Beach vacations come in many types: from renting a condo or vacation home, to affordable all-inclusives, to luxury five-star properties, some all-inclusive, some not.
Below are some possibilities...
New England Beach Vacation Ideas
It goes without saying that these are summer-season ideas!
- About's Guide for New England has many ideas for Cape Cod Beach Vacations, including several family-friendly resorts
- In Maine, Acadia National Park is a much-loved park, with 48,000 acres including ocean shoreline
- Hampton Beach, NH is another popular beach vacation area for families, with many lodging options
Caribbean- Best Beach Vacation Ideas
Families flock to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and several other islands for their all-inclusive resorts, with watersports, family activities, elaborate pools and even on-site waterparks. At some resorts, kids' programs are outstanding, with separate activities for many different age groups; teen programs and nurseries, too.
Noteworthy choices: Franklyn D. Resort and FDR Pebbles - each family has their own vacation nanny; Club Med Punta Cana, with amazing kids' programs for many different ages, and innovative "The Ramp" for teens; Beaches resorts, with kids' programs and infant care -- see more Top Caribbean Resorts for Families.
For affordable choices: try Starfish in Jamaica, and Sunset Beach Resort (with waterpark) ; Breezes Curacao (with interesting town nearby) ; Coconut Bay Resort, in St. Lucia, with lazy river and giant kids' club zone; and many resorts in the DR, including the Viva Wyndham group.• see more Caribbean beach vacation ideas
• Which all-inclusive is right for you?
Mexico Beach Vacation Ideas
Though tourists still zip down to Mexico and "do their own thing" at a condo or small hotel, all-inclusive resorts are the popular choice for families. Note that Kids clubs tend to be the "small friendly club-house" type, rather than the mega-type with differentiated age groups.
The Riviera Maya (an hour south of Cancun) has the second largest barrier reef in the world, and also has many activities for families to explore outside the resorts. You can feel free to rent a car; or hire a taxi, or even take one of the public buses that work the straight flat Highway between Cancun and Tulum. - See Riviera Maya Highlights, including major resorts
-See more areas for Mexico Beach Vacations
Hawaii Beach Resorts
Don't expect to find all-inclusives in the Aloha state!
- Hawaii is known for lush luxury beach resorts, such as the Grand Wailea, on Maui, with water park; or the properties on the Big Island's Kohala Coast.
- kids' programs are definitely part of the picture at Hawaii resorts, but typically entail a (daily or half-day) charge
- to find more affordable options in Hawaii: the Waikiki Beach area is beautified, fun for families, and offers many lodging options. Also check out the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel (Maui's "Most Hawaiian Hotel", featuring Hawaiian activities in its kids' programs). Condo and vacation-home rental is also very popular with families.
• See Hawaii Beach Vacation Ideas
Florida - Best Beach Vacation Ideas
So many different areas...
- Amelia Island, in the northeast: with a family-friendly Ritz-Carlton, and giant Amelia Island Plantation Resort
- Space Coast: long stretches of great sand to walk on; and also estuaries and nature reserves to explore
- the Treasure Coast, in the southeast: home to Disney Vero Beach Resort
- Sanibel and Captiva Islands: known for pristine shores, and shelling
- Clearwater Beach/St. Pete: beautiful shores, affordable prices
- Emerald Coast: the giant Sandestin resort has sugar-white sand, bay activities such as sailing, popular "village"
Beach Vacation Ideas in the Southeast
In the Carolinas and Georgia, some resorts have the stature of institutions, to which families return year after year (for generations, in some cases).
Meanwhile, in South Carolina, Myrtle Beach has 60 miles of shore, plus attractions such as amusement and water parks, MagiQuest, dinner shows such as Medieval Times, etc.
In Alabama, not far from Sandestin in northwest Florida, Gulf Shores Alabama has sugar-white beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, and reasonable prices. And in Texas, Corpus Christi is near beautiful beaches on both the mainland and island sides; Mustang Island State Park and Padre Island National Seashore are highlights.
California- Beach Vacation Ideas
Note that in northern California, the sea is too cold for more than a quick dip -- even in summer-time!
For those seeking a resort: the luxury-level Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay --on scenic bluffs north of San Francisco--has a Ritz Kids Club.
South of SF, Santa Cruz has 29 miles of beaches and a classic Boardwalk amusement park. Big Sur State Park has a stunning coast; visitors can camp or stay in cabins, motels, luxury hotels, or a luxury yurt. See Big Sur Lodgings at About's California for Visitors site.
In Southern California, Huntingdon Beach bills itself as "Surf City USA", and offers beach hotels, surfing lessons, and proximity to Disneyland. Huntington Beach is in Orange County; see Orange County Beach Hotels. Upscale Newport Beach is good for surfing, and has an amusement park and Christmas Boat Parade.
Further south, La Jolla is pricey but nice for families, with tidepool cove and Scripps Aquarium. San Diego has fun attractions and a bunch of Beach Hotels.
Finally, "thinking out of the box", an interesting option is the Santa Barbara Family Vacation Center: low-cost beach-side lodgings plus many activities, on a college campus during summer. Santa Barbara is just north of LA.
