If you had a car in the algarve where would you go?

[broomers]

We're staying around Albufeira and have a hire car for 5 days so wanted to use it to explore, we'll also have a 6 and 2 year old in tow so I guess driving to very high cliffs/rocky coastal paths will be out of the question.
I don't really drink do evening dinner options, any nice restaurants high up with amazing views would be great to hear about too!

Vilamoura marina is a great place for people watching in the evening and has masses of restaurants. If you want to see a more traditional Portuguese town Loule is not far away and Tavira, almost on the border with Spain is lovely. The N125 is a horrible road to drive - the A22 motorway (can't remember if it is a toll road) is good.

A22 is supposed to be a toll road but in 15 years of using it I have never paid.
Pop over the border to Ayamonte in Spain or go to Monte Gordo on the border

Can highly recommend Lagos Zoo, would choose this over Zoomarine where there are animal welfare issues

Krazyworld is also fun with the right age of kids, I think would probably be better for your older DC than your younger

Silves is a nice day trip, really pretty town with a castle and cobbled streets.

Tavira is also worth a visit.

Praia da Rocha and Praia da Luz are both really nice beaches for families, usually have lifeguards and are calm enough for paddling / swimming in the sea.

Alte is said to be the prettiest village in the Algarve, Cape St Vincent is a long drive but really spectacular scenery - but a lot colder and windier than Albufeira. Krazyworld is quite small, DD enjoyed it at 2 but not sure we’d bother again but would do the water parks instead. Last year we did the river boat from Ferragudo to Praia da Rocha and back. Nice restaurants on both sides. This year we are doing boat trip (from Albufeira though) and driving over the border to Spain. You could just go to some further away beaches, I really like the ones around Carvoeiro. One year we did a boat trip around the lagoons in Faro.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone and good tip on the A22!

How about a day trip to Lisbon?