When you’ve got children, a holiday isn’t really a holiday until the little ones are taken care of. Read our list of the best resorts in the USA for families to make sure your next getaway is as relaxing and stress-free as possible.
When you’ve got children, a holiday isn’t really a holiday until the little ones are taken care of. Read our list of the best resorts in the USA for families to make sure your next getaway is as relaxing and stress-free as possible.
It’s Disneyland! Need we say more? Obviously, this hotel’s greatest drawcard is its proximity to Disneyland Park and Disneyland California Adventure Park, both of which are right next door. But with that easy accessibility comes extra magical touches throughout, from retro-themed pools (with water slides, of course) to themed suites (such as Adventureland, Mickey Mouse and Big Thunder). And if that’s not enough to get you excited, guests at Disneyland Hotel Anaheim also get to enter either of the parks a full hour before they open to the general public.
Looking for a great base to explore Disneyland? Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground is just an eight-minute walk from the Anaheim theme park and has all the facilities you’ll need to relax and recover after a full day of Disney fun under the California sun. Distract the kids with Castaway Cove, the hotel’s pirate-themed water park, while you sneak away to the lounges around the peaceful Garden Pool to relax. Great for larger families, the rooms here sleep up to six people.
If LEGO’s what you want, this is where you’ll find it. Sitting at the main entrance to LEGOLAND California, this hotel carries the brick touches all the way through to the rooms with Pirate, Kingdom, Adventure, LEGO Friends and LEGO NINJAGO-themed accommodation available for families. Nightly kids’ entertainment – think dance parties and performances galore – means that parents can take the evenings off to relax and reconnect. Add to that a treasure hunt and welcome gift for the kids on arrival, and you’ve got an awesome place for a family stay.
Dine on a delicious three-course breakfast with Disney princesses before you set off to explore Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park and Downtown Disney via a convenient entrance on the hotel grounds – you’ll also be treated to early admission so you can beat the crowds! Upon your return to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, enjoy spacious and luxurious rooms where, in selected suites, you might experience Arcadia or El Capitan themes. And when you need a break from the thrills and spills of the theme park, you can relax in a poolside cabana or wind down with a movie night.
Enjoy a seamless Disney experience from the moment you book Four Seasons Resort Orlando, with exclusive access to Disney fast passes months in advance, extended hours at the parks, and complimentary transportation via luxury motor coach to Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The fun continues at the resort’s Explorer Island, a two-hectare water park with a Lazy River, splash zone and 74-metre water slides. Dry off with a game of tennis or beach volleyball, or treat yourself to a soothing, post-park massage at The Spa.
The Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is a certified Disney Good Neighbour hotel, just a five-minute walk from Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and the Downtown Disney District. Enjoy the perks of booking tickets in advance and one day of Magic Morning early admission before the park opens. On resort days, keep the energy high at the surfside water park, which has water slides, fountains, drench buckets, a hot tub and a family pool. The hotel also has one of the best seats in the house to view the Disneyland fireworks. So sit back, relax and enjoy the magic.
Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Resort/Convention Center is where business meets pleasure. Families will particularly enjoy its proximity to Disneyland parks and Anaheim GardenWalk, one of the area’s premier shopping malls. Guests will have early access to Disneyland tickets and transportation to the parks on the Anaheim Resort Transit shuttle. In between parks, relax by the resort-style pool and children’s pool. With fabulous family suites that sleep up to eight guests, it’s great for large groups.
A direct shuttle to Disneyland is just the beginning of the amazing features at Holiday Inn Anaheim-Resort Area. The lagoon-style swimming pool and outdoor whirlpool give little ones a place to splash, while the whole family can enjoy a tasty burger or pizza at Burger Theory. If the little ones are positively exhausted after a day rubbing shoulders with Mickey and Minnie, you can enjoy room service in your adjoining rooms so you can snuggle up and wind down.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort has direct access to Hollywood Studios and Epcot on the Skyliner gondola. The themed family suites (which sleep up to six) are inspired by Disney animated classics such as Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. The Finding Nemo-inspired pool is the largest of its kind at Walt Disney World, and if you put your head under water you can hear an Under the Sea Orchestra conducted by Sebastian from The Little Mermaid. Guests at the Art of Animation get free transport from Orlando Airport, extra ‘Magic Hours’ in the park and the ability to book fast passes up to 60 days in advance.
Set behind the famous Fountains of Bellagio, this luxury Las Vegas hotel and casino offers multiple family-friendly dining options, plus elegant rooms and suites that can accommodate up to six guests. Take your pick from five Mediterranean-style courtyard pool settings and indulge in a poolside massage while kids enjoy the water. While you’re checked in, be sure to enjoy exclusive shows by Cirque du Soleil, then visit the Gallery of Fine Art as well as the daily Fountains of Bellagio water show. The grandeur of the Bellagio Las Vegas is enough to impress guests of any age.
Roll up! Roll up! There’s a whole lot of fun to be had at Circus Circus Las Vegas, starting at The Adventuredome – a two-hectare indoor amusement park with rides ranging from kid-friendly to daredevil. Next, head to the famous Carnival Midway to marvel at impressive circus acts, then try to win prizes on classic arcade games and state-of-the-art video games. On hot days, enjoy the Las Vegas Splash Zone with swimming pools, whirlpools, a water playground and a water-slide tower. There are multiple accommodation options to suit your family needs and even an RV Park, if camping is more your style.
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