Its spring break season, which means you and your family might be heading to the beach for some fun in the sun. And thanks to Family Vacation Critics 2015 10 Best Beaches for Families, youll know which American beaches you should travel to this spring.
The countrys best beaches span across the United States, from coast-to-coast, and offer breathtaking views, prime locations for sunlight and a clean environment that wont disrupt your family, according to the trip advisor website's report.
"When choosing the top family-friendly beaches, we consider a number of factors it's not just beautiful sands and picturesque views," Lissa Poirot, editor-in-chief of Family Vacation Critic, told CNN. "Beyond clean, safe beaches, we're looking for beaches that offer a well-rounded experience for families accommodations, dining and entertainment within close distance of the beach, and plenty to keep the whole family entertained while in town.
Here are the top 10 beaches from the report. Make sure to check out the slide show at the bottom of the story with more photos of the beaches.
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach has something for every family member. You can spend your days at the beautiful beaches and your nights at the music and entertainment venues along the coast. The beach also has a slew of historical sites that date back from the 1700s. When you're sick of the sand, you can spend time at the beachs adventure park, according to the beach's website. Just make sure to pack your courage.
Lincoln City Beach Lincoln City, Oregon
This Oregon beach offers all the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean that you could ask for. More than that, your family will enjoy many of the new park trails and open hiking spaces that will send you deep into the Oregonian woodlands, the beach's website reports. Outdoorsmen and beachgoers alike will enjoy this location.
Ogunquit Beach Ogunquit, Maine
Sure, the Maine beach is a nice place to catch some rays. But the town of Ogunquit will have your family excited for days. The town, which literally means coastal lagoon, offers historic trails and a number of art galleries along the pier, according to Ogunquit Beach's website. You can spend your days sailing, kayaking or playing golf at some of the beachs courses.
Manatee County Beach Holmes Beach, Florida
Manatee County Beach lets your family step foot into the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico. When youre not busy getting your tan on, theres a number of popular attractions to keep you entertained, like the Manatee Village Historical Park, Mixon Fruit Farms and the Florida Railroad Museum, according to the beach's website.
Carlsbad State Beach Carlsbad, California
This beach isn't located too far outside San Diego, but it has all the charm and beauty that the California city is known for. You can spend your time learning how to surf from the Eli Howard Surf School, or grab some boards from Paddle Planet if youre an experienced boarder. And there are plenty of other activities to do at the Carlsbad beach, like scuba diving or visiting some of the environmental learning centers, the beach's website reports.
Fort De Soto Park St. Petersburg, Florida
Fort De Soto Park lies off the coast of Tampa. Oh, yeah, and its an island. Thats right. This park is completely surrounded by the breath-taking Gulf of Mexico. In fact, this beach is so good that it was named Beach of the Year in 2009, according to the beachs website. And with the pearl white sand, the teal blue seas and the Florida weather, its hard to see why it ever lost the award.
When you're with the family, you can check out the 328 different types of birds that flock in the area, or visit some of the historic forts on the island.
Rehoboth Beach Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
This beach is about as east as you can go. Rehoboth Beach is the hot spot for beachgoers. Its got parks, tennis courts and places of worship nearby for your family. More so, the beach has been known to host company events and weddings. Its a company retreat hot spot and a place that looks welcoming for families, the beach's website reports.
Its also a clean beach. The city hosts an annual cleanup event where residents pick up the trash and garbage left over from tourists to make sure the beaches are in prime condition before you and your family arrive.
Crescent Beach Block Island, Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the union, but Crescent Beach is no joke with more than two miles of beach for you to spend your days on. The beach is a part of the larger Block Island beach, which offers art galleries, theaters and a number of shopping centers for you and your family, according to Block Island's website.
Cape May Beach Cape May, New Jersey
For anyone who thinks New Jersey is New Yorks little cousin, get ready to be blown away by Cape May, a beach so impressive that it has its own magazine to keep people up-to-speed on whats happening. The beach has everything you could ask for when youre on vacation ghost tours, mini golf, cruises, whale watching, and a number of theme and water parks. No wonder its such a fun spot for families, Cape May's website reports.
Kings Beach Lake Tahoe, California
Last but not least, we have the king of all beaches Kings Beach at Lake Tahoe. The beach is known as the banana belt since it follows the path of the sun throughout the day. The beach also includes some ski resorts, too, since mountains surround it. And you can also check out some of the historical spots the towns conference center used to be a bowling alley, where the Grateful Dead performed, according to the beachs website.
