Every generation of vacationers is drawn to the Sunshine State because of its beaches, theme parks, and opulent resorts. Even Floridians enjoy taking occasional vacations and acting like tourists. Christina Nicholson, a best florida beach resorts for families and lifestyle writer at Christina All Day, says, “We are extremely fortunate to have so many options available to us as residents of South Florida.”
We also received guidance on the best family resorts in Florida from Terry Ward, whose blog, Florida Beyond, features her top locations throughout the state and Orlando.
Best Family Resorts in Florida
The Breakers, Palm Beach
This writer, who lives in Palm Beach, agrees wholeheartedly that staying at The Breakers in Palm Beach is the ultimate worthy splurge for a genuinely opulent family beach holiday. “The Breakers is unmatched for Old World elegance, one of the state’s best thermal facilities, and The Italian Restaurant, where children have a neighbouring play area, even if just for a night or two,” Ward said. It’s one of the best Florida all-inclusive family resorts. Grab a bike and ride the picturesque Lake Trail leisurely and breezy.
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Orlando
The official Disney World hotels Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando are among the most family-friendly lodging options. Along with a kids club, a three-acre lazy river, waterslides, a zero-entry pool, cabanas, and daily poolside games and activities, including arts and crafts, DJ dance parties, and hula-hoop competitions, the two properties form a joint resort. In addition, kids can learn how to toss pizza dough at La Luce, an Italian country kitchen, or plunge under the sea in the pool while floating on a raft during a dive-in movie.
Westgate River Ranch Resort and Rodeo, River Ranch
To have a ranch-style experience, you don’t need to travel far into the West. Covering 1,700 acres, Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo is a luxurious glamping destination and an authentic Florida resort for families dude ranch. Situated just one hour south of Orlando, the ranch offers an array of exciting experiences, such as air boating across the picturesque Kissimmee River, horseback riding, archery, and a Saturday night rodeo that has won numerous awards. The best part is that lodging options range from standard lodge rooms and cottages to luxurious teepees and covered Conestoga wagons.
Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Key Largo
Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo is over 15 acres of unspoiled Florida paradise, located one hour south of Miami. It’s the perfect place for the best family vacation in Florida Keys, with 178 opulent rooms and suites, including a three-bedroom beach home. If the kids become bored with the large waterfront pool and the 745 feet of sand beach—uncommon in the Keys—they can retreat to a private bungalow furnished with a TV and board games. A daily exploration camp, watersports, two tennis courts, and a basketball court are also available. The best of all? When it’s almost time for bed, young visitors can select from five narrated stories by pressing a button on their in-room phone. The children’s club is holding an eco-themed scavenger hunt using some of the animals from the books.
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, in northern Florida, is a prime example of the state’s unique beauty, even though southern and central Florida typically receive the most attention regarding family holidays. In addition to miles of uninhabited shoreline and bike paths to explore, Amelia Island is a barrier island with a charming, walkable city in Fernandina. To go deeper into family-friendly resorts in Florida Lowcountry, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island even has ecology field trips that take you into the marshes and historic sites like Fort Clinch State Park.
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
The Vanderbilt Tower, a new lobby, three new dining options, new pools (along with new hard-top bungalows and cabanas), and larger guestrooms and suites to accommodate larger families and longer stays are just a few of the recent dramatic renovations to The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. Alder says, “This beachfront resort in Naples is another perfect family paradise, with pool amenities and waterslides for all ages, having recently undergone a massive renovation.” “It’s close to Naples’ downtown, which offers fantastic dining and shopping.” The enormous new Club Lounge features plenty of snacks and drinks, as well as a special play area for kids, demonstrating how families were given priority during the renovation.
The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection, St. Petersburg
The renowned Vinoy Resort has undergone an incredible makeover. We’re all happy when we check into the Vinoy in downtown St. Pete, one of my favourite urban centres to explore in Florida, because my young girl gets excited about any hotel painted pink, says Ward. Even though you’re not at the beach right now, I never miss it. Located in downtown St. Pete, the hotel is 15 minutes from the beaches.
It features a fantastic family pool with cabanas, views of the city skyline, summertime dive-in movies, and Kids Night Out activities, which happen several times a month if you wish to spend a relaxing evening as an adult. We adore taking strolls around downtown attractions just out of the hotel, such as the fantastic Saturday Morning Market and the recently constructed St. Pete Pier. It’s not a bad idea to spend your holidays here instead of cooking, as The Vinoy goes all out for holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Easter.
The Don CeSar, St. Pete Beach
Alder adores The Don CeSar, a similarly charming pink hotel in St. Petersburg. “This St. Pete landmark is perfect for families with kids because it has amazing pools and the perfect white sand beach with crystal-clear water that’s nice and shallow at the beginning, with very few waves,” the author notes. “Of course, the area provides all the benefits of a barrier island near the Gulf Coast, including excellent dining and a full spa.”
