When my kids were little, I used to enviously eye other parents I’d see vacationing with teens. While my needy toddlers were stuck to me like peanut butter, their teenagers seemed so self-sufficient. Little did I know that when my kids reached their teens, their idea of vacation paradise would be anything but hanging out with their parents. Fortunately, independence is exactly what they’ll get at the best all-inclusive family resorts for teens.
Best all-inclusive resorts for teens
With non-stop activities and adventures tailored specifically to teenagers, these all-inclusive resorts for teens in the Caribbean, Mexico, U.S., and the Bahamas are guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of even the moodiest teenager.
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1. Grand Residences Riviera Cancun
Puerto Morelos, Mexico
Nestled within a private enclave on Mexico’s Riviera Maya just a short drive from Cancun, the Grand Residences Riviera Cancun is a beachfront hideaway for families located between the world’s second largest barrier reef and a tranquil nature preserve. And if you’re traveling with active older kids, this Cancun family resort is my top pick among all-inclusive resorts for teens.
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In addition to numerous pools and tennis courts, you can stop by the sports desk and reserve equipment for water sports such as snorkeling and kayaking, or borrow bicycles to pedal the grounds. The activity center is open daily and includes the opportunity to try beach volleyball, salsa, and yoga classes. Teenagers have their own club where they can mingle with peers and try beach soccer, water polo, boogie boarding, sandcastle building competitions, Spanish lessons, cooking demos, and movie time.
2. Massanutten Resort
Massanutten, Virginia
Located in the heart of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the 6,000-acre Massanutten Resort is loaded with recreational possibilities to tempt teens. There are indoor and outdoor options in all four seasons, so there’s never a wrong time to visit. There’s a huge indoor/outdoor water park, a family adventure park with a zip line, 30 miles of mountain bike and hiking trails, plus basketball and tennis courts and an escape room. In winter, active families and teens enjoy ice skating, snow tubing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding.
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Creative teens can try ukulele lessons and tie-dye workshops. In summer and during holidays, there are special teen nights with games and activities. Accommodations range from inexpensive motel units to sprawling condos with full kitchens. There are a variety of dining choices at Massanutten to should satisfy all budgets, and this teen-friendly family resort is located only a few hours from Washington, D.C., making it a popular weekend escape among Beltway families.
3. Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
It’s hard to mention the best resorts for teens without acknowledging Beaches Resorts, which has mastered the all-inclusive concept and continues to take it to the next level with rates that include meals, drinks, activities, and age-specific kids clubs, including one just for teenagers. Situated on along a magnificent stretch of turquoise Grace Bay, one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches, Beaches Turks and Caicos feels tailor-made for teenagers.
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Teens have their own disco, Club Liquid Teen Lounge, and an Xbox Play Lounge for video games. There’s a designated tween club for older kids ages 11 to 14 and a teen club for those ages 15 to 17, so teens can make age-appropriate new friends as they engage in water sports, tennis clinics, beach volleyball, and more. The resort’s Pirates Island Waterpark is a gigantic aquatic fantasy with a lazy river, surf simulator, swim-up soda bar, and thrill-inducing waterslides that teens will enjoy too.
4. Hawks Cay Resort
Duck Key, Florida
For teens and active families who crave outdoor fun in the Florida sunshine, Hawks Cay is a classic family resort midway down the chain of Florida Keys and a top choice among Florida all-inclusive resorts. As the only resort in the mainland U.S. to offers dolphin interactions, several well-trained Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins call Hawks Cay home. Teens have the opportunity to work alongside the dolphin trainers when they join the Dolphin Trainer for a Day program. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get up-close and personal with these intelligent mammals.
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Other amenities specifically for kids and teens include a game room (think foosball, air hockey, and video games), a volleyball court, a saltwater lagoon, five swimming pools, and an onsite marina with options such as snorkeling, fishing and fishing charters, and SCUBA diving. Multiple tennis courts plus lessons and clinics are a favorite with tennis players.
5. Moon Palace Cancun
Cancun, Mexico
Moon Palace Cancun is a beachfront all-inclusive resort that’s a major hit with teens. The sandy beach, swimming pools, and FlowRider Double Wave Simulator are some of the many ways to have fun in the water. Golf, nightly entertainment, and a fabulous spa with a full menu of pampering spa treatments for teens (accompanied by an adult) take this resort to the next level.
