Few experiences are as special as sharing the joy of travel with children. Exposing curious young travelers to new cultures, landscapes and people is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and allows kids to expand their horizons as they mature. However, it is crucial to choose the right properties for family vacations, as great amenities and an engaging kids’ club can make a world of difference. Here, Indagare rounds up 10 of our favorite properties for children under 10.
Contact Indagare for assistance planning a trip to one of these family-friendly properties. Our specialists can book you at the hotel that is right for you and arrange great meals and activities that cater to all ages.
Best for Beginner Skiers: St. Regis Deer Valley
The swimming pool at St. Regis Deer Valley sits right on the slopes
Within close proximity to Deer Valley’s excellent ski school and beginner slopes, the St. Regis Deer Valley is a sleek ski-in/ski-out property located a short drive from downtown Park City. The luxe resort is beloved by families for its heated slope-side pool, large connecting rooms and scenic funicular that shuttles guests up the mountain. With limited lift tickets and a focus on families, Deer Valley has long been a favorite resort for introducing children to the joys of downhill skiing. The St. Regis’ on-property ski valet coordinates all possible needs, helping kids and parents with boot fittings, ski rentals and overnight storage.
Related: The Top 10: Multigenerational Trips
Best Dude Ranch: The Ranch at Rock Creek
Horseback riding at The Ranch at Rock Creek
Montana’s The Ranch at Rock Creek is an exquisite, all-inclusive property open year-round that is as appealing to visit during the peak summer season as it is in the cozy winter months. The Ranch’s child-friendly activity menu offers a wealth of outdoor excursions, from horseback riding and hiking to archery and fly-fishing. Evenings (or chilly days) are best spent in The Ranch’s game room, where there is a bowling alley, movie theater and karaoke bar.
Related: Indagare Matchmaker: Dude Ranches
Best Introduction to Europe: The Berkeley London
The rooftop swimming pool at The Berkeley
For a first foray to Europe, London is an excellent choice for families with its rich history, leafy parks and charming rituals like afternoon tea and the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The Berkeley is a particularly family-friendly hotel that offers a rooftop pool, child-sized bathrobes and slippers and a wide range of board and video games. Budding chefs can also take cooking classes, and youngsters can visit the spa for mini manicures. The concierge is especially attuned to families’ needs and can point out London’s most child-friendly museums and arrange for picnics. Some of our favorite activities to arrange for young families include excursions to the Tower of London, the Imperial War Museum, the London Eye and the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Contact our Bookings Team for a tailored itinerary.
Related: On the Road With…Kids Aged Six to Eleven
Best Kids’ Club for All Ages: Gleneagles
Gleneagles, Scotland
Scotland’s Gleneagles is a grand resort 50 miles outside of Edinburgh that boasts a fabulous spa and world-famous golf course. It also features one of the best kids’ clubs anywhere, Little Glen, which offers an indoor tree house and art and crafts station for kids ages two to nine. The resort’s sprawling landscape is ideal for a mixture of child-friendly, outdoorsy activities like falconry, tennis, biking, ATVing and horseback riding, while The Den has a cinema and game room with an Xbox, giant Jenga set and pool table.
Related: Behind the Scenes with Indagare: Scotland
Best California Retreat: Carmel Valley Ranch
Aerial view of Carmel Valley Ranch
Set in the Santa Lucia mountains, this cozy Northern California resort is beloved by families for its gorgeous location and impressive activity offerings. The 500-acre estate is located two hours south of San Francisco and is an ideal base from which to explore the Monterey area. Families should not miss the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium, where children can snorkel in a tidal pool and feed otters. The hotel’s on-property facilities include an 18-hole golf course, a sports center with tennis and bocce courts, a spa, multiple pools, a vineyard and an organic garden. Families can easily spend several days here hiking, kayaking and beach-going or savoring the region’s fantastic local cuisine. On-property activities not to miss include the beekeeping experience, time with Farmer Mark, chicken coop visits and marshmallow roasting. On weekends, the Kids’ Night Out offers an evening camp experience for little ones, so parents can dine alone.
Related: Navigating the California Coast
Best Hawaiian Holiday: Four Seasons Hualalai
The pool at the Four Seasons Hualalai
Set on Hawaii’s Kona coast, the expansive and luxurious Four Seasons Hualalai comprises clusters of bungalows surrounded by lush gardens and located just steps from the water. There are three large pools, including one for toddlers, and a crescent-shaped beach surrounding a protected lagoon. Kids above the age of five can participate in the Kids for All Seasons program, which includes activities like feeding manta rays and nature walks. Slightly older children can get a taste of snorkeling at the resort’s “aquarium,” King’s Pond, which is home to nearly 3,000 reef fish. The cultural center introduces guests to Hawaiian culture with hula lessons, shell beading and other traditional crafts. The hotel also offers babysitting, so parents can take advantage of the Jack Nicklaus–designed championship golf course, lap pool, tennis courts, climbing wall, state-of-the-art gym and wonderful restaurant.
Related: Member Questions: Indagare Recommends
Best Floridian Classic: The Breakers
An aerial view of The Breakers
The storied grande dame of Palm Beach, The Breakers has been a beloved family-friendly property since 1896. The sprawling, beachfront hotel caters to its younger guests with a well-equipped arcade, golf clinics, bike rentals, tennis courts, multiple pools and a Family Entertainment Center with a huge playground and a playroom complete with games and toys. Camp Breakers, divided into ages 3-5 and 6-12, also offers fun daily excursions like scavenger hunts and science labs.
Related: Top Tables Palm Beach
Best Beach Resort: Four Seasons Nevis
One of the pools at the Four Seasons Nevis
The Four Seasons Nevis is a beach-loving child’s dream, with four miles of sandy beach, three pools and 10 tennis courts. The property’s Kids for All Seasons club offers fun activities like arts and crafts, sailing, tennis clinics and a sea turtle education program. Plus, the beach offers myriad water sports such as tubing, paddle boarding and snorkeling, and the staff can set up a volleyball court and shuffleboard on the sand.
Related: Family Friendly Caribbean
Best Southern Resort: Sea Island
Sea Island (Courtesy William Torrillo)
The grand, Mediterranean-style resort Sea Island in Georgia has drawn families since 1928 with its peaceful seaside location and wide range of five-star amenities. Here, kids can spend their days playing tennis, biking, swimming and horseback riding on the beach, or at Camp Cloister. This kids’ club (for children ages three to 14) offers a daily schedule of activities like arts and crafts, nature walks and pool time at the Beach Club, and young guests can also make their own stuffed animals, attend movie nights and indulge in mini spa treatments.
Related: Showing the World to Your Teenagers
Best New England Escape: Ocean House
The magnificent Ocean House
One of Rhode Island’s most iconic properties, Ocean House is the ideal spot for a relaxed coastal retreat with young children. The resort evokes quintessential New England, with a sunny yellow façade, white wraparound porch and wide, calm beach. Within easy driving distance of New York and Boston, and with a menu of kid-friendly activities like croquet, sandcastle building and beach barbecues, families might not want to leave the property. But the charming town of Watch Hill, a two-minute drive away, is worth a visit to explore its shops and take a ride on the historic Flying Horses Carousel.
Related: Travel with Babies and Young Kids
Contact Indagare for assistance planning a trip to one of these family-friendly properties. Our specialists can book you at the hotel that is right for you and arrange great meals and activities that cater to all ages.
