4 Best Beach Resorts In The United States For Family Vacations
The modern challenge for dads all over the world is to balance providing for the family while somehow managing to be “there” - watching the kids grow up and be with them as they do so. Time passes by so fast and every weekend we miss adds up before we even know it.
An easy way to meet this challenge is the classic beach weekend getaway. Spend a fun day in the water with your family - share a lesson or two with your kids, or just be the bigger child and get in the fun with them. Before you plan your next beach getaway with your family, check out these top beach resorts in the USA.
1. Go for that authentic Midwestern feel at Madden’s.
Often acclaimed as one of Minnesota’s best vacation destinations is the classical resort that is Madden’s. Sitting on a stretch of pristine land over a mile along the picturesque shores of Gull Lake in Brainerd, Minnesota. As soon as you set foot in this resort, allow the ambiance and the architecture to take you back to the classical Midwest further accentuated as you step in and meet vintage and often authentic furnishings from the halls to your suites.
The resort offers a professional-level golf course with more than sixty holes for you to check out. Play with the kids on their own sports at the resort’s tennis courts, as well as a volleyball and basketball court. You can also go nature tripping and take the family water skiing, paddle boarding, or canoeing. While Madden’s is located on a lake, there are three sand beaches available for you to play or just laze around. Also, during the summer, Madden’s open a seasonal kids’ club called the Adventure Cove, where kids can have fun at a variety of activities - from beach sports to trail rides to water park tours in the area.
Cap the day off at any of the Madden’s Lodges, suites designed to further give you that historic Midwestern feel against the calming backdrop that is the Gull Lake. Furthermore, should the kids take the day off early or decide to stay in the lodge, you can slip off and have a sip or two at the on-site tavern offering a variety of local and international spirits.
2. Stop and smell the flowers at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island.
One of the largest, and definitely most famous best vacation destinations in the south, is the Sonesta Resort, located in Hilton Head Island, South California. Feel the stress and exhaustion leave you as you walk along the beach and feel the breeze on your face and the sand on your feet. Also, find the same relaxing experience as you walk through the resort’s lush and verdant tropical gardens.
The resort and hotel offers more than three hundred guest rooms, including suites equipped with private balconies and patios overlooking the renowned Shipyard Plantation grounds, an impressive resort and residential community nestled in the shores facing the Atlantic. Enjoy all the modern amenities while taking in the scenery. Have your bit of exercise by jogging or biking along the shores of Hilton Head Island, or wade around at the lagoon swimming pool.
Rest and pamper your senses at the Arum Spa, one of the resort’s latest addition which offers a variety of relaxing treatments to cater to both your needs and your schedule. Also, never miss the famous Friday Night Seafood Buffet, the resort’s 25-year tradition where you can take the family on an eat-all-you-can dinner on peel and eat shrimp and oysters from 5 in the afternoon to 9:30 in the evening. For a lighter fare with a view of the pool and grounds, check out Seacrest Terrace and Patio and its menu of sandwiches and salads, to craft cocktails.
3. Try out more than 30 water slides at Myrtle Waves Water Park
Another pride of the Palmetto State in the list of best resorts in the US is the Myrtle Waves Water Park. It is located along the beaches of Myrtle Beach and it is South Carolina’s largest water park - boasting more than 30 water slides and 1.2 million gallons of water spread across the 8-hectare resort.
If you are after a speedy, thrilling slide, take the Riptide Rockets - single rider body speed slides where guests rush through an open flume ending in a huge splash at the catch pool below. Also, try the resort’s world-famous Turbo Twisters and know what it feels like to rush at speeds reaching 50 feet per second in complete darkness before splashing into the pool at the end.
For guests of all ages, the Tsunami FlowRider provides the exciting feeling of riding waves. Another treat at the Myrtle Waves is the Ocean in Motion, the state’s largest wave pool with waters ranging from zero to six feet and will definitely knock you off your feet with large waves and the ebbing and flowing waters. For less thrills and more relaxation, the 330,000-gallon river that is the Lazy River is the pool to be. A gentle current carries you around the river as you float around. It also has a younger, more rash cousin that is the Racin River - a 250-foot river with waters rushing at about 10 miles per hour.
4. Taste beachside paradise at Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina
Hospitable and welcoming staff is the first thing that will greet you as soon as you step into this resort’s lobby, if not the giant twisting tree from which the room is named - the Grand Banyan Tree Lobby. The Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina have earned quite a following as a beachside paradise especially for visitors wanting to be spared from the long lines and heavy traffic among other beaches along the stretch of Fort Myers in Florida.
Take your pick between a stylish studio-style Sanibel View, ideal for couple or small families of four, and the roomy and accessible White Sand Villas. Either way, you get a view of the beaches that has become the pride of the Sunshine State.
Another amenity offered by the Pink Shell is its easy and direct access to the beach - with additional items such as umbrellas, benches, and beach toys available for rent. You can also enjoy your standard range of water and land-based activities - beach volleyball, kayaking, parasailing, paddle biking - the choice is yours.