Sometimes it takes a pandemic to make you realize which family vacation ideas are really at the top of your bucket list. Now that we can’t travel as freely as we used to because of COVID-19, you might be finding yourself daydreaming more than ever about where you want to take the kids when the world reopens. If so, you’re not alone. Surveys show that when travel resumes, people are more likely than ever to invest in all-inclusive family vacations in the U.S. and abroad along with other big-ticket vacation experiences.
Here are our faves!
Monhonk Mountain House
The only U.S. location for Club Med is far from alone when it comes to all-inclusive vacation options for families, though. In the northeast, the Mohonk Mountain House offers a stunning Hudson River Valley backdrop for classic family vacation activities like swimming, kayaking, row boating, picnicking, and hiking (not to mention family-friendly fare like glow-in-the-dark disc golf).
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Hawaii is always one of the best family vacation destinations in the world, but booking a stay at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is a next-level family vacation idea for kids and parents alike. Ringed by glorious white-sand beaches and a rocky black lava landscape on the Big Island, this family-friendly resort has seven swimming pools, an incredible kids’ club, and a teen-only lounge for when your surly teen has had enough of you (or vice versa). Throughout 2021 and all the way until February 28, 2022, you can save 20 percent off the regular room rate if you book a stay at least seven days in advance.
Seven Mile Beach
Of course, Mexico and the Caribbean are great family vacation destinations for sand and sun, too. The island of Grand Cayman is home to the crescent-shaped Seven Mile Beach, world-renowned as one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Caribbean. The seven miles of uninterrupted beach are lined with restaurants and the crystal clear water is perfect for snorkeling with kids. Family-friendly Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort boasts prime real estate on the beach to go with its beachfront pool and fabulous rooms.
Beaches Turks & Caicos
In the Turks and Caicos, Beaches Turks and Caicos has villas that can accommodate up to 14 people, making it a great all-inclusive option for larger families
Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
In Mexico, Cancun’s Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya offers both a kid-friendly and an adults-only private beach vacation experience right in the heart of the Cancun Hotel Zone. Families love it for the 29,000-square-foot Woodward Riviera Maya action-sports facility (think trampolines, a skate park, and a ninja obstacle course), the kids club with daily activities, and the Rockaway Bay water park loaded with adrenaline-fueled slides for the older kids and gentler slides for the youngest families members.
