It’s hard to beat the feeling of soft white sands between your toes while gazing out at endless crystal-clear blue waters in the Caribbean. If that’s what you’re craving for your next vacation, you’ll find a wide range of resorts that provide the ideal base. In fact, there is such a long list to choose from that it can be almost overwhelming.
If you’re looking for a resort that will please everyone in the family, you can immediately cross off those adult-only properties, but after that, you might want to consider factors like family-friendly activities, kids’ clubs, water parks, spacious rooms, and maybe free babysitting. Among this list, you’re sure to find a great option, from a classic trip to Cancun to ultra-luxe Turks and Caicos.
The Verandah Resort & Spa - Long Bay, Antigua and Barbuda
An all-inclusive beachfront property in a quiet location bordering Devil’s Bridge National Park, The Verandah Resort & Spa provides guests with access to two white sandy beaches with shallow waters where the little ones can splash around. On the main beach, non-motorized sports like paddleboarding and kayaking can be enjoyed, while Rasta Beach offers a more chill atmosphere for relaxation. There’s a kids’ club available for those two through 11, and teens have their own lounge. A mini-golf course, playground, splash pad, and multiple pools can be enjoyed too. The parents can indulge in pampering treatments in the spa, while the meal options provide something for everyone, from light bites on the beachfront to upscale Italian fare. Accommodation is in suites and villas designed to accommodate groups, complete with kitchenettes, sleeper sofas, and balconies. It’s easy to see why this is one of the top-rated family resorts in the region.
Key Amenities:
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Access to two white sand beaches and multiple pools
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Kids’ club for children 2 to 11 and a lounge for teens
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Family-friendly amenities like mini-golf, a splash pad, and a playground
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Suites and villas feature kitchenettes, sleeper sofas, and balconies
Long Bay, 38W8+QM, Willikies, Antigua and Barbuda— +1 866-237-1785
Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa - Vieux Fort, St. Lucia
One of the world’s best all-inclusive resorts for families, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa offers a ton of fun for families on the spectacular southern coast of St. Lucia. It hosts a water park and lazy river, multiple pools, a swim-up bar, and a magnificent beach. Parents can enjoy blissful treatments at the lavish spa or maybe an intro to windsurfing while the younger ones enjoy the supervised kids’ club that has a pirate ship. There is a wide range of dining and drinking options with a dozen restaurants and bars along with nightly entertainment, and all rooms feature furnished balconies that either face the sea, pools, or the lush grounds.
Key Amenities:
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Home to a water park and lazy river
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Multiple pools and a swim-up bar
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Supervised kids’ club with a pirate ship
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Rooms feature furnished balconies facing the sea, pools, or lush grounds
000, Vieux Fort Lighthouse, St. Lucia, St Lucia— +1 877-252-0304
Hotel Riu Cancun - Cancun, Mexico
There are multiple all-inclusive resorts in Cancun, but Hotel Riu Cancun is located in the Hotel Zone and boasts a long, narrow white sand beach edged by cobalt waters while making it easy for families with younger kids to enjoy a Caribbean vacation. It has connecting rooms for larger families, and all come with balconies or terraces, most with at least a partial ocean view. There’s a day program for children four through 12, kids’ pools, playgrounds, and babysitting services too. A wealth of water sports and family-friendly activities are on offer, and there are multiple specialty restaurants plus a buffet eatery with plenty of variety to please all. Tours like a day trip to the Chichen Itza Mayan ruins or to Isla Mujeres to learn about baby sea turtles can also be arranged if you don’t want to spend all of your time on the property.
Key Amenities:
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Every room features a balcony or terrace, most with at least a partial ocean view
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Connecting rooms available for larger families
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Day programming for children ages 4 to 12 and babysitting services are available
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Multiple eateries on-site, including a buffet to please all palates
Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
A popular option for families with kids, Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort is a luxurious all-inclusive with plenty to do for everyone in the family. Kids aged one through 12 enjoy the Mini Club, which includes a bouncy adventure park, a variety of lessons from cooking and painting to tennis and swimming, and a game room with PlayStations, Wii, and Xbox 360. The gorgeous stretch of shoreline on the turquoise waters of the Caribbean is popular among all ages, and the food is top-notch, with the international buffets and the highly-acclaimed Passion by Martín Berasategui Restaurant, run by one of the world’s top chefs, two of the most notable. Accommodation includes The Reserve, which is particularly good for families. The private group of luxury suites includes an optional family-concierge plan with separate check-in, welcome backpacks, child-size robes, and slippers.