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At Moon Palace, teens and tweens have access to the sleek Wired Lounge, their own gaming center and arcade. It’s a slick space filled with popular console video games that invites teens to hang out every day from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., so there’s always a place to go when your teens need a little break from their family vacation. A menu of tasty snacks is the icing on the cake. Accommodations at this resort are bright and spacious, and an array of dining options gives families quite a few options for food.
6. Atlantis Paradise Island
Paradise Island, Bahamas
Atlantis Paradise Island is situated on a gorgeous Caribbean beach, but with 11 pools spread across the property and many teen-friendly adventures, your teens may never even dip a toe in the sand. Aquaventure is a massive water park with high-speed slides for thrill-seekers and a mile-long lazy river. Swim with the resort’s playful dolphins at Dolphin Cay, or dive deep into the sea and try snuba, as easy as snorkeling.
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After a day of sun-splashed fun, teens can dance the night away at Crush, their own nightclub; play games in the underwater-themed video arcade; or watch a movie in the pool. Teens who’d like a taste of local culture may learn to speak with an island accent at the Bahamian dialect class. Scores of casual dining choices, from a classic deli to BBQ to burgers, should satisfy even picky eaters.
7. Inn by the Sea
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Cape Elizabeth is one of New England’s most scenic seaside villages. It’s home to Inn by the Sea, an all-inclusive family resort where a short path leads through a wildlife sanctuary to a pristine sandy beach. All this serenity is only minutes from Portland, which itself is a fun small city that teens will enjoy exploring either with the family or on their own.
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While there’s no teen club at Inn by the Sea, the resort offers experiential opportunities to connect teens with the coastal surroundings. Venture out onto Casco Bay in a working lobster boat and learn how to pull traps from a lobsterman. For those who are more comfortable on dry land, there are hands-on gardening lessons and yoga classes. Inn by the Sea is all about spending quality family time in a low-key setting. If you’re traveling with your family’s pooch, he or she will be pampered with handmade doggie treats. A fabulous full-service spa and top-notch restaurant are welcome additions.
8. Woodloch Pines Resort
Hawley, Pennsylvania
A family-owned lakeside resort in the Poconos, the teen-friendly Woodloch Pines Resort exudes genuine hospitality and prides itself on personalized service, which helps to explain why so many guests return year after year. It’s a slice of teen heaven only two hours from New York City, with paintball, go-karting, archery, and more activities targeted to teenagers and older kids. In winter, snow tubing and ice-skating are fun outdoor options.
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While there’s no specific teen club at Woodloch, the resort hosts numerous friendly competitions such as Bakery Wars and Olympics, all of which are a great way for teens to make friends. Entertainment each evening includes juggling, magic shows, and comedy acts. Woodloch is an all-inclusive resort that caters to ravenous teen appetites with a hearty menu of wholesome main dishes and irresistible home-baked cakes and breads.
9. Club Med Punta Cana
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Club Med pioneered the whole concept of all-inclusive resorts, with meals, drinks, activities, kid and teen clubs, and entertainment entirely covered in the pay-one-price deal. In the Dominican Republic, Club Med Punta Cana sits alongside a stunning swath of the Caribbean Sea fringed with sugary sand and tall coconut palms, and it’s a perfect pick for families with teenagers.
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Teens ages 11 to 17 have their own space called Club Med Passworld, and at this Caribbean family resort the teen-centric activities include water sports, horseback riding, archery, and circus arts such as learning to swing on a flying trapeze. And when the sun goes down at this popular family resort, outdoor movies on the beach and dance parties offer the chance for teens and teens to mingle with new friends in a casual social environment.
10. Carmel Valley Ranch the Unbound Collection By Hyatt
Carmel, California
An upscale resort in Monterey County and a paradise for active families with teens who crave unique adventures, Carmel Valley Ranch keeps teens entertained with golf, tennis, and hiking options. A resort spa and multiple saltwater swimming pools add to the appeal, including one designated for families that includes a hot tub and squirting water jets. But there are also more unusual opportunities to get acquainted with the natural world at this resorts for teens.
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Carmel Valley Ranch is home to its own apiary with thousands of Italian honeybees. Teens may explore beekeeping, from hive science to honey tasting, when they join a 90-minute class and learn about the connection between plants and pollinators. They’ll suit up in protective gear and head to the apiary to watch the bees in action before sampling the luscious honey. A herd of spunky Swiss nanny goats live on the ranch, too, supplying the milk that the resort’s in-house cheesemaker uses to make his cheeses.
