Sandcastle building. Boogie boarding. Splashing in the waves for the very first time. If you’re looking for the perfect family beach vacation, you’ve come to the right place. Our tropical beaches and clear, calm surf score high with parents and kiddos alike, but did you know we also have beaches with protected lagoons, playgrounds and nature centers teeming with wildlife? It’s all here in The Palm Beaches.
 
Kid-friendly beaches are the name of the game in Jupiter and the North Region. Located at the mouth of Jupiter Inlet, Dubois Park has a natural-rock barrier that creates shallow splash pools perfect for kids of all ages. Bring the whole family—fur children included—to dog-friendly beaches like Ocean Cay Park and Jupiter Beach Park. Kids go wild for Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, where they can visit rehabilitating sea turtles just a few steps from the shore. More animal encounters await at Red Reef Park in Boca Raton. This 67-acre park is home to yet another sea turtle sanctuary, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, which also boasts boardwalk trails, outdoor aquariums and butterfly gardens for a full day of discovery.
 
Cast away to Peanut Island via water taxi (which might just be your kids’ favorite part), where crystal-clear coves are ideal for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding or beginner snorkeling. At Lake Worth Municipal Beach, you can fish from one of the longest piers on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. And if the kids still crave more beach time, local favorites like Oceanfront Park in Boynton Beach and John D. MacArthur Beach State Park feature wide, sandy shores that are practically made for wiggling toes and digging for treasure.