If your kids aren’t the type to sit still at home, an adventure-filled getaway may be just the trip for your family. From skiing on mountains to paddling on lakes to participating in multiple scheduled activities, the options offered by our wish-you-were-there winners span a variety of interests and ages. We’ve even got cruises, can’t-miss museums and immersive experiences for all types of on-the-go families.
MOUNTAIN GETAWAYS | LAKEFRONT RESORTS | ORLANDO'S THEME-PARK SPOTS | ADVENTURES | HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES
If you head to Colorado to ski with the kids, you can’t do any better than Sheraton Steamboat Springs Resort Villas. They’re next to the main gondola, making ski school drop-offs and pickups a breeze. While cute restaurants and shops are a short walk away, you can also cook in your villa’s fully equipped kitchen, picking up groceries from the on-site marketplace. One- and two-bedroom options are available, and both have roomy closets to let you stash all your winter gear. Once you’re done on the mountain for the day, try the resort’s flurry of activities, including the heated outdoor pool and the room with foosball, life-size Jenga, jewelry making and video games.
TESTER NOTES: Our tester, who skis frequently with her family, said, “While Steamboat Springs is a great mountain for skiers of all levels, it excels for families because the gondola is so convenient and the villas provide lots of space and non-ski entertainment kids enjoy.”
Gather kids and their cousins for a vacation at Woodloch Resort in the Pocono Mountains, where the fun never stops regardless of the weather or the season. The resort has been family-operated for more than 60 years, and those who run it are pros at creating an activity lineup (archery tag! family Olympics! baking contests!) that will get the whole family involved, including grandparents. There is also an all-inclusive dining structure with a twist — you have the same table and server for your entire stay, so you won’t have to repeat your dietary preferences multiple times. The resort seems to have a backup plan for everything: Rainy days, for instance, bring more games inside and activities in the indoor pool. And if Mother Nature doesn’t provide snow for its seasonal events, Woodloch takes out a machine to make some.
TESTER NOTES: Check the calendar daily, as activities are shuffled around sometimes. “When it was forecast to rain one day, they held the petting zoo early so kids wouldn’t be disappointed,” said a tester who visited with her spouse and 4-year-old.
At America’s oldest resort, dating back to the 1700s, children drink pink lemonade and listen to piano music in a lobby that has been restored so exquisitely that it looks straight out of a movie. While you might be thinking the Omni Homestead Resort is too fancy for your kids, it’s really not. Outside, surrounded by the Allegheny Mountains, mini vacationers splash around on the new slides, a lazy river and pop-up jets, all of which (get this) are fed their water by the property’s hot springs. At night, families pile into the historic theater for a child-friendly film complete with popcorn. In between, resort-goers can chill in the hotel’s common spaces with activities like checkers and puzzles or opt for outdoor experiences such as zip-lining and falconry.
TESTER NOTES: “The hotel absolutely provides a family environment, but it’s completely rooted in tradition, Southern charm and grace,” said our tester who visited with her family. She suggests reviewing the dining-room dress code before packing so you’ll know, for instance, that boys can wear shorts but they need a collared shirt.
There’s no time for kids to be on screens at Smugglers’ Notch Resort (or Smuggs, as many repeat guests call it) in the Green Mountains. The resort entices the under-12 crowd with eight swimming pools, including a tot-friendly lagoon whose depth doesn’t exceed two feet. An endless stream of activities from morning to night (gem mining, pirate bingo and sing-a-longs are just the tip of the iceberg), along with an indoor playground, will prevent kids from reaching for a device. While many families choose to experience the resort together, you can sign up kids ages 3 to 15 for a weeklong themed day camp program that guarantees that you’ll get your money back if your child isn’t having fun after two days (though it’s doubtful that you’ll be requesting a refund).
TESTER NOTES: Multi-bedroom condos with full kitchens are spread around the massive property. “Research which area of the resort you anticipate spending the most time in and factor that into your choice,” suggests our tester, whose 6-year-old son was obsessed with gem mining.
