The 13 Best Beaches in Florida for Families
One of the Cosmos Mariners kiddos in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Warm sun, white sand, and days spent together: these best beaches in Florida for families are the perfect place for your next summer vacation.
Together with some of today’s top travel bloggers, I’ve compiled an amazing list of family beaches in Florida to help you plan your next kid friendly getaway.
From the panhandle to the Florida Keys, there are beaches from across the state of Florida on this list. One is sure to be the perfect fit for your annual family beach vacay!
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Written 7/2022
Anna Maria Island
Submitted by Paula from Paula Pins the Planet
Photo courtesy of Paula Pins the Planet
Anna Maria Island is one of Florida’s best-kept secrets and is known for its pristine white beaches, crystal clear waters, and laid-back vibes.
The island is just a 15-minute drive from Bradenton as it’s connected via a bridge, so there’s no need to catch a boat there.
Located on the Central Gulf Coast, Anna Maria Island has a lot to offer for families.
The island is only about 7 miles long and is lined with beautiful beaches all the way along the coast.
However, there are a couple that steals the spotlight including Manatee Beach, Coquina Beach, and Bayfront Park Beach.
Manatee and Coquina Beach are great for families: there is always a lifeguard stationed here, and you’ll find plenty of amenities nearby including cafes and restrooms.
Whilst Bayfront Park Beach is beautiful, you won’t find many amenities here which can be difficult if you’re on a family vacation with little ones.
There are also plenty of things to do on Anna Maria Island as a family including the aquarium, the city pier, and Coquina Baywalk.
You can also explore the Historic Bridge Street, rent bicycles for the day, or even head out on a wildlife-watching boat trip.
Going on a boat trip is a favorite with the kids, but may not be suitable for really young children.
You’ll be spoilt for choice if you decide to visit Anna Maria Island, one of the best beaches for kids in Florida.
Bahia Honda State Park
Submitted by Kristin from Snorkel and Hike
Photo provided by Snorkel and Hike
Bahia Honda State Park three of the absolute best beaches in the Florida Keys for families.
The shallow and calm water is perfect for kids to splash and play or beginner snorkelers to dip their toe into the waters of the amazing snorkeling in the Florida Keys.
Located at mile marker 37 just off Big Pine Key, Bahia Honda State Park encompases the entire Bahia Honda Key with on site camping, kayaking, picnic areas, a snack shop, and restrooms.
It’s the perfect spot in the Keys for a full day of family activities.
The three beaches—Calusa, Loggerhead, and Sandspur—all offer something a bit different.
PIN ME!
Loggerhead and Sandspur are both located on the Atlantic side of the island with Loggerhead being the more popular spot located nearest to the Old Bahia Honda Bridge and all of the concessions and amenities.
Sandspur is a bit further down the island but has a much more secluded feel.
Calusa Beach on the bay side has the iconic view of Old Bahia Honda Bridge and good snorkeling for kids and beginners along the jetties.
When you’re tired of relaxing on the beach, rent a kayak, take a hike up to the bridge, bike around the park, or even join one of the snorkel tours out to Looe Key.
With several beaches to explore, amenities, camping, and all the other outdoor activities, Bahia Honda is a perfect spot for a family getaway.
Clearwater Beach
Photo provided by Virginia Vacation Guide
Submitted by Merry Allison from Virginia Vacation Guide
Clearwater Beach is located in the city of Clearwater on the Gulf Coast, about 23 miles west of Tampa.
It’s widely considered to be one of the best beaches in Florida. It is a very wide beach with soft white sand that is perfect for relaxing, playing, and enjoying the sun and surf.
The area around Clearwater Beach is great for families.
There are even some amusement park rides located nearby at Pier 60.
The pier also hosts Sunsets at Pier 60 every night, from two hours before sunset until two hours after sunset.
The event features performers, vendors, rides, and of course lovely views of the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
The beach is bordered by a wide sidewalk where walking and bike riding are common.
The path continues south to Sand Key Park and Indian Rocks Beach. To the east, the path leads across Causeway Boulevard, with lovely panoramic views of Clearwater Bay.
Water activities are an important part of Clearwater.
You can rent jet skis at the marina, take a sunset dinner cruise, or take a boat ride for an up-close encounter with some of the many dolphins who live nearby.
