This year, if you and your family want to get out of town, you should check out these all-inclusive family vacations.
All-inclusive family resorts are great for family vacations because everything, including events, food, drinks, etc., is included in the price. This means that once you get there, you don’t have to spend much money. Also, if your friends or extended family join you on the trip, it’s not awkward to talk about who’s paying. The best part is that these places give you a much-needed break. The programs for kids and teens that are guided are so cool that your little travelers will want to check them out for a morning, an afternoon, or maybe even the whole day. Here you are, spa!
In the last few years, many new all-inclusive resorts have opened, making it easier than ever to find one that fits your family’s holiday style and fits your budget. Many family all-inclusive are beach resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. However, there are also some great pay-one-price choices in New England lakeside getaways, dude farms in the mountains, teen-friendly health places, and ski resorts.
Many of the places on this list have been checked out by our expert team at the Good Housekeeping Institute, and several of them have won one of the first-ever Family Travel Awards from Good Housekeeping. Find your group’s next trip right now! Getting away will feel so good.
Hotel Xcaret México (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)
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The 900-suite Hotel Xcaret México, which won a 2023 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award, is the best place for adventurous families to have the time of their lives. The lodge has a great pool area and a lot of space for your entire family. It also lets you go to any of the brand’s eight action parks and takes you there. The nearby parks focus on “bucket list” things to do. At Xplor, for example, your group can fly through a jungle, raft through an old cave, and swim in an underground river that leads to a waterfall.
Our tester said that the lodge is a great place to go on a family vacation if you have kids who are at least in elementary school. But if you have a baby or child, the brand provides a variety of gear so you don’t have to bring or rent any. “You can borrow a huge amount of baby gear, like bathtubs, bottle warmers, and even strollers that are made to go on the beach.” Our minds are already feeling lighter.
Runaway Bay, Jamaica: Franklyn D. Resort & Spa
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At the Franklyn D. Resort & Spa, each family gets a “Vacation Nanny” who is trained in CPR and stays with them for about eight hours a day, from early morning until late afternoon. They can take the kids to the pool, make sure they have lunch, put them down for naps, and restock your fridge with snacks and drinks. You could use them as extra hands or put them in charge so you could go fishing, get a spa treatment, or just read a book on the beach. There are only two-bedroom houses to stay in. Even though they’re not as fancy as 400-thread-count sheets, not having to tiptoe around in the dark to avoid waking up a sleeping baby more than makes up for it.
Beaches Turks & Caicos (Providenciales, Turks & Caicos)
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Beaches Turks & Caicos seems to have thought of everything a family could want or need. It was called “the ultimate all-inclusive” in the 2023 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Awards. Several different restaurants? Beaches have more than 20 options. Fun clubs with adults? They have activities for kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers.
The activities are divided into age groups, so kids can hang out with other kids within a year or two of their own age. Even kids with special needs can take part in one of their programs. Unique things that will blow your children’s minds? Toddlers and kids can’t get enough of their Sesame Street-themed shows, like Cookie Monster baking and Elmo having a dance party. Older kids won’t want to leave the fun rides, lazy river, and surf simulator at the pirate-themed water park. “Our kids went to the pool’s swim-up soda bar every single day,” said one of our testers.
You can go to the spa or sit by the pool or beach with a drink and a book. There are a lot of rooms that can fit bigger groups, so bring your grandparents or family friends. “Beaches Turks & Caicos has everything you could want, including convenience, since it’s only 10 minutes from the airport,” said our taster.
The Tyler Place Family Resort in Highgate Springs, Vermont
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From the end of May to the beginning of September, The Tyler Place Family Resort is open to families with babies up to high schoolers. Since many people come back, the lodge fills up fast. In the morning, kids and teens in eight different age groups do nature-based activities with an adult leader on the lake, the private shoreline, or the fields nearby. Counselors take babies on nature walks, fishing for perch, or to the playground, while pre-teens ride mountain bikes and go through a ropes course. In the meantime, you can have a cup of coffee in peace or go to a yoga class or tennis lesson. Families get together in the afternoon for maple snow cones, arts and games, bike rides, and a lot more. Seventy-two houses and rooms come in different sizes and layouts. Farmhouse West, the biggest one, can sleep up to ten people.
Woodloch Resort is in Hawley, PA.
