When it comes to family vacations, New England offers a lot. You’ll find everything from sandy beaches to sparkling lakes and mountains that provide opportunities for all sorts of outdoor adventure and relaxation. There are also some fabulous family-friendly resorts that provide an ideal base in every New England state, ensuring you’ll find a great place to land, with these properties particularly ideal for families.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club - Harwich, Massachusetts
One of the best family resorts in Cape Cod, the Wequassett Resort & Golf Club overlooks Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic beyond while offering access to two beaches and a wealth of facilities. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy one of the country’s best clubs and there is a long list of other activities and gear available for rent, like kayaks, paddleboards, and sailboats. The grounds include two pools and a water playground centered around a pirate ship while multiple acclaimed restaurants offer memorable dining, like the historic Twenty-Eight Atlantic, in operation longer than any other in Massachusetts. Accommodation is offered in suites, cottages, and villas with amenities that include Keurig coffeemakers, well-stocked minibars, TVs, charging stations, robes, and slippers.
Key Amenities:
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Two beaches and watersports rentals
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Two swimming pools
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Access to one of the country’s finest golf clubs
Harborview Nantucket - Nantucket, Massachusetts
Located just off the coast of Cape Cod on Nantucket Island, Harborview Nantucket offers accommodations in cottages that provide a home-like stay with as many as four bedrooms, full kitchens, and laundry facilities. A short stroll on the boardwalk will take you to a small private beach with Adirondack chairs. In the summer, guests enjoy complimentary use of paddleboards and kayaks too. There is no eatery on-site but when you don’t feel like making your own meal, there are many restaurants nearby. The concierge can even arrange for babysitting services for parents who want to enjoy some alone time.
Key Amenities:
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Direct access to a private beach with Adirondack chairs
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Seasonal complimentary kayaks and paddleboards
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Babysitting services available
Purity Spring Resort - East Madison, New Hampshire
Purity Spring Resort has been owned and operated by the same family for five generations. One of the most popular accommodation options in New England, it sits along the shores of a private lake between New Hampshire’s Lakes Region and the White Mountains, providing access to a wealth of outdoor activities, including guided canoe trips, kayaking, mountain biking, archery, tennis, and arts and crafts. Hiking, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing trails are all on-site and there’s a climbing wall too. Plus, themed weekends offer everything from scrapbooking to ballroom dancing. There’s an indoor pool, a gym, and a restaurant on the property, while the home-like accommodations include rooms that overlook the lake or ski area and seasonal cottages with two bedrooms. All have TVs, Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, minifridges, and microwaves. Some rooms have decks, while apartments include full kitchens.
Key Amenities:
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Wide range of outdoor activities, including canoeing, kayaking, and hiking
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Indoor pool and gym
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On-site restaurant
Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa - Whitefield, New Hampshire
Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa offers modern comforts and spectacular views of the White Mountains. There are indoor and outdoor pools, and a long list of activities, including golfing on a historic course, horseback riding, hiking, and dog sledding. The free kids’ program has a focus on outdoor exploration and nature, allowing the younger ones in the family to have fun while parents enjoy relaxing at the state-of-the-art spa. The resort is home to a working farm as well, providing the chance to get up close to Angora rabbits, sheep, goats, chickens, and Scottish Highland cattle. Restaurant options include everything from casual to fine dining.
Key Amenities:
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Numerous outdoor activities, including golfing and horseback riding
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Free kids’ program
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Multiple eateries and a working farm with animals on-site
101 Mountain View Rd, Whitefield, NH 03598, USA— +1 855-837-2100
Omni Mount Washington Resort - Bretton Woods
Centered around a 1902 Renaissance building, the Omni Mount Washington is nestled in the White Mountains, providing a luxurious base for enjoying an array of outdoor activities. There are two golf courses on-site, and guests can also enjoy everything from horseback riding, hiking, and ziplining to skiing. The huge spa is a great place for pampering and you’ll also find an indoor pool and hot tub for swimming and soaking all year round. Dining options include everything from classic New England fare to the meat-focused menu at Stickneys Steak & Chop. You’ll have many different room options to choose from at this top New Hampshire getaway, some of which feature panoramic mountain views and gas fireplaces.