With rooms starting at $99 per night, a pair of resorts near Rocky Mountain National Park takes it easy on your vacation budget while helping your kids fall in love with the great outdoors. Free family programming, which changes seasonally, ranges from worm hunts and parachute games to bird-feeder projects and wilderness survival skill–building. Guided hikes, best for those who are tweens and above, are also complimentary, but there’s a small extra charge for activities like archery, dogsledding and tubing. Low-cost cafeteria-style dining with plenty of kid faves (especially at the Estes Park location) fill bellies after a day of exploring. While the lodging is no-frills, there are options with 10 or more bedrooms, making these vacation spots multi-gen-friendly.
TESTER NOTES: After summer visits to both locations, which are a three-hour drive apart, our tester said, “The lineup of activities rivals that of a cruise, but some require advance sign-ups, so check the weekly planner.” Though both resorts operate year-around, the Snow Mountain Ranch location usually turns into a winter wonderland by November, and the Winter Park Ski Resort is nearby if your crew also wants to hit the slopes.
More than a home base for National Park adventures, Tenaya at Yosemite is magical in its own right. Families can borrow bikes to explore the sprawling property, take a guided flashlight hike or use the telescopes for stargazing. If you just want to chill after a day of hiking and animal peeping, you can plop your crew at the pool for one of the nighttime “dive-in” movies. For family dinners, the resort offers a barbecue buffet with picnic table seating as well a casual spot with lots of vegetarian options. Skip dessert and take advantage of the unlimited s’mores ingredients and plentiful firepits for marshmallow roasting. A short walk to the recently renovated main lodge, new Explorer cabins with two bedrooms (including a bunk bed option) are dreamy for families.
TESTER NOTES: While the lodge is just 10 minutes from Yosemite’s south entrance, “it still takes about another hour of driving to reach the iconic tunnel view and the trails,” said our tester. “It’s best to get an early start each morning and come back to relax at the resort at night.”
In the rolling hills outside Austin, the easygoing Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa specializes in giving families what might be their first relaxing vacation together. Kids soak up unscheduled days, whether at the two family pools and the neighboring splash pad, on the drop-in mini golf course or on the nature trails. Lawn games happen spontaneously, and restaurants greet kids with activity sheets and crayons, making mealtimes more pleasant. Though the property attracts a lot of Austin locals looking for an escape from the city, the resort is just a 25-minute ride from the closest airport, which offers direct flights from more than 60 U.S. cities.
TESTER NOTES: “While we enjoyed all the food at the resort, the Blind Salamander Kitchen and Bar was the standout and had a good kids’ menu,” said our tester, who brought her 4-year-old. She added, “My daughter had the time of her life, and this was the most relaxing trip I've been on in a long time.”
The brainchild of parents who were frustrated with camping options on an RV road trip, Roamstead, at the doorstep of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, takes its inspiration from boutique hotels. Shaking off the rustic-campground image, Roamstead’s cabins, yurts and lodge rooms have Magnolia Home vibes, and many fit four or even five guests. You can also book an Airstream or pull up in your own camper. Young vacationers thrive on amenities like a heated pool, a playground, yard games and a Roamstead Ranger Activity Book. Knowing that this is a vacation for parents too, the brand wove lots of communal space into the design, so you can wind down at the firepit with your favorite beverage while kids play with their vacation friends.
TESTER NOTES: Thoughtful, family-friendly touches impressed our tester. “They stocked children’s life vests by the pool and had a bunch of kids’ books and games in the lobby of the lodge,” she said. “For parents, they provided free coffee and had an EV charging station, which was useful because we needed to charge our vehicle.”
Adirondack chairs dot the lawn at Mission Point Resort so parents have a place to take in the views not only of Lake Huron, but also of their kids playing games or skipping rocks on the shore. On this car-free island, the grand resort, open April to October, adds to the nostalgia. Its recently renovated rotunda-style lobby is home to evening bedtime stories with colorful toadstools and cookies. A heated pool, kids’ club and impressive arcade provide daytime entertainment when you’re not exploring downtown, just a 10-minute walk away. Well-priced family suites with two bedrooms allow you to have couple time after the kids are asleep.