Key Amenities:
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Mini Club for kids ages 1 to 12, with a bouncy adventure park, daily activities, and a game room
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Home to several top-notch restaurants run by some of the world’s top chefs
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Optional family concierge plan with perks like a separate check-in, welcome backpacks, and child-size robes and slippers
MGXX+9G5, Punta Cana 23000, Dominican Republic— +1 888 774 0040
Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa - Playa del Carmen, Mexico
An ideal spot for families who want to enjoy the Riviera Maya, the Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa is about 30 minutes from both Tulum and Playa del Carmen and includes multiple pools, a water park, and an activities center, while the beach is very closeby. There’s a baby club, a club for the four through 12 age group, and a teen club complete with a video game lounge, pool tables, and discos hosted twice each week. The whole family can enjoy water sports and a long list of dining options, while the parents might want to take advantage of the opportunity for alone time with treatments at the spa or an evening of live music. Rooms are colonial-style and include minibars, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and terraces. For more space, book a suite. All include a separate living room or sitting area.
Key Amenities:
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Multiple pools, a water park, and a beach nearby
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Clubs for all ages, from baby to teen
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Nightly live music for the adults
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Spa on-site with personalized services, plus a gym, jacuzzi, sauna, and vapor baths
Iberostar Rose Hall Beach - Montego Bay, Jamaica
The five-star Iberostar Rose Hall Beach boasts a prime location in Montego Bay’s North Beach area and offers lots of families to love. It sits on a spectacular stretch of beach and hosts multiple family-friendly pools, a huge sea-view infinity pool with a swim-up bar, and a water park with a lazy river. Kids age four through 12 can enjoy organized games at the kids’ club while the adults test their luck in the casino, take dance lessons, enjoy the lavish spa, or live entertainment. Affordable all-inclusive rates include all meals and drinks with four restaurants and four bars on the grounds. The Junior Suites are perfect for families providing more space along with garden or sea views.
Key Amenities:
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Multiple family-friendly pools, including an infinity pool with a swim-up bar and a water park with a lazy river
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Kids’ club for ages 4 to 12 with organized games daily
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Parent-friendly amenities like a casino, spa, and dance classes
Branch Developement, Rose Hall Main Road Little River, Montego Bay, Jamaica— +1 332-600-6029
Beaches Turks & Caicos - Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Beaches is a popular resort chain known for its family-friendly environment with lots for adults and kids alike. The Sesame Street camp at Beaches Turks & Caicos is sure to please the younger ones in the family, and teens will find laid-back areas to hang out and make new friends, along with opportunities to volunteer. Many land and water sports are complimentary at this popular all-inclusive resort in Turks and Caicos, including unlimited diving. There’s also a junior golf club with instruction, drive-in movies, arcade games, and karaoke. Dining and drinking options are many, too, with dozens of eateries and bars, including multiple swim-up bars. The accommodation comes in many different layouts with 40 room types to choose from across four villages, including two- to four-bedroom units with features like kitchens and private pools. All have flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, game consoles, and furnished patios.
Key Amenities:
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Sesame Street Camp for the younger ones
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Lounges and volunteer opportunities for teens
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Complimentary land and water sports, including unlimited diving
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Option to book two- to four-bedroom units with kitchens, private pools, game consoles, and furnished patios
Lower Bight Rd, The Bight Settlement TKCA 1ZZ, Turks and Caicos Islands— +1 888-232-2437
Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort - Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
If making your moody teen smile is the goal, your odds are great with a stay at Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort. There’s an endless list of activity options, including complimentary kayaking, pedal boating, paddleboarding, windsurfing, and snorkeling. Plus, teens have their own special events and activities to enjoy, like dance lessons, pizza parties, coconut bowling, bonfires, and karaoke. There are many magnificent pools, a fitness center, a spa, and multiple restaurants. The spacious villas ensure everyone enjoys plenty of space while providing awe-inspiring views from an elevated perch.