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This four-season, all-inclusive Pocono Mountain getaway, which won a 2023 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award, is the best place to go for a holiday that feels like a trip back in time in the best way. Our tester said, “Woodloch Resort is perfect if you want the comforts of a hotel and the benefits of a lake house.” Activities like bumper cars, boat tours, and baking contests are meant to help families spend time together. Meals are well-planned: “You’re given a table, and that’s your table for the whole stay. When you’re ready, you just walk in and sit down.”
The Ranch at Rock Creek is in Phillipsburg, Montana.
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The Ranch at Rock Creek makes a custom plan for your family’s glamping trip, which is a great way to have fun. Every day, you’ll have two led tasks and ideas for things you could do on your own. Some fun group activities are digging for sapphires, shooting arrows, and riding horses. After dinner in the Western-style Granite Lodge, bowl in the Silver Dollar Saloon, which has a four-lane alley. Family tent huts have a reading nook, a deck, and a private bathroom. They can sleep up to six people.
Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos (San Jose del Cabo, Mexico)
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The Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos is a great place for both adults and children. It is set between sand dunes and rock structures in the ocean. The water park for kids has slides, a splash pool, and a sand area. There is a swim-up bar and a state-of-the-art gym for adults. All ages can enjoy the evening entertainment, which is based on Mexican culture and includes everything from magic shows to tropical dance music played by the resort band. There are a lot of different places to stay. The Ziva suite is great for families because it has a separate room for the kids to sleep in, two bathrooms, and a great location near the kids’ club and water park. Remember that you can’t swim on most Los Cabos beaches, including this one, because the currants need to be stronger. But if your kids would rather be in the pool anyway, it doesn’t matter.
Windjammer Landing Villa Resort
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Labrelotte Bay, Saint Lucia, is home to the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort. Your whole family will love Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort, tucked away on a green hillside with a bay view. The quiet and safe bay is a great place for kids to splash around, and the loungers and in-water hammocks make a day at the beach even more fun. Families who like to be active can use the volleyball net by the beach.
At night, the resort’s famous bird tells stories to families on the sandy beach. The lodge will bring warm milk and cookies to the kids at bedtime for an extra fee. Built into the hillside, houses with several bedrooms and a Mediterranean style are perfect for big groups. The beach, six swimming pools, and tennis courts can all be reached quickly by bus. You can also book trips away from the house. These well-named “Jammin Tours” include a ride on the Rainforest Ariel Tram and a cruise at sunset.
Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Cancun (Cancun, Mexico)
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This new beachfront oasis on Playa Mujeres makes traveling with kids more fun. You don’t have to carry your own gear if you stay at Garza Blanca Resort & Spa. You can take things like strollers, car seats, baby monitors, and more. You can match your child with soft robes and shoes for kids that are the same size as the ones for adults. You can do a lot with your family, like go to the water park, play tennis, and take electric beach bike trips. There is also a club for kids ages 4 to 12 that is watched, so you can get some much-needed rest and relaxation or go to the rooftop bar that is just for adults. There are condos and homes with several bedrooms that would be great for a family gathering. Free gifts like a coloring book from Mexico and hand-made toys help kids remember their trip. A big plus is that kids eat and stay for free.
Mohonk Mountain House is in New Paltz, NY.
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This famous Hudson Valley hideaway, which won a 2023 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award, is fun for families all year long. When our tester went to Mohonk Mountain House with her family in August, she most liked fishing on the lake. She said, “We even had a few lunches by the water, which was a lovely setting.” Other fun things to do in the summer are shooting, throwing a hatchet, and stand-up paddleboarding.
In the winter, your group can go snow tubing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing to have fun. In the price, you get three meals, afternoon tea and cookies, and most of the events. The service is great. Our tester said, “The staff was very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly.” “They know they’re a place for families and are well-equipped to deal with kids. Even when things went wrong, I never felt like I had to apologize for them.”