Key Amenities:
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Two on-site golf courses
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Indoor pool & hot tub + a full-service spa
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Long list of outdoor activity options
310 Mount Washington Hotel Rd, Bretton Woods, NH 03575, USA— +1 603-278-1000
The Inn at East Hill Farm - Troy, New Hampshire
For families with an interest in farming and animals, The Inn at East Hill Farm is hard to beat. An all-inclusive property, it’s part of a working farm with animals with the chance to enjoy related activities, like cow milking and learning about how a farm operates, as well as cuddling up with bunnies and other creatures. There’s a heated indoor pool available year-round and multiple seasonal outdoor pools along with activities like fishing, canoeing, hiking, and horseback riding. There’s a kids’ club that offers arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and movies so parents can enjoy alone time and perhaps indulge in a massage. Dining is farm-to-table and the accommodation options include everything from basic rooms to multi-bedroom cottages and homes.
Key Amenities:
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Indoor and outdoor pools
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Hiking, fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, and other activities
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Working farm with opportunities to actively participate
Topnotch Resort - Stowe, Vermont
Located at the bottom of the highest peak in Vermont, Mount Mansfield, Topnotch Resort is a highly-rated resort that offers year-round activities and a fabulous spa. During the warmer months, enjoy hiking, horseback riding, biking, and tennis, while winter brings the opportunity for epic ski sessions. Afterward, enjoy some rejuvenation in the 30,000-square-foot spa that offers everything from facials and Swedish massage to custom energy healing sessions. Children’s programs and babysitting are available, and there are two excellent restaurants on-site. Rooms come with standard amenities like minifridges, Keurig coffeemakers, and flat-screen TVs, but if you book a suite, you’ll get a kitchenette and a fireplace.
Key Amenities:
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Indoor and outdoor heated pools + a 30,000-square-foot spa
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Year-round activities
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Children’s programs and babysitting services
Jay Peak Resort - Jay, Vermont
Jay Peak Resort offers a four-season playground, especially popular for skiing, but there are plenty of warm-weather activities like hiking, mountain biking, and golfing. Any time of the year, you can enjoy Vermont’s largest waterpark. The on-site Pump House is an indoor waterpark with thrilling waterslides and a retractable roof. There’s also a rec center with obstacle courses, climbing walls, arcades, and a movie theater. For overnights, the resort offers hotel suites, condos, townhouses, and full single-family homes, nearly all of which are ski-in/ski-out, located near or even on the championship golf course, and within walking distance to the indoor ice arena and waterpark.
Key Amenities:
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Four-season resort with hiking, golfing and skiing
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Largest waterpark in Vermont
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Rec center with obstacle courses, climbing walls, arcades, and movie theater
Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa - Stowe, Vermont
Surrounded by the Green Mountains, Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa offers a nature lover’s paradise for outdoor fun in every season. There’s a nine-hole golf course on-site and an 18-hole championship course next door, while outstanding hiking and mountain biking trails are a stone’s throw away. It’s a white wonderland in the winter with the opportunity to ski or board, take advantage of miles and miles of trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, take a dog sledding tour, or enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride. There’s a spa to soothe sore muscles afterward, along with a relaxing mineral pool. Accommodating includes guestrooms, spacious suites, and private townhomes with luxe perks like Jacuzzi tubs, gas fireplaces, spa robes, and more.
