384 beaches
Best Family Beaches
A good family beach is a specific thing: lifeguards on duty, a protected swim area, gradual wading depth, bathroom and shower access, snacks within walking distance, and enough shade for an all-day setup. Not all Maryland beaches check all those boxes. The best family beaches tend to be state park facilities — they're better maintained, have reliable lifeguard coverage, and enforce no-alcohol policies that keep the vibe kid-appropriate. For toddlers, Breezy Point's netted lagoon is unbeatable because it blocks jellyfish.
What to look for
Lifeguards, bathhouse with real bathrooms and showers, playground for kids, picnic areas for the cooler, and ideally a calm-water beach (not open Bay chop).
Ranked by Today's Conditions
Point Pleasant Beach
Ideal for family
Spring Lake
Ideal for family
Asbury Park
Ideal for family
Island Beach State Park
Ideal for family
Manasquan
Ideal for family
Mayflower Beach
Ideal for family
North Hampton State Beach
Ideal for family
Robert Moses State Park
Ideal for family
Sandy Neck Beach Park
Ideal for family
Seaside Heights
Ideal for family
Seaside Park
Ideal for family
Smith Point County Park
Ideal for family
Belmar
Ideal for family
Bradford Beach (Milwaukee)
Ideal for family
Brigantine
Ideal for family
Calf Pasture Beach
Ideal for family
Compo Beach
Ideal for family
Craigville Beach
Ideal for family
Crane Beach
Ideal for family
Hamlin Beach State Park
Ideal for family
Havre de Grace Promenade & Tydings Park
Ideal for family
Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park
Ideal for family
Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)
Ideal for family
Montrose Beach (Chicago)
Ideal for family
North Avenue Beach (Chicago)
Ideal for family
North East Community Park
Ideal for family
Perryville Community Park
Ideal for family
Rocky Neck State Park
Ideal for family
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Ideal for family
Salty Brine State Beach
Ideal for family
Sandy Hook (Gateway NRA)
Ideal for family
Sherwood Island State Park
Ideal for family
Tawas Point State Park
Ideal for family
West Dennis Beach
Ideal for family
31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)
Ideal for family
57th Street Beach (Hyde Park)
Ideal for family
63rd Street Beach (Chicago)
Ideal for family
Atlantic City
Ideal for family
Coast Guard Beach
Ideal for family
Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk
Ideal for family
Foster Avenue Beach (Chicago)
Ideal for family
Good Harbor Beach
Ideal for family
Goose Rocks Beach
Ideal for family
Holland State Park Beach
Ideal for family
Indiana Dunes National Park
Ideal for family
Killens Pond State Park
Ideal for family
Ludington State Park
Ideal for family
Marconi Beach
Ideal for family
Marquette Park Beach (Gary, Miller Beach)
Ideal for family
Nauset Beach
Ideal for family
Oak Street Beach (Chicago)
Ideal for family
Ohio Street Beach (Chicago)
Ideal for family
Old Silver Beach
Ideal for family
Parker Dam State Park
Ideal for family
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Ideal for family
Presque Isle State Park
Ideal for family
Revere Beach
Ideal for family
Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk
Ideal for family
Roger W. Wheeler State Beach
Ideal for family
Scarborough State Beach
Ideal for family
Selkirk Shores State Park
Ideal for family
Shawnee State Park
Ideal for family
Silver Lake State Park
Ideal for family
Warren Dunes State Park
Ideal for family
Wingaersheek Beach
Ideal for family
Augustine Beach
Great for family
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
Great for family
Bethany Beach
Great for family
Dewey Beach
Great for family
Empire Beach (Lake Michigan Beach Park)
Great for family
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Great for family
Hammonasset Beach State Park
Great for family
Laurel Hill State Park
Great for family
Pemaquid Beach Park
Great for family
Prince Gallitzin State Park
Great for family
Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach
Great for family
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Great for family
South Bethany Beach
Great for family
