Bringing the whole family together for a fun vacation is a recipe for happy memories that will last a lifetime. Seeing the kids laugh and smiling while relaxing on the beach is worth all the planning and hassle it takes to throw the trip together. Still, taking multiple people, especially kids, requires a lot of preparation, planning and organization. This means you are going to want to choose a destination that is accommodating to your family’s needs and that will allow you to worry less (as you should on vacation). Fortunately, there are plenty of great options, especially in the Sunshine State. Here are some of the best family beaches in Florida.
Florida has nearly 1,350 miles of coastline and some of the top beaches in the world, including Miami Beach, Key West, Panama City and more with their powdery white quartz sand. But do not think that you have to miss out on the Florida fun because of the state’s bustling beaches. Many of these beaches have the perfect conditions, amenities and surrounding attractions that make them very family-friendly. Here is a list of some of those beaches and what makes them so well-suited for families.
1. Siesta Beach (Siesta Key)
With its powdery white sand that’s almost as fine as sugar, crystal clear and calm turquoise waters perfect for swimming, and an array of amenities from playgrounds and volleyball courts to shops and eateries, Siesta Beach on Siesta Key is considered one of the best family beaches in Florida. Its crescent shape creates a large, open area with plenty of room for families and kids to spread out while keeping an eye on young ones at play.
The beach has been nationally ranked as having some of the finest, cleanest sand in the country, giving it an edge over other destinations. The gentle waves make it an ideal spot for younger kids to splash in the water safely. And should the family work up an appetite, Siesta Village with its variety of affordable restaurants is just across the street. With such kid-friendly features paired with relaxing natural beauty and views, Siesta Beach checks off all the boxes for best family beaches in Florida.
2. Bowman’s Beach (Sanibel Island)
Bowman’s Beach on Sanibel Island has secured its place as one of Florida’s top family beach destinations. Its calm, shallow waters provide a safe play area for children to swim and wade, while teens try their hand at stand-up paddleboarding. At low tide, expansive tidal pools offer hours of exploration, revealing colorful shells, starfish and local wildlife. Kids delight in combing the beach to collect some of the most unique and well-preserved shells to be found anywhere while parents relax at the beachside.
The beach has a relaxed pace and natural beauty, devoid of commercial development and high rises, letting families focus on simple pleasures like building sandcastles, playing games or picnicking together under the shady trees. Bowman’s Beach makes for an accessible retreat focused on quality time and enjoyment for all ages. It does this with an array of family-friendly amenities from bathrooms to concessions, as well as nearby parking.
3. Bahia Honda State Park (Florida Keys)
Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys is another that is consistently ranked one of the best family beaches in Florida. And this isn’t just because of its postcard-perfect white sand beaches and inviting turquoise waters. Its protected beaches feature calm, shallow waters perfect for kids to splash about in safety, while adults relax on the sand or snorkel offshore to catch a glimpse of the park’s abundant marine life up close. Families enjoy the Park’s wide range of amenities like picnic areas, playgrounds, a nature center, snack bars, showers and bathrooms and rental equipment for water sports adventures.
This beach also offers plenty of shade and room to spread out and unwind amid gorgeous vistas where the Florida Straits meet the Atlantic, away from the traffic and crowds of the mainland. Combine stunning natural scenery, with an array of facilities and activities for all ages like kayaking, swimming, building sandcastles or combing for seashells and you get Bahia Honda State Park.
4. Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach offers families the quintessential Florida beach vacation experience. Its wide, uncrowded shoreline provides plenty of room for activities like flying kites, playing volleyball, building epic sandcastles or simply relaxing on beach chairs and soaking up the Florida sunshine. Clearwater Beach is also conveniently located adjacent to Beach Walk, a lively promenade lined with beach shops, ice cream and snack stands, restaurants and lodging ideal for families.
Here, kids can enjoy playground facilities, parents can rent beach equipment like umbrellas and chairs and the whole family can grab a bite to eat or cool off with ice cream after a long day playing at the beach. With lifeguards on duty year-round for safety, Clearwater Beach has guaranteed fun in both the water and sand for kids of all ages
5. Fort De Soto Park (St. Petersburg/Tampa area)
Fort De Soto Park is another one of the best family beaches in Florida with its miles of peaceful beaches, shallow swimming areas, nature trails and a historic fort to explore. Its secluded beaches like North Beach and East Beach provide open space and an unspoiled shoreline for kids to build sandcastles, play games or splash in the tranquil Gulf waters all while parents can relax on the sand.
