Best beach days with kids in Port Elizabeth
The best beaches for families in Port Elizabeth — from Kings Beach and Sardinia Bay to Jeffrey's Bay and penguin cruises in Algoa Bay.
Port Elizabeth has some of the best beaches in South Africa for families — and they're notably less crowded than the Cape Town or Durban equivalents. The Humewood beachfront strip is well maintained and safe, and within an hour's drive you can find quieter, wilder beaches with nature reserves and river mouths attached.
Here are the best beach options for families in Port Elizabeth.
Kings Beach — Humewood
The main family beach in PE, Kings Beach is wide, clean, and well patrolled. There's a tidal pool for younger children, good lifeguard coverage, and the whole Humewood beachfront strip nearby with cafés and takeaways. Start here.
Good for: All ages
Cost: Free
Humewood Beach
Sharing the promenade with Kings Beach, Humewood is slightly quieter and has a more local, neighbourhood feel. The beaches connect and you can walk between them. Good surf, good lifeguards, easy parking.
Good for: All ages
Cost: Free
Sardinia Bay Beach & Reserve
A quieter beach south of the city, backed by a coastal reserve with fynbos trails and interesting geology. It's undeveloped and uncrowded — the kind of beach you go to when you want space and nature rather than infrastructure. Worth the short drive from town.
Good for: All ages
Cost: Free
Schoenmakers Kop Beach
A smaller, sheltered beach south of PE that is especially good for young children and those who want calmer conditions than Kings Beach. Less visited than the main beachfront but easy to find and pleasant.
Good for: All ages, particularly young children
Jeffrey's Bay Surf & Beach
For families with older children who want to learn to surf — or just watch world-class surfing — Jeffrey's Bay about 75 kilometres west is one of the great surfing beaches in the world. The town is relaxed and the beach is beautiful even if you're not on a board.
Good for: Ages 8 and up for surfing; all ages for the beach
PE's beaches are among the best-kept secrets in South African family travel. Browse all kids activities in Port Elizabeth on Kite to plan the rest of your visit.