TESTER NOTES: “As long as you’re not carrying luggage, the best way to get around the island is by bike, even if towing a child behind,” said our tester, who visited with her family. “Daily bike rentals are available at the resort.”
So Cal is synonymous with surf culture, but Lakehouse Resort on Lake San Marcos in San Diego County introduces kids to the joys of lake life. You can take budding outdoor enthusiasts out on the resort’s pontoon boats or kayaks. Some gear rentals, like stand-up paddleboards, are included in your stay. You can even borrow a guitar for a sing-along around the campfire, s’mores ingredients provided. Adventure suites, which sleep five, include bunk beds, a child-size table and chairs, kids’ books and a play tent. If you’ve got a golfer in the family, they’ll want to play at the on-site course.
TESTER NOTES: “Although you can't swim in the lake, there are two nice pools for families to use,” said our tester who traveled with her husband and children. “At the pool bar, staff were happy to craft fun drinks for the kids.”
Modern two- and three-bedroom cottages at The Cove at Sylvan Beach give families all the space of vacation rentals with resort perks. First up: Your group receives its own pontoon boat to cruise around the area where Oneida Lake meets the Erie Canal. An on-site outfitter dispenses whatever gear your need, from a canoe to a fishing pole. At the heated pool, your crew can play organized games and watch movies at night. The zipline adds a fun touch to the on-site playground! Although you can dine at the on-site restaurant, many families opt to grill some meals on their front porch with ingredients from the property’s marketplace.
TESTER NOTES: “To operate the pontoon boat, you'll need a New York state boating safety certificate,” said our tester who visited with her family. “We completed it online, a staff member gave us a 20-minute orientation and then we were good to take it out on the lake.”
Deep in the Adirondacks sits an all-suite vacation spot with easy access to mountain and lake adventures in every season. When snow turns the Whiteface Lodge into a winter wonderland, you can use it as a home base for hitting the slopes or lake ice rink at nearby Whiteface Mountain. Come summer, the lodge’s shuttle brings guests a mile down the road to the Canoe Club, its exclusive lakefront facility. There, a private beach and free rentals of non-motorized gear (think paddleboards, canoes and tubes) await your family for frolicking on Lake Placid’s Paradox Bay.
TESTER NOTES: “The three-bedroom lodge rooms are spacious enough to share with another family if you wanted to split the cost,” said our tester, who brought his family of five in July. Even the smaller one-bedroom options contain a full kitchen, but there’s no need to make breakfast since a buffet with great coffee is included in the price.
Operated by Marriott but located right on Disney property, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin (along with the newer Swan Reserve) give theme-park goers the opportunity to stay a luxe hotel at a price less than that of a Disney Deluxe Resort. Except for a few differences in park transportation, guests receive the same on-property perks, including extra park hours and the ability to make the all-important Lightening Lane reservations a week in advance. They can also use Marriott Bonvoy points to cover all or part of their stay. Six pools, 23 restaurants and the famous swan boats will ensure that the fun continues after your crew leaves the parks.
TESTER NOTES: Our tester, who stayed at the Swan Reserve with her husband and young kids, loved having access to so many restaurants, saying, “It was great having places close by at the end of long days.” The cleanliness of the hotel also stood out to her, and she said ordering room service before heading to the parks was always quick and the food was delicious.
On a preserve near picturesque Lake Austin, The Grove Resort & Water Park helps you check off your theme park bucket list. While most resorts offer shuttles to limited parks, The Grove’s buses will whisk your crew to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld so you can get a taste of them all. The accommodations, two- and three-bedroom suites that each have a kitchen and a washer/dryer, are especially attractive for families with teens and multigenerational groups. Save a day for the resort’s lakefront attractions and the water park, which has a surfing simulator and slides galore. An indoor activity center with games, arts and crafts and toys, is a lifesaver on rainy days.
