Planning your upcoming family vacation, but still haven’t landed on a destination yet? When you’re traveling with children, you want to make sure you pick a place that the whole family will love helping you relax and keeping the kids entertained so everyone has an absolute blast. ( Please note not all locations maybe fully operational and that each state has different Covid-19 regulations. No matter what I recommend wearing a mask, social distancing, and keeping your hands washed. Safety first).

Before you book your next trip and hit the road, check out our list of the 12 best family-friendly hotels around the U.S. From pristine hotels offering poolside fun and white sandy beaches to beautiful lodges in the wilderness to incredible resorts with loads of outdoor activities — you won’t want to miss these.

Let’s get started!

#1 – Grand Wailea – A Waldorf Astoria Resort

3850 Wailea Alanui Drive/ Wailea, Maui, HI 96753-8443/800-925-3673/Website

The Grand Wailea takes your kids’ pool time experience to an entirely new level with a massive 770,000-gallon Activity Pool complex sporting five slides, four jungle pools, six waterfalls, three jacuzzis, a whitewater rapids slide, a swim-up bar for the adults, and more. Plus, smaller children can paddle to their heart’s content at the shallow, sandy beach.

Children will love the exclusive kids club, The Rock, while parents can chill at the luscious spa (think water therapy, saunas, Swiss jet showers) or beautiful Hibiscus Pool. The Grand Wailea also offers free scuba diving lessons at the resort pool for guests 12 years of age and up.

#2 – Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort

10100 Dream Tree Blvd, Orlando, FL 32836-4012/ 407-313-7777/ Website

Make your trip to Disney one for the books when you stay at the Four Seasons Orlando, situated on 26.5 acres and providing balconies with sweeping views, soft terry bathrobes for guests, and housekeeping twice a day. You’ll have the same amazing benefits of staying at other Disney resorts, such as early park entry, Disney FastPass+ Access, character breakfasts, and more. The five-acre playground offers all sorts of fun activities for the whole family, including waters lides, a climbing wall, Kids Club, lazy river, and an over 7,000 square foot family pool.

#3 – Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island

286 Grand Avenue/ Mackinac Island, MI 49757/ 844-246-7813/ Website

Step back in history with your family when you visit the quaint, car-less Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel that has been a summer vacation hotspot since 1887. You can only reach the island by plane or ferry boat, but the trip is well worth it and an exciting adventure for the whole family. The Victorian hotel is an astounding 332,500 square feet and was the setting for the famous romance drama, Somewhere in Time. Explore Mackinac Island via horse-drawn carriage, bike, or on foot. Enjoy a range of outdoor activities, including everything from horseback riding, tennis, and quidditch, to arts, crafts, and croquet.

#4 – C Lazy U Ranch

3640 Colorado Hwy 125/ Granby, CO 80446/ 970-372-1294/ Website

If an outdoorsy vacation is just your family’s speed, you’ll love the C Lazy U Ranch with attractions for family members of every age. The family-owned ranch is located just a couple of hours outside of Denver with outdoor activities ranging from zip lining and ropes courses to ice hockey, mountain biking, and snow tubing to archery, skating, and fly fishing.

Young children between three and five can enjoy pony and donkey rides on the ranch; plus, the whole family will love the family rodeo, hayrides, and trail rides too.

#5 – Great Wolf Lodge – Garden Grove

12681 Harbor Blvd/ Garden Grove, CA 92840-5857/ 888-960-9653/ Website

The Great Wolf Lodge is the quintessential waterpark experience, with a complex of 105,000 square feet situated in Garden Grove, California just a few miles away from Disneyland.

Featuring a six-story funnel, four pools, 14 slides, a water tree house, lazy river, incredible 20-foot free fall, and water-free activities like bowling, miniature golf, and laser tag, your family will have no shortage of things to see and do.