Surfside Beach (Nantucket)
Great for family
Washington Park Beach (Michigan City)
Great for family
Whipple Dam State Park
Great for family
Yellow Creek State Park
Great for family
Anne's Beach
Great for family
Avalon
Great for family
Beach Haven (LBI)
Great for family
Brighton Beach
Great for family
Carlsbad State Beach
Great for family
Delaware Seashore State Park
Great for family
Grand Haven State Park
Great for family
Kirk Park Beach
Great for family
Lewes Beach
Great for family
Manhattan Beach Park
Great for family
Maumee Bay State Park
Great for family
Misquamicut State Beach
Great for family
Ocean City NJ
Great for family
Orient Beach State Park
Great for family
Playland Beach
Great for family
Stone Harbor
Great for family
Wildwood Crest
Great for family
Cape Henlopen State Park
Great for family
East Matunuck State Beach
Great for family
Ferry Beach State Park
Great for family
Kamaole Beach Park III
Great for family
Lakeport State Park
Great for family
Lantana Municipal Beach
Great for family
Narragansett Town Beach
Great for family
Orchard Beach and Promenade
Great for family
Ponquogue Beach
Great for family
Sombrero Beach
Great for family
Sunken Meadow State Park
Great for family
Coopers Beach
Great for family
Leadbetter Beach
Great for family
Main Beach
Great for family
Port Crescent State Park
Great for family
Sand Beach (Acadia National Park)
Great for family
Bolsa Chica State Beach
Great for family
Cape May
Great for family
Coquina Beach
Great for family
Delray Beach
Great for family
Doheny State Beach
Great for family
Elk Neck State Park
Great for family
Headlands Beach State Park
Great for family
Huntington Beach (Surf City USA)
Great for family
Laguna Main Beach
Great for family
Lido Beach
Great for family
Long Beach (Alamitos Beach)
Great for family
Oceanfront Park Beach (Boynton Beach)
Great for family
Peninsula State Park (Nicolet Bay Beach)
Great for family
Petoskey State Park
Great for family
San Clemente State Beach
Great for family
Betterton Beach
Great for family
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Great for family
Crandon Park Beach
Great for family
Crystal Cove State Park
Great for family
Flying Point Park
Great for family
Honeymoon Island State Park
Great for family
Mariner Point Park
Great for family
South Beach (Miami Beach)
Great for family
South Padre Island Beach
Great for family
St. Michaels Waterfront Beach
Great for family
Wallis Sands State Beach
Great for family
Assateague State Park
Great for family
Bahia Honda State Park
Great for family
Caladesi Island State Park
Great for family
Capitola Beach
Great for family
Cardiff State Beach
Great for family
Carpinteria State Beach
Great for family
Cedar Point Beach
Great for family
Cowans Gap State Park
Great for family
Lake Worth Beach
Great for family
Leo Carrillo State Park
Great for family
Lovers Key State Park
Great for family
Moonlight Beach (Encinitas)
Great for family
Padre Island National Seashore
Great for family
Redondo Beach
Great for family
Refugio State Beach
Great for family
Rolph's Wharf
Great for family
Sanibel Island Beach
Great for family
Santa Cruz Main Beach
Great for family
Zuma Beach
Great for family
12th Street Beach (Chicago)
Great for family
Ala Moana Beach Park
Great for family
Bay St. Louis Beach
Great for family
Fort Lauderdale Beach
Great for family
Hampton Beach
Great for family
Jupiter Beach
Great for family
Manatee Public Beach (Anna Maria Island)
Great for family
Ocean City Beach
Great for family
Pacific City Beach (Cape Kiwanda)
Great for family
Pismo Beach
Great for family
Sandy Point State Park
Great for family
Santa Monica State Beach
Great for family
Smathers Beach
Great for family
West Ship Island
Great for family
Avila Beach
Great for family
Clearwater Beach
Great for family
Cunningham Falls State Park (Hunting Creek Lake)
Great for family
Ocean Reef Park (Singer Island)
Great for family
Siesta Key Beach
Great for family
St. Pete Beach
Great for family
Trap Pond State Park
Great for family
Bonita Beach (incl. Bonita Beach Dog Beach)
Great for family
Edgewater Beach (Cleveland)
Great for family