TESTER NOTES: “Hands down, the kids most enjoyed the Surfrider at the onsite Surfari Water Park,” said our tester, who appreciated that she could book a 30-minute lesson rather than waiting in a long line. The resort’s inclusive atmosphere was also impressive, she added: “As guests with disabilities, we felt welcomed and comfortable everywhere we went.”
After a sun-soaked day, the Grande Lake Orlando provides petered-out tourists young and old with the R&R they need to get up and do it all over again the next morning. At the lush 500-acre oasis, your crew can wind down in a lazy river, fill their bellies at not one but two Michelin-recognized restaurants with kids’ menus and catch a movie under the stars. The next morning, shuttles will zip you to Walt Disney World or Universal Studios, each about 20 minutes away. But repeat guests advise spending at least one full day on the property so you can join naturalists on a Sunrise Safari, canoe on one of 11 lakes or rent a cabana with its own plunge pool. Family suites with bunk beds at the JW Marriott will help ensure that everyone gets rest.
TESTER NOTES: Start early on theme park days so you can return to the hotel by dinnertime. “The resort’s many restaurants cater to dietary preferences and requests, including gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan,” reported our tester.
Knowing that the most priceless commodity when you’re on vacation with kids is space, the new Evermore Orlando Resort gives your crew prime real estate — up to 11 bedrooms’ worth — at the doorstep of Walt Disney World. Even the smallest accommodation, a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom villa, feels grand because it’s 1,800 square feet! Four-bedroom “flats” have the best location, overlooking the resort’s giant bay, which beckons families with its sandy beach, rope swing, side-by-side slide, hammocks and palm trees. Houses have private heated pools and from five to 11 bedrooms, and some have a tube slide from the top floor to the bottom one.
TESTER NOTES: “I texted friends the view from my flat and they thought I was in Aruba,” said our tester, whose daughter went stand-up paddleboarding after returning from a theme park. “While I loved the flat with older kids, opt for a villa or house with little ones, because they have both tubs and showers.”
With a pink facade that gives off Lilly Pulitzer vibes, the newly renovated Caribe Royale Resort looks way more expensive than it is. Roomy suites that sleep a family of five start at just $175 per night — a steal for a spot where kids and grown-ups have their own sleeping spaces and that has a bunch of amenities to boot. A swimming pool with live music along with a toddler-friendly splash pad will cool kids off after a balmy park day. Another option: You can book an air-conditioned simulator suite at the Stadium Club to let you play more than a dozen games, including zombie dodgeball, while noshing on appetizers. Then you’re welcome to move to a table at the restaurant for the rest of the meal.
TESTER NOTES: “The resort has a loyal following of visitors who drive to the destination,” said our tester, who brought her mom, her brother and two nieces. Her 10-year-old niece reported, “I liked how the pool had a nice shallow end and a deep end.”
With bucket-list itineraries in the Mediterranean (April to early October) and Caribbean (late October to March from Fort Lauderdale, FL), the new, state-of-the-art Sun Princess shines bright for providing experiences that kids, parents and grandparents can enjoy together to celebrate family milestones. The Dome, one of its most innovative features, serves as an indoor-outdoor pool and solarium by day and as a spot for the ship’s all-ages entertainment extravaganzas at night. Karaoke performances, movies on the deck and dancing in the Piazza are especially good places for multi-gen groups. If kids and teens just want to hang with other cruisers their age for a while, supervised clubs facilitate friendships with play equipment, games and crafts before your group re-gathers for dinner at the buffet or one of the kid-friendly specialty restaurants like Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria.
TESTER NOTES: “All the staterooms on the Sun Princess feel more luxe than those on older Princess ships,” said our tester, who celebrated her daughter's graduation with a sailing from Athens to Barcelona. “A new type, the Cabana Mini Suite, has extra hangout space with a sofa and a TV between the sleeping quarters and the balcony. You can close it off with a sliding glass door for privacy.”
