Fethiye, Turkey with kids: boat trips, markets, and the best family spots on the coast

Vimal Fernandez
1 day ago
3 min read

Fethiye is a great example of how you can have jaw-dropping scenery… and then humans just pollute the heck out of it. Yay humans! 🌍🙃⛰️

Fethiye is the kind of coastal town that has everything: beaches, playgrounds, big grocery stores, schools, hospitals, tons of restaurants, and a whole lot of life. It’s bigger and busier than the villages nearby, but that’s what makes it work with kids. You can have lazy beach days and still find a decent pediatrician or gym when you need it.

And unlike some small resort towns, Fethiye isn’t just tourists—it’s a real city. That means your kids get both: the Turkish seaside charm and the day-to-day bustle of local life.

A disclaimer before we get started: this area has gotten pretty expensive. They’ve been hit by massive inflation and a dying tourism industry. This double header has brought desperation to the locals, raising prices even higher. It’s still worth a visit, but it ain’t cheap.

Summer camp for kids

One of the hidden gems here is EDU Hub, an English school that runs summer camps in June and August. It’s $250/week/kid (10 am–5 pm) and the kids do everything from cooking and crafts to beach trips and reading/writing practice. It’s staffed by great English-speaking teachers, which makes it an easy win for traveling families who need a break.

Local markets in Fethiye

Every Tuesday and Friday, the town fills with sprawling markets. You can grab fresh kebabs, piles of produce, clothes, toys, even counterfeit Gucci bags that look way too legit for $30. Pro tip: skip the overpriced grocery stores and stock up on produce here—it’s fresher and way cheaper.

And don’t forget to peek into the canals running through town—you’ll spot giant sea turtles eating algae. 🐢

Fethiye boat trips

The boat tours here are the real deal. We hopped on Tuana 48 at Fethiye port—$35 per person, 10 am to 5 pm. It came with lunch, basic drinks, and a bathroom (no aqua dumps here). The ride takes you to several coves—Boncuklu Koyu, Tarzan Koyu, Akvaryum Koyu—where you can jump off the boat into crystal-clear water. We saw turtles and large schools of fish. Highly recommend this one.

Other things to do in Fethiye with kids

Seaside promenade (Fethiye Kordon): Lined with parks, restaurants, and beaches. Great for evening strolls.
Şehit Fethi Bey Parkı: Probably the biggest, most impressive park we’ve ever seen. Giant playgrounds, art installations, bike paths, and great sea + mountain views. An absolute must with kids.
Old Town: Pedestrian-only, mostly shaded, and packed with shops and cafés. Perfect for little legs.
Fish Market: Buy a fish straight from the fisherman and have it cooked on the spot. You don’t get fresher than this.
Calis Beach: Not the clearest water, but super convenient—it’s right on the promenade. Kids can play while you sip a beer. Sunsets are superb.

Day trips from Fethiye

Kas (2 hours away): Slower vibe than Fethiye, worth a couple of days if you can spare it. We ferried to a Greek island from here and did a Blue Cave tour that was both terrifying and beautiful. Note: make sure your kids can swim.
Saklikent Gorge (45 minutes away): A canyon walk with icy water at your ankles (sometimes knees). Entry is ~65 TL ($0.50) per adult, parking ~100 TL ($1). Bring water shoes and a carrier for smaller kids. Go midweek to avoid the crowds.

Appreciation

As humans, we’re wired to always want something else. In Turkey we’d sometimes complain: it’s too hot, no clouds, nothing but beaches. Then we landed in Munich, it rained three days straight, and we instantly missed the sun and the beach.

That little loop taught us something simple but hard: live in the moment, appreciate what you’ve got. It sounds obvious, but it’s tough because our survival instincts push us to always look for “better.” That drive got us this far as a species, but it also makes it harder to just enjoy the view in front of us.

Early retirement didn’t magically fix that. We still catch ourselves chasing the next thing. But Fethiye was a reminder that putting some intentional appreciation routines in place—grateful check-ins, slowing down, calling out what’s good right now—makes a big difference for our family.

Another great side effect of FI: making space to appreciate the moment. And if you’re curious how we made it to FI—we started by finding our ‘why.'

This post is part of our 'finding our why' series, sharing real-world stories of why families choose financial independence and early retirement with kids.