You can even take a voyage on a pirate ship.
Another great family activity is to visit the nearby Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
It was featured in the movie Dolphin Tale, and has many dolphins, sea turtles, otters, and other aquatic animals that were rescued in the nearby waters.
There are a lot of restaurants near Clearwater Beach that are great for families, including Crabby’s Dockside, which features excellent fresh seafood dishes like grouper and crab cakes.
Frenchy’s Restaurant has multiple locations around Clearwater Beach and features Mahi Mahi, calamari, oysters, crab, and much more.
Cocoa Beach
Submitted by Chantelle of Flannels or Flip Flops
Photo provided by Flannels or Flip Flops
Looking for a place to take your family on vacation? Look no further than Cocoa Beach, Florida!
The boardwalk is full of fun shops and restaurants, and there are also plenty of parks and other attractions nearby.
Cocoa Beach is a large beach town that offers plenty of room to relax and enjoy the sun and sand.
The beach is over a mile long, providing plenty of space for everyone.
Whether you're interested in swimming, sunbathing, surfing or fishing there will be something you enjoy at Cocoa Beach.
There are also plenty of activities to keep you busy when you need a break from the beach, including museums, shopping, and restaurants.
There are plenty of attractions in Cocoa Beach that are perfect for families.
One of the most popular is the Kennedy Space Center, which offers a range of activities for people of all ages. You might even get lucky and get to watch a rocket launch!
>> Learn how to plan the perfect trip to Kennedy Space Center for kids! <<
Other popular attractions include the Ron Jon Surf Shop, the Cocoa Beach pier, and the Brevard Zoo.
Cocoa Beach is a great place to either start or end a Disney vacation, as it is not far from Orlando.
It’s also a wonderful place to stay before or after a caribbean cruise leaving from Port Canaveral.
Fort Lauderdale
Submitted by Lisa from Planning Away
Photo courtesy of Planning Away
Fort Lauderdale is one of the best beaches in Florida for a family vacation.
Unlike its sister beach, Miami Beach, it offers a more laid-back family-friendly atmosphere. You will find more families prefer Fort. Lauderdale.
Most accommodations are located directly across the street from Ft. Lauderdale Beach.
However, the Westin has a bridge directly from the rooftop pool out to the beach.
This is the perfect place to stay with kids. The resort also offers non-motorized beach sports and beach toys. It also has beach chairs and bicycles. The location is perfect for Florida family beach vacations.
Fort Lauderdale Beach is beautiful! It is a perfect place to build sandcastles and swim. However, you will want to check the lifeguard station to see if it is safe to swim. A green flag means it is safe.
There are lots of activities near Fort Lauderdale Beach for families. You can go on a pirate adventure, sunset cruise, or even jet ski or parasail.
Fort Lauderdale is also a great place to spend a few days before or after a cruise.
If it is your first time cruising out of Fort Lauderdale, this is the perfect location to stay because the cruise port is located nearby.
Your kids will love seeing the big cruise ships sailing to and from the area.
Explore more of what makes Fort Lauderdale one of the best beaches in South Florida for families:
Pass-a-Grille
Submitted by Natalie of Cosmos Mariners
Located at the southern tip of the St. Pete Beach-Clearwater stretch of barrier islands, this laid back community has one of the best beaches in Florida for families.
Because of its isolated location away from major thoroughfares, the quaint rows of Old Florida style homes is quiet and welcoming.
You’ll find a wide variety of shops for ice cream, candy, clothing, and more. Then, you can watch the sunset as you dine across the street from the beach.
The beach on Pass-a-Grille is wide and soft, and you won’t be fighting anyone for space.
This part of the St. Pete Beach area doesn’t have any oceanfront condos or hotels, so you can relax in peace.
Your kids will love the shallow, calm waters here, and you’ll appreciate the feel of a private island, all of which adds up to this being one of the best family beaches that is not crowded!
>> Get my full guide to St. Pete and Clearwater here! <<
Pensacola Beach
Photo courtesy of Be Blissful Travel
Submitted by Rebecca from Be Blissful Travel
Pensacola Beach is one of the most popular family beaches in Florida.
The white sand and clear blue waters are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and building sandcastles.
Considering that this is one of the best white sand beaches in Florida for families, it's no wonder people love to visit this area.
There is also a wide variety of activities available for both children and adults.
