Florida’s Top 10 Kid-Friendly Beaches for Family Fun

Is there such a thing as too many beaches? You’ll have to ask Florida. With 190(ish) beaches all around the state, it can be tricky to find the perfect one for your family beach vacation. Lucky for you, there’s nowhere our travel consultants haven’t been, and we’re here to help you make the right choice!

Take a gander at our top 10 Florida beaches for building sandcastles and making lifelong memories with your kids.

• Daytona Beach
• Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park Beach
• Cocoa Beach
• Clearwater Beach
• Hollywood Beach
• Panama City Beach
• Siesta Public Beach
• Historic Virginia Key Beach Park
• Crandon Park Beach
• Sunny Isles Beach

Hard-to-please teens and middle-schoolers meet their match at Daytona Beach! The area’s vibes are incredibly cool (do cool people still say cool?) and the water conditions are ideal for learning to surf. Book a class at one of the many surf schools in the area, especially near Ponce Inlet, which has some of the most reliable breaks in the area.

Address: 12 North Ocean Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Best places to stay nearby:

• Best Western International Speedway Hotel
• Days Inn by Wyndham Daytona Beach Speedway
• Baymont by Wyndham Daytona Beach Intl Speedway
• Super 8 by Wyndham Daytona Beach
• Hampton Inn Daytona Speedway Airport
• Hilton Garden Inn Daytona Beach Airport
• Holiday Inn Daytona Beach LPGA Boulevard an IHG Hotel
• Home2 Suites by Hilton Daytona Beach Speedway
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Daytona Beach Speedway Airport
• Holiday Inn Express Daytona Beach Speedway an IHG Hotel

It’s impossible to be bored at Fort Zachary! This Key West state park is full of activities both on and off the beach. You can teach the kids how to snorkel and fish, go for a walk along the Great Florida Birding Trail, pop in for a bite at Cayo Hueso Café and then take a tour of the Civil War-era fort. You’ll need more than a single day to make the most of Fort Zachary, that’s for sure.

Address: 601 Howard England Way, Key West, FL 33040, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• Crowne Plaza Key West La Concha
• Hyatt Centric Key West Resort and Spa
• Doubletree Resort by Hilton Grand Key West
• Hilton Garden Inn Key West The Keys Collection
• Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Key West
• The Saint Hotel Key West Autograph Collection
• Courtyard by Marriott Key West Waterfront
• Hyatt Residence Club Key West Sunset Harbor
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Key West at The Keys Collection
• Hyatt Residence Club Key West Beach House
• Hampton Inn Key West Florida
• Hyatt Residence Club Key West Windward Pointe
• Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel
• Margaritaville Beach House Key West
• The Reach Key West Curio Collection by Hilton
• Casa Marina Key West, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

The gentle waves at Cocoa Beach make it a favourite destination for swimmers and beginner surfers alike. And if surfing feels a little bit too adventurous, there are plenty of kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to try instead. When you’re ready to dry off, you can admire the Atlantic while you shop along the boardwalk, hop on some segways or watch the skaters practice their tricks at the park.

Address: 1400 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Cocoa Beach Port Canaveral
• Days Inn by Wyndham Cocoa Beach Port Canaveral
• Holiday Inn Express Hotels & Suites Cocoa Beach an IHG Hotel
• Best Western Cocoa Beach Hotel & Suites
• Hampton Inn Cocoa Beach Cape Canaveral
• Courtyard Cocoa Beach Cape Canaveral
• Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach
• Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront

Travelling with little ones? Skip the tired tantrums and hop aboard the Jolley Trolley — the easiest way to get around Clearwater (with day passes at about $5 for grown-ups and free for kids eight and under). With long stretches of spacious beachfront and plenty of fun excursions, Clearwater has hours of play for every family. Stick around for a sunset festival. Visit the undeveloped Sand Key Park. Enjoy plenty of kid-friendly restaurants in the area. The fun is up to you!

