Hi
May I say what a great site this is! Everyone seems so friendly and helpful. Joining and reading through a lot of the posts has already answered a lot of my questions.
I fly over on the 24th with my Mum and 2 teenage daughters for 2 weeks. It's costing me a fortune and we haven't been abroad for few years so I want everything to be as perfect as it can be.
From what I've read I'll just hire a car the 2nd week from Pluscars or Autoreisen. I should know by then whether paying the extra for A/C is essential.
We're staying at Playa Blanca, Apartments Sun Beach. Any info there?
We prefer entertainment that's NOT 18-30 but NOT Darby n Joan either, any hints? When I booked months ago I read something about a drag act that looked like fun but can't remember where.
My youngest turns 14 while we're there so would like to do something special for her. I've got details of diving club from this site, thanks, I know she'd love to do that.
What are the best trips, how much do they cost and where's best to book from? I want to see as much of this beautiful island as I can.
Many thanks

check out my post 'Playa blanca-our man at the table reports.' Have posted my thoughts and others have helped with the names I could not remember.
Playa Blanca is ace. have a great time.

If you're hiring a car for the 2nd week you'd be as well doing it for the 2 weeks and pick it up at the airport, the taxi fares you'll save will pay for the extra week. A/C is essential, and it's not much more.

One place you must visit is Timanfaya national park. The Cesar Manrique foundation is also well worth a visit.

Cheers Captain, beautiful post BTW, especially so as I've been getting nervous as the departure time nears and it's been pouring down all day here.
Thanks Robert, it would be more cost effective to hire a car for 2 weeks but I'm gonna have my work cut out getting my girls away from the pool so I've promised them chill out for 1st week. Spent 2 weeks in Kos a few years ago with my EX mother-in-law and she refused to move from the pool side apart from to get offensively drunk but that's a whole other story lol

Hi Gail, I'd also recommend having the car for the fortnight, pick it up from the airport, it's dead easy & the roads are a piece of cake to drive on. Just have it for convenience for the 1st week and do your touring in the second but it's not expensive - I've just hired a brand new citeroen C3 with air-con CD/MP3 etc for less than €100 a week so it's better value than the coach transfers or taxis.

Timanfaya, Mirador Del Rio, Jameos Del Agua & Cuevos De Las Verdes, Teguise Market (sundays), feeding the fish at Puerto Rubicon & Puerto Calero, Papagayo beaches, El Golfo & Los Hervideros - all good days out. Don't book with the reps, just get in the car and go for it !!!

Have a good time,

Hux.

Thanks Hux
Where did you hire from? I've got airport transfer with package. Would you recommend booking hire car before I set off or when I get there?

If you have a transfer anyway then it wouldn't make sense to pick the car up at the airport, unless you can cancel your transfer and get your money back. But I'd pre book, you can pick your car up at the harbour if you pre-book with autoriesen, they also include all the insurance you need.

http://www.autoreisen.es/ingles/home.php

Hux has some good recommendations there for days out!

There's also the volcano visitor centre which you can find by driving past the timanfaya visitor centre and carrying until you find it on the left hand side. It is free, and very informative. Audio visual displays and downstairs there is a re-construction of the eruptions, with sound etc, etc. (this sometimes doesn't work )

Hi Welcome aboard!

I would agree with picking the car up at the airport, even if you have transfers. You're going straight to your destination, not herded onto a coach, waiting for stragglers (there's always at least two! ) dropping off all and sundry at different hotels and taking three times as long to get there. Just remember, as a courtesy, to let the rep at Arrecife know you won't be boarding the coach, so they're not hanging around waiting for you

As well as others recommendations would suggest visiting Caesar Manrique's house, weird and wonderful, even your girls will think it's "cool"; and look out for his sculptures on the roundabouts.
Lanzarote struck me as quite bleak on arrival, but it's strange beauty grows on you very quickly. Most people are rightly very proud of the island, and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time visiting this lovely place.

Happy holidaying!

Thanks Anne,
I'm building up quite an itinerary.
32 days and counting!

Save time for karaoke!

Oh Zabadak, my kids would disown me. They won't let me live down my drunken rendition of "Amarillo" a few Christmasses ago lol

Hi Gail

I'm sure you know that Sun Beach is relatively close to the town centre and so is an easy walk in to town and also nice and easy to walk to the lovely Marina rubicon. For entertainment there is CC Papagayo just behind the Dorada beach (literally at the end of the road for you) which has live music bars, karaoke bars, cafes, restaurants nice and close - if you go to Marina Rubicon in the large shopping centre there is 10 pin bowling and a mini-golf and behind the harbour (other end of town centre) is CC Punta Limones also with some live music bars and karaoke bars as well (also the towns only Fish & Chip restaurant).
On Dorada beach there are plenty of activities including para-sailing (towed behind a boat in a parachute), banana boats, pedalos, jetskis, kayaks and other watersports - along the promenade in Kikoland is a football school for fun and skills - in CC Papagayo is "Hubs & Tubs" a new bike rental place with some very cool pedal karts as well as bikes and by the harbour is "Electrobike" with electric bike rental (to take you further). There are plenty of dive schools, personally I dive with Marina Rubicon diving and they have a new English instructor Rich who as an ex-teacher is very patient with new people learning.
As for the car-hire if you really do want to not visit anywhere in your first week (are you really sure?) then it will be cheaper to hire it for a week - autoreisen or Felycar (in resort) are good places to start for pricing!
To go to a "drag" show you will need to go out of the resort as there isn't a drag show in Playa Blanca many different tributes in lots of the bars and even a fantastic snake show! I'm sure you will have the most fantastic of holidays!

Phil

Santa Barbara Castle on a volcano near Teguise hosts a museum of the history of the Canarian people. Very interesting to find the links to San Antonio in America etc, also spectacular views.
The Agricultural Museum in Tiagua, showing what used to be a working farm with wine tasting and tapas.
The Tanit museum in San Bartolomé, an old style house.
The antonio padron art museum (www.antoniopadron.org) in Tías.
Lanzarote Aquarium in Costa Teguise........

How long you on the Island for???
Want any more idea´s?

Gail,

Hi - the car hire kiosks at the airport are right next to the baggage reclaim belts and the cars are parked <50m away so hiring them is really easy. I booked with Autoriesen on-line.
Cymmon knows the island better than most (including me but only 'cos he lives there!!) and he can recommend some trips that you'd never get from the "Hello and welcome to Lanzarotty - My name is Tracey tee-hee, now can I sell you lots of overpriced trips tee-hee" that you'd get on the coach transfer.

Hope you have a great time.

Hux.

Thanks Phil, Cymmon n Hux
I'm over the moon with all the help I've got from people on this site!
I've been looking at car hire prices online, cheapest for 2 weeks with A/C coming in at 273 euros with Autoriesen and 280 euros with Autopluscars. I'm undecided as to which to take as there isn't much in it cost wise.
32 days and counting