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.
Just a short stroll to both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, it’s no surprise to see this family favourite star in the awards once more in 2018. At the Disneyland Hotel, families can be immersed in the magical world of Disney, offering early entry for more fun-packed days spent in the theme parks, but that doesn’t mean the resort itself doesn’t have plenty to offer. From themed pools with water slides, to the fantastical decor in the Signature Suites (including the Grand Mickey Mouse Penthouse), to special character greetings, the whole family will be thrilled by this magical resort.
Although it is only minutes away from Disneyland Park (and offers discounted tickets from its front desk), this resort’s own playground makes a day on-site effortless for family fun, too. Castaway Cove is pirate-themed and roaring with great stuff to do, including a nine-metre pirate ship complete with slides, water cannons, fountains and a toddler wading pool. For a little R&R, try the Garden Pool, which is blissfully secluded by trees. Accommodation ranges from standard rooms to family suites that can accommodate families of up to five.
Jumping up the ranks this year, LEGOLAND Hotel California offers the ultimate sleepover experience at the very entrance of the California LEGOLAND theme park. Kids will love the LEGO-themed rooms and suites, where they can be a pirate for the evening or even rule their own personal kingdom. Throughout the hotel, interactive features and in-room treasure hunts are a blast for kids, there’s an awesome outdoor heated pool and a cool video arcade for teens, while the nightly children’s entertainment program offers a welcome respite for tired parents in the evenings.
This awesome Disney resort has its own entrance to Disney California Adventure Park, complete with early admission to skip the queues and accompanied by impressive amenities and spacious accommodation. On select evenings, gather under the stars for special screenings of your fave Disney flicks as a family. On necessary rest days, kids can enjoy a choice of three themed pools at the hotel and try out the resort’s epic water slide. Parents might also like to indulge in a cheeky visit to the world-class spa or lounge the day away at a poolside cabana.
This awesome Disney resort has its own entrance to Disney California Adventure Park, complete with early admission to skip the queues and accompanied by impressive amenities and spacious accommodation. On select evenings, gather under the stars for special screenings of your fave Disney flicks as a family. On necessary rest days, kids can enjoy a choice of three themed pools at the hotel and try out the resort’s epic water slide. Parents might also like to indulge in a cheeky visit to the world-class spa or lounge the day away at a poolside cabana.
This incredible hotel is a destination in its own right – even without the nearby Walt Disney Resort nearby. Here, you’ll find an incredible water park measuring more than two hectares, complete with enormous splash zones and adrenaline-pumping water slides. Play a game of volleyball or basketball and enjoy a dive-in movie screening at the Family Pool on weekends. On Thursdays and Saturdays, Goofy will join you for breakfast, and the kids’ club is complimentary, leaving parents free to enjoy a spa visit or cocktails by the adults-only pool.
This is the first of the Courtyard hotels to be custom-designed for families, and it shows. Rooms have bunk beds and two showers, meaning no more fighting for the after-pool rinse off — which you’ll appreciate upon realising the hotel has its own Surfside Waterpark. Slides, pools and fountains await the young and young-at-heart alike on nearly 2,000 square metres of splashing fun. And you’ll need to climb nearly ten metres to take off on the thrilling Courtyard Coaster, which delivers those tall enough to a splash landing below.
This Disneyworld Resort hotel is a story in itself, celebrating the enchanting artistry of beloved animation favourites. It also happens to boast the largest pool in the resort, inspired by Australian favourite, Finding Nemo, which features underwater speakers and interactive water play area for littlies nearby. Spacious family accommodations can house as many as six and are sure to delight with themed decor from your favourite Disney flicks. The hotel’s restaurant serves three meals daily and ranges from tasty international treats to some American classics.
Las Vegas is America’s playground, and it’s not only for grown-ups. From rollercoasters to animal encounters, kids will be wide-eyed with all the region has to offer, so it’s great that MGM Grand welcomes littlies with open arms. Rooms offer fantastic views of the city and is a modern, comfortable space to unwind after a day seeking out fun in the town. Our top picks are to visit the AdventureDome at Circus Circus, float down the resort’s own lazy river and drop into Excalibur, whose 4D spectaculars are absolute show-stoppers.
The Bellagio is nothing short of fabulous, its elegance and splendour a Las Vegas icon. Kids will love the Fountains of Bellagio, as will parents; it’s a thrilling show and bonus points for being completely free. There’s also the hotel’s conservatory, with colourful flowers and beautiful plants from around the world which makes for a beautiful family stroll and photo-op. There are kid-friendly dining options on-site, too, like Todd’s English Olives and the buffet. Unfortunately, the Bellagio pools are not open to kids under 14 years, but if you’re heading with teens, they are beautiful.
It’s a tremendous achievement to have your property recognised by the people who matter most: the families who stay there. We love seeing how many wonderful options there are for travellers with kids in tow all across the world, and every year the list is expanding.
As you can probably imagine, it’s a massive job to compile the Top 10 each year, and the Holidays with Kids team has been hard at work for the last few months compiling all the survey responses and sorting them into categories.
Holidays with Kids was the first travel magazine in Australia to do readers’ choice awards all the way back in 2001, our editors are pretty much certified experts in this field.
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