Address: Clearwater, FL 33767, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
• Residence inn by Marriott Clearwater Beach
• Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
• Hampton Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Clearwater

This Blue Wave-certified beach features a lovely stroller-friendly promenade filled with shops and restaurants. Top off your relaxing beach day with a stop at the splash pad at Charnow beachfront Park, a family picnic and a quick visit to the observation tower.

Address: Hollywood, FL 33019, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• Beachwalk Elite Hotels & Resorts
• Marenas Beach Resort
• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
• Hotolos Hollywood
• Best Western Plus Hollywood Aventura
• Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Marco Polo Beach Resort
• Hollywood Beach Marriott
• Doubletree Resort by Hilton Hollywood Beach
• Hollywood Beach Marriott

This white-sand beach is best for watersports and fun tours. Some of our favourite family activities include pirate ship cruises and shipwreck tours — a great experience for all ages. You can hop on the water shuttle to visit Shell Island from St. Andrew's State Park for even more kid-friendly outdoor fun and affordable boat rentals.

Address: S Thomas Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32408, USA

Best places to stay nearby:

• Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Panama City Beach Florida
• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Panama City Beach
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham PCB Pier Park Area
• Candlewood Suites Panama City Beach Pier
• Home2 Suites by Hilton Panama City Beach Florida
• Hampton Inn & Suites Panama City Beach Pier Park Area
• Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort
• Hampton Inn Panama City beach
• Days Inn by Wyndham Panama City Beach Ocean Front
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Panama City Beach
• Marriott's Legends Edge at Bay Point
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Panama City Beach Beachfront
• Holiday Inn Resort Panama City Beach
• Springhill Suites by Marriott Panama City Beach Beachfront
• Hampton Inn & Suites Panama City Beach Beachfront
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott Panama City Beach Pier Park

This Siesta Key beach is one of our favourites for peace of mind. Its fine white sand is gentle on little toes, plus the shallow water and year-round lifeguards can help you and your little ones swim with extra confidence. (Rest easy! There are plenty of convenient public restrooms and showers, too). Park your crew at one of the BBQ-equipped picnic tables, rent some beach gear and check out the Drum Circle that closes out the weekends with music and dancing.

Address: 948 Beach Rd, Sarasota, FL 34242, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach
• Days Inn by Wyndham Sarasota I75
• Days Inn by Wyndham Sarasota Bay
• Super 8 by Wyndham Sarasota near Siesta Key
• Sleep Inn Sarasota North
• Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota Bradenton airport
• Best Western Plus Siesta Key Gateway
• Ramada by Wyndham Sarasota Waterfront
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Sarasota I75

During a time when African Americans were systematically excluded from Miami-Dade County’s beaches and parks, Virginia Key Beach was a safe space for black families to gather, celebrate and enjoy nature. The historic beach park continues to be a community hub and the perfect place to spend quality time together. While you’re there, check out the beachfront day-cabin rentals, cycling trails, playground and carousel.

Address: 4020 Virginia Beach Dr, Miami, FL 33149, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• Beach Haus Key Biscayne
• The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne Miami
• Coral Reef at Key Biscayne
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center
• Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon

This 800-acre park in Key Biscayne boasts some of Florida’s best swimming conditions and plenty of family-friendly pursuits in the area. Try reserving a court at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park or heading to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center to visit sea turtles and watch conservation in action. Then rent a quirky quad-cycle and take the whole family for a spin.

Address: 6747 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149, United States

Best places to stay nearby:

• Beach Haus Key Biscayne
• The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne Miami
• Coral Reef at Key Biscayne
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center
• Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon

From the photogenic Newport Fishing Pier to the seemingly endless views of the coastline, this getaway doubles as the perfect background for your family photos. You and your crew can play a game of beach volleyball, rent a boat for the day and get that adrenaline going with jet skis or electric-bikes.

Address: 8070 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160

Best places to stay nearby:

• Sole Miami a Noble House Resort
• Residence Inn by Marriott Miami Sunny Isles Beach
• Marenas Beach Resort
• The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood Curio Collection by Hilton