Club Med Québec-Charlevoix (Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois, Canada)
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Club Med Québec-Charlevoix makes family ski trips even more magical. The all-inclusive hotel is between a mountain and a river. It has ski-in/ski-out access to the hills and will bring your gear to your on-site snow shed. The price includes group skiing lessons for kids ages 4 and up and snowboarding lessons for kids ages 8 and up. Mini skiers are put with other kids at the same level. Even adults can take classes. There are different places for kids and adults to sleep in family rooms.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)
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This all-ages rock club has a strong music vibe, and rockers of all ages are welcome. At the music lab at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, families are encouraged to choose between making a music video or playing in a jam band in front of a live crowd. An expert in rocks will get you ready. The new Roxity Kids Club is also groovin’. Kids ages 4 to 12 can take dance lessons, sing karaoke, and do other music-themed activities. At the resort’s many pools, you can hear music. The music at the family private pool is good for teens. Family rooms can sleep up to six people, and you can ask for a turntable and 10 classic tracks to be brought to your room. That sounds good to us!
Hilton Cancun, an All Inclusive Resort (Cancun, Mexico)
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On a quiet part of the Mayan coast, the Hilton Cancun All Inclusive Resort focuses on the culture and food of the area. The new resort has 12 places to eat, including the Mexican restaurant Maxal, and it won the Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award for 2023. “I would have come here for every meal,” said one of our testers. It had a lot of regional foods, and during the day, it turned into a taquera with tasty food. Families can go to a Fiesta Show that teaches them about the culture at night. But you can also drop off kids from 4 to 12 years old at the kids’ club. Before bedtime, the kids have fun with themed parties, games that glow in the dark, and even a small dance. It’s just one way “this resort does a great job of making sure everyone is happy.”
Hot Springs Castle
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A stay at Castle Hot Springs is the best gift you can give your family for a high school or college graduation. It will help everyone feel better and give you lots of time to spend together. This health resort is for people 16 and older. It is in the middle of the Sonoran Desert and has a lot of adventurous activities, as well as awareness classes and, as the icing on the cake, natural geothermal hot springs to soak in.
From the end of May to the beginning of September, The Tyler Place Family Resort is open to families with babies up to high schoolers. Since many people come back, the lodge fills up fast. In the morning, kids and teens in eight different age groups do nature-based activities with an adult leader on the lake, the private shoreline, or the fields nearby. Counselors take babies on nature walks, fishing for perch, or to the playground, while pre-teens ride mountain bikes and go through a ropes course. In the meantime, you can have a cup of coffee in peace or go to a yoga class or tennis lesson. Families get together in the afternoon for maple snow cones, arts and games, bike rides, and a lot more. Seventy-two houses and rooms come in different sizes and layouts. Farmhouse West, the biggest one, can sleep up to ten people.
Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)
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SpongeBob fans, young and old, will go crazy at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana and its new sister resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Fun is around every corner with character breakfasts, meet-and-greets, and selfies with the golden SpongeBob. Families can go to Slime Time Live or book a slime lesson for themselves. Club Nick is a place for kids ages 4 to 12 to hang out while you relax on a Bali beach bed with maid service. Even though your kids might only want Krabby Patties, you’ll be able to eat well thanks to the great restaurants at Gourmet Village and the pop-up restaurants. There are different-sized guest rooms with orange accents and a tasteful theme. Some rooms on the first floor even have a small pool right outside the door.
South Casco, Maine’s Migis Lodge
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Migis Lodge is an all-inclusive getaway on Sebago Lake about 40 minutes northwest of Portland. You can rent a lakeside house there for a classic New England vacation. You can take your kids kayaking or fishing, or you can just sit on your porch and enjoy the peaceful views of the lake. Camps for kids ages 4 and up focus on nostalgic fun, like making fairy houses and putting on talent shows for the younger kids, and games like “Capture the flag” for the older kids. There is a special eating room for families where kids can run around. Parents can eat whenever they want at dinner, while kids have a fun dinner and time to play while being watched. The food at the cabin changes every day, but there is always fresh Maine lobster on it.
Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa (Vieux Fort, St. Lucia)
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At the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, each family has its own area. This resort won the Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award for 2023. It has the biggest water park on the island, clubs for babies to teens, and rooms with different plans to fit families of different sizes. Every day, there are things to do like lazy river races, making sandcastles, and glow parties. Our tester said, “This is a great resort for families who want a relaxing all-inclusive vacation where they don’t have to worry about keeping their kids entertained or having fun with them.” It’s also a good place to take your parents or grandparents. They might want to stay in the area for adults only, or you could let them spend a few days with the kids while you and your partner book a place on the adult side.
