Planning a family trip can be a challenge with the number of destinations to choose from overwhelming on its own. You have to consider the costs as well as the interests of the kids and the parents. After determining the kind of vacation you’d like to enjoy, perhaps a beach getaway, a mountain escape, or a trip to a theme park, you’ll be able to narrow down your options. Choosing a family-friendly resort can make it infinitely easier as you’ll often have everything you need right on the property, including activities for all ages.
These top resorts for families on the East Coast provide fantastic options in locations everywhere, from mountains and beaches in New England to properties near Disney World and in the Caribbean-like Florida Keys.
Islander Resort - Islamorada, Florida
The Islander Resort offers an oceanfront family getaway in the Florida Keys on gorgeous grounds that include two oceanfront pools, a hot tub, and a kids’ splash pad. There are kids’ crafts available on Wednesdays, and at dusk on Thursdays, it’s family-friendly movie night. Live entertainment is hosted on the weekend, and there are many other events and activities throughout the week. Enjoy casual dining at the beachfront cafe or restaurant, while rooms include screened porches, minifridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, and BBQ facilities. Two-story townhouses with full kitchens and balconies are available too.
Key Amenities:
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Two oceanfront pools
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Activities throughout the week + live entertainment on the weekend
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Casual restaurant and beachfront cafe on-site
82100 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036, USA— +1 305-664-2031
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club - Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Cape Cod offers a classic family escape with soft sandy beaches, lighthouses, and a wealth of activities and attractions. A stay at the 5-star Wequassett Resort and Golf Club will put you at the heart of it all near the Cape Cod National Seashore and is sure to please all. It includes two beaches, a splash park, a playground, an Instagrammable pool that overlooks the ocean, a hot tub, and access to the neighboring Cape Cod National Golf Club, one of the most prestigious in the country. There are multiple eateries on-site, including seasonal, open-air waterfront dining and five-star dining with a bay view. Accommodation is in signature suites, traditional cottages, villas, and even a private three-bedroom home.
Key Amenities:
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Top-rated hotel in Cape Cod, access to two beaches
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Splash park and an oceanfront pool
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Access to neighboring Cape Cod National Golf Club
Omni Mount Washington - Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
One of the most renowned resorts in New Hampshire, Omni Mount Washington is nestled in the White Mountains, providing spectacular views and access to a wealth of outdoor adventures all year round, many of which can be enjoyed right on-site. Enjoy golfing at an award-winning 18-hole and a 9-hole championship golf course, hiking, ziplining, horseback riding, and skiing, depending on the season. Afterward, you can look forward to relaxing in the indoor and outdoor pools and pampering treatments at the spa. There are multiple dining venues offering everything from classic New England fare to the meat-focused Stickneys Steak & Chop Pub. The wide range of accommodation options includes everything from rooms in the main historic hotel to multi-bedroom townhomes.
Key Amenities:
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Championship golf courses
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Indoor and outdoor pools + a spa
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Numerous activity options available year-round
310 Mount Washington Hotel Rd, Bretton Woods, NH 03575, USA— +1 603-278-1000
Tyler Place Family Resort - Highgate Springs, Vermont
Tyler Place Family Resort is often named among the best all-inclusive resorts in the U.S. It sits alongside Lake Champlain and offers a wealth of activity options, including swimming in the lake and on-site pools, paddleboarding, disc golf, and rock climbing. Guests all get their own loaner bike with a variety of options to choose from, including bikes with training wheels for tiny tots, tandems, cruisers, and mountain bikes. In the winter, ice fishing and snowshoeing can be enjoyed on Lake Champlain. Indoor swimming, climbing ropes, a full fitness center, and wellness classes are available too. Plus, there is a kids’ program divided into nine age groups for everyone from babies to teens. Accommodations include rooms, suites, guesthouses, and cottages with full kitchens or kitchenettes.