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Great for family
Hermosa Beach
Great for family
Imperial Beach
Great for family
Miami Beach Park
Great for family
Newport Beach
Great for family
Venice Beach
Great for family
Ferry Park (Rock Hall)
Great for family
Fort Smallwood Park
Great for family
Greenbrier State Park
Great for family
Natural Bridges State Beach
Great for family
Ocean Beach (San Diego)
Great for family
Will Rogers State Beach
Great for family
Downs Park
Great for family
Morro Bay (Morro Strand State Beach)
Great for family
Popham Beach State Park
Great for family
Hammerman Beach (Gunpowder Falls)
Great for family
Long Sands Beach
Great for family
Ogunquit Beach
Great for family
Rocky Point Beach & Park
Great for family
Vanderbilt Beach Park
Great for family
Wells Beach
Great for family
Naples Beach
Great for family
Old Orchard Beach
Great for family
Gold Beach (South Beach Park)
Great for family
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
Great for family
Hollywood Beach
Great for family
Kaunaoa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach)
Great for family
Reid State Park
Great for family
Half Moon Bay State Beach
Good for family
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Good for family
Marco Island Beach
Good for family
Pacifica State Beach
Good for family
Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay)
Good for family
Crescent Beach State Park
Good for family
Oceanside Beach
Good for family
Hobuck Beach
Good for family
Cannon Beach (Haystack Rock)
Good for family
Haleiwa Alii Beach Park
Good for family
Long Beach (Washington)
Good for family
Ocean Shores
Good for family
Seaside Beach (Oregon)
Good for family
Waikiki Beach
Good for family
Heceta Head Beach (Devils Elbow)
Good for family
Seal Beach
Good for family
Stinson Beach
Good for family
Salt Pond Beach Park
Good for family
Harris Beach State Park
Good for family
Anini Beach Park
Good for family
Nehalem Bay State Park
Good for family
Rockaway Beach
Good for family
Twin Harbors State Park
Good for family
Hanauma Bay
Good for family
Hug Point State Recreation Site
Good for family
Long Beach (NY)
Good for family
Magic Island Lagoon
Good for family
Manzanita Beach
Good for family
Cayucos State Beach
Good for family
First Beach (La Push)
Good for family
Herrington Manor State Park
Good for family
Jones Beach State Park
Good for family
Kalaloch Beach
Good for family
Ruby Beach
Good for family
Westport Light State Park
Good for family
H.A. Baldwin Beach Park
Good for family
Bowers Beach
Fair for family
Deep Creek Lake State Park
Fair for family
Locust Lake State Park
Fair for family
Rehoboth Beach
Fair for family
Sea Isle City
Fair for family
Wailea Beach
Fair for family
New Germany State Park
Fair for family
Tuscarora State Park
Fair for family
D.T. Fleming Beach Park
Fair for family
Kapalua Bay Beach
Fair for family
Margate City
Fair for family
North Wildwood
Fair for family
Rocky Gap State Park
Fair for family
Ventnor City
Fair for family
Cacapon Resort State Park
Fair for family
Deerfield Beach
Fair for family
Mission Beach
Fair for family
Wildwood
Fair for family
Pompano Beach
Fair for family
Presque Isle Park (Marquette)
Fair for family
Coronado Beach
Fair for family
Pacific Beach
Fair for family
Bellows Field Beach Park
Fair for family
Kalapaki Beach
Fair for family
Poipu Beach Park
Fair for family
Del Mar Beach
Fair for family
Kailua Beach Park
Fair for family
Mustang Island State Park
Fair for family
Stuart Beach (Hutchinson Island)
Fair for family
Hanalei Bay
Fair for family
Kaanapali Beach
Fair for family
Sunset Beach
Fair for family
Oak Island Beach
Fair for family
Bellevue Landing
Fair for family
Broadford Lake Park
Fair for family
La Jolla Shores
Fair for family
Oxford Beach
Fair for family
Quiet Waters Park
Fair for family
Jamaica Beach
Fair for family
Rosemary Beach (30A)
Fair for family
Surfside Beach (TX)
Fair for family
St. Augustine Beach
Tough for family today
Amelia Island Beach
Tough for family today
Surf City Beach
Tough for family today
Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park)
Tough for family today
Jennings Randolph Lake — Shaw Beach
