Finding the best family beach holidays

To know how much I love family beach holidays, you only need peek inside one of my suitcases – each one has a light scattering of sand in every corner.

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Because as my daughter and I do our best to research the best beaches with kids around the world, we always seem to bring back a little bit with us. It hasn’t put either of us off and I can’t see that changing though!

The beach is my happy place. Wide open windswept UK beaches, powder soft sandy Caribbean beaches, beaches with rockpools, beaches to paddle, Greek beaches with little tavernas, beaches you can snorkel from, beaches where fishing boats bob just offshore, beaches designed for ever more complicated sandcastles.

I even have a beach wishlist – Australia features for starters (ideally a corner without sharks, killer jellyfish or riptides though) – and I’m always looking for more inspiration, including regularly ripping pages from travel magazines featuring tempting family beach holidays.

For my beach essentials with kids, check out my top picks for fun on the sand

I also keep a hopeful eye on the Dr Beach top 10 list of the best US beaches – the current winner is on Oahu in Hawaii… also on my wishlist. Any Hawaiian beach works for me, frankly.

Florida’s Gulf coast is another wonderful spot which has previously made the list – we spotted dolphins and manatees on our trip, as well as enjoying the gleaming white sand.

On the opposite coast, I’ve got fond memories of so many fabulous beaches along the Pacific Coast Highway too – the purple sand of Julia Pfeiffer Burns beach, the glorious retro Americana of Santa Cruz and Pismo Beach, the bleached out trees dotted everywhere from chic Carmel to no-name coves.

I’m always being inspired by ideas from other family travel bloggers too: however picturesque a beach might be, I also want to check it’s good for kids whether that’s having facilities like toilets and cafes for a full day visit, knowing about unexpected tides or whether the steep clamber down is really worth it.

So if you’re planning a family beach holiday, here are just a few of those best beaches with kids to start you off.

Baby Beach, Aruba

One of my latest discoveries, this beach could be designed for kids – in fact, that’s what gives it its name.

The shallow calm waters are perfect for even the littlest to paddle and splash in and the temperature is wonderful – no shrieks from the shock of cold waves in the Caribbean.

It’s also wonderfully clear, so you can discover the fish towards one edge: ideal for new snorkelers or less confident swimmers, as you can just float and watch the marine life beneath you.

TOP TIP: Do bring your own beach umbrella or get there early for one of the few palapas dotted around – otherwise it’s $60 for a cabana for the day and there’s limited shade from the trees. 

Voted one of the best beaches in the world, Grace Bay on Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos islands has to come a close Caribbean second. We were staying at the equally lovely Beaches resort on the island, so it was easy to wander onto the white sand before heading back to our room but the beach is public.

Camber Sands, East Sussex

It was a struggle to pick a single favourite beach in the UK – I probably have a favourite per county (at least). But I have wonderful memories of Camber Sands in East Sussex with my daughter.

The sand dunes at the back are huge fun to clamber up and slide down, and there are shallow tide pools which are perfect for younger kids to splash in – plus they warm up a bit faster than the English Channel does!

Check out more of the best things to do in Camber Sands with kids

There’s parking (get there early!) plus a café and toilets too if you’re planning to make a day of it. And plenty of space to spread out. Admittedly if you turn up at low tide, it’s quite a walk to the waves but the sand is ideal for sandcastles if you can’t summon up the energy to wander out.

No best beaches list would be complete without some mention of Cornwall, including the Isles of Scilly, as well as Devon but Porthmeor beach in St Ives deserves its own special nod for being a Blue Flag beach as well as the fabulous café overlooking the waves and surf school for older kids.

Agonda Beach, Goa, India

After living in India with her kids, Jenny from Travelynn Family knows all the best beaches in Goa as well as elsewhere on the subcontinent.

“Situated in South Goa, Agonda Beach is our favourite beach in Goa for kids; a golden crescent of powder soft sand, dotted with colourful fishing boats and patrolled by meandering cows that congregate in the same spot for sunset every day.