The countrys best beaches span across the United States, from coast-to-coast, and offer breathtaking views, prime locations for sunlight and a clean environment that wont disrupt your family, according to the trip advisor website's report.
"When choosing the top family-friendly beaches, we consider a number of factors it's not just beautiful sands and picturesque views," Lissa Poirot, editor-in-chief of Family Vacation Critic, told CNN. "Beyond clean, safe beaches, we're looking for beaches that offer a well-rounded experience for families accommodations, dining and entertainment within close distance of the beach, and plenty to keep the whole family entertained while in town.
Here are the top 10 beaches from the report. Make sure to check out the slide show at the bottom of the story with more photos of the beaches.
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach has something for every family member. You can spend your days at the beautiful beaches and your nights at the music and entertainment venues along the coast. The beach also has a slew of historical sites that date back from the 1700s. When you're sick of the sand, you can spend time at the beachs adventure park, according to the beach's website. Just make sure to pack your courage.
Lincoln City Beach Lincoln City, Oregon
This Oregon beach offers all the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean that you could ask for. More than that, your family will enjoy many of the new park trails and open hiking spaces that will send you deep into the Oregonian woodlands, the beach's website reports. Outdoorsmen and beachgoers alike will enjoy this location.
Ogunquit Beach Ogunquit, Maine
Sure, the Maine beach is a nice place to catch some rays. But the town of Ogunquit will have your family excited for days. The town, which literally means coastal lagoon, offers historic trails and a number of art galleries along the pier, according to Ogunquit Beach's website. You can spend your days sailing, kayaking or playing golf at some of the beachs courses.
Manatee County Beach Holmes Beach, Florida
Manatee County Beach lets your family step foot into the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico. When youre not busy getting your tan on, theres a number of popular attractions to keep you entertained, like the Manatee Village Historical Park, Mixon Fruit Farms and the Florida Railroad Museum, according to the beach's website.
Carlsbad State Beach Carlsbad, California
This beach isn't located too far outside San Diego, but it has all the charm and beauty that the California city is known for. You can spend your time learning how to surf from the Eli Howard Surf School, or grab some boards from Paddle Planet if youre an experienced boarder. And there are plenty of other activities to do at the Carlsbad beach, like scuba diving or visiting some of the environmental learning centers, the beach's website reports.
Fort De Soto Park St. Petersburg, Florida
Fort De Soto Park lies off the coast of Tampa. Oh, yeah, and its an island. Thats right. This park is completely surrounded by the breath-taking Gulf of Mexico. In fact, this beach is so good that it was named Beach of the Year in 2009, according to the beachs website. And with the pearl white sand, the teal blue seas and the Florida weather, its hard to see why it ever lost the award.
When you're with the family, you can check out the 328 different types of birds that flock in the area, or visit some of the historic forts on the island.
Rehoboth Beach Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
This beach is about as east as you can go. Rehoboth Beach is the hot spot for beachgoers. Its got parks, tennis courts and places of worship nearby for your family. More so, the beach has been known to host company events and weddings. Its a company retreat hot spot and a place that looks welcoming for families, the beach's website reports.
Its also a clean beach. The city hosts an annual cleanup event where residents pick up the trash and garbage left over from tourists to make sure the beaches are in prime condition before you and your family arrive.
Crescent Beach Block Island, Rhode Island
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the union, but Crescent Beach is no joke with more than two miles of beach for you to spend your days on. The beach is a part of the larger Block Island beach, which offers art galleries, theaters and a number of shopping centers for you and your family, according to Block Island's website.
Cape May Beach Cape May, New Jersey
For anyone who thinks New Jersey is New Yorks little cousin, get ready to be blown away by Cape May, a beach so impressive that it has its own magazine to keep people up-to-speed on whats happening. The beach has everything you could ask for when youre on vacation ghost tours, mini golf, cruises, whale watching, and a number of theme and water parks. No wonder its such a fun spot for families, Cape May's website reports.
Kings Beach Lake Tahoe, California
Last but not least, we have the king of all beaches Kings Beach at Lake Tahoe. The beach is known as the banana belt since it follows the path of the sun throughout the day. The beach also includes some ski resorts, too, since mountains surround it. And you can also check out some of the historical spots the towns conference center used to be a bowling alley, where the Grateful Dead performed, according to the beachs website.