Key Amenities:
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Indoor and outdoor pools + watersports on the lake
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Loaner bikes included
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Full fitness center, wellness classes, and kids’ programs for babies through teens
175 Tyler Pl, Highgate Springs, VT 05460, USA— +1 802-868-4000
Massanutten Resort - Massanutten, Virginia
Massanutten Resort is located just a short drive from Shenandoah National Park, providing a great base for activities there as well as offering many of its own. Families are unlikely to get bored here, with this all-season resort offering stocked ponds for fishing, horseback riding, mini-golf, 30 miles of trails for hiking, and more. In the winter, there’s an outdoor ice skating rink, snow tubing, and slopes for skiing and snowboarding. Guests can also enjoy the year-round indoor water park with tube and body slides along with areas for the little ones to splash around like the giant tipping bucket. Kids and parents will enjoy the dining options with everything from BBQ, burgers, salads, pizzas, and pub fare.
Key Amenities:
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Summer & winter activities, including skiing
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Year-round indoor water park with waterslides
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Spa + multiple on-site dining venues
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort - Lake Buena Vista, Florida
For a high-end family escape that includes Disney World, the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is unbeatable. You’ll have easy access to all the fun at the park, and when you want to mix things up you can enjoy all that this property has to offer, including a five-acre water park with waterslides and a lazy river. At this top-rated Orlando resort, there is a complimentary kids’ camp so the adults can enjoy doing their own thing too, like relaxing around the adults-only pool area, playing a round at the championship golf course, or indulging in pampering at the 13,000-square-foot spa. The multiple restaurants include an Italian eatery and a steakhouse, while roofs offer balconies, some with park views.
Key Amenities:
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Indoor and outdoor pools
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Direct beach access
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Multiple on-site dining options
10100 Dream Tree Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32836, USA— +1 407-313-7777
Woodloch Pines Resort - Hawley, Pennsylvania
Woodloch Pines is a popular family resort with reasonable all-inclusive rates with all meals and most drinks included. It’s sure to please every member of the family with an incredibly long list of activities available, including sailing, bumper boats, fishing, mini-golf, go-karts, and winter fun like sledding and ice skating. There’s a huge seasonal lakefront pool and an indoor pool available year-round, along with a fitness center that hosts Pilates, yoga, and Zumba classes. The kids’ club provides special activities for the younger ones in the family so parents can enjoy alone time too. Accommodation options range from basic motel-style rooms to private lakefront homes.
Key Amenities:
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Numerous activities, including watersports on the lake, mini-golf, golf carts & winter sledding
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Year-round indoor pool and seasonal lakefront pool
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Fitness center with Pilates, yoga & Zumba classes + a kids’ club
Mohonk Mountain House - New Paltz, New York
Mohonk Mountain House offers all-inclusive getaways that include three meals a day, evening entertainment, and luxury accommodations, including cottages with lake-view balconies and fireplaces. Ideal for families. This “Victorian Castle” sits along Lake Mohonk on over 1,300 acres of beautiful grounds and gardens, mountain paths, and wooded trails, just 90 miles from New York City. It has a private beach for relaxing and enjoying activities like swimming and kayaking in the lake while hiking and archery are available On land. Ice skating, snow tubing, and snowshoeing are all possible in the winter. The resort also offers a kids’ club, various fitness programs, and an indoor pool for swimming when it’s chilly out. Workshops on topics like the art of chocolate are available too.
Key Amenities:
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All-inclusive with three meals a day, evening entertainment, and accommodation included
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Private beach, watersports, and a variety of other summer & winter activities
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Indoor pool for year-round swimming
1000 Mountain Rest Rd, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA— +1 866-858-6646
Ritz Carlton Amelia Island - Amelia Island
Accessed via two bridges from the mainland, just a 45-minute drive from downtown Jacksonville, Amelia Island is known for its beautiful beaches with 13 miles of shoreline where visitors can enjoy horseback riding and a variety of watersports, as well as explore the impressive local arts scene. The Ritz Carlton Amelia Island sits right on the waterfront and offers plenty of its own as well, with opportunities for everything from championship golf to paddleboarding and lounging around stunning indoor and outdoor pools. One of the best family resorts in Florida, there is a wide range of dining options, while rooms boast breathtaking ocean views from private balconies.