With a variety of sailings from Miami to Mexico and the Caribbean, the 2-year-old MSC Seascape pumps up the European line’s appeal for kids and teens. On the top deck, a one-of-a-kind robotic-arm thrill ride flips and turns the daredevils in your party so they’re dangling more than 100 feet above sea level! For the youngest cruisers, there’s a nursery on board. The clubs for kids’ and teens are divided into specific age ranges so programming can be developmentally tailored and, of course, fun. Stops at the cruise line’s sustainability-focused private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, enchant all ages.
TESTER NOTES: For families who want their kids to enjoy the onboard thrills but be able to retreat to a serene space, the Yacht Club’s ship-within-a-ship experience exceeds expectations, said our tester. “If you want a soul-relaxing vacation with children, taking advantage of the Yacht Club and the kids’ clubs would be the way,” she said. While rooms in the passkey-protected Yacht Club space cost about twice as much as those on the rest of the ship, premier amenities like around-the-clock butler service and exclusive seating at shows add value.
For what’s sure to be a childhood-defining vacation memory, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Fire and Ice takes families on an epic circumnavigation of Iceland from May through August, times when the “midnight sun” provides almost around-the-clock daylight and offers a spectacular chance to see the Northern Lights. The 148-passenger ship, which sails from Reykjavík, sets the bar high, bringing families to a remote waterfall and a puffin-filled island on their first full day onboard. All the while, the ship's naturalists field questions from passengers of all ages and help kids and teens hone their observation skills. All cabins sleep two (hello, mother-daughter trip!), but connecting options are available for larger families.
TESTER NOTES: “My 15-year-old daughter and I learned so much from the presentations of scientists and naturalists on this well-organized trip,” said our tester. “We saw very special off-the-beaten path places. Nighttime entertainment included Icelandic musical performances.”
If Costa Rica has been a “maybe someday” kind of trip for you because you’re overwhelmed by the logistics, Exodus Adventure Travels removes the barriers and pretty much just lets you show up. The year-round offering, for which each trip has 16 or fewer travelers, whisks your crew all over the country, starting in cultural mecca San José. You’ll do some things you might have dreamed about, like zip-lining in the jungle, and others you didn’t know were possible, like walking through a cloud forest at night. Local guides know their stuff, making recommendations for times when you’re on your own. Because the vacation is relatively active—you’ll do white water rafting, for instance—kids need to be at least 9 to come along.
TESTER NOTES: “I was concerned about going to Costa Rica on a tour because I thought we would see a ‘touristy’ version of the destination,” said our tester, who brought her 11-year-old. “Instead, it felt as if we were being brought to hidden treasures.” She also noted, “Many members of our group didn’t think they could have had a less expensive holiday if they had planned it independently.”
If seeing Alaska is on your family’s bucket list, doing so on a small nonprofit cruise line whose ships can get up close to wildlife and glaciers is a huge cherry on top. The Boat Company sails two 10- to 12-cabin ships in the Tongass National Forest from Sitka to Juneau (and vice versa) on weeklong itineraries from May through August. Cruisers young and old, fish, kayak, whale-watch and visit waterfalls and glaciers — you never know when something epic is going to happen. Meals are delicious and filling, and kids usually spend the evening playing board games in the salon together. Most staterooms feature a queen bed with upper twin bunks.
TESTER NOTES: “My 13-year-old loved watching whales off the bow of the boat and chasing sea otters from our kayak. He even caught a 27-inch halibut that we were able to bring home with us,” said our tester, who recommended the cruise for kids 10 and up, adding, “There were nine other kids around the same age on the trip, and they gelled quickly.” When you book, you can request a sailing that will have other children on board.