Families also enjoy biking the park’s trails, kayaking or canoeing around the islands, camping under the stars or trying to spot dolphins and pelicans from the pier. For some fascinating history, families can venture out to the old Spanish-American war fort with cannons, batteries and tunnels to ignite kids’ imaginations. A trip to Fort De Soto Park is basically a chance for families to unplug together and enjoy nature without commercial distractions.
6. Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach has a perfect mix of beautiful sandy beaches, surfside fun, and family-friendly amenities. For this reason it has become another one of the most iconic best family beaches in Florida. Its wide, clean beaches facing the Atlantic provide plenty of room for siblings to play volleyball or build sandcastles while parents watch from beach chairs nearby. Families can find beginner-friendly waves for kids to try out boogie boarding or stand-up paddle boarding while at the surfing capital of the East Coast.
The iconic Cocoa Beach Pier bustles with restaurants, gift shops and arcades, perfect for families to grab a casual lunch or ice cream after a long day enjoying the waves. From organized activities like surf camps and scavenger hunts to simply strolling the beach walkway at sunset, Cocoa Beach offers nonstop entertainment and relaxation for kids of all ages.
7. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park (Key Biscayne)
With over a mile of sandy Atlantic coastline, gentle surf, a historic lighthouse and opportunities for watersports, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park packs plenty to do for family beach vacations. Its long, peaceful beach allows children to have all the best beachy fun in the shallow water under parents’ watch from the shore. Families can take a tour of the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County – the 1825 Cape Florida Lighthouse – and learn about the area’s intriguing history.
For more active pursuits, the park rents kayaks, paddleboards and bikes so the whole family can explore the natural beauty of Key Biscayne up close via fun water adventures and scenic trails. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park truly makes experiencing the best of Miami easy and enjoyable for Florida families with its relaxing beaches, historic sites, recreational activities and picnic areas amidst a scenic barrier island landscape only minutes from South Beach.
8. Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach is probably one of the most well-known for one of the best family beaches in Florida along the Gulf Coast. Parents delight in the wide beaches with plenty of room for kids to build sandcastles, play volleyball or fly kites while they relax in the shade. The beach slopes gently into the clear water, creating a safe environment for children to splash about and perfect conditions for trying out stand-up paddleboards.
Families can also visit the free Gulf Islands National Seashore or stroll down the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk for shopping and dining options to suit all tastes and ages. With lifeguards on duty, resorts and hotels catering to families, complimentary special events and sparkling emerald waters amongst the snow-white shores, Pensacola Beach shines when it comes to family fun.
9. Destin Beach
Destin Beach shines as a premier family vacation destination along Florida’s Panhandle with its sugar-white sand, emerald green waters and abundance of kid-friendly attractions. Its protected beaches slowly slope into the Gulf, allowing children to splash safely for hours while parents relax oceanside with peace of mind. Families delight in beach days filled with building colossal sandcastles, playing beach sports or searching for crabs at night.
When not enjoying Destin’s pristine shores and calm waters, kids love attractions like Big Kahuna’s water park and the Gulfarium marine adventure park. Parents appreciate the range of family-oriented resorts and restaurants to suit all ages and budgets. With an ideal mid-size beach town feel retaining natural beauty yet boasting endless amenities for families, Destin Beach delivers stunning shores combined with off-beach entertainment ensuring an unforgettable seaside getaway for the whole family.
10. Hollywood Beach (Hollywood, FL area)
The last of these best family beaches in Florida is Hollywood Beach in the Hollywood, Florida area (not to be confused with Hollywood in California). Hollywood Beach offers families ample room to enjoy classic Florida shoreline pursuits with over 2.5 miles of wide, sandy Atlantic beaches perfect for any and all beach activities. Adjacent to the beach sits the iconic Broadwalk promenade, bustling with pedestrian activity and lined with casual eateries, ice cream shops and beach stores catering to families.
Here, parents can rent umbrellas and beach chairs while kids can enjoy the playgrounds and splash pads when not splashing in the waves. The beach and Broadwalk hosts free music performances, children’s activities and other special family-focused events and attractions year-round. With its beautiful sandy shoreline, lively amenities, great restaurants and festive atmosphere, it’s perfect for the whole fam. Overall, Hollywood Beach strikes an ideal balance for fun in the sand, surf and sun all vacation long for families.