Livorno - Best water/beach places to visit with kids?

[kathyb]

We are staying in Lucca and Florence in August, and making day trips to other towns. We'd love to go to Livorno and go to the beach with our kids. Any recommendations of best places to go? Also, any other cool place to take an 8 and 12 year old? Restaurants you love?

Or any recs for other beach towns besides Livorno that are a not-long drive from Lucca for a day trip? (We are doing a day trip to Cinque Terre on another day).

thanks in advance!

 

[Alpinista]

Viareggio is closer, but Livorno does have a really nice aquarium if your kids might enjoy that. If you go to Viareggio (or Lido di Camaiore which is the next town up), be sure to point out the "snow" on the hills that rise above the beach before letting them know that they are looking at the marble in the Cararra quarries -- then again, most kids aren't as gullible as mine were.