With temperatures topping 34º this week, there is no better place to cool down than at one of the coast´s fabulous Aqua Parks.

Popular with small kids, teenagers and big kids, the Parque Aquatico, Mijas, and Aqua Land in Torremolinos welcome thousands of visitors every summer, and regularly add new rides and attractions to these fun-filled leisure parks.
The Mijas park, from direction Marbella,  is situated just off the N-340, near Fuengirola. Exit the road where you see the big Mcdonalds sign and turn immediately left at the roundabout. The Torremolinos Aqua park is also easy to get to. From the N-340, direction Marbella to Malaga, pass all signs for Benalmadena. Exit the motorway at the first sign for Torremolinos, and follow the road down to the right. At the first main junction turn right and you will come to the Aqua Park.

You can also get some great offers at the parks, and Mijas is advertising a day´s family ticket for €49, a 50% discount for residents of Malaga province on Saturdays, and also a 40% discount if you go in the afternoon. Normal prices are: Adults – €18, kids aged 4-12, €13 and kids from 0-3, enter free. Over 65s entry fee is €10.00 so, if your grandparents can stand it, you can even take them along! In June the park is open from 10am-6pm, in July and August, 10am-7pm and in September, 10am-6pm. The 40% discounts apply from 4pm in July and August and from 3pm other months. There are also discounts for group bookings of 20 people, and a 10% discount for online tickets. For more information, check out: www.aquamijas.com

Attractions include: Adventure River, Labyrinth Slides, Body Ski, Wild River, Kamikaze, Wave Pool, Kiddie Slides, Lizard Island, Blue Lake and Jacuzzi.

There is also mini-golf, a climbing wall and a recreation area within the park, plus a self-service bar and restaurant and a picnic area. The park also boasts a gift and photo shop where you can buy souvenirs and a security and lifesaving service. The first aid centre is permanently manned. Sun loungers can be hired, and there are plenty of shaded areas to relax away from the mayhem. Disabled parking is also available right outside the gates.

Aqualand Torremolinos is the biggest water park on the Costa del Sol, and you can save 10% if you buy your tickets online before you go. Attractions include the Black Hole, with over 100m of drops, darkness and mystery bends,  Mini-Park, with plenty of attractions for the little kids, The Rapids, which recreate white water rafting down a lively river, Boomerang, a new ride which offers a breathtaking return trip, Crazy Race, four lanes where you can reach high speeds,  Super Slalom, three winding slides with different thrills,  Kamikaze, which is the highest of its kind in Europe at 22m,  Twister, with a combination of speed and bends to get the adrenalin flowing,  Surf Beach, with over 1m high waves, Laguna Tropical, where you can relax in calm water and think about your next move, and the Jacuzzi, which will calm you.

Aqua Land Torremolinos is open May, June and September, 11-6pm and July and August, 10am to 7pm. The Park is open until September 8th, 2010.

A one day ticket for an adult is €22.50, and for a child, €16.50. A one day ticket for a senior is €16.50, and you can get a 50% discount on the second day if you by a two-day ticket. Remember the 10% discount for online bookings. For more information, check out: www.aqualand.es

There is also a gift shop in the park, selling an extensive range of souvenirs and goods, and several restaurants, cafés and bars to keep visitors refreshed. An ice cream kiosk is also situated close to the kids mini-park.

Wherever you are staying on the Costa del Sol, you will be within easy reach of both parks in Mijas and Torremolinos. From Marbella and Puerto Banus, the Mijas Park is about a 30 minute drive, and the Torremolinos Park is around 40 minutes from Puerto Banus. Both parks provide facilities for a perfect family day out, and whether you want to speed down a vertical slide at 30mph or you prefer to sip a cool drink by the wave pool, there is something so suit all tastes at both parks.

Check out the online ticket deals, and you can also save plenty of money by going to the park in the afternoon. Why not combine a trip to the Aqua Park with a few hour´s sunbathing  on one of Torremolinos´s fabulous beaches, or stroll around Benalmadena Marina which is close by. Mijas Aqua Park is close to Fuengirola, with its vast range of attractions, water-sports and award-winning beaches, so if you choose to visit in the afternoon, you will find plenty of other things to do in the morning.

The Costa del Sol boasts a wide range of attractions and great things to do for  the kids, but if you don´t take them to one of the Aqua Parks, they will never forgive you.