The Best Family Beach Vacations in the U.S.

Myrtle Beach is one of the top golfing destinations in the country, as well as a popular family resort area. Many of the resorts, such as the Long Bay Resort and the Breakers Resort, cater to families by offering child-size pools, arcades, shopping destinations and even childcare. Some country clubs in the Myrtle Beach area allow kids to come along and play for free. The Aberdeen Country Club and the Blackmoor Golf Club are two examples of top-of-the-line that are family friendly.

For those who want to venture away from the clubs and the resorts, the Myrtle Beach area offers water parks (the largest is the Myrtle Waves Water Park, with over 30 rides), a NASCAR Speedpark and Myrtle Beach Pavilion's amusement park. Even local restaurants cater to families by offering kids' menus and in-house activities.

Myrtle Beach Golf
http://www.myrtlebeachgolf.com

Ewa Beach is located just 40 minutes outside of Waikiki. Home to the Ewa Beach Golf Club Resort, it's an ideal destination for those who want something different. The course is covered with Seashore Paspalum Grass, an environmentally-friendly grass and offers many features that can't be found in any other golf club in Hawaii, including a double green on holes number 2 and 16, an outward and inward nine that flush past the clubhouse and the background of a Kiawe Forrest.

For families, Ewa Beach offers a series of fishing opportunities, including cruises, as well as numerous city parks just a couple of feet away from the sand. Ewa Beach is just minutes away from the Pearl Harbor memorial, a popular family destination. The Hawaiian Waterworks, a large water park, is a great option for younger kids who prefer more action than swimming or lounging on the beach.

Ewa Beach Golf Resort
http://www.ewabeachgc.com/main.html

Host of the 2010 US Open and home to many award-winning golf resorts, Pebble Beach offers visitors places like Del Monte Golf Club, which opened in 1897 and features an uphill par 4 and a heavily wooded course, and Spyglass Hill Golf Course, with sandy seaside dunes and elevated greens with plenty of pines.

For families, Pebble Beach offers an equestrian center for riders of all abilities, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and whale watching tours and the nearby Cannery Row shopping and entertainment complex, with attractions such as a 3D IMAX theater. Sea animals, including otters, make the area their home and offer plenty of opportunities for kids to see wildlife in their natural habitat.

Pebble Beach Golf Resorts
http://www.pebblebeach.com