There are plenty of opportunities for water sports and other activities on Pensacola Bay, as well as engaging museums that will keep you busy all day long.
Parasailing, jet skiing, and kayaking are just some of the ways to enjoy the water, while the nearby boardwalk offers restaurants, shops, and fun attractions.
Interested in trying out some new adult-themed activities when you need a night away from the kids?
You'll be hard-pressed to find a better area for it than Pensacola.
From shopping, dining, and live theater performances, there are plenty of things on offer!
Best of all, Pensacola Beach is less than an hour's drive from many major cities in Florida, making it the perfect place for a day trip or weekend getaway.
Whether you are looking for a place to relax or an adventure-packed beach vacation, Pensacola Beach is sure to please.
MORE TIPS FOR FLORIDA FAMILY TRAVEL!
Siesta Key
Photo provided by Marquita’s Travels
Submitted by Marquita from Marquita’s Travels
With the sand’s makeup being 99% quartz, creating a powdery soft feel, Siesta Keys’ 8-mile coast is a family favorite beach.
The beach’s soft sand is the perfect companion to the beautiful turquoise water, creating the perfect atmosphere for fun and relaxation.
Not only is Siesta Key Beach beautiful and rejuvenating but it also has concession stands, including beer and wine, a playground, tennis court, hiking trails, large parking lots, and more.
Everyone in the family will enjoy their time at Siesta Key Beach.
>> See here for more fun things to do in Sarasota with kids! <<
Additionally, there are multiple beach access points directly from Siesta Key Village, giving beach-goers space to spread out and enjoy the beauty of the beach.
This quaint village is filled with local restaurants, pubs, ice cream shops, stores, and more.
Many of the restaurants and pubs stay open relatively late creating a nightlife vibe for those who like to go out.
Plus, they offer a free trolley, making it super convenient to get around.
Most of the lodging accommodations consist of local hotels and vacation rentals, giving the island a charming vibe.
Likewise, many of these accommodations offer complimentary bikes, wagons, or golf carts to help visitors easily explore this beautiful and relaxing island.
Siesta Key is located in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota is easily accessible through the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
Similarly, Tampa is also a short one-hour drive from Sarasota.
Sombrero Beach
Photo courtesy of McCool Travel
Submitted by Charles from McCool Travel
Sombrero Beach is the Florida Keys’ best beach for families and really for anyone.
It is located in Marathon, which is halfway down the Florida Keys, 50 miles from both Key Largo and Key West.
Featuring magnificent and clean sugar sand, an excellent playground, two sand volleyball courts, a protected harbor (resulting in less wave action than other Florida Keys beaches), a dozen picnic pavilions, two bath houses, and FREE parking, Sombrero Beach is the ideal family friendly Florida Keys beach for a day trip or destination vacation.
The ocean water here is also better for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking than other Florida Keys beaches. Also make sure to catch the amazing sunrises and sunsets.
We especially love that the Sombrero Beach playground is covered with a sun shade so that children do not burn their extremities and bums on the equipment on scorching hot days.
Stop at the nearby Publix for food or visit an amazing Marathon Florida restaurant.
Our suggestions include Seven Mile Grill (order the blackened grouper), Food For Thought (healthy options), and Marathon Bagels (great breakfast option).
The Turtle Hospital is close to Sombrero Beach and is one of the most popular attractions in The Florida Keys.
Learn how they rescue, rehab, and release injured and sick sea turtles, and meet and feed some of the current rescued and rehabbed patients.
South Beach Miami
Submitted by James from Parks Collecting
Photo courtesy of Parks Collecting
The South Beach area of Miami Beach is the perfect beach for families with kids of all ages.
It’s located on the Miami Beach spit and you need to drive across a bridge from the Miami mainland to get there.
There are lifesaver stations, with iconic huts, dotted frequently along the beach, so you can relax knowing that professionals are keeping an eye on your kids.
The beach is long, but the best section for families is between 5th and 15th Street.
Lummus Park runs adjacent to the beach in this section, and there is plenty for kids to do in addition to the beach itself.
There is a large grassy area to play games on, as well as sand volleyball courts, and paths for biking and rollerblading.
There are also two playgrounds for smaller kids – one for 2-5 year olds and another for 5 – 12 year olds, plus restrooms and drinking fountains.
