.

We went to Lanzarote once at the start of February. It certainly wasn't roasting hot - I remember the hotel pool being rather bracing, but it was pleasant enough to go out during the day and we enjoyed going to the Cesar Manrique house. It did get quite windy in the evenings.

We've been to Southern Tenerife 6 times now - but each time in the October break when we find it perfect temperature wise at around mid twenties.

I would imagine for February it would be a bit hit or miss - but that would be the same for all the Canary islands. Costa Adeje is a nice resort with some golden beaches, lots of gentle entertainment such as mini golf and street entertainers and some nice restaurants ( although less relevant though if you are AI).

If you want guaranteed hot weather at that time of year, you'd need to go a lot further.

Weather was crap (August), the food made them all ill and there is nothing else on the island apart from the hotels. Oh, and flies.

As the PP said AI may not actually suit you. When our DC were young we found it very difficult to keep them going to the start of dinner which can be as late as 7pm in the off season. They were ready for dinner by 5 and by 7 were past their best! Self catering and having the option to eat early some nights and get the baby settled then relax with some wine might suit you better.

If you go AI call the hotel before you book and ask the mesl times in January- i always do so as not to get caught out.

I can give you my experiences (bit of a winter canaries veteran)

Tenerife-has the most consistent warm not hot weather and not windy. Been in November and January. Pleasant and the sun does not burn IME. However, some resorts are Brits Abroad and tacky. Choose carefully but can be a nice winter break that doesn't break the bank

Lanzarote-been in February and froze my arse off. Had to go and buy warm clothes. The wind was fierce and had rain every day. Worst holiday of my life. In my opinion though, the most "authentic" spanish holiday with most to see and do.

Gran Canaria-been several times in Jan and Feb. On average, half the week would be warm and sunny and the other half cool and rainy requiring car headlights on at midday. Or even half days where you start/end with a fleece and strip off to a bikini in the middle. Got some good suntans though. Playa Amadores is family friendly but hilly. Lovely walks to Puerto Rico which is mostly tacky. Avoid Playa del Ingles. Maspalomas has dunes. Not especially windy island.

Fuerteventura-never bothered with it as I can't stand windy weather.

Have a great time !

I love Fuerteventura but it's really windy. We're not overly fussed on Lanzarote.

We've been to Cape Verde (Boa Vista) and it was beautiful. It was windy, not overly so and not as windy as Fuerteventura. We never got ill and didn't see any flies. The sea is rough and it's not really somewhere where children can paddle. We went in the March and it was red hot, my parents went at Christmas time and it was hot then too.

My friend has just been to Sal. She loved it too. She never got ill, she loved the island and is planning on going back. We'll be going back at some time too.

I would go back to Cape Verde. We went a couple of years ago March time. Weather was great, boiling. But, I was bored stiff. There were A LOT of people moaning on the flight home about how there was nothing to do and how they couldn't wait to get home. This was after one week! Oh and the was VERY rough when we were there so we didn't get much swimming in apart from in the pool. Anything that has been imported is mega expensive (so basically everything)

That should have said wouldn't go back!

Would say Jan and Feb are the worst months weather wise on Tenerife
I have friends who stay all winter and it always seems to nosedive in Feb

If you are going to do a ten hour flight best go to Florida.
Caribe cove in Kissimmee is lovely.
At least there's loads to do if the weather is not good.
Cost flights, caribe cove and car separately, then try someone like Travelocity and see where you get the best price.

Cuba also should still in be nice in Feb. My friend likes varadero and the iberostar.

I looked at longer haul destinations and there is no way we can afford it, sadly. For one person who has had great weather on Tenerife there is always another who has not (especially if like you say people who live there aren't happy with the weather!) was getting quite excited about booking somewhere but it's a lot of money to spend on bad weather! X

These are the average temperatures for Tenerife in Jan & Feb:
January 17°C 62°F.
February 17°C 63°F.
So it is likely to be pleasant but not super hot.

Have you priced up doing the holiday yourselves rather than through a travel agent which is more pricey? It's very easy to get from Tenerife airport to say Costa Adeje and it's about a 25 Euro taxi ride. I generally get the flights through skyscanner.net and then we have a place that we like to go to, but you could get hotel through booking.com or book direct through the hotel.

Playa blanca has white sandy beaches (thus the name!) - imported I think but you wouldn't know it it does look natural. We are going for the 4th time this year. Really recommend it. You should be able to get cheap flights there at that time of year - Ryan air, easy jet, Thomas cook and monarch all do flights. We are mixing and matching, flying out with one airline and back with a different one as it worked out cheaper. We do owners direct and get a little property near to the harbour, have stayed in a few different places through owners direct mainly. Let me know if you want more details about the properties. Some are as cheap as around £200 per week. A very reasonable priced holiday.

Been to the Canaries, but mostly end of November
Lanzarote was nice and warm, so was Gran Canaria. Fuerteventura was warm but windy, in Tenerife it was raining most of the time.
If I had to choose where to go with a small kid, I'd opt for Gran Canaria I think. Lanzarote is super cool, but would go there with friends perhaps, there's tons to see, but not with a small kid. In Gran Canaria there are peaceful beach alleys (Maspalomas beach is enormous!), the capital Las Palmas is very nice for walking, plenty of hotels. And yes, you certainly need a heated pool with an 18-month old.

It's not bad weather lemon meringue it's just not hot weather.
We go out end of Feb when it's just starting to get much warmer.
It will be cool in the morning and when the sun dips .
If you get yourself a little sun trap for part of the day you should get what you came for.

Unless there's a calima..then you won't see the sun for a couple of days.

Going in October for three weeks.
Can't wait ;-)

Thanks Dowser. Have a lovely time, hope the weather is good for you :)