Ten weeks to go and starting to start planning the litte aspects of our trip. We have booked a car for collection from the airport and I am hoping someone can tell me the best way to get to Playa Blanca from the airport.

Its really simple actually.
Come out of the airport, look for signs fo YAIZA. This takes you under the "main" road and then its a mainly straight road (a few roundabouts-straight on) until Yaiza. At the converted windmill follow the circunvalacion, 1st right, then stay on this main road all the way into Playa Blanca. As you get there its a petrol station, then follow instructions to your chosen hotel, apartment, villa etc.

The other way to find it is the road name. In UK roads are the A1, A2 etc. In Lanzarote they are all LZ something. LZ2 is the dual carriageway outside the airport. Playa Blanca is the end of LZ2, via Yaiza, so just stay on LZ2 and stop when you hit the beach!

Thanks for that, I will stop when my feet start to get wet.

If you can get up to 160 KPH when you reach the beach, you might get to Fuerteventura before you sink, it's only about 8 Ks!

Hello Nick, if you go on to YouTube and search on "Lanzarote how to" you'll find a number of useful videos showing how to get around parts of the island including how to get out of the airport. I'm going to be doing the same thing later in the year, it'll be only the second time I've driven abroad. Our plane will be getting there when it's dark, so I wanted to have a good idea of where I'm going! I've found that looking at these videos in conjunction with using Google Maps means I have a pretty good idea of how to get there. Hope it helps!

The only trick to finding PB from the airport is that the exit from the airport goes round lots of curves, then splits where the Yaiza road goes under the LZ2 and comes round a clover leaf onto the Southbound lane on the far side, whilst the Arrecife road curves around to the right before the LZ2 to go up the ramp heading North. So, you have to watch out for the Yaiza and Arrecife sign, which is only a few feet off the ground.

I agree with what everybody has said. The most tricky part i getting out of the airport itself. There are several roundabouts within the airport area but stay cool and keep in the outside lane at all times. Look for the word "Ciudad" (city) written on the road itself. You should be in that lane. When you drive over "ciudad", the exit from the airport is immediately after. As is the split between Arrecife and Yaiza. Follow signs to Yaiza and you will be on the right track immediately after......

And trust me, driving on this island is very simple. Roads in general of high standard and very well marked. You'll probably get a map from the rental agency, - and that may be all you need. Keep your eyes on the road and not on the sat nav.

I have heard remarks from first timers to Playa Blanca that they find the road from Yaiza to PB a bit long and also a bit dark at night. Which in fact is true. It is also (for some at least) a very fast road, - but after some 15 minutes in complete darkness (after Yaiza) in the middle of nowhere (it seems), you'll see some industrial buildings on your right. That's where PB starts, and a few hundred meters down the road is your first PB roundabout...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2k3Fbn45Pw

Watch this video up to 3:30 he doesn't take LZ-2 but heads off on a slip road to Guime, but you can see exactly how to get out of the airport in it.

Thanks for that, I have been able to find out exactly how to get to our hotel from this.

Nick & Jo

One of senor Lanzarote1's videos will also show how to get back into the airport, though I was wondering if there is a particular area where you pick up the hire cars - is it within the main parking zone itself and do you have to pass the ticket barrier? It would be handy if anyone knows but I guess I'll just find that out when we get there.

Hopefully no volcanos in Iceland will be erupting when it's our time to travel!

You can normally sign up for your car whilst waiting for your luggage.
Then there is a dedicated car hire parking zone where you exit straight out in front of the main Terminal 1 building.

Most of the car companies have offices in the baggage hall, at the far left as you enter from the aircraft side. It's a good idea, especially If you are using Autoreisen- who are the most popular - to leave one person to get a trolley and go to the carousel, whilst the other races off the aircraft as fast as possible to the car office.

Remember to take your credit card, passports and driving licences for all those you want to drive - one person can do it all. The cars are just across the road.

Care hire pick-up was across the road from arrivals but last Autumn this was moved upstairs to a part of the public car park. It has its own exit so you don't go through a barrier but it does mean that the first few hundred yards are not as shown on this video, you will actually go round by the taxi rank before joining the road shown in the video

Yepp Eric, - this is all back to normal right now.......... They had closed the normal pick-up area for refurbishment, - but that has now reopened and everything is like it used to be.....

The video is not up to date.........

Arrecife airport probably has the easiest rentacar pick-up i have seen in any air-port when I come to think of it......