With school out of session and the chilly winter months in the rearview, you might be thinking about putting your home in the rearview, too, and setting off on a fun-filled family vacation. In fact, for most families, summer is synonymous with vacation, and the beach is usually at the top of the list of potential destinations.
But with so many excellent beaches to choose from for your baby's first beach trip, you might discover that a little research is in order if you’re interested in setting yourself up for one of the best family beach vacations ever. While it may be easy to get to packing the family vacation must-haves and beach essentials for toddlers to stay prepared, you’ll want to first pick out a destination.
Not sure where to start? Luckily, we’ve done the research for you and have narrowed down the options to the very best. That means all you have to do to start planning your family’s next vacation is keep reading.
Here are our picks for 8 of the best beaches for your family to visit this summer.
Families have been flocking to this east coast bustling resort community of Virginia Beach since the late 1800s. Why? It offers miles of beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches, a world-class food scene, and a wealth of options for building memories that will last long after your vacation is over.
Among the Virginia Beach attractions that are fit for the whole family are:
If you’re planning on spending most of your days out in the sun next to the Atlantic Ocean, your little one may need more than sunblock to keep her skin safe from UV rays and other beach bothers. The Rufflebutts Periwinkle Blue Seersucker Peplum Tankini provides just the thing. Featuring a special UPF 50+ seersucker fabric and our delightful signature ruffles, this swimsuit offers a stylish way to keep your little one’s skin safe whether you’re at the best beach, at the waterpark, or at the playground.
Families have been flocking to this east coast bustling resort community of Virginia Beach since the late 1800s. Why? It offers miles of beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches, a world-class food scene, and a wealth of options for building memories that will last long after your vacation is over.
Among the Virginia Beach attractions that are fit for the whole family are:
If you’re planning on spending most of your days out in the sun next to the Atlantic Ocean, your little one may need more than sunblock to keep her skin safe from UV rays and other beach bothers. The Rufflebutts Periwinkle Blue Seersucker Peplum Tankini provides just the thing. Featuring a special UPF 50+ seersucker fabric and our delightful signature ruffles, this swimsuit offers a stylish way to keep your little one’s skin safe whether you’re at the best beach, at the waterpark, or at the playground.
With 14 unique communities spread out over 60 miles of oceanfront, Myrtle Beach is one of the best beach destinations you can visit. The first resort hotel opened there at this South Carolina beach in 1901, and it’s been one of the country’s most popular vacation spots ever since.
When it comes to a family vacation, you need a destination that gives you options for activities. Sure, lounging on the beach all day for a week might sound fun for an adult with a full-time job, but the best memories are made when you and your family are at play.
Fortunately, Myrtle Beach offers a range of activities to entertain your family on and off the long beach. Here are just a few of the many family-friendly attractions available in the Myrtle Beach area:
Plus, the Children’s Museum of South Carolina is located in Myrtle Beach, meaning you don’t have to worry about losing life-long memories to rainy days. Instead, you can simply move your vacation indoors until the sun comes back out.
Lush, tropical beaches and turquoise-blue water as far as the eye can see. Tall, elegant palm trees and some of the finest beach resorts in the world. These are some of the most recognizable characteristics of Maui—and reasons why you should consider taking your next family vacation there.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a Hawaii locale that doesn’t make an excellent vacation spot. But when it comes to thrilling island adventures, dazzling beaches, and endless fun for the whole family, Maui is considered the best that the archipelago’s eight islands have to offer.
By vacationing in Maui, you can:
If you thought that a destination had to be on the ocean to qualify for this list, think again. The truth is, some of the best family beach vacations happen not on the coast, but along the shores of the world’s largest bodies of freshwater—the Great Lakes.
Among those unexpected paradises, Grand Haven, Michigan stands out. Located along the eastern edge of Lake Michigan, Grand Haven features miles of sandy beaches and wind-blown dunes your family will love. In fact, Grand Haven State Park was named one of 2022’s 25 best beaches by Travel and Leisure, proving that salt water is not a necessary component of a great beach.