Key Amenities:
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Complimentary activities like kayaking, windsurfing, and snorkeling
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Special events for kids and teens, including pizza parties, bonfires, and karaoke
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Multiple pools, a fitness center, a spa, and a variety of restaurants on-site
1504 Castries Labrelotte bay, st lucia, St Lucia— +1 877-522-0722
Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa - Maho, St. Maarten
Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa is an all-inclusive property with a long list of activities and events included in the rates. Not only will you enjoy unlimited meals and drinks but minibar service, cocktail parties, aqua aerobics, dance classes, and a kids’ club with supervised activities. The beautiful white sands that it sits along stretch for a mile along the edge of the Caribbean and Great Bay, providing fun for all, and there are also multiple swimming pools, a fantastic spa with an impressive menu of treatments from hot stone massage and detox regimens to aromatherapy. Plus, there’s a casino with slot machines too. Rooms include all of the essentials, all with balconies or terraces. Book a suite for a separate living area with a pull-out couch.
Key Amenities:
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All-inclusive activities and events, including aqua aerobics, dance classes, and cocktail parties
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Kids’ club with supervised activities
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Multiple swimming pools, a spa, and a casino on-site
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All rooms include a balcony or terrace
Franklyn D. Resort - Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Franklyn D. Resort caters to families and sits on a beach with all varieties of water sports available. There’s a kids’ club with a playground, pool, and giant water slide, and a center for teens staffed by activity coordinators. A mini-pool for toddlers and nanny services are also available, and all are complimentary. Dining can be enjoyed at several restaurants, with everything from a kids’ buffet to traditional Jamaican. Rooms are spacious, accommodating up to two adults and three children, with amenities including satellite TV and kitchenettes. Some have ocean views, and all are only steps from the sand.
Key Amenities:
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Spacious family-size rooms featuring kitchenettes, some with ocean views
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Kids’ club with a playground, pool, and giant water slide
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Teen club staffed by activity coordinators
Club Med Cancun - Cancun, Mexico
The Club Med brand is known for its ability to make and keep teens happy when it comes to entertainment. Club Med Cancun is a definite standout as one of the best in the Caribbean, hosting Club Med Passworld, a program for guests aged 11 through 17, offering everything from arts and crafts, theater, and hip-hop dance classes to hiking excursions, sailing, bungee jumping, wall climbing, and a trapeze. The property includes a gorgeous outdoor pool and three restaurants, while rooms all come with standards like flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges. Some have balconies with sea views.
Key Amenities:
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Programming for kids and teens ages 11 to 17, including arts and crafts events, hiking excursions, and sailing trips
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Access to an outdoor pool and three white sand beaches
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A wine cellar and multiple restaurants on-site serving authentic Mexican cuisine
Carretera, Nizuc, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico— +52 998 881 8200
Malliouhana - Anguilla
A long-time favorite in Anguilla, Malliouhana offers a pristine beach stretching for one-and-a-half miles, where guests can enjoy a variety of water sports. The Mini Explorers program for ages five through 12 keeps kids happy with all sorts of cultural experiences and beach activities so parents can enjoy the fabulous spa that incorporates leading-edge technology, local minerals, and healing agents for treatments that support health, balance, and vibrancy. There are sparkling pools and a diverse array of dining options that include fresh sea-to-table dishes. Rooms are extra-spacious, starting at 800 feet. All include a private patio or terrace with garden or beach views.
Key Amenities:
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1.5-mile beach and access to water sports equipment
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Mini Explorers program for kids ages 5 to 12 featuring cultural experiences and beach activities
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Leading edge spa that uses local minerals and healing agents for treatments
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Multiple pools and dining options on-site
Meads Bay, British West Indies 2640, Anguilla— +1 844-815-9207
Spice Island Beach Resort - St. George's Grenada
An ideal choice for families in Grenada, Spice Island Beach Resort is one of the most luxurious all-inclusive properties on the island. It’s surrounded by lush tropical gardens and sits on a quarter-mile stretch of beach that edges calm, swimmable blue waters. There are many free water sports available, including snorkeling, Hobie Cat sailing, and kayaking, along with opportunities to join excursions into the rainforest and visit local markets. Adults can take advantage of the spectacular spa while the kids make new friends at the Nutmeg Pod. The property has a beautiful pool and offers outstanding dining that includes sumptuous buffets and elegant island cuisine that can be complemented by fine wine as well.
Key Amenities:
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Complimentary use of non-motorized water sports equipment for snorkeling, sailing, and kayaking
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Regular excursions into the rainforest or to visit local markets
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The Nutmeg Pod activities center for kids
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Spa, pool, and outstanding dining options on-site
