Family boat trips from Blanes: best options 2026
Best family boat trips from Blanes: large skippered boat with snorkelling, tourist catamarans, coastal lines. Prices, ages and practical tips.
Heading out to sea with kids from Blanes works much better on a large skippered boat than on a self-service hire. The reason is simple: piloting needs continuous attention, and with small children that attention is somewhere else. A wide boat with a guide solves the whole problem — you don’t think about navigation, you think about enjoying.
This guide covers the real options for family boat trips out of Blanes harbour, with practical detail for parents: minimum ages, what each departure includes, what to bring and what to skip.
Why a large boat beats a small one when you bring kids
| Aspect | Large boat with guide | Small self-service boat |
|---|---|---|
| Space on board | Wide, shaded zones, toilet on board | Tight space, no shade, no toilet |
| Safety | Professional crew, kids’ life jackets | You’re it, no safety net |
| Food and drink | On-board bar, usually included | Bring your own cool box |
| Snorkelling | Age-appropriate kit, marked cove stop | You handle it all |
| Stability in chop | Better (large hull) | Worse (small boat moves more) |
| Comfortable duration with kids | 2–3 hours | 1–2 hours maximum |
Practical summary: unless you already have boating experience and the kids are older and independent, the large boat wins on the effort-to-enjoyment ratio.
The real options out of Blanes harbour
Atlantis Experience (the most complete family option)
A 24-metre vessel with bar, toilets, shaded decks, snorkelling kit for all ages. It’s a family-friendly trip on a large boat, with 4.9★ on Google and 320+ verified reviews.
Practical detail:
- Duration: 3 hours (out ~1 h + swim/snorkel stop 1 h + back ~1 h)
- Ages: from babies (under 3s usually free or heavily reduced)
- Capacity: large (around 100 places), useful for groups
- Languages: bilingual ES/EN commentary
- Includes: snorkelling kit, swim mats, drinks, snacks
- Departures: morning (calmer, families with small children), afternoon (livelier), sunset
- Cancellation: 100% in the event of rain, date change or refund
- Operating: April–October
It’s the option I’d recommend most if you’re going with children under 10: the combination of space, shade, on-board commentary and services is built precisely for this audience. Atlantis Experience covers virtually the whole season.
Other family boat-trip options
- Tourist catamarans — some seasons see catamarans running half-day departures from the harbour. Different layouts (bow nets to lie on, twin hull with less motion). Best to ask at the harbour ticket office on the day.
- Regular coastal lines like Dofí Jet Boats — these are fast boats connecting Blanes with Calella, Lloret and Tossa. They’re not tourist trips with stops, they’re transport. Useful if you want to take the kids to another coastal town without using the car, but not a sea-day in themselves.
- Family fishing trips — some local fishermen run morning fishing departures with kid-appropriate commentary. More of a niche, but memorable for children old enough to focus (8+).
Practical tips for going with kids
1. Set off in the morning. The midday sun is fierce and the afternoon wind moves the boat more. Morning departures (10:00–13:00) work best for younger kids.
2. Seasickness: bring acupressure bands or a preventative tablet. Children’s antihistamine tablets (paediatric formulation) are taken 30 minutes before boarding. Sea-Band-style acupressure bands work for many children without medication. If your child gets carsick, they’ll almost certainly get seasick — better to handle it preventively.
3. Sunscreen is non-negotiable on board. Even with shade, water reflection amplifies UV. Factor 50+ applied 20 minutes before departure, reapplied every 90 minutes on board.
4. Hat with a chinstrap. Wind takes loose hats overboard, and retrieving them with a large boat isn’t always doable.
5. Bring a full change of clothes. Yes, they come back wet even if you don’t think they’ll get in. A dry bag for phones too.
6. Light food before and during. Light breakfast, not a full one. Salty snacks on board (greasy food makes seasickness worse).
7. Age-appropriate life jackets. Serious operators provide children’s sizes, but confirm at booking. For the very young, a swim mat is not a substitute for a life jacket.
8. Book ahead in August. Morning slots sell out several days ahead in peak season. Outside August there’s usually room on the day.
Better with younger or older kids?
| Age range | Recommended departure |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | Short morning departure. Large boat essential. |
| 3–6 years | 3-hour morning departure with easy snorkelling at a cove. Mind the sun and the seasickness. |
| 7–10 years | Any slot works — they can enjoy the snorkelling and the commentary. |
| 11+ | Worth considering longer trips too, sunset departures or fishing-combined options. |
Best time of year with kids
As with the other Blanes sea plans: June and September are the sweet spot. Warm water (22–24 °C), light wind, fewer crowds than in August. If August is the only option, prioritise morning departures and book ahead.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can children start going on a boat? From babies on a large skippered boat. Short departures (2–3 hours) are perfectly compatible with infants, provided they’re in a life jacket or sling and protected from the sun.
Do kids need to be able to swim to board? Not to board. To get in the water during the swim stop, it depends: in a shallow cove with a life jacket, non-swimmer kids can splash around under supervision.
Do guided trips stop for lunch? Some do (full-day ones). Standard 3-hour departures usually include snacks on board during the swim stop, not a full lunch.
What if my child gets seasick during the trip? The crew is used to it and usually carries a basic kit. Fresh air, hydration, looking at the horizon. If it’s severe, they head back early (short trips always allow this). That’s why a preventative tablet 30 minutes before helps a lot.
Can I bring a pushchair? Yes — large boats accept them (stored in a safe area). On board the baby stays in arms or a sling during cruising.
In short
For a family sea-day from Blanes, a large skippered boat beats a self-service hire on capacity, shade, services and safety net. The 3-hour morning departure is the sweet-spot format: enough time for a proper swim stop without tiring out small children. Book ahead in August and set off early whenever you can.
To combine the boat with other plans, follow on to what to do in Blanes from the sea or to the best beaches in Blanes to fill the afternoon after a morning trip.