Florida - Best Beach For Kids

I have a co-worker who wants to take his family to the beach in Florida, including two young children (2 and 4, I think). I have lived in Florida but never been a big beach person. He's been to Daytona and apparently didn't like it.

Comments on the best places to go, including all factors like accommodations and cost, things to do for a family and for kids, etc.? Some bias in favor of north rather than south, since we're in North Carolina, and the further north, the shorter the drive.

I have a co-worker who wants to take his family to the beach in Florida, including two young children (2 and 4, I think). I have lived in Florida but never been a big beach person. He's been to Daytona and apparently didn't like it.

Comments on the best places to go, including all factors like accommodations and cost, things to do for a family and for kids, etc.? Some bias in favor of north rather than south, since we're in North Carolina, and the further north, the shorter the drive.

My kids used to LOVE Cocoa Beach. It's just an hour drive from the attractions in Orlando. They loved hanging out around the Cocoa Beach pier and watching the surfers. Also loved walking the pier and watching the fishermen. Relatively cheap compared to many other beaches in Florida.

Check out Siesta Key, even if only for the 'shelling'. Kids love to look for shells on the beach and Siesta Key is well known for this.

Lastly, we also enjoyed the Clearwater/St. Pete/Treasure Island beaches near Tampa. Dolphin tours on the intracoastal, pockets of shopping areas that are child friendly, and calm waters on the beach (little in the way of waves).

We sure enjoyed the Clearwater area with 4 young kids a few years ago. With 6 of us hotel was not a great choice, we rented a beachfront condo in Indian Shores by the marine bird sanctuary (fun to visit). Plus you have the Clearwater aquarium with the dolphin "Winter.". There is also a pirate ship cruise attraction we did not try but it looked fun.

We rented a pontoon boat one day and cruised the intracoastal waterway, there was even a McDonalds you could dock at where the kids wanted to stop. The restaurants were kid friendly but we also did a lot of cooking and grilling at the condo. One day some stingrays swished right up into shallow water and skimmed the kids' feet, they were fascinated. We enjoyed the week and would definitely go back. We were about midway between Clearwater and St. Pete.

We stayed at the Hyatt on Clearwater Beach with our 3 kids back in April.

It worked really well - I think all the rooms have some kind of kitchen facilities, we had a suite so a separate room for the kids etc. Also free laundry facilities (which is great if you're with kids...)

Beach was right across the street with a very shallow run into lovely warm water. Hotel had a great pool for young kids in the shade on the pool deck, family friendly restaurants nearby as well.

Not cheap, but good quality!

St. Pete beach is usually quite sedate, with dolphin watching sailboats and boats to Shell Key, which is uninhabited and usually yields lots of sand dollars and other shells if you're into that.

Before booking anything, you should do your homework as to what if any issues the tropical storm that just went through caused.

A post upthread mentioned stingrays - be sure you shuffle rather than lift your feet while in the water, better to spook one than step on it.

This time of year, expect brick-wall heat/humidity, and tepid water in the gulf

@LowlyDLSilver, right on the stingrays, I forgot to mention the "stingray shuffle" the staff instructed our kids and us about. My bad.

If he didn't like Daytona, then probably most of the East Coast is out since the waves/sand is very similar for at least a hundred miles in either direction.
West coast beaches will have warmer water and little to no waves. You can't go wrong with most of the coastline, depending on what else they like to do. St. Pete/Clearwater and you're still near the Aquarium/Bush Gardens/Orlando attractions. Further south and there's fantastic sea life/shells; much quieter. They might also try a bit further north and closer to Panama City for similar water conditions.
As with most beach areas, right on the water will be more costly than something even a block inland. Once a particular area is narrowed down, then it'll be easier to search for specifics.

I would also chime in on the Clearwater beach area. My hubby and I go there at least once a year, although I will admit, no kiddies of our own and usually trying to avoid those of others. However, Clearwater beach has a pier with vendors with trinkets for kids, live music, and usually street entertainers of some type that the kids will like. The water is calmer, the parents can park the car and ride the trolley/bus which kids that age enjoy, and it's not far from Tampa. I would also note that if the parents aren't into the hussle, then have them move south from the actual beach. We typically stay at the doubletree in reddington beach where we are often one of five couples out on the beach with three of them eating on the patio. This is in shoulder season, but I think that most people wander down to Clearwater beach leaving the others less occupied, which would be nice for little ones.

I would say the gulf has the nicest beach in Florida. Marco Island is pretty nice.

Siesta Key is very nice, though for a more laid-back, old-Florida atmosphere I personally think Anna-Maria Island is the nicest, particularly on the North-end.
With either one you can still do Busch Gardens & Adventure Island as they're only about a 1-1,5 hour drive.

If he didn't like Daytona, then probably most of the East Coast is out since the waves/sand is very similar for at least a hundred miles in either direction.


It depends on what they didn't like about Daytona. If it was the cars on the beach, then further north or south would fix that.

Atlantic typically has bigger waves, cooler water, more sharks/jellyfish, more riptides/undertoe, better surfing, gulf side warmer water, etc.

Siesta Key is very nice, though for a more laid-back, old-Florida atmosphere I personally think Anna-Maria Island is the nicest, particularly on the North-end.
With either one you can still do Busch Gardens & Adventure Island as they're only about a 1-1,5 hour drive.

I agree with Dandel. IMO the beaches on Longboat Key and Lido Key aren't nearly as appealing for young family. However there is a Hilton on Longboat Key though I haven't stayed there so can't comment on its facilities.

What about the panhandle beaches? Destin, Ft Walton, etc.
Lots of kid friendly things to do. Great Air Force museum, tons of mini golf, go karts, etc.
This time of year it is cooler than the rest of Florida. Water is beautiful, beaches are flat and kid friendly.

Redtop, not sure what their budget is, but it's it's a decent amount, the panhandle of FL is the place to go. Something like Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Greyton Beach, Sandestin is all beautiful and great to relax. Lots of families with kiddos down there. We go down there often.