10 Family-Friendly Beaches in Maryland for Beach Vacations with Kids
Maryland, known as Little America, has many breathtaking coasts.
Maryland beaches have something to offer every family member, thanks to more than 31,000 miles of natural shoreline.
Maryland’s coastlines offer endless activities, including surfing, boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, beachcombing, seeing whales or dolphins, and much more.
The best family beaches in Maryland are about to be discovered, so grab the sunscreen and your swimsuit and get ready for one of the most unforgettable vacations with your loved ones!
- Ocean City Beach – Ocean City
The most well-known beach in Maryland is Ocean City Beach.
It has clear seas, an extensive shoreline, a long boardwalk, and various enjoyable activities for the whole family.
Recommendation
One of Maryland’s most beautiful family-friendly beaches, Ocean City Beach is the perfect place to spend a wonderful vacation with your loved ones.
You can go surfing, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing with your loved ones on the ocean.
You can relax on the fine sand, get a tan, and build sandcastles with your kids if you don’t feel like swimming. In addition, Ocean City Beach has a 3-mile-long boardwalk with various entertaining amenities like arcades, eateries serving delectable foods and drinks, a carousel, and much more.
The Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort, one of Maryland’s top family resorts, is conveniently close to Ocean City Beach.
Expert Advice
Summer is the finest time to visit Ocean City Beach with your family, even though it might get a little busy due to the many free events, such as family beach games, movies on the beach, firework displays, and concerts.
- Middle River’s Hammerman Area Beach
The picturesque Hammerman Area Beach is tucked away on the banks of the Gunpowder River at Gunpowder Falls State Park.
One of Maryland’s most popular swimming spots, this beach is a local favorite.
Recommendation
Maryland’s best family beach vacations may be had at Hammerman Area Beach.
This beach has snack vendors selling delectable delights and picnic spots where you may enjoy your meals in comfort.
This family-friendly beach resort offers playgrounds where your kids may run about and swim while being closely watched by lifeguards.
Expert Advice
You can rent sailboats, canoes, kayaks, surfboards, and other watercraft at Hammerman Area Beach to enjoy the sea.
You and your tribe can take classes if you don’t know how to use this equipment.
- Beach at Calvert Cliffs State Park in Lusby
Calvert Cliffs State Park Beach has a kid-friendly beachfront that is small and packed with amazing activities.
Recommendation
Your family will love this lovely beach as a location to relax and breathe in the fresh air.
It is close to attractions like a tire playground where your kids will enjoy playing, picnic spaces, and grills where you can prepare and dine your meals comfortably.
Calvert Cliffs State Park Beach offers a variety of family-friendly activities, like helping kids build sandcastles, exploring the shoreline in search of unusual shells and fossils, swimming in the calm water, and relaxing on the sands while keeping an eye out for whales and dolphins.
Expert Advice
Because of its vastness and high level of popularity, Calvert Cliffs State Park Beach can become highly crowded during the summer months.
I recommend going on a weekday or during the off-season if you want to spend more time in privacy with your family at this beach.
- Berlin’s Assateague Island National Seashore Beach
Assateague Island National Seashore Beach provides tourists with the most breathtaking beachfront views and gentle sandy shorelines, making it the ideal outdoor hideaway.
Recommendation
The greatest option for you and your loved ones is Assateague Island National Seashore Beach if you desperately need a vacation from the monotony of your everyday life.
Set up your tent right by the water and enjoy the tranquil sounds of the waves while you take in the magnificent sunset.
Lay on the beach and work on your tan while your kids build sandcastles, swim in the turquoise ocean, and watch magnificent animals, such as horses and dolphins.
In addition to the beach at Assateague Island National Seashore, nearby marshland regions are great for exploring with the whole family.
You may take kayak rides through the marsh to get up-close views of the wildlife, including deer and birds.
Expert Advice
While on vacation at Assateague Island National Seashore Beach, you might also want to check out the ranger-led activities.
Investigate a variety of entertaining, age-appropriate activities, such as aquatic life.
- Annapolis’ Sandy Point State Park Beach
One of Maryland’s top family beaches is Sandy Point State Park Beach, which is distinguished by its golden sand and clear water.
Recommendation
At Sandy Point State Park Beach in Maryland, family vacations are always unique because the kids can play on the sand while you and your spouse have a romantic moment while enjoying the serene sunset.
The safest beach in the state is along this stretch of shoreline, one of Maryland’s best for families with young children.
