When it comes to family vacations, it’s just as important for moms and dads to relax and have some adult-only time as it is for everyone to spend time together. The kids’ clubs you find at hotels today are set up for entertaining energetic kids and tech-loving teens in cool spaces where they can hangout, make new friends and try unique activities. Now you can have the guilt-free vacation you deserve, safe in the knowledge your little angels are being taken care of!
Beaches Turks & Caicos
Beaches Turks & Caicos is the ultimate paradise for tots, tweens and teens. The amazing kids’ club (for newborns to 12) provides super-cool spaces to chillout in and has an action-packed schedule from morning until sunset. There’s sailing, snorkeling and reggae jam sessions for teens, water sports, boat cruises and scuba-diving for teens, plus a scratch DJ Academy for budding DJs, X-Box Play Lounge, activities with Sesame Street characters and a waterpark with a kids-only swim-up bar. Beaches also has an incredible program for kids with special needs.
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, New York
New York’s Hudson Valley, only 90 miles north of New York City is home Mohonk Mountain House, a 145-year old fairytale castle retreat. Their award-winning kids club is a haven for youngsters of all ages and focuses on exploring the great outdoors. Little adventurers are grouped according to age and interests, and activities range from frog hunts, boat rides and tomahawk throwing in the summer to snow tubing and ice-skating in the winter. There’s also a superb Junior Naturalist Program. Evening sessions mean parents can enjoy a romantic dinner for two!
Chatham Bars Inn, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
It’s not just parents who’ll have an unforgettable vacation at this upscale east coast resort. From June to September, the kids club (for four to 12 year olds) offers an array of incredible activities and adventures designed to thrill your offspring, while you relax. Young explorers can visit Chatham Shark Center or set up camp under the stars, while older ones can try paddle boarding, have a cooking lesson or enjoy a baseball clinic with the town’s very own Chatham Anglers.
Smugglers Notch, Cambridge, Vermont
Located in the mountains of Vermont, Smugglers Notch (affectionately known as “Smuggs”), is hugely popular with families thanks to its superb year round kids’ club for tots to teens (from 6 weeks old and up). It has an incredible indoor and outdoor space for younger ones and a teen center and an extensive activity program filled with outdoor adventures from paddleboarding, biking and tennis in summer to skiing and snowboarding in winter. The resort also has a fantastic program for children with special needs.
Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
Kids of all ages get treated like VIPs at Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas. The kids’ club is filled with cool themed spaces to hangout in and magical activities and hands-on experiences to keep youngsters entertained. Toddlers get to play pretend in the grocery store or Victorian dollhouse, and there’s a remote controlled racetrack, a pottery studio and a gaming center for older ones. The fun-filled activity schedule includes cooking classes, stage performances and sleepless slumber parties, and the resort’s marine program gives kids the chance to feed baby sharks or be a dolphin trainer for a day.
Hawks Cay Resort, Duck Key, Florida
Coral Cay, the kids’ club at Hawks Cay (for 5 year olds and up) is a haven for little travelers. As well as activities including snorkeling, sailing on tiki boats, kids night out’ parties and kiteboarding for teens, there’s a pirates ship pool and special family events so parents don’t miss out on all the fun! One of the highlights is the Environmental Education Program where kids can learn all about nature and enjoy unique experiences from interacting with dolphins to hunting reptiles.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona
Ritz-Carlton Hotels sets the standard for kids clubs. The Ritz-Kids program, in partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau, offers an array of unique and unforgettable experiences based on four themes: water, land, environmental responsibility and culture. The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain’s Ranger Program offers morning and afternoon sessions where mini-adventurers can explore the cowboy way of life and learn about the desert. At night, tent butlers will pitch a tent in your room so they can enjoy a camping adventure while you have a restful night’s sleep.
Hotel del Coronado, Coronado, California
Your kids will love Hotel del Coronado’s kids’ club and you’ll love the time off! Located 15 minutes from downtown San Diego, this family-friendly beachfront resort features a beach-themed activity center and an array of one-of-a-kind daytime and evening experiences for 4 to 12 year olds, from Weird Science experiments to designing and painting their own boogie boards. Teens wanting a break from their family can hangout at the Teen Lounge, relax with a special treatment at the spa or try activities such as paddleboarding. The best thing about the club? Daily surf lessons for kids as young as four!