While the intrepid traveller may well turn their nose up at holidays in the Spanish resort of Benidorm, the destination remains a hotspot for sun seeking British holidaymakers.
I was asked to review the destination for travelbite.co.uk to discover the best theme parks for a family fun holiday.
You may not get a culture shock or a 'once in a lifetime' experience in Benidorm, but what a holiday to this popular section of the Spanish coast will give you is guarantees.
A family trip to Benidorm will guarantee good weather, good beaches, good food and - most importantly - good fun; so you can't really blame the thousands of Brits who flock there every year for choosing the safe vacation option.
But while the beach is great for sandcastles and suntans, a fortnight's break spent by the warm Mediterranean waters may appear a little tedious to some. That's why the Spanish Tourist Board has gone all out to provide tourists with some family fun away from the coast, with a number of theme parks.
Benidorm has certainly hit the nail on the head when it comes to variety, meaning whether your kids are water babies, animal lovers or squeal at the idea of rollercoaster's, you're sure to find something to suit.
First off we headed to Aqualandia and MundoMar, just a few miles from the main Benidorm town and easy to access with plenty of buses between the two.
The parks handily lie right next to each other, and tickets can be bought for both together (which might be a good idea for those on a budget or if the weather is looking a bit iffy for the water park).
MundoMar is a small zoo, specialising in marine life, but also home to monkeys, toucans, bats and a menagerie of other exotic creatures. Kids can get involved with the dolphin and seal shows, feed the monkeys in their enclosure and throw fish to the penguins (who I have to admit looked a little beleaguered in the Spanish heat).
The star of the day was certainly the adorable new arrival in the dolphin tank, although a rather naughty sea lion also had his fair share of fans at the sea lion show, complete with pirates!
We then headed next door to Aqualandia, a water park of quite some size and, given the crowds, considerable popularity.
What was so great about this park was it appeared to cater for everyone. I saw families with toddlers, teenagers and grandparents, all enjoying a day out alongside groups of twenty-somethings. Our group was relatively mixed in age and taste, yet we were all able to find enjoyable attractions.
For the non-thrill seekers there are jacuzzis, the Lazy River, a wave machine and waterfalls, while for the adrenalin junkies the Black Hole, Big Bang and Kamikaze will have you shaking in your flip flops. The Rapids were certainly my favourite of the day, although the huge jacuzzi pool was rather tempting after a long day on your feet.
In what turned out to be a rather whistle-stop tour, the next day we headed to two more theme parks, Terra Natura and Terra Mitica.
Terra Natura is an animal park split into different 'countries', with a small water park, Aqua Natura, within its grounds. New this year is the 'Poisonous Creatures' display in the huge manmade volcano in the middle of the park, with a birds of prey show also making its debut this year.
The park is quite large so most families would want to get there as it opens to make the most of it I should think, and it's definitely worth taking your bathers for a swim with the sharks in the Aquarium! The highlight for me was certainly the elephant enclosure, which you can even take a zip wire across.
Note to families with little ones though - a lot of the park was open air, so remember to pack the sun cream, hats and plenty of bottled water.
The real selling point of Terra Natura is certainly the 'no barriers' concept, which makes it feel more like a safari park than a zoo. There are buses from Benidorm, although if there are enough of you to fill a taxi this is probably the easiest and cheapest way to get there. When we went tickets started at 18 Euros, but make sure you look at the group deals which will make a visit considerably cheaper.
We then headed to Terra Mitica, by far my favourite of Benidorm's parks.
The theme park has just undergone some renovation, spanning a huge area a few miles from the town and easily accessible by bus or car. Prices on our visit started at 32 Euros.
All the traditional theme park rides are resident, such as the log flume and merry-go-round for the little ones. But there is also a great variety of other attractions, including a 100m high viewing tower (showing spectacular views of the Benidorm area), an indoor paintballing centre and a fantastic Roman style show, complete with circus performers.
Once again there is a real variety, so however old your children there is bound to be something for them to enjoy. While Terra Mitica is rather pricey, especially as you aren't allowed to take your own food and drink in, it is a great day out, and a pleasant change from the beach.
Benidorm's theme parks are a great way to relieve the potential monotony of a beach holiday, especially for families.
As a personal recommendation, look at the websites before you go to search for the best ticket deals and to make sure your favourite attractions at the parks are open that week. If in any doubt, the Spanish Tourist Office is always on hand to help.
With some recession busting deals out there for families at the moment, a trip to Benidorm could guarantee a fun-filled holiday.
