The best time
to visit the Azores with kids.
June through September is the best time to visit the Azores with kids: highs in the low to upper 70s, the driest weather of the year, and the Terra Nostra warm pool and Sete Cidades viewpoints at their most reliable. The islands stay mild all year, so spring is a good second choice for whale season, as long as everyone packs a rain jacket.
When is the best time to visit the Azores with kids?
Summer, with July to September the warmest sea and the fewest washed-out days. The Azores never get properly cold or properly hot, so the real question is how much rain and cloud your family will tolerate. From about October to March, a clear morning at the crater lakes is a bonus, not a plan.
| Best months | June to September |
|---|---|
| Whale season | Sperm whales year-round; migrating whales, blue whales included, roughly March to May |
| Wettest months | October to March |
| Flight from Boston | About 5 hours nonstop to Ponta Delgada, about eight times a week, fewer in winter |
| Budget cue | About $4,500 to $6,500 for a week, family of four |
Azores weather, sea and crowds by month.
| Month | High / low (°F) | Sea (°F) | Rain | With kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61–63 / 52–55 | 61–63 | Wet | Mild but gray. Hot-springs days. |
| Feb | 60–62 / 52–54 | 60–62 | Wet | Vacation-week option with rain gear. |
| Mar | 61–63 / 52–54 | 60–62 | Wet, easing | Whale season starts. Cool sea. |
| Apr | 63–65 / 53–56 | 61–63 | Showery | Whales and very green hills. |
| May | 66–68 / 56–58 | 63–65 | Drier | Good. Whales, fewer showers. |
| Jun | 70–72 / 59–62 | 66–69 | Fairly dry | Great. Hydrangeas start. |
| Jul | 75–77 / 63–66 | 70–73 | Driest | Best swimming month. |
| Aug | 77–79 / 65–68 | 73–75 | Dry | Warmest sea, busiest month. Book early. |
| Sep | 75–77 / 64–66 | 72–75 | Fairly dry | Excellent. Warm sea, fewer people. |
| Oct | 71–73 / 61–63 | 70–72 | Wetter | Good early; showers return. |
| Nov | 66–68 / 57–59 | 66–68 | Wet | Quiet and windy. Hot springs. |
| Dec | 63–65 / 54–56 | 63–65 | Wet | Holiday lights and rain gear. |
Rounded long-term averages for Ponta Delgada on São Miguel. The crater lakes sit higher, run cooler and are often in cloud, so go to Sete Cidades on the clearest morning you get.
The best time to visit the Azores: June through September.
These months give the driest, calmest weather for the naturally warm pools at Terra Nostra and the crater lakes at Sete Cidades, two of the highlights from our own trip. The islands stay noticeably uncrowded even in this window, one of the things that stood out to us most. August is the one to book early, since it's the busiest month on São Miguel.
Pack layers, whenever you go.
Expecting beach-resort weather is a mistake we'd flag for any season. The Azores stay mild and changeable year-round, so rain gear and real layers matter even in July. Don't over-plan, either: weather reroutes the day, and that's part of the charm.
How each New England school week fits the Azores.
February vacation (Feb 15 to 19, 2027). The route flies in February, with fewer flights than in summer, and at about 5 hours it's the shortest flight to Europe from Logan. But it's the wet season, around 61°F with a sea in the low 60s: a hot-springs-and-viewpoints week, not a swimming one.
April vacation (Apr 19 to 23, 2027). Whale season, green hills, showers rather than storms, and highs in the mid-60s. Terra Nostra's warm pool works in any weather.
Summer. The classic Azores. July and August are the driest months; August is the busiest, so book the rental car and the Ponta Delgada apartment before the flights.
Thanksgiving and December break. Quiet, mild and wet, and the cheapest time to go. The Furnas hot springs save a rainy day, but a thinner winter schedule means less slack if a flight cancels.
Our pick: April vacation for whales and a quiet island, a late-June week for swimming. We'd only spend February vacation here with kids who are happy in rain jackets. Dates are on our school vacation page.
What São Miguel was like with the girls.
Our notes don't record which month we went, so we won't guess. What we can tell you: we based in Ponta Delgada and road-tripped all over São Miguel twice with the girls. They swam in the naturally warm Terra Nostra pool and the Furnas hot springs, stood at the crater lakes of Sete Cidades, and loved the botanical garden in town, with its playground, little ponds and birds.
Their favorite restaurant was Nonnas, a pizzeria where they cut the slices with scissors, a small thing the kids still talk about. The weather, in our own scorecard's words, was like Ireland: wet and unpredictable. What stood out most was how green and uncrowded the whole island felt. Where we based and why is in our Azores guide.
Which month suits which kids.
Babies and toddlers
June to September, when a gray morning is more likely to clear by lunch. The botanical garden in Ponta Delgada is an easy low-key outing in any month, and half-day guided tours keep car-seat time short.
Ages 5 to 10
Spring for whale watching (pick a calmer, larger boat for younger kids) and summer for swimming. Furnas, with its steaming fumaroles and stew cooked underground by volcanic heat, wows this age in any month.
Tweens
The crater-rim hikes around Sete Cidades are the draw. Go June to September, when trails are drier and the views are less likely to be clouded over.
What to skip in the wrong month
- October to March: a day built around one viewpoint. Cloud can sit on the crater lakes for hours, so keep a hot-springs backup.
- August: arriving without the car and lodging already booked.
See what a late-June week costs.
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What families ask us.
What is the best time to visit the Azores with kids?
June through September, for the mildest and driest weather of the year, with the crater lakes and volcanic pools most comfortable for swimming. July to September has the warmest sea.
Is March a good time to visit the Azores?
It's a quieter, wetter option. March is mild, usually around 60 F, and changeable, so it's rain-jacket weather rather than warm-pool weather. The upside is spring whale season: migrating whales, blue whales included, pass the islands roughly March through May, which makes a whale-watching tour the highlight.
What is the weather like in the Azores in winter?
Mild and wet. Highs run around 61 to 65°F, rain and wind are frequent, and the sea sits in the low 60s. It's rarely cold, but it's hot-springs weather rather than beach weather.
When is whale watching season in the Azores?
Sperm whales live around the islands year-round, so tours run most of the year. Migrating whales, blue whales included, pass roughly March through May, which makes spring the highlight season.
Is the Azores a beach-resort destination?
No, and expecting that is a real mistake. The Azores stay mild and changeable even in the best months, so pack layers and rain gear regardless of when you go.
Is the Azores crowded in summer?
Far less than most European summer destinations. Part of what stood out to us was how green and uncrowded the islands felt. August is the busiest month, so book lodging and a car early.
Where this fits.
Terra Nostra, Sete Cidades, and the Ponta Delgada base.
Flight, cost, and passport facts at a glance.
Two off-the-beaten-path picks, side by side.
Why we picked September for Lagos.
The February and April dates, and the traps.
Which routes fly year-round and which are seasonal.
Rather hand it off? Have us plan or book it: a $99 planning consultation, or full booking from $499.