Vista Verde Guest Ranch (Clark, Colorado)
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Vista Verde Guest Ranch is an all-inclusive guy ranch near Steamboat Springs that has great activities for families with kids ages 6 and up in the winter and summer. The resort’s winter beauty is the setting for sleigh rides, tubing, sledding, and horseback riding in December and from President’s Day to the end of March. Your children can do these things with you or with other kids in the kids’ program. In the summer, there are lots of things to do, like horseback rides, nature treasure hunts, panning for gold, and things to do at the lake. High-end cabins have anywhere from one to four beds, wood-burning stoves, decks, and hot tubs to make sure everyone is comfy.
Divi & Tamarijn Aruba (Oranjestad, Aruba)
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These sister resorts are kid-friendly and on a beautiful mile-long white-sand beach. They also offer special deals for families. The Sea Turtles Club for kids ages 4 to 12 is run by both of them. You can go to the state-of-the-art exercise center or hang out at one of the freshwater pools while the kids play games and do arts and crafts. Restaurants have regular meals and a lot of options that are good for kids. They also have special “wellness” offerings. The Divi has suites with two bedrooms, which are great for families with more people.
Carlisle Bay in Antigua is in the Saint Mary Parish.
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Carlisle Bay Antigua is a beautiful luxury resort that was rebuilt in 2019. It is surrounded by a rainforest and focuses on health and fitness. But while you’re at the outdoor yoga area or playing tennis, your kids can have a great time at the guided club for ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 12. Kids may go on beach treasure hunts, make sand rainbow projects, or even have a teddy bear picnic. The activities change every day. All of the rooms are suites. The Beach Terrace Suites are best for families because they are close to the beach and have two beds. The restaurants use food grown nearby, like fruits and vegetables from their own gardens. They also have meals that everyone in the family will like.
Villa La Valencia Beach Resort & Spa (Los Cabos, Mexico)
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The new Villa La Valencia Beach Resort & Spa has the biggest lazy river in the area and a beautiful circular pool with a view of the ocean. The kids’ club has a lot of unusual things to do, like Mini Zumba and Mexican Loteria. For adults, the fun includes cooking classes, tequila drinks, and salsa dance lessons. There are one- to four-bedroom suites for all of the rooms. The beach at this property is great for long walks, but you can’t swim there or at most other beaches in Los Cabos because the waves are too strong.
Turtle Beach (Oistins, Barbados) by Elegant Hotels
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During their time at Turtle Beach by Elegant Hotels, a beautiful Marriott all-inclusive on the southern coast of Barbados, kids can become official “Bajans.” You just sign up the kids for the program, where they’ll learn how to speak Bajan and try their hands at making Bajan food. At the end, they’ll get a special pin, a medal, and something called a “Bajan passport” to take home. Families will also have a lot of fun doing new things together, like taking Calypso dance lessons or making crafts that are inspired by the area. The pool area is great. There are two swimming pools and a splash pool for kids. Guests older than 5 can even learn how to surf. The resort’s three restaurants serve standard foreign dishes as well as dishes with local flavors. The guest’s favorite is the macaroni pie with island spices.
Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)
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The Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino is a paradise for families who love water. It has seven swimming pools and one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Kids will have a hard time deciding between the thrills of the water park’s rides and the peace and quiet of the beach, where they can build sand mountains and castles. If you want some time to yourself to go to the spa or eat a meal in peace, there are guided clubs for kids ages 4 to 12 and 12 to 16 that keep them busy with a wide range of activities. Even teens have their own place to dance. A European hotel chain’s all-suite location has different room setups, such as a two-bedroom suite with four queen beds. Your family is sure to find some of their favorite foods and try new ones. There are two buffets, seven special restaurants, and an ice cream shop.
Quisisana Resort (Center Lovell, Maine)
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Quisisana Resort is so good for the mind. Its name means “place of healing,” and its many return guests call it “Quisi.” Cottages and lodge rooms don’t have TVs, and the only place with Wi-Fi is the main area. Your whole group can really disconnect and live in the moment with the many water activities, like sailing, fishing, and kayaking. Every Monday and Thursday night shows like those on Broadway are put on in the new outdoor theater. Even though kids are allowed to come (and get lollipops), on Wednesday mornings there is a special show for kids.
