Fisher Island Club

Located on an island 20 minutes from downtown Miami, this member's club also has a small hotel and is a suitable choice for family and multi-generational vacations.

• The two grass tennis courts
• That golf carts are the preferred mode of transportation on the island
• The three-bedroom Rosemary’s Cottage, decorated in chic blue and white upholstery and features a private terrace with hot tub

The birth of Fisher Island dates back to 1925, when William Vanderbilt II traded Carl Fisher a yacht for Fisher’s undeveloped land three miles off the Miami coast. Vanderbilt constructed a Mediterranean-style mansion and established the 200-acre island as his family’s winter retreat. Decades later, millionaires of a different breed inhabit this ritzy enclave. The main house still stands, but additional development includes hundreds of lavish condominium residences and a hotel with 15 rooms that has hosted everyone from hedge fund honchos to Oprah Winfrey.

Yet unlike at some of Miami’s other swish resorts, there is a surprising lack of pretense here. Children are welcome, and families divide their days between the golf course, 18 tennis courts (including the only two grass courts in Florida), seven restaurants, seven pools, an exotic bird aviary, scientific observatory, two marinas and a 37,000-square-foot spa and fitness center (note: guests must be over 18 to use the gym). The beach is much quieter than those in downtown Miami, but there are few amenities, so don't expect a roster of water sports.

In the past, some guests complained of the unpredictable quality of the hotel’s accommodations and uneven service. The décor, keeping in line with the property’s historic feel, has an old world look with tufted upholstery and mahogany accents. Bathrooms are spacious, featuring marble sinks, Vichy showers and freestanding clawfoot tubs.

Fisher Island sits 20 minutes from Miami International Airport and just 10 minutes from downtown. Separated from the mainland by a narrow channel, the resort can be reached by an easy, seven-minute ride on the island’s private ferry. Guests arriving in their own car will drive directly onto the boat and be escorted to parking on the other side. The entrance is well marked and ferries depart every quarter hour during the day. Helicopter service is also available.

The resort works for families who want proximity to the dining and art scene in South Beach but insulation from the area’s late night parties.