Kids describe this chain of indoor waterparks using superlatives: Epic! Awesome! So cool! And for a night or two, you can fulfill their (water) bucket list fantasies, earn parent cred and, honestly, get into the experience yourself. While each of the 22 Great Wolf Lodge locations has a slightly different water park setup, they all have raft rides and wave pools that families can enjoy together. The fun doesn’t stop when the water park closes, with interactive wand games and wind-down nightly story times (PJ's dress code highly encouraged). Rooms, especially in the newer or recently renovated locations, are tastefully decorated in lodge style without seeming, well, old-manly.
TESTER NOTES: “My children, ages 7 and 9, were at the sweet spot for it,” said one of our testers who visited the recently remodeled location in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Another tester, who stayed at the location in Perryville, MD, with her three children felt that the experience was a good value for the price point. She added, “My two younger kids, ages 8 and 12, enjoyed the experience the most.”
Driving up to its playful facade, kids know they’ll be in for a roarin’-good time at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the largest in the country. Five stories of interactive exhibits and 130,000 artifacts await your crew: From the multi-floor Dinosphere, which includes the opportunity to talk to actual scientists working on fossils in the Paleo Prep Lab, to a full-size vintage carousel to ride on, activities fill an entire day or more. While most kids age out of children’s museums at age 6 or 7, there’s enough here to hold interest well into the teen years, and if we’re being real, grown-ups usually find something that catches their eye too.
TESTER NOTES: “My boys, ages 14 and 16, went crazy for the indoor and outdoor sports area,” said our tester, a seasoned travel writer. “They got to play almost every major sport—basketball, football, roller hockey and golf. I was totally enamored with the Dale Chihuly sculpture in the atrium!”
Everywhere you turn at the Children’s Museum Houston, there’s something new for kids to learn, create or do. In the Newton Know-How Exhibit, for instance, kids send golf balls down various ramps, watching how the speed and direction change based on the ramp they used. Another exhibit recreates a small town in Mexico with lots of interactive parts. You’ll often find a crowd at Kidtropolis, USA, an interactive mockup of a town with a grocery store, vet, restaurant, school and more. Special events abound, especially around holidays, and the museum just received its KultureCity certification for providing staff training and on-site resources for visitors who are autistic.
TESTER NOTES: “We have taken my 4-year-old every year since she was born, and this is the first time she was able to understand and interact fully with the exhibits,” said our tester, who lives in the Houston area. She also recommends eating lunch in the nice cafe on-site, which allows you to maximize your time at the attraction.
Prepare for an endless stream of “remember whens?” after your family’s visit to Discovery Cove Orlando. Enraptured by the experiences of swimming up close to giant rays in a large saltwater pool that simulates a coral-reef habitat, softly petting a dolphin in waist-high water or having a tropical bird land on your shoulder while you’re holding onto a pool noodle in the lazy river, kids will want to recount (and relive) their experiences. Accredited by the Zoo and Aquarium Association, the park’s setup helps keep the day easygoing and memorable: Breakfast and lunch as well as most experiences are included in the ticket price, so you don’t have to hesitate about what kids can and can’t do.
TESTER NOTES: “I’m not sure that my 10-year-old son has ever used the word ‘beautiful’ in his life, but that’s how he described his day at Discovery Cove Orlando,” said our tester, who noted that most of the experiences are best for kids ages 8 and up.
Equal parts children’s museum and spot for grownup nostalgia, the Strong National Museum of Play unites kids, parents and grandparents through toys and games. Hands-on exhibits, including a new outdoor space with larger-than-life board games, keep the younger crowd engaged while older kids and adults gravitate to the massive collections of playthings from the past. Expect to hear “I had that!” over and over again. Last year, the museum boosted its videogame collection, adding an area that traces the history and allowing kids to play the same games that their parents did growing up.
TESTER NOTES: “My husband and two older sons, ages 12 and 14, had such a blast with all the video games,” said our tester, who suggests buying a two-day ticket if you want to explore the entire museum. “My 8-year-old especially enjoyed the Moving Mountains Sandbox Experience, where he played with the Kinetic Sand and saw how it changed the topography of the land on the video screen.”