Hawks Cay Resort, Duck Key
On Duck Key, close to Marathon, Hawks Cay Resort is a location Ward and her family have visited multiple times. She says, “We love staying in the two-story villas on the water.” The best family resort in Florida Keys features conventional hotel rooms, a beautiful, sand-filled swimming beach, and a sheltered lagoon. Playing pickleball or tennis, swimming with dolphins, and using the pirate ship pool and splash area are just a few of the many things you may do at the resort. It is reminiscent of a family summer camp.
Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa, Vero Beach
Visit the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa for boutique luxury vibes on a serene section of the Treasure Coast. “You might even see sea turtles or their hatchlings doing their thing on the beaches at this lovely oceanfront resort in Vero Beach, another Florida beach town with an adorable and pedestrian-friendly downtown full of restaurants and boutiques (don’t miss the weekend market for more fun strolling with the kids).”
Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa, Riviera Beach
A great option for families seeking a relaxed beach town atmosphere and easy access to the best of South Florida is the family-friendly Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa. “We had a great time,” says Nicholson. All inclusive family resort in Destin Florida, the youngsters enjoyed the green waterslide. My kids enjoyed searching for seashells in the sand, my spouse couldn’t get enough of the beach, and I adored the live music in the pool. The hotel features two outdoor pools, fire pits, and a dinner delivery service to your cabana or lounge chair by the pool. The hotel’s resident suites, including fully equipped kitchens and individual terraces with stunning views, also felt like home.
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Kissimmee
A hotel like the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center feels like a vacation inside a vacation in the universe of Disney and theme parks. Thanks to soaring glass atriums with natural flora and wildlife and sceneries designed to evoke other Florida locales, such as St. Augustine or Key West, it’s close to everything but feels like a world. The nine restaurants, pools, and water parks are huge hits with kids.
Postcard Inn Beach Resort and Marina, Islamorada
The Florida Keys’ coral cays are more of a boating destination than a beach one, but the casual Postcard Inn Beach Resort has a beach that is fit for a lounge. (If boating is still on your itinerary, a marina is on the premises.) “We even saw a manatee make an appearance at the marina, and my kids loved seeing nurse sharks and giant tarpon,” Ward recalls.
JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Marco Island
Due to nostalgia for a Florida holiday, Marco Island, a barrier island south of Naples, is a beloved retreat for several families. Three miles of immaculate private beaches on the Gulf of Mexico are available to guests at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort.
Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach, Fort Lauderdale
The antithesis of a babymoon, a vacation taken with a newborn alone, doesn’t have a term, but it ought to. Furthermore, Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach offers superior amenities that are unmatched for a journey of this kind. New parents can use an infant program featuring high-end amenities like a changing table, sound machine, Nuna Sena Aire travel crib, camera, and monitor at an all-suite beachfront resort. During bath time, visitors can request a kneeler, a tub, and baby bath items. There are swim diapers, mineral sunscreen, and foam play mats ready for when it’s time to hit the pool. Also, the hotel includes a nursing pillow, bottle warmer, Inglesina highchair, baby food, and even a list of lactation specialists in the area, so don’t worry if your baby gets hungry.
Baker’s Cay Resort, Key Largo
Do foam parties, scavenger hunts, dodgeball, pool games, bonfires with marshmallows, movie evenings, and quiz nights sound good? In addition to the numerous activities offered in and around the all inclusive florida keys resorts family, children can anticipate all that and more at Key Largo’s Baker’s Cay Resort, a 15-acre beachfront resort. The entire family will want to go on this vacation again.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes, Orlando
When you stay at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes—located near Orlando’s theme parks—you also have access to the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, which is next door and features a lazy river perfect for tubing after the parks. “Make plans to eat at Knife & Spoon, the resort’s fine-dining establishment that was just awarded a Michelin star.” If being close to amusement parks isn’t enough to keep you occupied, the hotel also offers fun lake activities like bass fishing and falconry.
Beach Place Guesthouses, Cocoa Beach
Are you searching for a location with less luxuries? Take the resort-style, kid-friendly Beach Place Guesthouses on Cocoa Beach, which provide suites with a kitchenette. According to Ward, the family friendly all inclusive resorts florida, most stunning dune-backed beaches in this seaside hideout in Cocoa Beach’s southernmost regions can be found. If you’re looking for genuine Florida, this place has it: hammocks, a fire pit for evening hangouts, talking pet parrots beside the reception desk, and a deck where visitors congregate to grill. While wandering along the beach, you might even see a rocket launch from Port Canaveral or a sea turtle hatching.
