Looking for the perfect beach location for your family’s next vacation? With over 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida is certain to have something for everyone. From the Gulf of Mexico to the shores of the Atlantic, here are a dozen of Florida’s great family friendly beaches.
Fort De Soto Park
With soft sugary sands, the warm, clear water of the Gulf of Mexico and brilliant sunsets, Fort De Soto Park makes for a fantastic beach getaway. Protected by a sandbar, the North Beach has a large lagoon that doesn’t get above three feet deep, making it the perfect place for children to swim.
Bike, skate or jog the 7-mile paved nature trail or kayak through lush mangroves. Keep a look out for pelicans, heron and egrets – year-round residents of the park. Dolphins are often spotted from the Gulf fishing pier and sea turtles nest along the beach in summer.
A historic fort built for the Spanish-American War has old cannons and jail cells, giving the kids (and you!) plenty to explore.
Park amenities include canoe, kayak and bicycle rentals, a food concession, picnic areas and outdoor showers.
New Smyrna Beach
Located on Central Florida’s east coast, New Smyrna Beach is a friendly beachside community. Building sand castles, surfing, kayaking and bicycling on the beach are all popular activities with beach rentals plentiful.Surf fishing is a favorite past time for all ages – just dig up a few sand fleas for bait and cast away.
Worth exploring is the 73-acre Smyrna Dunes Park at the northern tip of New Smyrna Beach. A two-mile elevated boardwalk winds through the sand dunes, providing a platform for viewing the unique vegetation, marine life, reptiles and animals that live in the park. The park also has picnic areas, pavilions and an observation tower.
New Smyrna’s streets are lined with quaint restaurants and shops. A number of hotels and many private rentals are available. Most have pools and many have tennis courts, shuffleboard, basketball and other games for family time.
St. George Island
Nestled in Northwest Florida and surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and Apalachicola Bay, the barrier island of St. George has miles of pristine beaches. If you’re looking for natural beauty, this is your beach.
Hotels, villas, old-style cottages and stunning vacation homes are available as rentals. The fishing in the area is unsurpassed, with local marinas offering inshore and offshore fishing charters. St. George Island has kayaks, paddle boards, bicycles and assorted beach toys for rent. Excursions to uninhabited islands, dolphin-spotting boat trips and snorkeling are family favorites.
Eco adventures are abundant in Franklin County, where 81 percent of the land is publicly owned. The Apalachicola River Paddling Trail was designated a national paddle trail in 2008. Nearly 100 miles of trails run through the swamps of the river, providing paddlers of all levels the opportunity to get closer to nature.
Palm Island
Located on Florida’s southwest Gulf Coast approximately 50 miles north of Fort Myers, Palm Island is seven miles of paradise. The island is accessible only by boat or car ferry. Once you’re on the island, golf carts, scooters and bicycles are your transportation. Palm Island’s beaches are never crowded and shark teeth, sand dollars and starfish are plentiful.
The primary lodging and recreation center for the island is Palm Island Resort. Built in the old Florida style architecture, the resort has fully equipped one-, two- and three-bedroom villas for rent. Clusters of four to eight villas are arranged around heated swimming pools, Hydra Spas and tennis courts. The recreation center rents golf carts, kayaks, jet skis, tennis equipment, snorkeling gear and fishing poles.
The kids will be fully entertained by Red Beard the Pirate and his parrot, Bones. Red Beard was fortunate enough to be shipwrecked on Palm Island, where he teaches little pirates swashbuckling crafts aboard his shipwrecked vessel.
Jupiter and Juno Beach
Situated at the northern tip of Palm Beach County on Florida’s east coast, Jupiter, along with its neighbor to the south, Juno Beach, are perfect retreats for beachgoers and surfers. Starting at the Jupiter Inlet with its classic red lighthouse, you’ll find wide palm-lined beaches, sand dunes covered in sea grapes and glistening blue water. Dubois Park has 1,200 feet of beach with playgrounds and picnic pavilions. Carlin Park, also on the beach, has exercise trails, grills, showers and lifeguards. The wide sidewalks along the beachfront are perfect for strolling, rollerblading and biking.
The 990-foot fishing pier at Juno Beach is a favorite for casting a line. Fishing and swimming blend effortlessly here. Nearby Loggerhead Park features nature trails, a bike path, tennis courts and Loggerhead Marine Life Center with a sea turtle hospital.
Just south of Juno Beach, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park offers nature walks, kayak rentals and a beach with sand dunes.
Sanibel & Captiva
The “Sanibel Stoop” and the “Captiva Crouch” are unavoidable consequences of a visit to these beautiful barrier islands off Florida’s southwest coast. With the abundance of conchs, cockles, clams and other prized seashells covering the beach, the stoop and the crouch just happen. The islands also provide plenty of wildlife, watersports, luxurious resorts and numerous dining options.
Explore the historic lighthouse at Sanibel’s Lighthouse Beach or fish off the pier. Learn how to care for sick and orphaned animals at the island’s Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.
Just across the short bridge connecting the two islands, you can experience the laid-back vibe of Captiva. Marinas offer customized charter and tour boats for fishing and dolphin watching.
The South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island is one of Florida’s first and largest destination resorts. The property has a mini-waterpark, lots of beaches, a nine-hole golf course and top-rated kids’ programs.
