The Best All-Inclusive Resorts for Families of All Ages
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Let’s be real: Family vacations can feel like a never-ending game of compromise. Mom and Dad want Michelin-caliber meals; the kids want buttered noodles. Mom and Dad fantasize about golfing and deep-tissue massages; the kids want to swim in the pool till their fingers turn pruney.
That’s why the best family-friendly resorts—the ones parents rave about on playdates and book year after year—seamlessly blend kid-approved fun with grown-up perks, so families can always bond but still enjoy their alone time.
Though all-inclusive resorts of yore got a bad rap (and deservedly so), things are changing fast. Discerning travelers have raised the bar on all-you-can-eat buffets and the nickel-and-diming that sometimes accompanied more premium resort activities. An all-inclusive resort done well makes everyone happy, including whoever is footing the bill.
Read on for our ultimate list of all-inclusive family resorts, where spa treatments and wine tastings gel perfectly with pony rides and Sesame Street dance parties.
FAQ
Are all-inclusives worth it?
If you have limited time for planning, an all-inclusive resort can relieve a lot of stress. Everything that you'd need to book—meals, activities, entertainment—is magically taken care of for you, sometimes at a fraction of the price you would pay a la carte. All-inclusives can be particularly appealing to families with young children, as many offer kids clubs, babysitters for after-hours hire, and family pools and water parks, giving parents the rare opportunity to actually relax.
On the flip side, if your family likes to support local restaurants and experience more off-the-beaten-path destinations, all-inclusives can feel more restrictive than a vacation rental or boutique hotel. For the best of both worlds, enquire about half-board packages.
Where is the best location for all-inclusive resorts?
No surprise, the top spots for US travelers are the most accessible: beach towns in Mexico or the Caribbean. (Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, in particular, are lousy with options.) Orlando is theme park heaven, of course, and Whistler, British Columbia, is a go-to for skiing. The Canary Islands and Mallorca in Spain are chockablock with family-centric options, but for those with baller tastes (and credit lines to match), an overwater retreat in the Maldives is a once-in-a-lifetime indulgence.
What time of year is the most affordable for all-inclusive resorts?
Timing is everything when it comes to scoring a deal on an all-inclusive resort. Booking in the off-season or shoulder season, when demand is lower, will always net the best rates. Late April to early June is good because it falls after spring break and before kids get out for summer. September to early December is another sweet spot because school is back in session but holiday travel has yet to ramp up. Prices also drop off from mid-January to early February, after the Christmas and New Year rush.
Club Med QuébecClub Med Quebec-Charlevoix, Canada
Best for: Families that appreciate year-round fun and conveniences
Club Med Quebec-Charlevoix was the global resort chain's first property in Canada. A prime spot for snow bunnies and their moms and dads, and with views of the scenic St. Lawrence River and surrounding mountains, this waterfront 300-acre resort is an ideal launchpad for family fun in all four seasons. In the colder months, there’s skiing, snowboarding, dog sledding, and ice skating. When the mercury rises, think mountain biking, guided hikes, and whale watching.
What there isn't: lift ticket costs or the added sting of slope-side lodging. With unlimited ski-in/ski-out access, guests of all ages can participate in immersive ski workshops, taking them on a journey through the wondrous ski domains of Le Massif de Charlevoix. And if teens need a break from all the family time, kids between 11 and 17 will delight in Club Med Passworld, where they can enjoy curated group activities from snowboarding lessons to graffiti art to disco nights, while little ones can take gentle nature hikes at Mini Club Med.
Moskito IslandMoskito, British Virgin Islands
Best for: Families that want to vacation like Sir Richard Branson—and maybe even rub elbows with him
Moskito debuted in October 2021 to offer an idyllic private island experience that’s fully all-inclusive and delightfully family-friendly. Clans can choose from four distinct (but equally luxurious) accommodations, each with between eight and 11 bedrooms and unique perks (like the private basketball court and Peloton gym at the recently added Cape Stout estate). Once settled in, families can frolic about their 125-acre island playground with activities such as sailing, mountain biking, hiking, and treasure hunting. Pickleball courts are in the offing and there are also family tennis tournaments and personally curated menus that range from formal dinners to informal beach picnics.
Brush Creek RanchBrush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming
Best for: Families looking for lots of space to spread out
Families craving wide open space will get exactly that at Brush Creek Ranch, a collection of three upscale ranch resorts spread across a working cattle ranch. Encompassing 30,000 acres of grasslands surrounded by the Medicine Bow National Forest, there’s the Lodge and Spa for luxury dude ranch cabins; French Creek, a sporting paradise for those obsessed with hunting and fishing; and Magee, the ranch’s wellness-focused retreat. And don’t let the wilds of Wyoming scare you off come winter: This is a resort for all seasons, and the opportunities for activities are endless so long as your family has an appetite for adventure. To start, there’s ice fishing, mountain biking, and skiing at the ranch’s private Green Mountain resort, plus the Lil’ Wranglers program, which offers trail adventures and horseback rides for kids ages four to nine. You’re bound to work up an appetite from all that moving around. The Farm at Brush Creek grows organic produce in its 20,000-square-foot greenhouse, and yields both American Wagyu beef and organic cream (from its flock of Alpine goats, of course), all of which is served across the ranch.
