Child friendly beach and sun holidays
From budget bucket and spade holidays in Ireland and the UK to luxury holidays in the Mediterranean and adventure holidays with a flop and drop option,all members of the family will enjoy a beach holiday. Children love to play in the water,on the sand and in rock pools. Whether you are on a small or large budget and whether you stay in a five star luxury resort, in self catering or on a campsite, days at the beach are likely to be a highlight in your children's holiday memories. Parents too will enjoy the rest and relaxation (unless they have a toddler who is intent on careering towards the water at every opportunity).
Reality Check
As a parent however, you will have to forget the halcyon days of sangria and snoozing for a few years when your children are in need of close supervision which is just as well as sometimes as you can discover your own inner child and rekindle your own ability to just play with your children.
Taking turns with your partner where possible in supervising the children will give you an opportunity to soak up some sun and relax. While toddlers will delight just in the textures of the sand and digging for hours (as well as eating lots of sand!) beaches provide an ideal opportunity for older children to learn new skills including surfing, swimming, wave jumping, snorkelling, diving, sailing, jet skiing and lots of other sports activities for children who are a bit older and teenagers who need to be kept occupied.
Top tips for your family beach holiday
Check how far your accommodation is from the beach and whether there are any busy roads or steep steps. Some hotels have self catering complexes on stunning locations on cliff sides with hundreds of steps down to the beach which are fine for older children but simply impractical for pushchairs.
When choosing a beach consider whether it is a pebbly or a sandy beach. Pebbles can be hard on delicate feet and children love to play with sand. Pebble beaches have advantages as they can end up being a bit cleaner.
Consider the question of shelter from the sun and the wind. If there are not many natural and man-made shelters you may need to take on umbrellas or wind breakers.
The ability to shower to wash off sand and salt can be important particularly if you are going to dine after the beach.
Safety is always an issue and before you let your children into the sea consider how rough the water will be and check if there are any strong currents. Get local advices before getting in the water if there are no lifeguards and where possible swim in designated swimming areas.
Consider whether there are activities other than days at the beach in the event that the weather is unsuitable or the family want a break from sun and sea. Many of the established tourist resorts now have water parks and other family friendly facilities and interesting geographical and historical sites to visit further inland. In our destination guides we try to give you some pointers on activities which will suit your children.
You should bear in mind that in high summer you will be experiencing hot temperatures and this can often be unsuitable for very young children.
Accommodation for family friendly beach holidays
Depending on your family's preference you may decide to go for an all - inclusive resort, a resort with a kids club, a self catering option or a farm house or a villa with a good access to a beach.
Family friendly package beach holidays are provided by most of the Irish Tour Operators.For a good range and online special offers try Sunway, Panorama, Directholidays.ie and Citalia. From the UK Kuoni and Soverign and good options.
James villas and Meon villas offer a great range of self catering villas in many beautiful locations.
If you prefer the DIY route you can get great deals on hotel with our partner booking.com or with mrandmrssmith.com both of whom feature child friendly accommodation options. You can also book flights here.
Hiring a car is always a good idea to give you independence and you can book car hire here also.
You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday.
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