Key Amenities:
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Indoor and outdoor pools
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Direct beach access
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Multiple on-site dining options
4750 Amelia Island Pkwy, Amelia Island, FL 32034, USA— +1 904-277-1100
The Lodge at Spruce Peak - Stowe, Vermont
One of the best mountain destinations for families, Stowe offers it all, and it’s home to The Lodge at Spruce Peak, a popular Vermont resort that comes with a long list of things to do. You’ll have your own Alpine Concierge and access to a range of expert golf, ski, and recreation guides, plus there’s an outstanding children’s program that makes it easy for parents to enjoy some alone time, perhaps a round on the 18-hole golf course or treatments at the luxurious spa and wellness center. Just a few of the other notable activities include horseback riding, hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides. There’s an outdoor heated pool and a poolside bar, along with an array of dining options focused on Stowe’s farm-fresh culinary scene.
Key Amenities:
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Ski-in/ski-out hotel with guides available + guides for other activities, including golf
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Outstanding children’s program
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Luxurious spa and wellness center
Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake - South Casco, Maine
Located on a 125-acre property just a short drive from Portland, Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake is a fabulous all-inclusive for families, providing memorable getaways for more than a century. One of the best kid-friendly resorts in the world, it’s the perfect place to enjoy the warmer months, open from mid-June through mid-October, providing the chance to take advantage of the water, including canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, water skiing, wakeboarding, and sailing. There’s a kids’ camp divided into various age groups as well as supervised evening programs that make it easy for parents to enjoy some activities on their own. In June, July, and August, personal trainers offer weekday fitness consultations and boot camp classes, and massage therapy is available too. Lodging is in spacious lodge rooms and cottages with porches or balconies and fieldstone fireplaces.
Key Amenities:
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Numerous activities, including watersports on the lake
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Kids’ camp and supervised evening programs
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Fitness center, boot camp classes & massages
30 Migis Lodge Rd, South Casco, ME 04077, USA— +1 207-655-4524
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort - Hilton Head, South Carolina
Sure to please kids and parents alike, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort offers plenty of Disney flare while offering a relaxed getaway with days spent around the pool or at the beach. There are two swimming pools, one with a waterslide, a fishing pier, and a free shuttle to the beach. At Disney’s Beach House, you can play video games in the arcade or watch a game at Surfmen’s Station. There’s also a game room in the Community Hall with crafts, board games, and cards for the whole family. Two casual eateries are on-site, and there’s also a grill for cookouts. Rooms include kitchenettes or full kitchens that make it easy to save on dining out.
Key Amenities:
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Daily activities, like campfire sing-alongs
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Two pools (one with a water slide), a playground, and a game room on-site
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Free shuttle access to the beach
22 Harbourside Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA— +1 843-341-4100
The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island - St. Simons Island, Georgia
St. Simons Island is a private barrier island, accessed via a short, 15-minute ferry ride. It’s home to The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island, which can accommodate up to just 32 guests at a time, ensuring an intimate stay. It’s surrounded by maritime forests and marshland, plus there are seven miles of beaches ideal for combing with lots of beautiful shells. Activities like kayaking, fishing, and swimming can be enjoyed along with complimentary birding expeditions that bring the chance to spot over 280 bird species, including bald eagles. The boat shuttle, all meals and drinks are included with accommodation available in rustic-chic cottages that have as many as four bedrooms, with patios or porches and fireplaces in all.
Key Amenities:
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Access to seven miles of beaches
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Birding expeditions and activity options like kayaking and fishing
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All-inclusive with all meals and drinks included
1000 Hampton River Club Marina Dr, St Simons Island, GA 31522, USA— +1 912-638-7472
The Beach Club Resort & Spa – Gulf Shores, Alabama
The Beach Club Resort & Spa sits on an 86-acre property with pristine white sands and is designed like a village with everything you need right on-site. The only full-service resort on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, it includes a spa and salon, indoor and outdoor pools, watersports, a hiking path, a fitness room, a game room, organized activities for the kids, and a variety of shopping and dining venues. Accommodation is in lakeside cottages and Gulf-front condos, many of which have their own private pools.
Key Amenities:
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Beach access + indoor and outdoor pools
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Spa and salon
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Multiple shopping and dining venues on-site
925 Beach Club Trail, Gulf Shores, AL 36542, USA— +1 888-224-7684