Across from the park is Ocean Drive.
Here you’ll find the famous art deco area, with beautiful tropical art deco buildings and dozens of restaurants, cafes, and hotels.
A block or two further from the beach are cheaper, more casual places to get a meal, snack, or drink, so it’s always easy to keep the family happy.
South Walton Beach
Photo courtesy of Explore with Erin
Submitted by Erin from Explore with Erin
I’ve been to some pretty impressive beaches during my travels.
So, when I heard about Florida’s award-winning beaches in South Walton (voted by Travel + Leisure), I was curious to see what all the fuss was.
Located along a 26-mile stretch of the Northwest Florida coast, South Walton encompasses an unparalleled strand of 16 distinct beach neighborhoods renowned for their natural scenic beauty, turquoise waters, and white sandy beaches.
And it’s easy to see why it got such a title. There’s no seaweed and the color of the water changes with the season, but at the time I visited it was a perfect blue with crystal clear clarity.
South Walton takes a very active role in making sure sea turtles have the strongest possible chance of survival with educational programs, banning bright beach lights within 750 feet of the sea, and removing all artificial obstacles from the beaches.
Our favorite family-friendly activity to do in South Walton is a Beach Sand Sculpting lesson.
They taught my kids and me the foundations of beach sand sculpting, what tools to use, how to achieve maximum height, and even how to add details from bridges to patterns.
My kids declared it one of the best times they’ve ever had on a beach. Beach Sand Sculptures is now the #1 rated outdoor activity on TripAdvisor in Sandestin.
Recommend also enjoying the mini-golf and ropes course at Baytowne Wharf.
Trying your hand at stand up paddleboarding on Western Lake, or catch a show at The Repertory Theatre at Seaside, where The Truman Show was filmed.
South Walton is home to less than 60,000 residents but welcomes up to 3 million visitors each year.
I highly recommend you be one of them.
St. Augustine Beach
Submitted by Candice from CS Ginger
One of the best beaches for families in Florida is St. Augustine.
Along with the beach, there are so many fun things to do in St. Augustine for kids.
St. Augustine is a beautiful coastal town on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. It is just south of Jacksonville.
There are lots of great family attractions in St. Augustine that the entire family will enjoy.
The city was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers and today you can see the influences of the original settlers.
The cobblestone streets, Spanish architecture, and large fort make it one of the most unique places to visit in Florida.
One of the best things to do with kids is to visit the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. It is home to hundreds of different crocodiles and alligators.
There are shows throughout the day as well as zoo-style exhibits and large open areas where the animals live.
For more wildlife, you can visit the St. Augustine Aquarium and the St. Augustine Wild Reserve.
There are lots of fun historical sites downtown as well as the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum.
There are great hands-on exhibits and weapons demonstrations. You can even see a real pirate treasure chest.
Kids who love earning badges through the junior ranger program can complete a program at the Castillo De San Marcos National Monument to earn a new badge.
Tigertail Beach, Marco Island
Photo courtesy of Travlin Mad
Submitted by Lori of Travlin Mad
Few of Florida’s shores are as unique as one particular beach in the Ten Thousand Islands of southwest Florida, Tigertail Beach on Marco Island.
Known for being one of the best family beaches in Florida’s Gulf Coast, Marco Island is the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands and at the gateway of the Florida Everglades.
Tigertail Beach is a microcosm of the Everglades ecosystem, the marshy lagoon and gorgeous white sand beach on either side connected by mangroves and lowland scrub in between.
There are actually two beaches at Tigertail.
The calm inner lagoon beach is perfect for small children and those wanting to explore nature, from dolphins feeding in the lagoon to hermit crabs and wading birds.
It’s here that you can rent a variety of watercraft including kayaks, paddle boards, and pedal boats.
The entire lagoon is between knee deep to waist deep and extends right out to the Gulf of Mexico.
The outer beach is a favorite among shell and sun seekers and there are two ways to reach this pristine beach — by walking the quarter-mile around the lagoon, or simply wading through the lagoon to the short trail on the other side.
Most visitors opt to wade since it’s part of the fun!
The setting at Tigertail Beach offers enough to keep most families occupied for the day, and there is plenty of parking.
There are also restrooms, and a well-stocked concession stand on-site.
Which of these best beaches in Florida for families do you want to visit?
