America's Top 5 Family Resorts
GAYOT has uncovered America's Top 5 Family Resorts that offer the ideal mix of supervised children's activities along with grown-up indulgences ranging from golf to spa treatments. These properties have excellent facilities, comfy lodgings and a variety of programs so that families have a vacation they won't soon forget.
Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa
Austin, TX
From the Kids Club (6 months to 11 years) to Camp Barton (with activities geared toward various ages and skill levels), Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa will keep your offspring entertained. Swimming, nature trail hikes and miniature golf are just a few of the standard activities, while cooking, science experiments and weekly field trips provide new experiences. During the summer, weeks at the camp are themed — past themes have included Buggin' Out, with an excursion to the Austin Nature & Science Center, and Sports of All Sorts, featuring a day at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. As for mom and dad, relaxation comes in many forms, most notably spa treatments and golf.
Red Jacket Mountain View Resort
North Conway, NH
With its own 40,000-square-foot indoor water park, this wilderness resort has "family vacation" written all over it. Along with water slides and a wave pool that can be enjoyed year-round, this 25-acre property features a range of kid-friendly activities, from bonfires and family story time to movie nights and Xbox tournaments. A variety of accommodations are available: standard hotel guest rooms, two-bedroom townhouses with full kitchens and four-bedroom homes for groups of up to ten (perfect for family reunions). Hiking, whitewater rafting and horseback riding are just a few of the outdoor attractions.
Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa
Las Vegas, NV
While hotels like Circus Circus or Excalibur may seem the obvious choices for a family-friendly Las Vegas escape, we like to think outside the box ... and off the Strip. Just 20 minutes from the action, this resort is also only ten minutes from high desert adventures in Red Rock Canyon — mountain biking, horseback riding, river rafting, hot springs and Native American petroglyphs are just a few of the local draws. As for the resort itself, it has all the usual attractions (a casino with poolside gaming, a 25,000-square-foot spa, fine dining) and then some. Both parents and kids enjoy the three-acre "backyard" pool area, IMAX movie theater and bowling center. When mom and dad want to take in a lounge act or hit the tables, the Kids Quest indoor playground offers supervised games, crafts, a science lab, a climbing maze and themed activities.
Vista Verde
Clark, CO
You gotta love a place that boasts its own Kid Wranglers. These babysitters in boots may not round 'em up and rope 'em in, but they do teach horseback riding basics and fill tiny bellies with nutritious food, while mom and dad enjoy a wine tasting class or dinner for two. From hayrides to marshmallow roasts, Vista Verde's all-inclusive getaways are filled with traditional ranch activities and a few unusual extras, such as gold panning and antique fire truck rides into town for hand-cranked ice cream. The ranch has separate programs for younger children and teens, and wintertime activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoe outings and sleigh rides. Just outside Steamboat Springs, this working ranch offers traditional lodge accommodations and private cabins, multi-course dining events, hands-on cooking classes and outdoor adventures for all ages.
Woodloch Pines Resort
Hawley, PA
At the all-inclusive, all-season Woodloch Pines Resort, every age will feel at home, from wee ones to grandparents, who enjoy their own G3-Generation Grandparent program with little extras like complimentary lunch upon arrival and late check-out. Family-owned and operated since 1958, the resort allows parents to customize every aspect of their stay, including meal plans and accommodation types. It's easy to take advantage of the great outdoors with the help of naturalists who lead classes and nature walks. Fun for everyone includes a rock climbing wall, bumper cars, Broadway-style performances, snowshoeing, ice skating and edible plant walks.
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