Beach

A Forest Service campground in the Ouachita National Forest built around a small lake with a sandy swimming beach. The setting is classic national forest: tall pines, well-spaced sites, a lake loop trail kids can walk on their own, and no commercial development in sight. There is a separate equestrian camping area, so horse trailers do not end up parked next to family tents. Facilities are simpler than a state park, which keeps both the cost and the crowds down.

A state campground on a bluff above Schroon Lake with a swimming beach at the bottom of the hill and a boat launch nearby. Schroon Lake sits far enough north of Lake George to be much quieter, but it is right off the Northway, which makes it one of the easiest Adirondack campgrounds to reach from downstate. The village has a beach, an ice cream stand and a summer band concert series that kids enjoy more than they expect to. Sites are wooded and the lake views from the bluff are excellent.

A beach day with one kid is a bag. A beach day with a four-year-old and a nine-year-old is a logistics problem, because they need different water, different gear, and different amounts of your attention. We went through the packing notes on all 72 swimming adventures in our database - 53 have detailed notes - and pulled out what actually gets recommended and, more usefully, why. Some of it is obvious. Some of it is a genuine safety signal hiding in plain sight. ...

A state campground on the southeastern shore of Raquette Lake with one of the best swimming beaches in the Adirondack Park: a long sandy crescent with a gradual entry that suits toddlers as well as teenagers. Sites sit back in tall pines behind the beach and a boat launch gives access to one of the largest natural lakes in the park. It is a straightforward, old-fashioned family campground where the day plan is usually just the beach. The village store at Raquette Lake covers basic supplies.

A small state park on the west branch of Keuka Lake with campsites split between an open lakeside area and a shaded wooded loop, plus a swimming beach and a boat launch. Keuka is the quietest of the big Finger Lakes and the least crowded to swim in, and the campground has a genuinely relaxed feel. The bluff road above the park has some of the best lake views in the region, and Hammondsport at the south end has a walkable village square with ice cream and the Glenn Curtiss aviation museum.

A friendly, medium-sized state campground on a quiet lake just west of Long Lake village, with a sandy beach, a boat launch and a short trail up Owls Head Mountain nearby for families ready for a real climb. The lake is calm and shallow near shore, so young kids can wade a long way out. Long Lake village is a couple of minutes away with a beach, a diner and a float plane dock that kids find fascinating. It is a good middle option: real Adirondack quiet without being an hour from a grocery store.

The state campground closest to Lake George village, tucked into woods on historic battlefield ground and within walking distance of Million Dollar Beach and the steamboat docks. That walkability is the whole argument for it: kids can go to the beach, the arcade and dinner without anyone getting back in the car. Sites are wooded and reasonably private for a campground this close to town. It is small compared with the lakeshore campgrounds farther north, so summer weekends need reservations well in advance.

A state campground between Lewey Lake and Indian Lake in the central Adirondacks, with a swimming beach, a boat launch and direct access to trails heading into the Siamese Ponds Wilderness. Because it sits between two bodies of water, you get a sheltered small lake for kids to paddle and a big one for fishing and boating, without moving the car. The setting under Snowy Mountain is dramatic and the campground rarely feels as packed as the Lake George area. Cell service is essentially nonexistent, which some families count as a feature.

One of the larger state campgrounds in the central Adirondacks, on a clear lake outside Inlet with a sandy swimming beach and a boat launch. Sites are scattered through pine woods and a good number sit within sight of the water. The lake is big enough to paddle for an afternoon without being so big that wind becomes a problem for kids in kayaks. Inlet and Old Forge are both close for supplies and a rainy-day plan, and the Moose River Plains wild forest road starts at the campground gate.

The largest body of water in the Catskills outside the reservoirs, and the only Catskill state campground built around a swimming pond with a real sandy beach. Sites are spread through the woods around the shoreline and motors are not allowed, so the water stays calm for kids in kayaks and rowboats. Trails from the campground connect into the Big Indian Wilderness for longer hikes. Livingston Manor and the Beaverkill fly-fishing water are close by, and it is well under three hours from New York City.

A state campground on a small quiet lake just outside Old Forge, which makes it the practical base for a western Adirondacks family trip. The lake has a sandy swimming beach and a flat loop trail that circles the whole shoreline in an easy couple of hours. Old Forge itself is three minutes away, meaning the Enchanted Forest water park, the Fulton Chain boat tours and actual restaurants are all within reach on a rainy afternoon. Sites are wooded and spread out enough to feel like camping rather than a parking lot.

The internet’s version of the North Shore day trip is: drive up, take a picture at a beach, buy shave ice, drive back. Four hours of highway for one photo. Here’s a better version. Run the island clockwise - Kailua first, North Shore last - and everything lands at the right time. The water at Kailua is calmest in the morning. The Koolau mountains behind Byodo-In and Ho’omaluhia are only clear of cloud early. The green sea turtles at Laniakea don’t reliably haul out until afternoon. Go counterclockwise, like most people do, and you miss all three. ...

One of the largest campgrounds in the Finger Lakes, built on the grounds of a former naval training base on the east shore of Seneca Lake. The scale means you can usually find a site here when the smaller gorge parks are full, and the park has a swimming pool, a marina, a beach, ball fields and a small military museum on site. Sites are mostly open and grassy rather than deeply wooded. It is central to the whole Seneca Lake loop, with Watkins Glen about half an hour south.

Campsites and a set of small cabins sit on the hillside above Cayuga Lake at the park that holds the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rockies. The flat gorge trail to the base of the 215-foot falls is short and stroller-passable, which makes this one of the easiest big-waterfall payoffs for families with toddlers. Down at lake level there is a swimming beach and a marina. Summer weekends bring free concerts at the park, and Ithaca is twenty minutes south for a rainy-day plan.

Hawaii State Parks rents a small group of simple housekeeping cabins at the black sand beach park outside Hana, along with a tent campground. The cabins are basic, with beds, a kitchen and a bathroom but no resort polish, and they are one of the only affordable ways to actually sleep in Hana rather than driving back the same day. Staying overnight means the black sand beach, the lava tubes and the coastal trail before the day traffic arrives. Reservations are mandatory and the park now controls entry times for visitors.

A family-friendly park east of Troy with a sandy beach on Long Pond, nature trails, and excellent fishing. The beach is lifeguard-staffed and has a gradual entry that is great for toddlers and young swimmers. Several short trails loop around the lakes through mixed forest. The park is popular for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. A nature center offers programs for kids during summer. The park is close to the Capital District but feels like you are in the deep woods. Kayak and canoe rentals available.

A sandy public beach on the shore of Mirror Lake right in the heart of Lake Placid village. The shallow entry makes it great for toddlers and the roped swim area keeps everyone safe. Lifeguards are on duty during summer. After swimming, the village is a short walk away for ice cream or lunch. The beach has restrooms and changing facilities. Views of the surrounding mountains from the water are beautiful and the sunset here is hard to beat.

The largest and arguably best campground in the Catskills with 219 sites set between two lakes and surrounded by iconic hiking trails. Kids can swim at the beach, fish from shore, and explore miles of trails that lead to stunning overlooks including the famous Artist Point and Newman Ledge views of the Hudson Valley. Kaaterskill Falls is accessible right from the campground. Boat rentals are available on the lake. The combination of great camping, swimming, and world-class hiking makes this the premier family base camp in the Catskills.

A beautifully maintained CCC-era state park with a spring-fed lake surrounded by towering pines and hardwoods. The swim area has a sandy beach and the park rents paddleboats and kayaks. Over 13 miles of trails loop through East Texas piney woods and the mountain bike trails are well-regarded. The historic stone and timber structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps give the park a timeless character.

A paved 1.5-mile coastal path connecting five beautiful beaches on Maui sunny south shore. The path passes through resort properties along dramatic lava rock coastline with excellent whale watching in winter. Kids can hop between beaches, explore rocky tide pools between them, and spot sea turtles resting on the sand. The path is flat, paved, and stroller-friendly making it one of the most accessible coastal walks in Hawaii. Each beach has a slightly different character and the views of Molokini and Kahoolawe offshore add to the scenery.