Palmaïa, The House of AïAPalmaïa House of AïA, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Best for: Families looking to detox
Book a family suite (many of which have bunk beds and kid-friendly decor, and sleep up to four people) at this eco-friendly, wellness-focused beachfront paradise in Playa del Carmen. With swim-out terraces, a private beach with crystal-clear waters, and a dedicated kids' pool with its own slide and waterfall, Palmaïa is a resort where the whole family gets pampered. The AWEN Children’s Kingdom, meanwhile, is an on-site, screen-free activity program with breadmaking, gardening, and more for children ages 4 and up (the minimum age permitted at the property). Plant-forward menus shine at all four restaurants and in the 24-hour room service, with items like dense vegan chocolate cake and strawberry chia-seed pudding. For those looking to tap into a deeper awakening, the in-house spiritual healer offers a program of guided rituals.
Courtesy The Resort at Paws UphotelPaws Up Montana, Greenough, Montana
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024Best for: Families keen to keep older kids off their phones
The families who gather at Montana’s Paws Up do so to get their adrenaline pumping together. This is the sort of Michelin Key resort parents dream of when they bemoan too much screen time, and for good reason. With pristine Rocky Mountain air and 37,000 acres of wilderness to explore, families can get way offline—there are horseback rides, fly fishing, and the chance to climb into ATVs, and they can even try their hands at paintball, rappelling, and white-water rafting. Executive chef Sunny Jin, an alum of the French Laundry, El Bulli, and Tetsuya, oversees the resort’s refined rustic cuisine, showcased in dishes like wild mushroom pithivier with foraged mushrooms, and grilled pork coppa with miso-creamed Swiss Chard and green garlic confit.
Beaches ResortsBeaches Turks and Caicos, Providenciales
Best for: Families looking to build new traditions, year after year
Beaches Turks and Caicos sits on what is arguably the world’s most beautiful beach—Grace Bay on the island of Providenciales, with sand like baby powder and gentle, turquoise waves. This is a resort that earns loyalty from its guests, with families who return year after year, and for good reason: The childcare options at Beaches include a kids club that accepts infants to teens, with caretakers accredited by the International Nanny Association. The resort is also the only of its kind in the Caribbean to maintain staffers IBCCES-trained to care for children with autism, making it ideal for families of young ones with neurodivergent needs. Beaches also has a partnership with Sesame Street, translating into street parties with their favorite characters, as well as options for sunrise yoga or special tuck-ins with Sesame Street friends. In addition to 20 restaurants and three food trucks, the resort’s kid-friendly waterpark includes a swim-up bar for kids that only serves special mocktails. While the kids are having their supervised fun, there’s a world-class spa, water sports (including PADI-certified scuba diving), butler service, and more for parents.
Courtesy Spice Island Beach ResortSpice Island Beach Resort, The Lime, Grenada
Best for: Families who put R&R above all else
Grenada’s nickname, Spice Isle, is the inspiration for the name of this clean-lined beach resort, which sits on the yellow sands of the island’s Golden Anse Beach. In the Caribbean, where many resorts are adults-only and the family-friendly spots tend to skew heavily toward kitsch, Spice Island is contemporary and sleek, while still delivering plenty of local flavor. Children are welcomed warmly here, but luxury and elegance aren’t sacrificed for a moment. Spice Isle’s kids club, The Nutmeg Pod, has a children’s activity program that keeps kids ages 3 to 11 busy from morning till bedtime with board games, video games, supervised free play, and—of course—plenty of snacks. The resort also features a weekly schedule of free activities like beach volleyball and tennis, which may be of interest to tweens and teens. The Seagrape Beach suites sit directly on the sand, making them a perfect spot for parents to sip on a cocktail at sunset before catching some evening entertainment, like live steel drum music or a DJ.