“It’s a quiet beach, offering simple accommodation, and the sea has just the right amount of gentle surf for a good boogie-board session,” she says.

“There are also a handful of restaurants serving kid-friendly food (pancakes, omelettes, chips) as well as amazing curries – expect a lot of spice! But the best thing is that these restaurants are right on the beach, so you can enjoy a Kingfisher whilst your little ones play in the sand.

“If you fancy peeling yourselves away from the sand, you can take a fishing boat out to see the dolphins.”

For another unexpected Indian Ocean beach, we had Ngapali Beach in Burma almost to ourselves – white sand, turquoise sea… and just down the coast, a fishing village where they dry fish on the beach as a contrast!

Banana Beach, Zakynthos, Greece

I think anyone who visits the Greek islands falls in love with them – their laid-back atmosphere, wonderful food and those endless beaches. Crete has been voted home to Europe’s best beach and we’ve explored little coves on Skopelos and Skiathos, Corfu, Kos and Symi among others.

A particular favourite of Ting from My Travel Monkey is Banana Beach which is situated in Vasiliko, arguably one of the best beaches on Zakynthos (or Zante as it’s also known).

“The coastline of the Greek island is awash with hidden coves and bays, caves, and some of the most stunning beaches in Europe. Wide stretches of sun-soaked sand and sunbeds galore on Banana Beach mean you can stretch out and have your toes kissed by the lapping shallow waters and it’s super child-friendly, too,” she says.

“With wooden walkways to help manoeuvre pushchairs, as well as a large restaurant with sunbed service serving cool drinks and ice creams, kids will love playing on the pontoon that reaches out on the stunning blue azure sea that is such a prominent feature of Zakynthos.”

TOP TIP: Not far away is Gerakas Beach where turtles nest – there’s restricted access but you can arrange to visit at dawn to help the hatchlings. An unforgettable sight for kids and adults.

Whitehaven Island, Whitsundays, Australia

While there’s a lot of Australia on my bucket list, the incredibly beautiful Whitsundays are definitely in the top five – a total paradise.

And they’re perfect for kids, according to Carrie from Flying With A Baby who visited with her daughters, after flying out to this idyllic spot on Australia’s north east coast from Brisbane – easy to combine with the Great Barrier Reef too if you’re travelling with older kids, another of my bucket list musts.

“Whitehaven is one of the worlds most unspoiled and beautiful beaches – a big bucket list contender with the white sand and swirls of turquoise, blue and green water,” she says.

“Colourful fish come close to the waters edge, and if you are lucky you may spot dolphins and turtles. The sea is perfect for a swim , a snorkel or boat trip, or you can simply relax on the pristine white sand knowing you are lying on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.”

TOP TIP: If your kids are learning to snorkel, I can’t rave enough about the all-in-one mask and snorkels – so much easier than the traditional kind for younger ones. I bought a Subea Easybreath mask and snorkel from Decathlon for our own Aruba trip, it’s suitable for six years and above and Minnie went from nervous to hooked in one session.

Cahuita, Costa Rica

Costa Rica is somewhere which seems to have been on my wishlist forever – not just for the beaches, although when you see how beautiful they are, that alone is tempting.

Plus there are two coasts to explore, on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, not to mention the country’s incredible wildlife, as Cerys from Travelled So Far discovered.

For more things to do in Costa Rica with kids, check out my top picks

“Cahuita, south of Puerto Limon, is one of the best beaches for families in Costa Rica. A national park since the 1970s it is less crowded than many of the popular beaches,” she says.

“And where else can you spend the morning exploring the marine life just off the coast on the coral reef close to shore, take a snorkel tour out further, visit the shipwrecks – then head to the beach and follow the trails through the forests to see sloths, monkeys, iguanas, tapir, anteaters and red eyed tree frogs?”

For more great beach and pool toys to pack when you get there, check out my list 

PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST FAMILY BEACH HOLIDAYS

Disclosure: Contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. All opinions are my own including my contention that you can never have too many beaches

Main image and Cahuita courtesy Depositphotos, all others copyright MummyTravels unless otherwise credited

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