Key Amenities:
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On-site golfing, hiking, and cross-country skiing
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Spa with hydrotherapy waterfalls, hot tubs and saunas
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On-site dining
Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake - South Casco, Maine
One of the best kid-friendly resorts in the world, Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake offers lakefront lodging with rates that include three meals a day, fresh-cooked on-site featuring local specialties like Maine lobster. Activities like swimming, sailing, kayaking, water skiing, disc golf, and tennis can be enjoyed and there’s a kids’ camp for two different age groups with a variety of activities like nature walks and arts and crafts. If you’re in need of some pampering, the wellness center is the place to go for a massage. Accommodation is in one of the eight lodge rooms or a private lakeside cottage, all of which have private porches with lake views, wood-burning fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and high-speed Wi-Fi.
Key Amenities:
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Wide variety of activities + kids’ camp
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Wellness center
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Fresh-cooked meals featuring local specialties
30 Migis Lodge Rd, South Casco, ME 04077, USA— +1 207-655-4524
Samoset Resort - Rockport, Maine
Opening its doors to guests in 1902, Samoset is a classic oceanfront resort that’s been a favorite destination for generations of families. There are indoor and outdoor heated pools, including a 200,000-gallon designer pool with a sweeping vista of the historic Rockland Breakwater and Penobscot Bay. Guests can also enjoy an 18-hole championship golf course and delicious on-site dining at La Bella Vita Ristorante and Enoteca Lounge, with drinks and light bites available at a grill and a poolside bar. A children’s program is available in the summer for ages five through 12, and all rooms come with private balconies or terraces overlooking the ocean or the golf course,
Key Amenities:
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Indoor and outdoor pools & a children’s program
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18-hole championship PGA golf course
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Multiple dining and drinking outlets on-site
Water's Edge Resort and Spa - Westbrook, Connecticut
Water’s Edge Resort and Spa is a seaside resort in what feels more like Virginia Beach than Connecticut. It fronts a private sandy beach and offers indoor and outdoor pools, a spa with a menu of massages, facials, body treatments, and nail services, and a variety of dining venues, including fine dining with an ocean view at the Water’s Edge Restaurant, and multiple casual outlets. The property offers a wide range of accommodation options, including rooms, suites, and villas, including a three-bedroom suite with a private balcony and lots of space for a family. The seaside villas can accommodate six with two bedrooms and a sleeper sofa, along with a full kitchen and private balconies.
Key Amenities:
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Private sandy beach
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Indoor and outdoor pools
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Full-service spa
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Multiple dining venues on-site
1525 Boston Post Rd, Westbrook, CT 06498, USA— +1 860-399-5901
Newport Harbor Island Resort - Newport, Rhode Island
Located on historic Goat Island in Narragansett Bay, Newport Harbor Island Resort offers a secluded stay, yet it’s just minutes from downtown Newport via a causeway. It hosts the only outdoor saltwater pool in the city and a full-service spa with a salon that overlooks the bay. There’s a sundeck for lazy days enjoyed soaking up some rays and a highly acclaimed restaurant serving delicious Italian dishes. There’s a kids’ club with various activities during the summer, and the “director of fun” can arrange wine tastings and mixology classes. Many rooms include balconies with bay views and all come with flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and minifridges.
Key Amenities:
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Outdoor saltwater pool
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Full-service spa and salon
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On-site dining and drinking outlets with wine tastings/mixology classes available
Weekapaug Inn - Westerly, Rhode Island
Weekapaug Inn is a family-friendly waterfront hotel that offers lots for all ages, including the chance to try crabbing, while loaner fishing poles, cruiser bikes, and kites are all available too. There are two miles of private beach to relax or play on, a seasonal lap pool and Jacuzzi, lawn games, and a fitness center. Complimentary daily activities include everything from nature to yoga classes, and you’ll find a mix of casual and fine dining eateries, including seasonal al fresco dining. The variety of rooms and suites include views of the cove and surrounding community, and those on the higher floors enjoy glimpses of the ocean too.
Key Amenities:
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Two miles of private beach
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Complimentary loaner cruiser bikes, fishing poles, and kites
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Seasonal lap pool and jacuzzi
