Any kind of beach vacation is a good vacation, but staying at a resort with its own private beach takes the experience to a new level. For one thing, private beaches tend to be quieter and free of vendors. The sand is usually pristine, finding a spot is often easier, and relaxation is virtually guaranteed. But the biggest benefit may well be the convenience of resort amenities and room-to-beach access, both of which are especially huge perks when traveling with kids. Here are my picks for the top family-friendly resorts with private beaches.
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1. Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina has not one but two private beaches. Located below the resort’s lagoon-style multi-tiered Pavilion Pool, Donovan’s Beach is the place to go for activities like kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, and playing on the resort’s kid-friendly water trampoline. And then there’s North Beach, a secluded, scenic 1,000-foot stretch along the Caribbean complete with private cabanas. Accommodations here range from standard guest rooms and suites to six-bedroom villas, and all guests have access to the intimate Ixora Spa, restaurants, an on-site marina with day-trip excursions, and the new Marina Cay Bar & Grill on an offshore private island.
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2. Chatham Bars Inn
Chatham, Massachusetts
Oozing quintessential Cape Cod charm, Chatham Bars Inn sits on a quarter-mile private beach. Open year-round, it’s of course a popular spot during the summer months, when families can take to the calm waters of Aunt Lydia’s Cove, which is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by the Cape Cod National Seashore’s North Beach Island. There’s also an oceanfront zero-entry heated pool that’s open from mid-April to mid-October along with seasonal kids’ programming that offers hands-on activities, craft sessions, and dive-in movies at the pool. Grownups will appreciate the resort’s restaurants, spa, and proximity to shopping and dining on Chatham’s historic Main Street.
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3. The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort
Longboat Key, Florida
This recently opened luxury resort sits on 18 scenic acres that include an 800-foot private stretch of white-sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Families will likely spend a lot of time by and in the water here, but no matter where you are at the resort, the beach is never really out of view. You can spy it from the family-friendly Resort Pool and Winding River, the Under the Sea Lagoon where guests can snorkel with stingrays and local reef fish, the oceanfront spa, and many of the on-site dining options. Opt for a Gulf-view room or suite to start or end the day by watching the waves.
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4. Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club
Dana Point, California
Book a stay at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, set on 175 acres atop a 150-foot seaside bluff in Orange County, and you have access to the private Monarch Bay Beach Club. That’s where the whole family can take a dip in the Pacific Ocean, rent paddleboards and kayaks, take surfing lessons, and enjoy seasonal beach bonfires complete with gourmet s’mores kits. Beyond the beach, the resort also offers complimentary access to beach cruisers, a family pool, a fitness center and dozens of complimentary classes, and a luxe spa with relaxation lounges with ocean views.
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5. Eau Resort & Spa
Palm Beach, Florida
There’s a lot for families to like at Eau Resort & Spa. That includes two oceanfront swimming pools and Kids and Teens Clubs that have crafts sessions, video games, and movie nights. At the resort’s private beach, staff can get families set up with kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkeling gear for exploring the Atlantic Ocean. Guest rooms and suites designed by Jonathan Adler are done up in colorful Palm Beach style, and even the family pup gets five-star treatment here with in-room dog beds, food and water bowls, and homemade treats.
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6. Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
You won’t be sharing the sand with anyone but your fellow resort guests at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, which sits on a 72-acre private peninsula in the foothills of El Yunque National Forest. Grab a kayak, paddleboard, or snorkel to explore the coral reef-protected Atlantic coastline from the resort’s private beach, or just read or relax by the water. (The resort’s motto is, after all, “doing nothing means everything.”) An ideal spot for a multigenerational family vacation, the property also features Puerto Rico’s largest lagoon-style pool, a wide variety of food and beverage options, two 18-hole Tom Kite–designed golf courses, a soothing spa, and complimentary bicycles for pedaling around.
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7. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Sanctuary makes the most of its location fronting the Atlantic Ocean. Ninety percent of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites have ocean views, and similar vistas can be enjoyed from the family pool and the outdoor Loggerhead Grill. From the pool complex, a boardwalk meanders down to the hotel’s private beach, where attendants help set guests up with chairs, umbrellas, towels, and beach toys. During beach season, these sands host activities including sunrise yoga, surfing lessons, ocean seining, and evening beach walks.
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8. Ocean House
Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Take a family beach vacation in elegant throwback style at Rhode Island’s Ocean House. The rebuilt inn evokes its 19th-century history but has the modern touches today’s travelers need. The resort sits along a 650-foot private beach, where cabanas can be reserved in the summer months and activities include fishing, surfing, and stand-up paddleboarding. There’s children’s programming during the summer, a full schedule of complimentary wine and cooking classes throughout the year, a seasonal croquet lawn, a screening room showing family-friendly movies, and complimentary bike rentals for tooling around Watch Hill (which just so happens to be where Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island mansion is located).
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More from FamilyVacationist:
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