Best Beach Resorts for Families
Just about everywhere in the world where there is a coast, there are beach resorts, complete with hotels that cater to the expanding tourist community. The ones described in this article were chosen from a variety of settings from all across the nation. Some are on the east coast, some on the Caribbean, and some on the west coast. The additional attractions nearby range from golf courses to places of historical interest. But they all share one thing in common: They have been ranked by various magazines and websites as being among the best for families to spend their vacations.
Cape Cod National Seashore
This area is one of the most pleasant places to spend your vacation as it is much more quaint and family-friendly than your more exotic, offshore locations. Many families call these areas home year-around as well, which prove how truly family-friendly the area is. The National Seashore, which was established in 1961, takes up only the easternmost portion of the peninsula, which runs from Chatham all the way up to Provincetown, MA. A refreshing breeze blows in from the Atlantic that visitors will love to feel in their faces. In Provincetown, too, tourists can go out to sea on whale watches.
Hotel del Coronado
The Hotel del Coronado lies just across the bay from San Diego. It is a beautiful white building with red conical roofs topped with towers. Visitors here can get lessons in surfing and kayaking, and teenagers can enjoy such activities as foosball and computer games at Vibes. For younger children, scavenger hunts are held often. A great benefit of staying at this resort is that it is just a short drive from Downtown San Diego, which is full of great restaurants and shopping areas that are perfect for a family getaway in the city.
South Seas Island Resort
South Seas Island Resort is located on a tropical island just off the coast of Florida. It has a pool complex where both parents and children can go kayaking and fishing, a “zero-entry” pool for young ones, Captiva Kids and Teen Clubs where creative crafts, buried treasure hunts and golf games provide plenty of adventure and entertainment, and a hammock garden. The hotel grounds also include a walkway surrounded by water with lush palm trees and other tropical plants.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
The hotel at Disney’s Beach Club Resort at Disney World looks just like a picture from one of Disney’s books—and even more so at night when it is lit up. The lake has plenty of bass to fish for and children can play at the Sandcastle Club or cool themselves off at Stormalong Bay.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
This is an inland resort located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in the northwestern part of that state’s Lower Peninsula. The place got its name from an Ojibway Indian legend about a mother bear and her two cubs who took shelter off the coast after a fire forced them to flee. The cubs drowned, but the Great Spirit, impressed with the mother bear’s determination to find a safe place for them, turned the cubs into what became North and South Manitou Islands, while the mother was buried in the sand dunes where she remains to this day. Also in the area are Port Oneida Historic Farm District, a Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum and some old buildings at Glen Haven, including a general store and a blacksmith shop.
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
The Ritz-Carlton is world-famous for its high quality luxury hotels. Their Half Moon Bay hotel—the only resort for miles around—is located just south of San Francisco. Families can go fishing, kayaking and sailing along the beach. The hotel itself has a wine-tasting room, floor-to-ceiling windows and other decorative features. There is also a teen center and evening kids’ programs held all during the week.
Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort
This luxury resort is located on a barrier island that is the southernmost in a chain that extends to the Georgia-Florida boundary. It was “green before Kermit the Frog,” as its executives love saying. A kids’ pool and a family room are among their amenities. As of now, the place is undergoing renovations that are not scheduled to be completed until next year.