#6 – The Broadmoor

1 Lake Avenue/ Colorado Springs, CO 80906-4269/ 855-310-7678/ Website

Delighting travelers for over a century, guests have raved about The Broadmoor’s family-focused staff and fantastic activities like kids tennis camps, horseback riding, zip line courses, a six-lane bowling alley, and more.

The whole family can work up some healthy exercise endorphins by paddle-boarding on Cheyenne Lake or living it up at the infinity pool, sporting 11,000 square feet of whirlpools, cabanas, water slides, and other water attractions.

#7 – Red Cliffs Lodge

Hwy 128, Milepost 14/ Moab, UT 84532/ 844-468-3432/ Website

Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life when you venture out to Moab, Utah to enjoy an array of outdoor activities and adventures. Situated next to the Colorado River, the natural beauty surrounding the Red Cliffs Lodge and its vicinity to multiple state and national parks make it an easy win for the whole family.

Hike the nearby red cliffs, splash in the lodge’s pool, and raft on the Colorado River before turning in for some R&R in your western style cabin or suite.

#8 – Kingsmill Resort

1010 Kingsmill Rd./Williamsburg, VA 23185-5576/ 844-278-8755/ Website

All-inclusive family-friendly activities don’t get much better than the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA, in close proximity to beautiful Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens. With sweeping views of the James River and plenty of family packages to pick from, you can opt for a chill day at the spa, brush up your golf skills at the dual 18-hole golf courses, or relax at the River Pool.

Kids can make new friends and enjoy fun activities at the resort’s Kid’s Night Out and Kid’s Camp while mom and dad sneak in a date night at one of the multiple restaurants on site.

#9 – The Chattanoogan

1201 Broad St./ Chattanooga, TN 37402-2708/ 423-756-3400/ Website

Positioned right in downtown Chattanooga, the city’s namesake hotel has large, beautiful rooms with odd-numbered suites facing Lookout Mountain and even numbered rooms viewing the city.

The hotel features an onsite spa where the whole family can enjoy relaxing facials and massages before taking a swim at the indoor pool. The hotel restaurant offers catered picnic lunches for guests, perfect to enjoy after a refreshing swim.

#10 – Kimpton Taconic Hotel

3835 Main St./ Manchester, VT 05254/ 877-859-5134/ Website

For a relaxing family getaway near the plethora of stunning camping spots in Manchester, VT, the Kimpton Taconic Hotel provides a free valet and red bikes for guests to use and explore the town. With a salt-water lap pool, board games, a spacious front porch, and indoor fireplace, a cozy, chill vacation for the whole family awaits.

#11 – Marriott’s Surfwatch Vacation Club

10 Surf-watch Way/ Hilton Head, SC 29928-5336/ 844-631-0595/ Website

If you’ve been dreaming of a beach resort holiday for your family, look no further than the Marriott Vacation Club Resort on dreamy Hilton Head. With amenities catering to an array of family needs, the resort provides golf carts for guests to access the beach, a playground, a kid pool splash pad, yard games, walking paths, and an onsite grill area. The roomy villas are the perfect spot to relax after a fun day of swimming, games, and beach time.

#12 – Jekyll Island Club

371 N Riverview Dr./ Jekyll Island, GA 31527-0874/ 844-842-5774/ Website

The Jekyll Island Club gives vacation a whole new meaning with rooms so large they effortlessly accommodate five or six guests each. Situated in the exquisite Golden Isles on the Georgia Coast, the resort is the ideal spot to lay out on pristine white sandy beaches, dine at any number of fabulous restaurants, and take a dip in the heated pool.

If you decide you’ve had enough sun for the day, enjoy the extensive network of hiking and biking trails nearby in addition to mini-golf, golf, and fishing. The nearby Sea Turtle Center is a must-see stop as well, just a few minutes walk away from the Jekyll Island Club.

A truly welcome respite from the chaos of daily life for the whole family to sit back, relax, connect, and create memories you’ll treasure forever.