It has a gentle slope and attentive lifeguards, and since it’s in a bay area, there are rarely any waves, making it ideal for your younger children.
If your little ones get tired of swimming, they can spend the rest of the day playing at the playground with a bay theme, thanks to the shallow water closer to the shore. On the other hand, teenagers can paddle a boat, or kayak or use a stand-up paddleboard.
Expert Advice
For a more private experience with your loved ones, Sandy Point State Park Beach offers pavilions that you can reserve in advance.
To spend more time on the beach unwinding, you can also rent beach umbrellas and loungers.
- Deep Creek Lake Beach in Swanton
A well-kept sandy shoreline can be found at Deep Creek Lake Beach, which is Maryland’s biggest artificial lake.
Recommendation
Visit Deep Creek Lake Beach to enjoy much-needed family time while helping your kids build sandcastles and sculptures, teaching them to swim in the clear waters, and enjoying a nice family picnic.
You can launch your kayaks and other watercraft from the boat ramp on the beach and have a lot of fun.
If you and your tribe want to take a calm walk through the forest, there are also nearby trails with varying degrees of difficulty.
Expert Advice
A Discovery Center where you can take your kids is nearby Deep Creek Lake Beach.
Here, they can participate in interpretive activities while learning about nature, such as poring over fossils, studying marine life under a microscope, and other entertaining and instructive activities.
- North Beach
Tourists and residents enjoy visiting the lovely shoreline of North Beach, which is conveniently located.
Recommendation
The traditional family beach is North Beach.
It has a soft beach where kids can play all day, clear waters with calm waves where you can take a leisurely dip, and conveniences like restrooms, showers, and changing spaces that make traveling easier.
You may hire bicycles on the beach’s expansive boardwalk and have a beautiful ride with stunning oceanfront views.
Professional Advice
Your weekend family vacations in Maryland are about to get even more exciting thanks to the state’s availability of single kayaks, double kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and tubes that you can rent for a price for a guaranteed good time with your tribe.
- Beach in Stevensville’s Matapeake State Park.
The secret gem of Maryland is the isolated shoreline of Matapeake State Park Beach.
It provides a peaceful haven for those who want to take a break.
Recommendation
If you’re seeking a calm beach to unwind and take a break from your daily lives, I highly suggest giving Matapeake State Park Beach some thought for your next family vacation.
Unreasonably huge crowds and city sounds are absent along this coastline.
Spend the day relaxing on the beach with your kids, making sand sculptures if you want to work on your tan, or reading some books.
The water is an excellent place to swim for your toddlers because it is sufficiently quiet and has no currents.
Professional Advice
There are few food options and only one snack shop nearby, so I recommend bringing extra meals and drinks for your family.
You have access to picnic tables, so you won’t have to worry about eating on the beach.
- Cunningham Falls State Park Beach, Thurmont
Cunningham Falls State Park is a significant place that both locals and visitors frequent. It is one of Maryland’s most beautiful beach locations.
Recommendation
Cunningham Falls State Park Beach is a family’s paradise because it has a stunning beach surrounded by lush vegetation, clear water, and scenic vistas of the Catoctin Mountains.
Your children can play games and run joyfully on the grassy shore area.
Apart from swimming, you can go boating, fishing, canoeing, sunbathing, and picnicking with your loved ones at Cunningham Falls State Park Beach during your excursion.
Professional Advice
You can rent a cabin adjacent to the beach area if you want to spend more time at the tranquil Cunningham Falls State Park Beach.
When traveling with kids, these cabins make more sense than tents.
Each cabin has a fire ring for a family bonfire where you can roast marshmallows while gazing at the skies, picnic tables for eating meals outside, and sleeping quarters.
- Breezy Point Beach—Chesapeake Beach
There is a well-maintained beachfront on Chesapeake Bay’s Breezy Point Beach, which has a well-kept coastline and is gradually gaining in popularity.
Recommendation
The best family-friendly beaches in Maryland are found at Breezy Point Beach.
The wide beach is great for building giant sandcastles with kids and tanning, and the calm, cool water is great for a cool swim on hot summer days.
A 200-foot-long pier, grills, and picnic tables are among the amenities available at this lovely beach for you and your family to enjoy crab-catching or fishing. You can also enjoy an excellent barbecue with your tribe while sitting around the picnic tables.
Professional Advice
The local government sets a maximum number of visitors to Breezy Point Beach to conserve the beach’s coastline.
Additionally, this beach quickly becomes overrun with tourists due to its rising popularity.
For the best coastal experience, I advise going during the week or early in the morning.
