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Carmel Beach has long served as a muse to artistic types and romantics

Guide

Great American Beaches 101

Best Family Beaches

Indulge the whole family at these kid- and parent-friendly seaside hideaways.

Bethany Beach, DE
Sand Color Haystack
Length 1/2 mile
Average Summer Water Temp 72
Location 127 miles E of Washington, D.C.
Bethany was founded in 1901 by Christian evangelicals as a summer camp, but unlike many of its neighbors, it’s remained, as its founders wished, a “haven of rest for quiet people.” No longer a religious community, its uncrowded beaches, quaint old town, and simple boardwalk appeal to all.

If you love this beach, try the more boisterous Rehoboth Beach, just to the north.

Ponce Inlet, FL
Sand Color Cotton
Length 3 miles
Average Summer Water Temp 78
Location 63 miles NE of Orlando
Just over an hour from Disney World and Cape Canaveral, Ponce Inlet provides kid-friendly amenities and a bit of authentic colonial charm. The town’s 19th-century brick lighthouse (the nation’s second tallest), plentiful boat access, frequent manatee and turtle sightings, and a series of boardwalks winding through coastal hammocks give P.I. a rare Old Florida ambience.

If you love this beach, try New Smyrna Beach, which has an artsier vibe and is just across the inlet.

Coronado Beach, CA
Sand Color Biscuit
Length 1 3/4 miles
Average Summer Water Temp 66
Location 7 miles SE of San Diego
Lather the kids with SPF and set 'em loose on the Coronado shore, a prime spot for fun-seeking families looking to boogie board, surf, and swim just a bridge or ferry ride away from downtown San Diego. If you visit in early winter, be sure to check out the gray whales breaching right offshore during their annual migration. Land activities like beach volleyball and biking can be enjoyed year-round, courtesy of sunny San Diego’s near-perfect weather.

If you love this beach, try family-favored Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara.

Read our Top 10 Family Beaches article for more ideas on family-friendly seaside escapes!

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