Salou can someone get me excited about it?

[donajimena]

I'm obviously really lucky to be having a holiday. Lets get that out of the way.
Usually we go to Nerja but due the ages of the children we decided we'd go to salou and visit Portaventura.
However I'm wondering what we can do for the rest of the trip? Any tips on the best beaches? I'd like a non built up one with maybe a nice bar on.
Also is there anyway near that is more typically Spanish (old style with cobbled streets tapas bars etc)?
Also any tips for portaventura? We have two day passes and as we are only going for one week I'm wondering if its better to go at night and keep the days free for exploring.
Thank you.

My kids preferred the water park to the theme park, we had 3 day passes and used to do one at the theme, and two at the water park.

Not sure about beaches because we stayed at Benissanet, inland.

I went to Salou last year, it was amazing. We did everything, water park, theme park, beach and going out in the night was good too.

You're not that far from Barcelona for a day trip, or even Girona if you're into Game of a Thrones!

Game of Thrones even!

There is a land train from Salou to Portaventura but it is walkable from the hotels at the back of the resort.

You can take in drinks but not food. Food prices are not as bad as expected.

If I was going for 2 days I would go 1 day daytime & 1 late afternoon until closing time - there are fireworks, parade and boats in the lake. The shortest queue times I have seen were mid-week, cloudy day, early evening & later on.

Shambhala & dragon Khan are the 2 big rollercoasters and queues are long. There are electronic boards with queue times around the park. Sometimes 1 ride has a short queue time. The only ride we didn't like was the 3D show/ride (was Ice Age last time but they change it).

There are lots of shows, our favourites were the Wild West Adventure & bird show. I doubt you'll manage them all in 2 days.

Sesame Street area is great for small children & there is a show there. The characters also pop up for photos in the park and also drive past.

Cirque du soleil were in Salou for 2 years (entrance near to Portaventura). But shuts at the end of August each year.

If you go to the water park it is virtually impossible to get a sun bed. But the rides and pools are great.

We didn't go to the beach in the day but I think it is a v long sandy beach.

You can get the bus to Tarragona easily.

Have a great time!

We'll be doing a day at the waterpark too. I have considered going into Barcelona. I think its fairly easy by train, but I have been to Barcelona a few times so I'm wondering where else we can head to.
I'm not a Game of Thrones fan but I'll check out Girona. We don't have a car so it will have to be public transport.

Ahhh, this had brought back memories! We used to go to Salou when we were kids and had such great holidays there. It is built up and touristy in places, but tarragona is really nice for the ruins and Barcelona is in easy reach. I've been to Nerja too and they are quite different resorts, but Salou is very family friendly, lots of places to eat out and shop and the beaches were nice too.

Have a fabulous holiday!

I have always wanted to go to Tarragona. I didn't realise how close it was thats definitely on the list.

Watching with interest as we'll likely be heading to that area next year with a large family group. Not my first choice of holiday but so many people to please. Don't like extreme heat, too much lying round a pool or theme parks (neither does one of my kids really). Prefer to see the area while on holiday than sit in an AI all day. Would like to do Barcelona & perhaps some kind of boat trip. Would love to see Cirque de Soleil (as would DD) but from a quick Google looks ££££££!

Thinking of staying at Estival Park (Just outside Salou) which is next door to water park, walking distance to local town and has beach access (so can make frequent escapes from AI ). Where are you staying? Does anyone have recommendations?

Sorry to hijack!

We've just booked Salou. Rough plan is a trip to Cambrills, Tarragona and Barcelona although Girona is looking interesting (DP is a huge GOT fan).

My hotel reviews keep mentioning that Burger King is nearby. Any speciality Spanish whoppers available?

On a serious note it looks like it will be good for our dd2 but, yes, is there an 'old town'?

We stayed just between Salou and Cambrils and definitely preferred Cambrils. Easy to get to from Salou about 15 mins on the bus. The beach opposite our hotel was lovely, fairly quite with plenty of room, Sea was warm and calm. We stayed in vilafortuny , really wished we had gone to tarragon.

Tarragona is amazing. We came back from Salou this week and it was a higlight of the holiday.
Get a t10 card from the Plana bus shops in Salou (easy to find) and it's about 15 Euros. Everyone in your party can share the card and each credit is one trip for one person. Really makes it cheaper than paying for fare on the bus. The Roman amphitheatre is ace (you pay a small charge to go down to it) and the Cathedral is well worth trying to find. It was 5E for an adult and 3E for children to enter and was a beautiful place to visit.

The park is fun. Def aim to stay for the end of the day parade (starts at about half 11) and fireworks. It's worth finding somewhere good to sit and watch them by 11 at the latest as it gets busy. The action all happens on the lake itself so it's easy to find space.

The shows in the park are good. My DDs loved the fire throwing which is about 9 at night. Again, aim to get there a bit earlier as it fills up fast - we never got a seat for that one!

Water park was good. If you don't have your ticket yet, wait to buy it as you leave the park one day as it's cheaper by 30% to buy on exit from PA park rather than online. I had a bit of fuss because my 4 day ticket hadn't yet expired so they wouldn't sell to me, but I queued up at guest services at the entry to PA and they sorted it for me no problem. We didn't get a sunbed but don't do sunbathing anyway, so no loss. Instead we were able to find shade under canopies on fake grass and laid down towels to lounge on instead. Food not too much of a ripoff. They do check bags, but they let you take in water bottles (and didn't think of this myself) if you wrap a small amount of food/snacks up well in your towel they prob won't notice.

The fountains in Salou on the front (a lovely walk with the palm trees) are cute, but kitch. Popular though!

Burger king is on the front. Really easy to find. And right next door is macdonalds. Which is handy if you want to be able to get 2 for 1 entry into the Aquopolis water park in La Pineda (a bus ride away) as long as you've downloaded the app.

Michelangelo's is a well stocked supermarket that doesn't exactly say supermarket on - unlike the one we aimed for when we first got there that only really sold crisps and drinks!

We loved it. So much that we've already booked for next year as it ticked so many of the boxes for me (hotel/beach/historical town) and the kids (pool/park/waterpark).

Tarragona amphitheatre
Salou fountains
Tarragona cathedral