Heraklion with Kids: CRETAquarium, Water Parks and Boat Trips That Suit Families
Updated October 8, 2026 · 6 min read
Heraklion itself is a busy port city with a great museum and not much else for children. The family holiday happens around it: an aquarium to the east, two big water parks on the road towards Hersonissos, and boats from the harbours. The question is rarely what is on offer. It is how long a child will actually last, and which of the famous day trips is simply too long.
The short answer. For the most dependable half day with children of any age, take the CRETAquarium admission ticket: 4.4 stars over 2,841 reviews, from €12, and the most-reviewed admission ticket in the area. For a hot day with older children, a water park. For everything else on this list, check the age rule on the booking page first.
Check dates and prices for the CRETAquarium admission ticket
At a glance
| Option | Duration | From | Stars and reviews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRETAquarium admission ticket | a few hours | €12 | 4.4 / 2,841 | All ages, rain or heat |
| WaterCity Waterpark day pass | 1 day | €32.50 | 4.4 / 473 | A hot day, mixed ages |
| Acqua Plus Water Park admission | 1 day | €32 | 4.2 / 217 | Older children who like slides |
| Hersonissos jet boat tour | 1 hour | €44.40 | 4.9 / 2,080 | Older children |
| Heraklion city, market and CRETAquarium day trip | 7 hours | €20 | 4.4 / 351 | Families without a car |
The aquarium
The CRETAquarium sits on a former American base at Gournes, east of Heraklion towards Hersonissos. The listing mentions over 1,200 marine organisms. On its own site the aquarium gives opening hours of 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April to October and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November to March, open every day, and a summer gate price of €15 for adults and €8 for ages 5 to 17, with children under 5 free. The listing at €12 is the price to check against that; read what the ticket includes and the date it is valid for.
It is indoors, so it works on the hottest day and on a rainy one, and it is the only place on this list that suits a toddler and a teenager on the same ticket.
The water parks
WaterCity, in the Anopolis area between Hersonissos and Heraklion, describes slides, water playgrounds and a 385-metre lazy river. A separate WaterCity listing with transfer pick-up is about six hours at the same €32.50, which suits a family without a car. Acqua Plus advertises more than 50 attractions in one listing and a lazy river in another.
For both, the details that matter to parents are not in the listing: child prices, height limits for particular slides, and how much shade there is. Check them with the park. And plan a day around an early arrival: with children, three hours of slides is usually plenty.
Boats that work
The jet boat is one hour of speed and a swim stop, which is a manageable length for older children. For younger ones the better idea is a calm trip with a swim and a meal, such as the Dia Island sailing trip from Heraklion. Operators set their own minimum ages, and none of the listings we looked at stated one, so read the page of the trip you choose and ask about life jackets in small sizes. Our guide to boat trips from Hersonissos compares the four boats from that harbour.
The museum and the palace
The Archaeological Museum is free for under-18s, according to 2026 visitor guides. Children enjoy it more if you give them three things to find first: the clay disc, the snake figurines, the gold bee. See our museum guide. Knossos is a different story: little shade, rough ground and midday heat. Go at opening time or not at all, as described in the Knossos Palace guide.
The long days: think twice
Spinalonga as a coach day runs 8 to 11 hours, the Santorini day trip 9 to 14, the west Crete loop 10 to 14. Very young children can find this much time in a vehicle hard, and you are the one who knows how yours cope. If you do take one, the shorter boat from Agios Nikolaos in our Spinalonga guide is far easier than the coach. The Lasithi cave also involves about 200 steps down and up again, which is not a toddler outing; see the Lasithi guide.
A day by situation
Rain or very hot weather. The aquarium in the morning, the museum for older children.
Teenagers. The jet boat, a water park, or a quad: our quad and buggy guide explains why operators’ minimum ages must be read on each booking page.
Toddlers. The aquarium and a beach. Skip the long tours.
No car. The city-and-aquarium day trip, or the water park with transfer.
More ideas, from rides to beaches, are in the things to do near Heraklion category.
