All beaches are good beaches, really. How can you go wrong with sand and water? But some have more to offer families in terms of safety and amenities. We tell you where to best get your sandcastle on in our round-up of best beaches for families.
Seven Mile Beach - Negril, Jamaica
Seven miles of golden sand, palm trees, and fun and casual beach hotels, bars, and restaurants complete the picture of a laid-back family beach vacation, mon.
Red Sands Shores, PEI
The warmth of the red sand is one of the draws to this part of Prince Edward Island. Surrounded by idyllic fishing villages - what a great spot for a beach getaway that's not out of reach.
Coronado Beach, California
Coronado Beach is beautiful, easy to reach, and and the slow slope into the ocean makes it great for kids. There are public washrooms, or pop into the classic Hotel Del Coronado for a snack and use theirs.
Sandbanks Provincial Park, Ontario
Sandbanks Provincial Park is great beach vacation spot without the party crowds of other popular Ontario beaches. Outlet and Sandbanks beaches are shallow, offering safe and calm water that's perfect for families.
Makena Beach - Maui, Hawaii
A lot of Hawaii's beaches are too rough for kids, but Makena Beach's "Little Beach" is a small cove with a wide stretch of sand between two lava points. There is a shallow sandbar with a normally gentle shorebreak.
Grace Bay Beach, Turks & Caicos
The water is almost a little too calm on Grace Bay in Turks & Caicos, but the soft sand and gentle water makes it ideal for little ones.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
With vast expanses of sand surrounded by loads of accommodation and food options, South Carolina's Hilton Head Island, is an ideal beach spot.
Varadero Beach, Cuba
It stays shallow for ages at Varadero Beach, Cuba - so you can enjoy the beautiful blue water even if the wind and waves are strong further out.
Bournemouth Beach, England
England's probably not the first place that springs to mind for a beach vacation, but Bournemouth, in the South of England, has a climate similar to that of the Carolinas.
Clearwater Beach, Florida
Baby powder-fine sand, shelters for rent, a great snack bar with change table, and a large, sheltered play structure, Clearwater Beach, on Florida's Gulf Coast, is always fun and bustling.