Georg Roske/ SonnwiesSonnwies, The Dolomites, Italy
Best for: Families hankering for a full-on farm immersion—with cheese making and a cinema sauna to boot
Sonnwies started out as a small guesthouse on the owner’s farm in South Tyrol; today it’s a full-blown, families-only mountain resort with 70 rooms, suites, and villas at the foot of the Dolomites. Kids will love hiking, biking, riding Icelandic horses in the pony paddock, picnicking in rustic mountain huts, collecting eggs and churning butter on the working farm (which also happens to be home to alpacas and black alpine pigs), and dozing among hay bales during a barnyard sleepover. The aqua park has dedicated baby and toddler pools and a sauna cave for children, plus more than 361 feet of water slides. In winter, ski-in/ski-out access and private lessons make it ideal for new learners. When you’re ready for some alone time, drop the kids at Ferdis World, a 10,000-square-foot playspace with climbing walls and sports courts (Sonnwies offers parents a whopping 70 hours of complimentary childcare and 60 hours of baby care per week), and make a beeline for the adults-only Finnish sauna, where you can sip biodynamic wine and marvel at why you didn’t know about this place sooner.
Richard Waite/Anantara Hotels & ResortsAnantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Chiang Saen, Thailand
Best for: Families who adore animals but want their encounters to be safe and ethical
Nestled in a bamboo forest on a ridge overlooking the nexus where Laos, Myanmar, and the Mekong River meet, the luxurious Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort partners with retired elephants and their mahouts via the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, an organization working to abolish the illegal capture and trade of elephants for commercial purposes. Families are invited to join mahouts and veterinary specialists on scenic jungle walks or during feeding time, where they can hand-roll medicinal snack balls made with sticky rice, tamarind, and mashed banana. Also on tap: longtail boat rides, Muay Thai boxing classes, and “sky biking” along a 984-foot zipline (ages 10 and up). With the all-inclusive Jungle Bubble Lodge experience, families can even spend the night in a two-bedroom, see-through dome with stars shining overhead and elephants roaming just beyond their private plunge pool—a core memory in the making.
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TAASATaasa Safari Lodge, The Serengeti, Tanzania
Best for: Families wanting an all-ages safari with private game drives and pool time
Set in a 15,000-acre concession on the northern fringes of Serengeti National Park, TAASA Lodge offers front-row seats to the Great Migration but with a personal touch that other safari camps lack. It also, importantly, welcomes children of all ages—a rarity in these parts. Here, a dozen tented suites have glass doors and stone verandas overlooking the savannah where elephants, lions, and giraffes roam. Families can arrange private vehicles for game drives (ideal for anyone with a squealy toddler or kids that demand a lot of snack breaks) and bush breakfasts in scenic wildlife-viewing spots. For teens, a Maasai-guided bush walk or leopard-spotting night safari is a real thrill. Back at the lodge, kiddos can splash in the modest infinity pool (which is occasionally used as a watering hole by local monkeys) or join a Maasai warrior for drumming or spear-throwing lessons. Other high points include visiting a primary school where TAASA has built classrooms and meeting village children while touring the traditional Maasai boma of a local tracker.
Phāea Cretan MaliaPhāea Cretan Malia, Greece
Best for: Families who care as much about design as they do comfort
Boho-chic Phāea Cretan Malia, a member of Design Hotels, is walkable to one of Crete’s most famous beaches (Potamos) and the well-touristed Minoan ruins of Malia Palace. Once families settle into their spacious suites or bungalows, however, they may never want to leave. The Little Explorers Kids Club entertains travelers ages three to 10 with cooking classes, pottery workshops, organic gardening, and traditional Greek dancing. The Place, an area reserved for tweens and teens, has hammocks, table tennis, billiards, and open-air movie screenings. There are multiple pools for families to choose from, not to mention a beach lined with shaded lounge chairs. The food here is particularly swoon-worthy—featuring inspired Cretan dishes made with fresh, local ingredients as well as more basic options for picky eaters. Also for the adults: wine tastings. Lots and lots of wine tastings.
Courtesy Auberge ResortsNanuku Resort Fiji, Pacific Harbor
Best for: Families seeking a tropical escape rich in culture and wild with adventure
This idyllic archipelago has no shortage of family-centric resorts, some of which have catered to Kiwi and Australian families for decades. For US parents willing to make the long schlep west, screensaver-blue water, kids club singalongs, and mocktails charmingly named for visiting progeny await. Book a one- or two-bedroom luxury villa at Nanuku Resort Fiji for easy access to its breezy two-mile beach overlooking Beqa Lagoon. Families can plant coral with a resident marine scientist or take part in a traditional Fijian warrior cooking class or kava ceremony. Options for off-site adventuring include river tubing, ziplining in a rainforest, and kayaking through mangroves. Each child under six is assigned a dedicated nanny from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, while kids si to 12 can be paired up with “buddies” for fun times at the Lailai Children’s Club. (For teens, there’s stand-up paddleboarding, private surf lessons, and more.) All those diversions free up parents to dally in whatever activities—judo lessons, spa facials, castaway-style picnics on private islands—have eluded them the other 51 weeks a year.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