Cocoa Beach
Located along Florida’s Space Coast an hour’s drive from Orlando, Cocoa Beach is named for its soft cocoa-colored sand and known for its friendly waves. Designated the east coast surfing capital, you’ll find veteran surfers alongside beginners riding the waves.
Driving into town along Highway A1A takes you by plenty of souvenir shops – you can pick up that pink flamingo you know you’ve always wanted. The shop you shouldn’t miss is the massive two story Ron Jon’s Surf Shop. Here you’ll find anything and everything you’ve ever wanted for your favorite beach activities including surfboards, swimsuits and sunscreen. Beach rentals offer surfboards, boogie boards, beach umbrellas and stand-up paddleboards.
A landmark since 1962, the Cocoa Beach Pier has bars, restaurants and gift shops. The kids will enjoy the Dinosaur Store on the Cocoa Beach Causeway, with its selection of dinosaur teeth, shrunken heads and arcade games.
Hollywood Beach
Hollywood Beach, which has enchanted beachgoers since the 1920s, has experienced a renaissance in recent years. Nestled between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Hollywood Beach’s main attraction is the two-and-a-half mile beach promenade along the Atlantic. The paved broadwalk is a favorite for joggers, bicyclists and rollerbladers. Numerous cafes, small inns and hotels flank the broadwalk and offer beach views.Parents can enjoy a delicious seafood meal while the kids play in the sand steps away.
Trolley service provides a nostalgic way to travel between downtown Hollywood and favorite beach sites along the seven-mile stretch and there are three oceanfront parks with playgrounds, ping pong tables, picnic pavilions and restaurants. There’s also the Hollywood Beach Theatre, with free outdoor concerts. Paddleball is the main attraction at the historic Garfield Street courts. And what kid could resist splashing under a whimsical dolphin fountain?
Anna Maria Island
South of Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida lies Anna Maria Island, just offshore of Bradenton. This seven-mile stretch of paradise has six beaches, each with old Florida charm. The entire island is surrounded by a sugar-sand coastline where loggerhead turtles like to nest. Dolphins and manatees are often spotted in the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
You won’t find high-rises, theme parks or water slides here; Anna Maria is a simple island where fishing, bird watching and kayaking reign.
The city of Anna Maria, a quiet residential community at the northern tip of the island, has an abundance of rental homes and cottages. Charming family stores and cafes line the quaint streets of the village. The works of several resident artists can be found in nearby galleries.
Named for the colorful mini seashells that line the beach each morning, Coquina Beach is located on the southern tip of Anna Maria Island, near Sarasota. Kids of all ages enjoy scooping up the coquinas and other seashells along the shore. Picnic under the shady Australian pines while the little ones enjoy the playground. Kayaking is popular here with rentals available on the beach. You can also book a guided eco-tour by kayak where you will likely spot dolphins, manatees and stingrays.
Siesta Key
If you’ve ever walked barefoot on hot sand, you’ll understand why Siesta Key is consistently rated one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. While the sand on most beaches is mostly pulverized coral, the sand on Siesta Key is 99 percent quartz, which keeps it consistently cool to the touch. At the Great International White Sand Beach Challenge held in 1987, it was recognized as having the “whitest and finest sand in the world.” The shallow water near the shore also makes this beach ideal for young children. Siesta Key Beach is perfect for strolling, shell collecting, or pursuing more active pursuits such as renting a catamaran or kayak from one of the many beach concessions. There are plenty of beachside picnic areas and playgrounds, too.
An abundance of rental properties, land and water activities and family-friendly restaurants add to the charm of this stunning little island.
Amelia Island & Fernandina Beach
Just off the coast of northeast Florida, Amelia Island’s motto is “easy to reach, hard to forget.” This award-winning seaport community boasts 13 miles of pristine beaches.
Eight flags have flown over history-steeped Amelia Island, including ones from France, Spain, England, Patriots of Amelia Island, the Green Cross, Mexico, the Confederate States of America and the USA. Spend a day at the Amelia Island Museum of History to learn more about this charming island.
Amelia Island is one of the only places you can go horseback riding on the beach the way you’ve always imagined – right at the water’s edge. Golf courses, tennis courts and fishing opportunities are numerous.
Fernandina Beach, considered the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry, hosts the popular Eight Flags Shrimp Festival. A 50-block Historic District in the heart of Fernandina Beach brims with shops and restaurants. You can entertain the kids with a horse-drawn carriage ride through town.
Destin
Fishing is an obvious pastime in the “world’s luckiest fishing village.” But Destin, the crown jewel of the Emerald Coast, isn’t just for fishermen. With shimmering white sands and emerald waters, just being on the beach may be all your family needs. Convert that sand into a masterpiece sandcastle with a lesson from sand sculptor Rick Munegeam of Beach Sand Sculptures.
Popular with the locals, Crab Island is an underwater sandbar (once an island) that’s accessible only by boat, kayak or stand-up paddleboard –if you’re looking for a workout. At high tide, the crystal-clear water is about waist deep for adults. Activities at Crab Island range from snorkeling and relaxing on your boat, to eating boiled peanuts, sandwiches, or ice cream from one of the many floating food vendors. No Crab Island visit is complete without sluicing down the giant inflatable water slide.
For off-beach entertainment, head to The Track Family Recreation Center. Go-karts, bumper cars and boats, miniature golf, bungee jumping and an arcade will entertain the kids for hours.
