A family beach vacation is an American classic. But depending on the age and inclinations of their children, some families may be attracted to different types of coasts: those characterized by clear, calm waters for snorkeling and learning to swim; or, for shell collectors and young naturalists, sandy expanses carpeted with shells or bordered by tide pools. For castle builders, fine sand is a must, while aspiring surfers need clean waves, ready to ride. Here are six great beaches in the United States and Baja California for family-favorite summer activities.
For castle builders: Beach MissionSan Diego
San Diego's temperate climate allows for barefoot beach days year-round. For those who prefer to build with sand rather than lie in it, Mission Beach has another advantage: Sandcastles of San Diego and sand sculptor JT Estrela. Mr. Estrela, a former math teacher, offers lessons in the art of sandcastle building on this family-friendly Southern California beach, where the sand is perfect for castle building: The grains are fine but not too silty , cleaned below the tide line, free of shells and rocks and packed hard.
In his two- to three-hour sessions (starting at $160 for two people, $20 for each additional person), Mr. Estrela works with families to build elaborate five-foot-tall castles. The goal is for participants to “feel like a member of the arcane knowledge,” he said.
While the best sand in the San Diego area is found in the offshore town of Coronado on San Diego Bay, Mr. Estrela prefers to work with families in Mission Beach. Known for its waterfront amusement park, Belmont Park; historic swimming pool facing the sea, the dive; and excellent playgrounds, it is especially fun for children. The smell of cotton candy and hot dogs hangs in the air, mixing with the cries of the Giant Bear, Belmont's 1925 wooden roller coaster, the cries of seagulls and the salt spray. Its biggest drawback is its popularity, which means parking can be a challenge.
In an archipelago known for spectacular beaches, Onekahakaha Beach Park, on the rugged, volcanic coast of the Big Island, may seem like a counterintuitive choice. At Onekahakaha, with its two large, sandy-bottomed ocean pools, enclosed by lava rock walls and supported by palm trees and a wide grassy lawn, the sand is mostly below the surface.
Separated from the notoriously powerful waves and rip currents of the Pacific Ocean, the seawater inside the pools is warm and placid, sheltered and shallow, making it excellent for young children learning to swim, so as for older children who want to snorkel. It is also home to non-threatening marine life (there are no sharks here), including green sea turtles.
Although the water only reaches an adult's waist, there are lifeguards, which adds to Onekahakaha's reputation for safety. And without a wide swath of sand between the pools and the coastal path, the water is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs. There's also a swing, picnic tables, and close proximity to the lush Hilo area.
While you're on the Big Island, home to several active volcanoes, visit the hot spring pools along some of its beaches, including Pohoiki black sand beach at Isaac Hale Beach Park, 40 miles south of Onekahakaha. The ocean might be a little rough for young swimmers, but it's a great place to show kids a fresh lava flow.
TO Surf with Sean, Mr. Griffin offers private 90-minute lessons ($95 to $120) to surfers ages 3 to 80, as well as kids' surf camps ($425 per week). “There's no reason why they shouldn't be able to learn or try,” said Griffin, who supplies all equipment of all sizes, including adaptive equipment.
The area's appeal for children is much more than its waves. Mr. Griffin points Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pierin the center of the beach, where his son “loves to see all the salty fishermen pulling fish ashore”, and the large, modern playground at Wrightsville Beach Park.
For tide pool explorers: Carkeek ParkSeattle
Naomi Tomky – a life of Seattle, author of “The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook” and mother of two daughters, ages 6 and 8 — recommends Carkeek Park in Seattle for an immersive experience in the marine life of Puget Sound. At low tide, Tomky said, the narrow beach “dies out for centuries,” exposing tide pools filled with starfish, sea snails, anemones and “many, many crabs, from the size of a fingernail to the size of a hand”. .”
Unlike tidal pools elsewhere on the West Coast, where the mighty Pacific Ocean requires caution due to danger sneaker wavesPuget Sound is full of life but quiet enough for Mrs. Tomky to let her daughters explore on their own.
Just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle, Carkeek is part of the Seattle Aquarium Beach Wildlife Programwhich sends naturalists to various coasts in the area.
In addition to the plot below the tide line, Carkeek is also known for an annual spectacle: salmon spawning. In the fall, you can stop on the park's Piper's Creek and watch the fish: a sacred Indigenous symbol of the Pacific Northwest: on the run.
“It's one of the coolest things you can see,” Ms. Tomky said, “to understand how these fish share the city with us as they swim back to their old home.”
For shell hunters: Tiger Tail BeachMarco Island, Florida.
Sanibel Island, a barrier island just outside Fort Myers, Florida, is one of the most famous shelling destinations on the planet. This popularity has a downside: it is often chosen by enthusiasts who reach the coast at dawn. The island is still recovering from Hurricane Ian, which severely damaged its infrastructure in 2022.
Alternatively, he recommends bombing guide Evan Kuperman (aka Captain Evan). Tiger Tail Beach on Marco Island, about an hour south.
Mr. Kuperman, Florida's Master NaturalistOpera Sand Dollar Bombing Tour. Its tours ($125 per adult, $90 per child and families of up to six people for $650) take guests by boat to places like the Ten Thousand Islandsa mangrove mud flat habitat and a National Wildlife Refuge.
For visitors who can't make it on one of his trips, Kuperman said Tigertail, a publicly accessible beach (paid parking), offers exceptional shelling.
Marco Island is more built up than Sanibel, but Tigertail, on the island's north end, is a county-owned park with a lagoon and a location facing the Gulf of Mexico that lends itself to the accumulation of shells, including rare ones and surprising, such as the spiny and reddish-brown ornate lace murex banded tulip.
But everyone hopes for a junonia, or Juno's will, a sea snail that must travel far in rough waters to reach the beach intact. “You don't find him,” Mr. Kuperman said, “he finds you.”
For young snorkelers: Playa el ChilenoLos Cabos, Mexico
About halfway between bustling Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, Playa el Chileno is no longer an underdeveloped local secret. Now supported by the vast Auberge resort Chilean Bay Resort and Residences, the beach remains public and relatively quiet. Awarded Blue Flag Certification To meet rigorous environmental standards, the Chilean is exceptionally well maintained.
While catamaran snorkeling tours come and go from Chileno Bay, it is also possible to reach the reef from shore, making it suitable for inexperienced snorkelers who may find it intimidating to dive into deep water without going in. Shipping at high tide offers kayak snorkeling excursions that depart from nearby Playa Santa Maria, hug the coast, and arrive in Chileno via water. For younger children and anyone who prefers more time in the water, a two-hour guided tour that visits both beaches by car is available ($95 to $130 per person, including equipment).
Among the approximately 50 species of fish snorkelers might encounter along Chile's rocky outcrops and coral reef are large tuna, sea turtles, pufferfish, Panamic green moray eels, Cortez angelfish and blacknose butterflyfish , among many other colorful creatures. The coral here is less vibrant than in other places, but the number and variety of fish are exciting.
Freda Moon, a frequent contributor to the Travel section, lives on a boat in San Francisco Bay with her husband and two children. Her next book for National Geographic with co-author Ashley Harrell, “100 Beaches of a Lifetime,” will be published next year.
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