Bodrum with kids, Turkey – a family holiday

We took our first trip to Turkey with a three month old baby and a two year old toddler. Crazy? Maybe. But we found a country so welcoming of children and our family it increased our resolve to keep travelling. If you’re thinking of a family holiday in Bodrum with kids then read on for all the information you need to have a great one too.

*AD / This post contains affiliate links & as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We may also have been compensated in this post either financially or with products / stays. To read more see our Disclosure Policy.

About visiting Bodrum with kids

Bodrum is a lovely area of Turkey to visit. Despite being fairly touristy there is something here for every type of traveller.

Sun dwellers will love the gorgeous beaches (see below for our favourites). There’s great restaurants, history and culture everywhere.

If you’re travelling with kids this is an area very well set up for families. Firstly with more than a million tourists a year the restaurants and activities on offer are geared up for all ages. Second the Turkish people genuinely love children.

Bodrum has managed to retain a lot of its charm despite the number of tourists arriving every summer.

Situated on the southwest coast looking out across the Aegean Sea, this is a perfect spot for a family holiday.

5 reasons to take a family holiday to Bodrum

• It’s such a family friendly destination.
• The beaches and sea water here are beautiful.
• There is plenty of family friendly restaurants and food.
• There’s some amazing accommodation here for every budget.
• There are lots of activities to enjoy and history to discover.

Where to Stay in Bodrum with kids

We spent a week in a villa in Bitez, just outside Bodrum.

The villa we rented was perfect, really large with three bedrooms, our own swimming pool and really close to the beach. It was super-hot in early June when we visited and we were very grateful for the air conditioning.

Luxury hotels in Bodrum

If you’re looking for luxury hotels then the Mandarin Oriental Bodrum or The Bodrum EDITION are our favourite picks.

Mid range hotels in Bodrum with kids

For mid range accommodation in Bodrum the Doria Hotel Bodrum or the Ena Boutique Hotel are really well priced.

Bodrum budget hotels

There are some great budget hotels in Bodrum too, from the Merhaba Hotel to the Hotel Centro Bodrum which you can get some incredible prices at.

For a stay nearby see our review of a family holiday to Marmaris here.

Things to do in Bodrum with kids (which adults will love too!)

There are lots of activities around Bodrum for kids some of our favourites are –

Take a boat trip

The water around Bodrum is beautiful. As a result one of the best ways to experience this area is by boat.

There are a number of different boat trips available depending on what you are looking for.

Pirate Boat Cruise

If you’re visiting Bodrum with kids then a pirate boat cruise is sure to get their imaginations fired up.

This is a really wonderful looking boat which all the family will love. Sail on a six hour trip which will take you to some beautiful bays and beaches.

This is a Bodrum boat trip that all ages will be able to enjoy.

🎫 Check availability and book your tickets here.

Black Island Boat Tour with Lunch

Visit Bodrum’s hidden bays, swim in the beautiful waters surrounding Black Island and enjoy lunch at Aquarius Bay. Kids will love the chance to see where a meteor crashed many years ago and swim in the waters above.

This is a six hour boat trip and very reasonably priced.

🎫 Check availability and book your tickets here.

Orak Island Boat Trip from Bodrum

Orak Island is a beautiful, uninhabited island in the Gökova Gulf in the Aegean. It is only accessible by boat. Because of this it’s a tranquil place to spend time.

Take a boar tour and enjoy time swimming in the seas here. Younger children will be happy on the stunning white sand beach.

Because the water is so clear here it’s the perfect place to introduce children to snorkelling.

🎫 Check availability and book your tickets here.

Private boat tour – Bodrum Peninsula

A lovely way to spend time as a family can be on a private boat tour. Here you can really enjoy the bays and beaches of the Bodrum Peninsula.

On a private boat trip they will take you where you want to go. Or you can trust the captain to take you to their favourite spots.

Lunch is often provided and it’s the perfect way to enjoy some family time.

🎫 Check availability and book your tickets here.

See Bodrum by horseback

For a really different way to explore the area why not take a horse ride. This two hour experience is for all abilities, including those with no prior horse riding experience.

Children under six can ride in front of a parent at no extra charge.

Explore the picturesque mountains surrounding Bodrum amongst the pine trees.

