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-   -   Family Friendly Beaches in the SouthEast? (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/family-friendly-beaches-in-the-southeast-308117/)

messmerize Feb 20th, 2008 04:35 AM

Family Friendly Beaches in the SouthEast?
 
I need some help! My family of six and I will be taking a beach vacation driving from Atlanta the first week of June this year and wanted some 'good' suggestions on (1) cities to stay either in Florida or South Carolina on the beach? (2)suggestions on hotels or rental houses? Two key points are that my kids (ages from 6 to 16) have never been to the beach and that there are six of us. I prefer to have a place right on the beach or very close by. Thanks for the help!!!

Honoria_Glossop Feb 20th, 2008 04:46 AM

Hilton Head beach resorts are very kid friendly. I think first of the Disney one and the Marriott Grand Ocean. Amelia Island is also a good place. Not sure of what resort to offer. Lots of condos there.

shormk2 Feb 20th, 2008 04:49 AM

Try Pawley's Island in South Carolina- great family beach that is about 45 minutes North of Charleston and 45 minutes South of Myrtle Beach- very family oriented, safe, classy, fun area... if you are staying on the actual island, there are fabulous beach houses with lots of character. If you decide not to actually stay on Pawley's, Litchfield Beach is five minutes north of Pawley's and it is family oriented as well. Plus, the beaches are just beautiful. From Pawley's/Litchfield, you can easily take a day trip to Charleston, but you don't have to deal with all the hustle and bustle of staying on Isle of Palms or Sullivan's (both are great beaches, but far more crowded than Pawley's or Litchfield)... as to your other question, there are lots of rental companies to choose from for houses on Pawley's- Pawley's Island Realty, Latchicotte (sp?) and for Litchfield, there is Litchfield by the Sea-which may be pricier than going through Latchicotte... just some suggestions...

cd Feb 20th, 2008 05:02 AM

My favorite beach places would be the beaches of the Florida panhandle and upper gulf coast. The sand is soft and white and the water is blue and clear. Check this out: http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/florida Look at Destin, Fort Walton, Madiera, St Pete Beach, Siesta Key, so many good places!
Along the Atlantic coast, we love the Outer Banks NC! Probably South Nags Head would be my first choice.

KimiG Feb 20th, 2008 05:29 AM

Our family has been vacationing on Anna Maria Island, Florida for years! Anna Maria is a little island 45 minutes south of Tampa and it is very family friendly. No large crowds, no chain restaurants - kind of like going back in time. Yet, because it is so close to Tampa, you can spend a day at the theme park or go to a baseball game. We have rented through Anna Maria Vacations www.annamaria.com for several years. We have stayed at the Beach Front and Island Sands (both listed on their web site) - both have three bedrooms, right on the beach and has every comfort you can imagine. I wish I was there right now!

ausc59 Feb 20th, 2008 08:37 AM

Keep in mind, too, that the geography of the 2 coastlines is very different. The Florida panhandle is Gulf-front - soft white sand that is great for digging, building, etc and warm blue water...the SC beaches are on the Atlantic, mostly hard and brown - great for bike-riding (Hilton Head, etc) but other areas are not long - Edisto - so they are more difficult for walking. The water will be darker - almost brown - and possibly still rather cold in early June. There is much more obvious marine life - birds, fish, etc - on the Atlantic side, usually more shells, etc and the marshes are something special to see but the Gulf is more what I think many picture mentally when you say "Beach". Both are wonderful - just different.

colbeck Feb 22nd, 2008 12:56 PM

Hilton Head is a great place for a family vacation - beautiful beaches and lots to do. The Marriot resorts are all nice and there are several agencies that rent beach houses.

It is also well located for day trips to Savannah, Beaufort and Charleston.

TheRealOuterBanks Feb 29th, 2008 04:12 PM

I would head a little more north and visit the Outer Banks.

Judyrem Apr 27th, 2008 04:15 PM

Destin is called Atlanta South... so many people from our area go there! ausc is spot on about both. I also love St George's Island,,,but it is probably just a shade too laid back for teens. I do love St Simons too.

WannabeinaMontserrat Apr 28th, 2008 06:26 AM

I prefer the Atlantic side, some folks have apparently never been there but are providing their, um input. I'll suggest one of the Brunswick Islands in NC (www.ncbrunswick.com) if you truly want to escape. If you want the more resort-like atmosphere I'd say Kiawah (great for golf) or Seabrook (not as crowded) near Charleston. For something in between, Amelia Island in Fla. www.ameliaisland.org or www.ameliaisland.com. The water, even in OBX will be plenty warm in June. The Fla. panhandle caters more to the 'bath water beach goers' who refuse to get in the water until it is 85+. You'll find on the Atlantic side cooler water, waves, fishing, Forts, etc. but not sharks (those are mostly in the gulf). Only kidding ! For most of these places, you needed to have made your reservation probably this time last year, so the selection may not be as nice as you like. But you should be able to find something. Lots of suggestions for HH on here, personally, that is the last place I would go...too resort, too many people & too much $$$.

GeorgeW Apr 28th, 2008 09:51 AM

I have vacationed at Topsail Beach, NC and find that beach family friendly.

beach_dweller Apr 28th, 2008 12:57 PM

Chiming in with the obvious perhaps, but family + beach kind of screams Myrtle Beach.

Pros - it has everything a 6 & 16 year old could probably think to ask for, and it has the same nice Atlantic, wide/flat-sand beach as all the rest.

Cons - MB is touristy, can get over-crowded (but probably not the first week of June), and if Hilton Head is classy, then MB is common.

If you do consider MB, a new resort in the northern section of MB (and on a relatively uncrowded stretch of beach) is Dunes Village Resort--directly oceanfront, nice rooms. More in the thick of things but still a nicer part of MB would be oceanfront high-rises like the Breakers, the Palms, Caribbean (new), Camelot--anything with 1700 & up Ocean Blvd North address will be in a good area. There are also some okay areas further south, but in my opinion much of the southern part of MB is a little seedy.


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