Need tropical beach recommendations-low wave, easy swimming

How about staying at a beach resort where your mom can wade in the very edge of the ocean, but swim in the pool?

Anna Maria Island, FL. We rented a house right on the beach a few summers ago and my mom stayed in the water all day! I'd never seen her swim in the ocean before that. She was hanging onto one of the kids boogie boards and just floating in the warm water. She still talks about it.

This is exactly what I was going to post. We loved it for DS, who started going when he was about three.

Kauai - Lydgate Park, Poipu Beach or Salt Pond Beach. Lydgate is totally enclosed by lava rock so you are in ocean water but really no waves at all. The other 2 beaches are very gentle.


www.kauaiexplorer.com/kauai_beaches/lydgate_beach_park.php

Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman is mostly surrounded by a reef. So the waters are very calm and very shallow. I would stay near rum point. You can walk out really far and the water won't be up to your waist.

It is some of the clearest water too. Really beautiful

this is what I was going to say.

I have no idea if this is still possible, as beach development may have ruined the possibility.
When I was young, we went on the "backside" of Galveston Island and swam in the bay water. It was like a giant saltwater pool.
Probably any island has a side with no waves.

The Atlantic side of the Eastern US does have some strong riptides. It depends on the weather and the time of year. It's not something that can be predicted. 

I grew up at Atlantic Beach, NC, and every year we'd have several people drown from the riptides. They'd still swim even when the red flags were up.

I'd go to a place that had a protected bay or cove. Weather affects the waves, so even if the weather isn't ideal, the protected bay/cove will still be calm. 

I also think finding a resort with a great pool is a good idea. Sometimes the salt water can itch and burn. Sometimes there can be algaes in the water that cause rashes or if the weather has been stormy, a lot of sand gets pulled into the waves and can irritate the skin. This is another reason to pack a couple of swimsuits so you can switch if you get a rash. 

As much as I love swimming in the ocean, my skin really likes the pool better. Also, don't skimp on sunblock. I made the mistake of grabbing a generic sunblock for a rafting trip. I was the only one who slathered sunblock on my skin all day, and I was the one who got sun poisoning. 

I hope you and your mother have a great trip. I'd also look for a resort that had lots of good wooden or concrete boardwalks around the resort. My MIL doesn't go to the beach because she can't walk in the soft sand to get to the water. There is a great public boardwalk at the beach where I live, so she's gone there to sit and look at the ocean. 

Love this beach! We went last year with my 2 yo nephew and it was perfect for him. Actually, we all loved this place because some other beaches in Kauai were too rocky for us, but this place and the others you mentioned are great! Also love the one beach at the north end of the island. Forgot the name but starts with an 'H'.

We stayed in Negril, Jamaica. Our hotel was nestled inside a cove. The water was very warm and calm. It was the Riu Tropical Palace.

You might also consider buying or renting a boogie board for her. She can sit on top of it or hold onto it.

It depends a lot on time of the year and cycle of the moon. I think almost anyplace can have strong tides, as the tide is going out. It is important to pay attention to High and Low tide.  That said.. the reef is so far out at Rum Point you don't get the pull unless there is a storm coming.

I'll second Poipu Beach on Kauai - it was perfect when my kids were toddlers!

Mary K

Puerto Rico. There are beaches you can easily float in and some where you can snorkel right off the beach.