🎫 Check availability and book your tickets here.

Visit a waterpark in Bodrum

There are a few water parks in Bodrum and the surrounding area which kids will love.

Pirates Inn Cactus Aquapark

Pirates Inn Cactus Aquapark is a fun water park with a whole variety of rides. It’s not the biggest park but the entrance price is inclusive of food and drinks.

It’s around a 30 minute drive from Bodrum. There’s fun here for all ages and kids will love it.

Find out more here.

Aquapark Dedeman Bodrum

This is a much bigger water park and while a little run down is still lots of fun. Because it’s not the most modern or slick park the prices are very reasonable to get in.

There are 23 water slides and a 350 metre lazy river with lots of pools and artificial waves. There are plenty of sun-loungers for relaxing on between rides.

Even at the height of the season the queues here do not tend to be too long. With really reasonable prices for food and drink it’s a really fun place to spend time.

Enjoy a Turkish cookery class in Bodrum

One for slightly older children, taking part in a cookery class is a great way to enjoy the area. Finding out about local ingredients and tastes is lots of fun.

We often try to take a cookery class with our kids in the places we visit as it’s a great way to get to know the destination.

🎫 Check availability and book your class (including market visit) here.

Take a day trip from Bodrum

There are plenty of places easily accessible from Bodrum if you are looking for a day trip.

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Existing as a result of spring water from a cliff that stands 200 metres high, Pamukkale is known as the Cotton Palace. The calcite filled water has created an almost mythical like landscape here.

Take a trip to see mineral forests, eery petrified waterfalls and a large number of white terraced basins.

At the same site is the thermal spa of Hierapolis. This was created by the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon in the 2nd Century BCE.

Today you can see the ruins of these baths as well as temples and Greek monuments.

Take a tour to see Pamukkale and Hierapolis from Bodrum. Here you can experience the warm pools and see the amphitheatre at Hierapolis.

🎫 Check availability and book a place on a day trip tour here.

Turgutreis

Turgutreis is a lovely destination for a day trip. This town is around 20 kilometres from Bodrum and there’s a bus that runs three times a day.

We went to the huge market in Turgutreis which was brilliant for picking up some beautiful bowls to bring home. We also got strings of cinnamon and the quirky evil eyes which now decorate our house (and maybe ward off those pesky evil spirits).

Visiting Turgutreis was a great experience as Turkish families stopped to admire our baby and even though we couldn’t speak the language, we felt so welcome.

Dalyan mud bath and ancient site of Kaunos

Dalyan is an area of Turkey packed full of wonderful sights. From ancient ruins to mud baths and even somewhere to spot endangered turtles (from afar).

Taking a trip to this area is fascinating. You can explore the tombs of the Kings of Kaunos which date back to the 5th through 2nd centuries BCE.

This is also an area you can take a really fun and therapeutic mud bath. If you are travelling with kids they will love this.

The Lycian Coast is home to the endangered Loggerhead Turtles (who should not be disturbed or experienced close up).

One way to see this area is on a boat trip. Find out more about a tour from Bodrum below.

🎫 Check availability and book a place on a day trip tour here.

Ephesus

Ephesus is one of the best preserved ancient cities of the world. Today it lies near Selçuk and is a long, but worthwhile, day trip from Bodrum.

Ephesus was once one of the most important cities in Greece. It was also a really vital trading port on the Mediterranean coast.

Much fought over it changed hands a number of times.

Today this is a wonderful place to really feel the history of the area. There are paved streets, temples to clamber over and amazing ruins to marvel at.

It’s the perfect destination to introduce children to the history of this area.

Visiting here is a great trip from Bodrum and there’s a bus and train station nearby. The bus from Bodrum takes around three hours.

You can also take an organised tour to the area. The one below is an overnight trip which combines Ephesus with Pamukkale (see above.)

🎫 Check availability and book a place on this tour here.

Explore the villages around Bodrum

Head out of Bodrum amongst the hills on a jeep safari. See the mountains and small Turkish villages.

This is a way to really experience the local surroundings. Because you’re away from the hustle and bustle of the town you’ll see another side to the area.

🎫 Check availability and book a place on a day trip tour here.

Which are the best beaches around Bodrum with kids?

