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The
Top Family-Friendly Retreats for Your Summer Vacation
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Plan a family
trip to remember at welcoming spots across the country
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Washington,
DC – June 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / Located
in the 13 destinations featured on this year’s Best
Family Vacations in the USA ranking list, these kid-friendly hotels
and campgrounds will help your family create memories that will be talked
about for years to come. To find these kid-approved spots, we combed through
our Best Hotels database to find the properties that offered the best amenities
for youngsters and their parents. Some hotels are located on private islands
or situated inside theme parks, while others boast their own waterslides
or kid’s camps. Despite their varying amenities, they all have one thing
in common: Each hotel ensures that families are the top priority. Here
are standout places to take the crew this summer.
Enchantment
Resort
Though
technically located in Sedona, Arizona (about 120 miles south of the Grand
Canyon), Enchantment Resort is the ultimate crash pad for families wanting
to explore the Grand Canyon. The resort offers three Grand Canyon packages,
and on the property grounds families have access to heated pools, tennis
courts, a putting green and spacious accommodations equipped with private
decks featuring panoramic views of the surrounding red rocks. Plus, Camp
Coyote is available to kids ages 4 to 12 and includes activities such as
stargazing, scavenger hunts and Native American-inspired arts and crafts.
Aulani,
A Disney Resort & Spa
Designed
with kids in mind, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Honolulu provides
families with kid-friendly pools and its own snorkeling lagoon. There’s
also a craft room, movie nights, a playground and Goofy-led dance parties
at the pool. And when parents want to unwind at the spa or hit the links
at the 18-hole Ko Olina Golf Club, kids ages 3 to 12 can be dropped off
at the complimentary Aunty’s Beach House, the resort’s supervised activities
club.
Yellowstone
campgrounds
Let’s
be frank. You came to Yellowstone (this year’s No. 3 family-friendly vacation
destination) to experience nature, so the best place for you to stay is
in the park’s 2.2 million acres. Book a spot at one of the park’s 12 campgrounds
and spend your days as a family exploring the park’s vast trails. Schedule
a day or two to take in the views at Yellowstone Lake and Mammoth Hot Springs,
and don’t miss Old Faithful. If pitching a tent isn’t exactly your cup
of tea, reserve a spot at one of the RV-friendly campgrounds like Fishing
Bridge RV Park, which is the only campground at Yellowstone that offers
water, sewer and electrical hookups.
Four
Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
The
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is located within
the Disney World resort complex, which should be enough of a reason to
make this list; however, the on-site amenities are what truly set it apart.
The hotel boasts a 242-foot waterslide, an 11,008-square-foot lazy river
and a complimentary Kids For All Seasons camp for ages 4 to 12. There’s
also Explorer Island, a recreation area with a lazy river and pool, as
well as The Hideout -- an area with video games. Plus, the Four Seasons
offers complimentary park shuttle service and a Disney Planning Center,
a separate concierge desk designed for mapping out park itineraries and
purchasing tickets.
Tenaya
Lodge at Yosemite
Sitting
about 3 miles south of Yosemite National Park’s southern entrance, Tenaya
Lodge at Yosemite offers chalet-style accommodations for those looking
to experience the natural beauty of the area without having to sleep in
a tent. Aside from comfort, the lodge also offers the Sierra Adventure
Club for guests ages 5 to 12, as well as an evening kid’s camp. The Sierra
Adventure Club’s activities rotate with the seasons and include mountain
biking, sledding and archery.
Omni
Shoreham Hotel
The
Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, District of Columbia, has hosted presidents,
world leaders and inaugural balls, since 1930. The hotel sits just blocks
from the National Zoo and the Metro, the subway system that connects visitors
and locals alike to restaurants, shops and historical landmarks. And the
Omni Sensational Kids program ensures little ones receive a backpack filled
with an activity book and crayons and games, plus free milk and cookies
on the first night of their stay.
Paradise
Point Resort & Spa
Located
on a private, 44-acre island in San Diego’s Mission Bay area, Paradise
Point Resort & Spa is flanked by beaches. Amenities include five pools,
five tennis courts, a surf school with daily lessons and lawn games. Kids
can also take advantage of the seasonal Island Adventure Club, complimentary
poolside activities and child- and teen-friendly spa services. The resort
also offers bicycle rentals that are perfect for active families who want
to explore the 14 miles of trails surrounding the property.
Disney’s
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Disney’s
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa spellbinds kids and adults alike with
its over-the-top amenities and private entrance to Disneyland. Located
within Disney’s California Adventure Park, the hotel’s spacious guest rooms
easily accommodate groups, and it even provides sleeping bags for kids
if the evening calls for a slumber party hangout. When the gang isn’t exploring
the park, little ones can play at the on-site Pinocchio’s Workshop, a kids
club available for ages 5 to 12, while parents sip a glass of wine at Napa
Rose. And together, families can enjoy outdoor movie nights and a private
excursion at the Build-A-Bear Workshop in Downtown Disney.
North
Beach Plantation
With
accommodations ranging from condos to private cottages, all of which include
in-unit laundry and full kitchens, North Beach Plantation caters to families.
This Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, retreat also offers a complimentary
kids club, child-friendly pools, lawn games and a life-size chess board.
Plus, parents will appreciate the swim-up pool bar, 17,000-square-foot
spa and the sushi and steak menu at 21 Main. What’s more, all ages will
love the indoor lazy river and the 3-acre Caribbean-themed pool, which
includes private cabanas.
Harborside
Hotel, Spa & Marina
Skirting
the coast of Frenchman Bay from its central Bar Harbor perch near Acadia
National Park in Maine (No. 10 on this year’s family-friendly vacation
destinations list), the Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina has welcomed
visitors since the early 1900s. Modern updates include simply dialing 0
for a “Consider it Done” agent, who can register children ages 5 to 12
for the complimentary Bar Harbor Kids Club. There are also tennis courts
and two pools on-site.
Williamsburg
Inn
While
the Williamsburg Inn may be fit for royalty - Queen Elizabeth II stayed
here more than once on state visits -- it’s also a great place for families.
As guests of the inn, kids enjoy exclusive access to special events, including
marching with the militia from the hotel to Revolutionary City. When you
and the group want to stay indoors, the inn houses an indoor pool, tennis
courts and a spa that offers services for teens, including facials and
manicures and pedicures.
Hilton
Suites Ocean City Oceanfront
Overlooking
the beach and just five blocks from the Ocean City, Maryland, boardwalk,
Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront is an ideal hideaway for families.
Complete with seasonal magic shows and activities, a game room and a children’s
pool that has a lazy river, waterslides and fountains, this Hilton outpost
is stocked with kid-friendly amenities. Plus, the popular boardwalk beckons
to families, as do the roller coasters at Jolly Roger Amusement Park and
the Splash Mountain Water Park, both of which are located a few blocks
south of the hotel.
The
Broadmoor
With
a dedicated children’s concierge, a seasonal kid’s camp and junior tennis
clinics, The Broadmoor is an ideal choice for groups staying in Colorado
Springs, Colorado. Traveling clans can play golf, explore surrounding trails
or check out Play, an on-site dining and activity venue. Horseback riding
and guided pony rides are also available, and paddleboats and motorized
boats can be rented during the summer. Plus, there’s an 11,000-square-foot
infinity-edge swimming pool at Cheyenne Lake, which features waterslides
and a separate kid’s pool.
Contact:
Hannah
Cheney
Assistant
Editor for the Travel section
U.S.
News & World Report |