Florida’s Best Beaches for Kids: Fun for the Whole Family
If you’re looking for a good spot in Florida for a family beach vacation, you’re in the right place.
One of my biggest loves is the beach. It’s why we moved to Florida! And since we moved to the Sunshine State, we have traveled all over. We haven’t been to literally every single beach in Florida, but we have been to a lot of them!
This is kind of a tough list to make because to be honest, almost any beach can be child-friendly. Kids love to play in the sand, swim, and play with beach toys which can be done at pretty much any beach!
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While you can’t really go wrong with any beach in Florida, here are some of my absolute best family beaches:
Destin
The calm waters in Destin are a stunning emerald green that you can hardly bring yourself to look away from. And of course, you’ll also find white sand to dig your toes into. It’s a great place for a family vacation.
If you want a break from the beach, check out the Big Kahuna waterpark. It’s huge and you could easily spend a whole day there. You can also go to the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park where you can see dolphins, seals, sea lions, stingrays, and more.
You can take a dolphin cruise, see the alligators at Gator Beach (it’s free!), spend the day at Crab Island (a beautiful sandbar), visit the Emerald Coast Science Center, or visit the History & Fishing Museum. For more adventure, there’s The Track which has go-karts, bumper boats, mini golf, and an arcade. Finally, the Harborwalk is a great, family-friendly area to walk around with shops, restaurants, activities, and more.
Where to Stay in Destin: The Henderson Beach Resort & Spa
Clearwater Beach
If you ever do research on the best family-friendly location in Florida, Clearwater Beach will come up pretty much every time. You’ll inevitably hear about the traffic in Clearwater Beach (I’ll be honest, the traffic can get pretty bad) but once you’re there you won’t really need a car.
Clearwater Beach is one of my top choices for kids/families because there are tons of activities. There is every kind of boat charter you could imagine. There is a pirate-themed boat, dolphin watching tours, sunset cruises, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and more. Pier 60 has live entertainers every night and there’s a large playground there, too.
The pier itself is typically a fun activity. It’s a fishing pier and it’s not uncommon to see dolphins there, too. Right now, it is closed from the awful 2024 hurricanes, but there is still plenty of buzz and things to do in the area.
You really won’t get bored in Clearwater Beach, but if you want a change of scenery, you can also jump on the trolley to get around and visit some other areas. The trolley goes to downtown Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, and Tarpon Springs. So you can take a little day trip without needing a car!
To be honest, all of the beaches in the Tampa Bay area, from Clearwater Beach all the way down to Fort DeSoto are great for kids. It’s fun to check out each little beach town to see each one’s different vibes.
Clearwater Beach stands out because there are so many activities. Also a very short drive from Clearwater Beach is the Splash Harbour Water Park in Indian Rocks Beach if you want to change it up from the beach.
Another spot in the Tampa Bay area that stands out to me is St Pete Beach. It’s still an area with tons of activities and restaurants, but a little quieter than Clearwater Beach.
Where to Stay in Clearwater Beach: Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island is located near Siesta Key. Each destination is a popular spot for families and both would be great for a family vacation. There are a lot of similarities between the two, so I wrote an article comparing Anna Maria vs Siesta Key. While you can’t go wrong with either destination, I chose Anna Maria as the winner (just slightly!) for families.
Anna Maria Island feels like a quaint small town yet still has plenty of restaurants and shops. Renting golf carts is popular (and it’s so much fun!) but if you’re not comfortable doing that, there are free shuttle buses that go to different parts of the island.
Like many of the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, the water here is breathtaking. But if you need a break from the beach, you’re just a short drive away from Sarasota which has a ton to do. Visit the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, the Sarasota Children’s Garden, Sarasota Jungle Gardens, the Ringling Museum, or the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.
Where to stay in Anna Maria Island: While there are some hotels on the island, vacation rentals tend to be more popular.
Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach is a popular destination for families because it’s the closest beach to the theme parks in Orlando and also right next to Port Canaveral where cruise ships depart.
Even if you’re not there before or after a cruise, it’s fun to watch the cruise ships while you’re at the beach. The beach is also a perfect place to watch rocket launches if there happens to be one during your visit.
Since it’s on the Atlantic Ocean, there are bigger waves here than on Florida’s gulf coast.
Kid-friendly activities include the Kennedy Space Center, the Cocoa Beach Pier (you can fish off of the pier or check out a good restaurant), the Brevard Zoo, Exploration tower, and the world’s largest surf shop at Ron Jon Surf Shop.
Where to Stay in Cocoa Beach: Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront
Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is one of my absolute favorite spots in Florida. It’s a little taste of “old Florida” with tons of natural beauty.
There aren’t as many activities here like there are in some of the other destinations on this list. The beach is the main attraction, but there are some other things to do.
Sanibel is great for long bike rides on the trails that are located throughout the island, getting back to nature, spending time as a family, long days on the beach, and a ending a day at the beach with a milkshake from Cheeburger Cheeburger.
You also don’t want to miss the nature at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, and the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village.
Where to Stay: Sanibel Island Beach Resort
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island
I find Fernandina Beach to be a taste of old Florida. It’s quiet and less crowded overall. It feels like a quiet little beach town.
While you’re there, you should visit Fort Clinch State Park, where you can learn about the Civil War or walk the nature trails.
The Fernandina Beach Historic District is great for wandering around, grabbing ice cream (or maybe coffee for parents), and of course there is a toy store. In the Historic District, you can also hop on an Amelia River Cruise to see dolphins and wild horses on Cumberland Island. You could also go biking or kayaking.
Where to Stay in Amelia Island: Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa
Sombrero Beach in Marathon, Florida Keys
You might be surprised to hear that despite being a chain of islands, the beaches in the Florida Keys actually aren’t that great. They are often “rocky” which is really coral, making it tough (or painful) to walk in the water.
But Sombrero Beach is a great spot to hit up the beach. It’s more sandy and it is absolutely stunning. You’ll find shallow waters and water is typically pretty calm as well. This makes it perfect for children of all ages. There is also a really nice, large playground and picnic areas right in front of the beach.
Have older kids or feeling more adventurous? I definitely recommend snorkeling in the Florida Keys and this tour goes to Sombrero Reef. Snorkeling a coral reef is such a beautiful, unique experience and it’s worth every penny.
I know that the Florida Keys don’t exactly have the best reputation for being kid-friendly, but they can truly be very kid-friendly! Read about kid-friendly activities in Key West and kid friendly activities in Islamorada. We love taking road trips from Key Largo to Key West with our kids!
Where to Stay in Marathon: Isla Bella Beach Resort and Spa
Our goal is for you to find a perfect spot for your family trip because we put so much time and effort into our vacations. Hopefully this list gave you some ideas of the best beaches in Florida that the whole family can enjoy!
Did I miss your favorite family-friendly Florida beach? Let me know so that I can add it to my list of places to visit and include it in the list!