Bitez Beach

We loved Bitez Beach. It was really family friendly and without the nightlife that surrounds some of the other beaches so is definitely recommended.

There are lots of lovely restaurants that spill out on to the sand here. Perfect to eat at or grab a cold lemonade from.

Yahsi Beach

Somewhere with beautiful clean water and sand is Yahsi Beach. Because it’s a really long stretch of beach you can find the perfect area for you.

There are plenty of amenities here with places to eat and drink. It’s a great beach to visit with kids.

Gumusluk (Gümüşlük)

Around 20 kilometres from Bodrum lies Gumusluk (Gümüşlük). Because of the distance it’s best to drive or get a taxi, there aren’t any direct buses.

We found Gumusluk perfect for a wander along the sandy beach and a stop off at one of the fish restaurants plying for trade along the waterfront. It’s a lovely setting and one that is very family friendly.

We really loved it here.

Gümbet Beach

For great sand and fairly shallow waters visit Gümbet Beach. This is also one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for water sport activities too.

Gümbet Beach offers amazing diving as the Big Reef dive site is in front of the beach. Because the water here is so clear you’ll be able to spot everything from sea urchins to some amazingly coloured fish.

This is also a great beach which is perfect for relaxing on if you’re visiting with younger children.

Turkbuku (Türkbükü)

Turkbuku is less than 20 kilometres from Bodrum and a wonderful trip out to the beach.

We absolutely loved Turkbuku, it had a very cool vibe about the whole place. The food here was incredible and it was such a gorgeous setting.

There were lots of people selling their crafts here. We met a lovely lady selling lucky cats who stopped us to give our two year old one which was very sweet.

Bodrum Yali Public Beach

Often seen as being one of the best public beaches in the area, Bodrum Yali Public Beach is beautiful. Around 20 minutes out of the centre of town there’s plenty to tempt you to make the journey.

There are free to use sun loungers and umbrellas and there’s a lovely cafe here which is very well priced.

The sea here is beautifully clear and families will love the playground on site.

What to eat in Bodrum with kids

If you like fish it will definitely help as this is a part of Turkey dominated by the sea. Because of this there is amazingly fresh seafood to be enjoyed.

Bodrum itself is a fairly touristy area however and we ate out with pizza and even Mexican one evening. There’s pretty much something for everyone and as a vegetarian I ate very well.

What to buy in Bodrum

There are beautiful Turkish plates and bowls if you’re willing to struggle home with them in your hand baggage.

This is something we always do and then regret it completely at the airport when we can barely cope with children and bags. However we always feel so pleased we did when we look at all the beautiful items surrounding us when we are back.

We love all the souvenirs with evil eyes. Our home is now full of them and they are everywhere in Turkey, on table cloths, hangings, jewellery and pins you can wear.

Top tips with when travelling with children

We love the heat but it really was very hot, even in early June. And with a fairly small baby (three months old) we often retreated indoors to the air conditioning or into the pool for a big chunk of the middle of the day.

We found it was easy enough to head out early to markets or a wander by the sea, back to the villa for lunch and then out again in the early evening for a nice meal.

Turkey is very family friendly – the Turkish people adore children and we felt really welcome everywhere we went.

Frequently asked questions about visiting Bodrum –

1. When is the best time to visit?

Bodrum is beautiful at any time of the year. However the height of summer is when it’s at its busiest and hottest. Because of this we prefer spring or autumn.

If you get too further into the winter a lot of the restaurants and shops will be closed. It can still be a lovely place to enjoy in the coldest months though.

2. Is Bodrum safe?

We found Bodrum to be very safe. We had a lovely holiday here and felt genuinely welcomed.

Like anywhere you have to watch your valuables while on holiday.

3. Is Bodrum suitable for kids?

Bodrum is very suitable for kids. There are plenty of fun activities here that all ages will love.

We had a great family holiday to Bodrum and loved it.

Your Bodrum with kids holiday check list – 

• ✈️ Find great flights with Opodo
• 🏥 Get the travel insurance we use at CoverForYou
• 🅿️ Book your airport parking at a fantastic rate here with Holiday Extras
• 💳 Get a Currensea Card to easily pay for purchases when you’re abroad