14 Best Beach Resorts for Families

Looking for the perfect beach vacation? Parents' exclusive survey reveals the resorts where you can get awesome ocean views, nonstop family activities, and comfy rooms -- all at a price that won't leave you feeling burned. Plus: 10 runners-up we love too.


Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii

This family favorite spreads across 22 acres on Oahu, the easiest (and usually cheapest) Hawaiian island to get to from the States. Even though summer is the most expensive time to visit, you can still snag a room at the Hilton for as low as $229 nightly; rooms in the beachfront Rainbow Tower or the more upscale Ali'I Tower will cost you about $100 more.


The four pools, including a specially designated one for children, are the hub of the action here: There is free snorkeling instruction for kids who know how to swim, plus lei-making classes and hula lessons for the whole family on the deck. Other no-cost activities include Friday-night fireworks, lawn bowling, ukulele lessons, and watching the penguins being fed (the resort has eight including babies, plus it's home to about 60 other wildlife species such as flamingos, turtles, and koi fish).


The Rainbow Express Keiki Club for children 5 and older offers field trips to the nearby Honolulu Zoo, Bishop's Museum, or Waikiki Aquarium as well as fun activities around the resort. Just be sure to bring along your child's birth certificate or passport; Hawaiian law requires proof of age for admittance into the club. Reservations: 800-445-8667, hiltonhawaiianvillage.com.


Update!

Water Safety: Lifeguards at pools, but not at the beach

Resort Fees: None

Parking: $22 daily (self), $28 daily (valet)



Ocean Edge Resort & Spa, Brewster, Massachusetts

Even the prices seem a bit nostalgic here on Cape Cod: starting at $205 for a one-bedroom villa with a full kitchen in May and about $100 more in June and July, when old-fashioned family activities kick into high gear. There are scavenger hunts, beach fires with s'mores, baseball and soccer on the front lawn -- all at no charge. On weekdays, kids can do cool craft projects, like making kites and tie-dyeing shirts, for just $10 a head.


Two of this resort's lifeguard-staffed outdoor pools are ideal for young children -- as is the beach, with water that tends to be a little warmer and milder than on the other side of the Cape. And if the weather doesn't cooperate, the resort is the only property on our ten-best list that has an indoor pool; in fact it's got two of them. Reservations: 800-343-6074, oceanedge.com.


Update!

Water Safety: Lifeguards at the outdoor pools

Resort Fees: $16 daily per room

Parking: Free



Loews Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa, San Diego, California

A short walk or shuttle ride from quiet Silver Strand Beach, this resort offers so many family activities daily -- from cooking your own pizza to animal presentations to family movies shown poolside -- that it has a separate kids' activity desk to help keep you informed. Summer rates start at $329 nightly, and that includes a welcome gift for the kids.


The conveniences are as abundant as the activities. Every family who requests a crib also gets a baby swing and a lullaby CD. Rooms can be childproofed in advance; request it when making your reservation. If you have a toddler or preschooler, you're welcome to borrow a step stool, potty seat, stroller, and toys.


Other thoughtful features include children's menus that offer old favorites and adventurous options like squash ravioli; free use of pool toys and sand buckets; and hourly-rate options for the children's program (unlike most resorts, which require a half- or full-day session). Reservations: 800-815-6397, loewshotels.com.


Update!

Water Safety: Security guards certified in CPR at the pool, lifeguards at the beach

Resort Fees: None

Parking: $19 daily (self), $25 daily (valet)



Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino & Spa, Puerto Rico

Aloe-soaked towels and fresh fruit are the kind of greeting you'd expect at one of those resorts where one night costs more than your monthly mortgage payment. But in summer, rooms here start around $215 daily, including the resort fee. Another cost-saver: You don't need a passport to get to Puerto Rico.


But it's the range of activities that makes this place special. Your family can go horseback riding, tour the nearby rain forest, learn how to do the salsa and other island dances, feed an iguana, and play tug-of-war at the beach-all in one day. Or you could hang out at the lifeguard-staffed pool (left), which has a water slide and fabulous kiddie area. The entire hotel is nonsmoking, and rooms come with a mini fridge and a marble bath. Reservations: 877-636-0636, wyndhamriomar.com.


Update!

Water Safety: Lifeguards at the pools and beach

Resort Fees: 14% of the room rate per night (about $35 on a $250 room)

Parking: $15 daily (self), $20 daily (valet)



The Runners-Up: Club Med Sandpiper, Port St. Lucie, Florida

The chain's only U.S. location, situated between Miami and Orlando, offers the same fabulous Circus School and Baby Welcome program as number two-ranked Punta Cana -- and you don't need a passport to get there.


La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, California

This resort, with a new children's program and water-play area, is a great choice for families who want to split their time between the beach and Legoland, both a short drive away. Bonus: The new kids' club play area is supervised.


Amelia Island Plantation, Florida

About 40 minutes from the Jacksonville airport, the sprawling resort has two large swimming pools (left), a kiddie pool, and its own Nature Center -- something that Camp Amelia, a supervised program for kids ages 3 to 10, taps into for activities.


Hyatt Regency Maui, Hawaii

An activity-packed children's pool with a sand island in the middle, plus a kids-eat-free promotion this summer, make this resort a relative bargain on one of the most expensive Hawaiian islands.


Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, South Carolina

It's not on the beach, but Disney's 3 1/2 miles of private oceanfront -- featuring a beach house you can duck into for a break from the sun -- are just a five-minute shuttle ride away. Kids as young as 3 can learn about marshes and butterflies, and can take part in nature scavenger hunts at this resort.


Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

A mini golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, two kids-only swimming pools, shark-tooth hunts, and a small private beach are among the many amenities that will keep your family happy at this resort near St. Augustine.


Holiday Inn SunSpree, Jamaica

There are loads of freebies for kids at this resort, like mini golf, pool games, and meals. And it's very close to the airport too.


The Resort at Singer Island, Florida

Spacious, modern rooms, including a kitchen with a stainless-steel fridge, are what make this resort near Palm Beach so cool. A pool with a waterfall and a supervised program for kids ages 5 to 12 doesn't hurt either.


Beaches Boscobel, Jamaica

Kids love the golf clinics and the large Pirates Island water park with a shallow pool, squirting sea horse, and misting crab.



Sebasco Harbor Resort, Sebasco Estates, Maine

The closest beach is just a mile away. But with a saltwater pool, ice cream stand, and supervised children's program that costs just $8 daily, you and the kids may not want to leave the resort.


By Karen Cicero | Parents