Posted in Car Hire

For Golf del Sur car hire clients with children, here are a few gotcha's, tips and things to be aware of in advance for your journeys around Tenerife.

If you should need any extras when booking your Golf del Sur car hire, for example child car seats, then it is much better to book your car hire in advance to ensure that there are child seats available, which can then be allocated to you in advance.

The last thing you want is to wait until you arrive in Tenerife before booking your car and then discover that the rental car company has no kiddy seats left.

When you travel to Tenerife with children in tow, it can often be a demanding experience, especially when you initially arrive on the island and then have to queue to collect your hire car from the car rental company at the airport. The youngsters are usually tired after their flight and for them, all they want to do is to get straight to the hotel or apartment and get in the pool to start their holidays. For this reason some people choose to just grab a taxi or bus direct to their holiday accommodation and have their rental car delivered later directly to their accommodation.

Tenerife car hire Laws

Car hire companies now offer a full range of child car seats to accommodate everybody from small babies to older children, but you should be aware that in Tenerife it is the legal responsibility of parents or guardians to ensure that their child car seats are correctly installed. Car hire companies in the Canaries are not allowed to declare the child seats to be properly installed, and so it is correctly left for the parents to ensure a stable fitting.

You should also be aware that all car passengers in Tenerife must wear a seatbelt by law, and children under twelve years of age are not allowed in the front passenger seat at all. This is also not one of those laws that are rarely enforced. In Tenerife, the local police will stop you and issue a hefty penalty, should they see you not confirming to this law.

With all of this preparation; your rental car collected; kiddy car seats installed; you will be looking to begin exploring the wonderfully scenic island of Tenerife in your rental car...

Keeping the Kids Safe

When travelling around Tenerife with children in the car, please remember to pack some necessary items for each and every trip. If you have a small baby, then remember to pack enough food and juices etc for the entire day, older children will require drinks and snacks and it is also a good idea to bring some of the childrens favourite CD's from home to keep the less enthusiastic travellers amused. As always in hot climates, don't underestimate the need for water and make sure you keep the kids drinking as often as possible.

The Tenerife sunshine can also be quite extreme during the hotter summer months, so pack the children's clothes accordingly. Hats with a brim, sunglasses and plenty of sun cream should be taken with you. Remember that you can still get sun burnt while you are in the hire car.

Watch the Cold?

After talking about the sunshine, heat and the dangers of sunburn, there are also the opposite extremes of temperature which many forget about. Anyone driving up to Mount Teide to visit the National Park should be aware of the dramatic temperature variations which can occur up the mountain. Due to the altitude, the temperature is much cooler, and although it provides an enjoyable relief in the summer, the temperatures can drop quickly to become very chilly. In the winter, sub-zero temperatures often occur, even whilst it is still sunbathing weather down on the coast! So, if you plan to travel up to the Mount Teide National Park, then take some warmer clothes and blankets, in case it is cold or if the weather suddenly turns.

As kids are not traditional aficionados of fantastic panoramic views, it may be a good idea to bring their favourite toys with them for the drive. Modern wonders such as a Nintendo or other games console can prove invaluable. Of course, good old fashioned colouring books and crayons will keep the younger ones amused on longer parts of the journey and especially as you are making your way back to Golf del Sur after a tiring day.

Route Planning with your Hire Car

Take the time to plan your routes in advance when you are driving the children around Tenerife in the rental car. A good road guide or some research on the Internet before you arrive is advisable. This way, you can study service areas or recreational parks, or restaurants and bars that the children might like. The kids might also like to be involved in planning your day trip around Tenerife. This will give them more enthusiasm during your days out.

Another option when you pre-book your hire car, is to get one with a satellite navigation system. Modern systems are now pre-installed with all of Tenerife's favourite attractions and sights, and this can also cut down on travelling times as you can pick your own routes to avoid heavy traffic congestion.

Remember that hire cars are identifiable in Tenerife with the various rental car companies' stickers, and the police won't turn down the chance to issue an on the spot fine, so do pay attention to the rules we outlined in this article.

Hopefully, this will prepare you to thoroughly enjoy your Tenerife rental car experience.