Beach Vacation w/small kids

[ersatz]

All the previous posters have recommended really great spots.

Deep Creek - Get away from it all into far rural Maryland. Very pretty in the fall but falling temps impact water sport activity. Cheaper than the coast.

I dunno about Cove Point but I used to live near Solomans Island. Nice spot. Calvert Cliffs is home to a Nuclear Power Plant but also has some really cool spots to explore along the beach. Locally, it is famous for fossils, and you can often find petrified sharks teeth. Check it oall out with the
Calvert Marine Museum. Fun, low key, and extra academic brownie points!

Ocean City/Virginia Beach - If you really enjoy the Spring Break college party crowd, well then, here it is. This is a down market local version of Fort Lauderdale.

Nags Head - A bit more crowded and rowdy but still okay for family.

Hatteras/Wave/Duck/Avalon/Buxton - More subdued but more family friendly than Nags Head

Ocracoke - Lots of National Seashore, very very limited on commercial development. Best for the low key family family holiday with an emphasis on seashore and very little on commercial development. Awesome one=hour ferry ride, and it's free!

[funlovinmom]

Hello, my young family has loved going to Holden Beach in NC. it is very quiet and family oriented. there is a bridge on/off the island and very quick to get to kids activities like ice cream, water slides, go karts, restaurants. it is a great time there!

[Fairfax Mom]

We decided to give Myrtle Beach a try this year.

[slim04]

I love Myrtle Beach. There are a ton of kid-friendly stuff to do, even more for teens (Broadway at the Beach, NASCAR and Hard Rock amusement parks, etc.). It's kind of like a mini-Orlando with a big beach nearby. Also, great and relatively inexpensive golf.

I particularly like the condos/ timeshare rentals in N. Myrtle Beach. They have some high rise buildings with great views, lazy rivers, kid activity rooms, and large pool complexes. But they are away from the hustle and bustle of the Boardwalk and the seedy elements of a typical beach town. The sand is much harder than it is in NJ or MD, but its still fun to be on the beach.

This resort is my favorite, but there are dozens of similar places.

www.seawatchresort.com

[novanative75]

Bethany Beach, no question. I can not believe that no one has mentioned it. It is the best family friendly beach around. You can rent a house or a condo at Sea Colony. We went every summer when I was a child and it was the best, the same families are there every year, they have great activities for kids and a great town with restaurants.

We also love the Outer Banks but that is a more quiet, secluded vacation, which is great but Bethany will give you a fun time with other families, your kids can make friends, etc.