After spending time at the beach, you can enjoy other exciting attractions in Grand Haven and the surrounding areas, like:
While you’re exploring the rolling dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan, be sure to protect your little one from sun, sand, and scrapes by dressing her in baby beach accessories like Rufflebutt’s Periwinkle Blue One Piece Rash Guard. It’s the most fashionable way to keep her skin safe all vacation long.
Ogunquit, Maine, features some of the most beautiful ocean views and seaside landscapes that the east coast has to offer. But that should come as no surprise—in the language of the Abenaki, the area’s indigenous people, “Ogunquit” means “beautiful place by the sea.”
What makes Ogunquit one of the best family beach vacations around? For starters, there’s Ogunquit Beach, which offers ocean fun along three and a half miles of the Atlantic. Plus, the area is home to a turn-of-the-century fishing village, a thriving artistic community, and cultural attractions like the Ogunquit Playhouse and the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, so you’ll never run out of things to do.
A list of the best beaches for a family vacation won't be complete without at least one of Florida beaches. From Key West and South Beach to Fort Lauderdale and Amelia Island, there's no shortage of Florida beaches for your family vacation. But the Next up on our list of the best family beach vacations you can take in particular is Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida. According to Tripadvisor, Clearwater Beach is one of the top 25 best beaches in the United States—and it’s easy to see why.
Your options for family fun are practically unlimited in Clearwater Beach. You and your little ones will love exploring:
Does your family prefer to spend the entirety of a vacation swimming, surfing, and soaking up every last ounce of oceanfront fun? Maybe you have a family that likes to mix water play with a little time on dry land. No matter the case, San Diego is the west coast vacation destination for you.
With over 70 miles of Pacific Ocean beaches, hundreds of family-friendly activities, and some of the best weather in the country, this west coast paradise has something to offer every member of your family.
Among the world-famous vacation attractions that put the ocean city of San Diego on our list of the best family beach vacations are:
No list of the best family beach vacations would be complete without at least one Gulf Coast location represented. The beaches along the Gulf Coast are known for their pearly white sand, sky-blue waters, and wealth of options for keeping families entertained.
When visiting the Gulfport, it’s not hard to spend your entire vacation on the long beach itself. It’s the perfect place for all your favorite beach activities, from swimming to picnicking on the sand.
But Gulfport has more to offer than just that. There’s also:
Factor in all the restaurants, museums, and adventure parks the area has to offer and you’ve got a family vacation fit for the scrapbook.
What to make sure your little girl has the best vacation possible? When you dress her in Rufflebutt’s Periwinkle Blue Long Sleeve One Piece Rash Guard, you can ensure she stays comfy and protected from sand, sun, and the cool winds that can kick up when you’re sailing the high seas.
Once you’ve got your destination picked out, it’s time to start packing. If you’re bringing your little one along, don’t forget to pack summer baby essentials to keep them safe in their time in the sun! Don’t forget to also pack RuffleButts swimming accessories for kids!
At Rufflebutts, we have everything you need to make sure your little one is dressed for the beach, the water park, and anywhere else your vacation takes you. From boys or girls rash guards to bikini and mermaid style swimsuits, all of our swimwear features UPF 50+ fabric to keep your daughter safe from the sun and sand so that she can play all day long.
With styles available for infants, toddlers, and teens, you can find vacation clothes for the entire family. Shop our stylish collection today.
Sources:
Visit Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach Area History & Local Folklore. https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/plan/about-us/area-history/#Development
Pride of Maui. Top 12 Best Things to Do in Maui with Kids. https://www.prideofmaui.com/blog/activities/top-10-things-to-do-in-maui-with-kids
Travel and Leisure. 25 Best Beaches in the USA. https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/beach-vacations/best-beaches-in-the-us
Visit Maine. 21 Best Things to Do In Ogunquit. https://www.visitmaine.net/things-to-do-in-ogunquit-maine/
Visit St. Pete Clearwater. Top Attractions in St. Pete/Clearwater, FL. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MtOjRecN-ov4Ac8MERXEBmqRATO8f9nA1q2-O68m57s/edit#
Tripadvisor. Best Beaches in the United States. https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cTop-g191
Britannica. Virginia Beach. https://www.britannica.com/place/Virginia-Beach
SanDiego.org. About San Diego, California. https://www.sandiego.org/articles/about-san-diego-ca.aspx#
