It’s no wonder why Florida is consistently a top destination for family vacations. With near year-round warm weather, beautiful beaches, unique wildlife, legendary theme parks and a variety of fantastic resorts, the state offers families value like few other destinations.
Whether you’re visiting for exciting experiences, encounters with nature or just a relaxing getaway, these six Florida hotels will ensure and comfortable and convenient stay for your whole crew.
Hilton Daytona Beach Resort
Located on one of the world’s most famous beaches and smack dab in the middle of Ocean Walk Village, the Hilton Daytona Beach Resort’s location makes for an unforgettable family vacation. With gorgeous oceanfront views, heated swimming pools and hot tubs, a spa and volleyball courts on-site, everyone in your family will have plenty to do just outside your room.
More highlights are located all along Daytona Beach. The famous Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier, as well as the shops and dining of the Ocean Walk Village, are just outside the resort.
Indulge the sports fanatic in your family and watch NASCAR’s top racers at the internationally renowned Daytona International Speedway. Or, catch a game at the historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark to see future baseball heroes at a minor league stadium that celebrates one of baseball’s greatest. Golf lovers, check out the LGPA International in Daytona Beach, a four-star golf course.
For a memorable family excursion, try an off-Broadway play, concert, or comedy act at the Peabody Auditorium.
Lovers of the outdoors will be delighted by guided horseback riding tours, available nearby seven days a week, or take a surfing or stand-up paddleboard lesson at Vast Oceans Surf and SUP School.
This resort’s friendliness extends to the canine members of the family. Your dog is welcome on your vacation at the Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort with plenty of pet-friendly activities nearby, including the Boardwalk.
Waterstone Resort & Marina in Boca Raton
The Waterstone Resort & Marina in Boca Raton is a prime destination for families, with modern guest rooms and suites overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, beaches within convenient walking distance and a shuttle to many local attractions.
Diners can choose between two on-site restaurants with water views, each affording both a gorgeous and delicious dining experience.
The Boca Raton area offers plenty to experience, with posh mansions to ogle, inland shopping and dining.
For nature lovers, Boca Raton is home to the nature trails of Red Reef Park, a sea turtle sanctuary and a butterfly garden. Those seeking an up-close encounter with tropical marine life, stunning corals and fish will be able to rent scuba and snorkeling gear and head to the South Inlet Park reefs.
Gather the crew for an above-average beach day with stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, boat and waverunners, all available to rent.
A highlight for families staying in Boca Raton is the award-winning, free Sugar Sand Park. This 132-acre park has something for everyone, whether they’re kids or just kids at heart. Cool off at the waterpark, visit the playground, carousel and athletic courts or hike the nature trails. Take advantage of the on-site Children’s Science Explorium, a hands-on science center featuring interactive exhibits.
Sheraton Sand Key
Staying at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort gives your family a private vacation oasis with access to memorable and unique nearby attractions.
Families will find plenty to do at the resort. