As the mercury rises and many of us turn our thoughts to kicking back under the sun on one of the UK’s picturesque beaches, there’s one group of sun worshippers who have a lot more to consider beyond how to keep the drinks cool for an afternoon – new parents.
Many of us hold extremely fond childhood memories of the British seaside. Intergenerational escapes to the water’s edge on balmy days, armed with towels and buckets and spades, ready for rockpooling and fish and chips.
However, parents travelling to the coast need to juggle a host of factors, making a beeline for the beaches where their overheating babies and toddlers are best catered for.
But what are the best family-friendly beaches in the UK in 2026?
JoJo Maman Bébé have analysed some of the UK’s most popular beaches to assess how ideal they are for sun-seeking little ones. The team looked at key metrics, including the beach’s distance from the car park, whether the sand was accessible by ramp, the water quality rating, the percentage of family-friendly food options and the beach’s online review rating, to calculate a total score.
With the potential of a scorching summer on the horizon – if the May heatwave is anything to go by – it’s Porthmeor Beach in St Ives that claims the title of the UK’s most family-friendly beach. Just 0.22km from the car park, with dedicated ramp access, excellent water quality and access to baby-changing facilities, it trumps the other options with a score of 9.08.