Tough for family today
Litchfield Beach
Tough for family today
North Beach
Tough for family today
Seaside Beach (30A)
Tough for family today
Breezy Point Beach
Tough for family today
Dares Beach Park
Tough for family today
Destin Beach
Tough for family today
Garden City Beach
Tough for family today
Topsail Beach
Tough for family today
Grayton Beach State Park
Tough for family today
Kings Landing Park
Tough for family today
Navarre Beach
Tough for family today
Port Aransas Beach
Tough for family today
Kure Beach
Tough for family today
Snow Hill Farm Park
Tough for family today
Edisto Beach State Park
Tough for family today
Holden Beach
Tough for family today
Monterey State Beach
Tough for family today
Elms Beach Park
Tough for family today
Jekyll Island Beach
Tough for family today
Kill Devil Hills Beach
Tough for family today
Kitty Hawk Beach
Tough for family today
Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Tough for family today
Cape Canaveral Beach
Tough for family today
Carolina Beach
Tough for family today
Myrtle Beach
Tough for family today
Hilton Head Island
Tough for family today
Melbourne Beach (Spessard Holland South)
Tough for family today
Pawleys Island
Tough for family today
Piney Point Lighthouse Museum & Historic Park
Tough for family today
Vero Beach
Tough for family today
Wrightsville Beach
Tough for family today
Cape San Blas (Salinas Park)
Tough for family today
Folly Beach
Tough for family today
North Myrtle Beach
Tough for family today
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Tough for family today
Chic's Beach
Tough for family today
Mexico Beach
Tough for family today
Nags Head Beach
Tough for family today
Sandbridge Beach
Tough for family today
Stewart Beach
Tough for family today
Surfside Beach (SC)
Tough for family today
Nye Beach (Newport, OR)
Tough for family today
Panama City Beach
Tough for family today
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Tough for family today
Duck Beach
Tough for family today
Pass Christian Beach
Tough for family today
Corolla Beach
Tough for family today
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Tough for family today
East Beach (Galveston)
Tough for family today
Galveston Seawall
Tough for family today
Miramar Beach
Tough for family today
St. George Island
Tough for family today
St. Simons Island Beach
Tough for family today
Atlantic Beach (NC)
Tough for family today
Colonial Beach
Tough for family today
North Topsail Beach
Tough for family today
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Tough for family today
Cocoa Beach
Tough for family today
Emerald Isle Beach
Tough for family today
Pensacola Beach
Tough for family today
Perdido Key State Park
Tough for family today
Bathtub Reef Beach (Hutchinson Island)
Tough for family today
Biloxi Beach
Tough for family today
Daytona Beach
Tough for family today
First Landing State Park
Tough for family today
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Tough for family today
Gulfport Beach
Tough for family today
New Smyrna Beach
Tough for family today
Orange Beach
Tough for family today
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Tough for family today
Grand Isle State Park
Tough for family today
Indian Beach
Tough for family today
Ocracoke Beach
Tough for family today
Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)
Tough for family today
Anderson Park
Tough for family today
Atlantic Beach
Tough for family today
Buckroe Beach
Tough for family today
Cape Charles Beach
Tough for family today
Greenwell State Park
Tough for family today
Henderson Beach State Park
Tough for family today
Hilton Pier Park
Tough for family today
Isle of Palms
Tough for family today
Jacksonville Beach
Tough for family today
Kiptopeke State Park
Tough for family today
Neptune Beach
Tough for family today
Ocean View Beach
Tough for family today
Point Lookout State Park
Tough for family today
Solomons Island Riverwalk & Boat Ramp
Tough for family today
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Tough for family today
Tybee Island Beach
Tough for family today
Westmoreland State Park
Tough for family today