10 best U.S. beaches for families 2015

<strong>Check out these beaches. </strong>FamilyVacationCritic.com picked its 10 best family-friendly U.S. beaches for 2015, including Cape May Beach in Cape May, New Jersey. On the list of recommended stops: free <a href="http://www.capemay.com/activities/movies-on-the-beach.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">"Movies on the Beach"</a> on Thursday nights during some summer months.

Check out these beaches. FamilyVacationCritic.com picked its 10 best family-friendly U.S. beaches for 2015, including Cape May Beach in Cape May, New Jersey. On the list of recommended stops: free "Movies on the Beach" on Thursday nights during some summer months.

Craig Terry/Cape May County Tourism

<strong>Carlsbad State Beach, California.</strong> Grab the free parking at Historic Highway 101 and visit this lovely beach in Carlsbad, California. The town offers family events throughout the year.

Carlsbad State Beach, California. Grab the free parking at Historic Highway 101 and visit this lovely beach in Carlsbad, California. The town offers family events throughout the year.

Visit Carlsbad

<strong>Crescent Beach, Rhode Island. </strong>Enjoy the mobile bike tour of of this lovely Block Island, Rhode Island, beach.

Crescent Beach, Rhode Island. Enjoy the mobile bike tour of of this lovely Block Island, Rhode Island, beach.

Block Island Tourism Council

<strong>Fort De Soto Park, Florida</strong>. North Beach at this stunning St. Petersburg beach park is ideal for young and new swimmers.

Fort De Soto Park, Florida. North Beach at this stunning St. Petersburg beach park is ideal for young and new swimmers.

Visit St. Pete-Clearwater

<strong>Kings Beach, California. </strong>After a full day of swimming, enjoy the sunset and moonrise at this Lake Tahoe, California, beach.

Kings Beach, California. After a full day of swimming, enjoy the sunset and moonrise at this Lake Tahoe, California, beach.

Guy Palmiotto/AP

<strong>Lincoln City Beach, Oregon.</strong> This beach has hidden treasures: glass floats that are part of a lovely program called <a href="http://www.oregoncoast.org/finders-keepers/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Finders Keepers.</a> The "Float Fairies" leave treasures on the beach that anyone can take home.

Lincoln City Beach, Oregon. This beach has hidden treasures: glass floats that are part of a lovely program called Finders Keepers. The "Float Fairies" leave treasures on the beach that anyone can take home.

Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian/Landov

<strong>Manatee County Beach, Florida.</strong> A trolley stops at this beach, located on Holmes Beach, in the center of Anna Maria Island. There's a playground in addition to the expected family-friendly showers, parking and picnic facilities.

Manatee County Beach, Florida. A trolley stops at this beach, located on Holmes Beach, in the center of Anna Maria Island. There's a playground in addition to the expected family-friendly showers, parking and picnic facilities.

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

<strong>Ogunquit Beach, Maine. </strong>One of the best beaches in New England, the beach also has the nearby quieter Ogunquit River and nearby shops for snacks and beach toys.

Ogunquit Beach, Maine. One of the best beaches in New England, the beach also has the nearby quieter Ogunquit River and nearby shops for snacks and beach toys.

Courtesy Shawn Platt

<strong>Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. </strong>This lovely slip of a beach has a classic boardwalk and ice cream and fried food joints, in addition to the more refined restaurants located in town.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. This lovely slip of a beach has a classic boardwalk and ice cream and fried food joints, in addition to the more refined restaurants located in town.

The Beards Photography

<strong>Virginia Beach, Virginia</strong>. Enjoy live music at Neptune Park in the summertime, and make sure to take a photo in front of the bronze statue of King Neptune.<br />

Virginia Beach, Virginia. Enjoy live music at Neptune Park in the summertime, and make sure to take a photo in front of the bronze statue of King Neptune.

CRAG MCCLUE/City of Virginia Beach

Story highlights

Best beaches for families must have more than good swimming

Accommodations, dining and entertainment must be close to the beach

CNN —

The best family beaches have more than a sandy spot to sunbathe or clean water for swimming.

The 10 best beaches for families for 2015, released by Family Vacation Critic on Wednesday, all offer more to explore close to the beach.

“When choosing the top family-friendly beaches, we consider a number of factors – it’s not just beautiful sands and picturesque views,” said Lissa Poirot, editor-in-chief of Family Vacation Critic, a TripAdvisor site. The editors of the site pick the beaches on the list.

“Beyond clean, safe beaches, we’re looking for beaches that offer a well-rounded experience for families – accommodations, dining and entertainment within close distance of the beach, and plenty to keep the whole family entertained while in town,” Poirot said in a statement.

Check out the 10 best U.S. beaches, listed here in alphabetical order by beach name, in our photo gallery above.

Cape May Beach – Cape May, New Jersey
Carlsbad State Beach – Carlsbad, California
Crescent Beach – Block Island, Rhode Island
Fort De Soto Park – St. Petersburg, Florida
Kings Beach – Lake Tahoe, California
Lincoln City Beach – Lincoln City, Oregon
Manatee County Beach – Holmes Beach, Florida
Ogunquit Beach – Ogunquit, Maine
Rehoboth Beach – Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Virginia Beach – Virginia Beach, Virginia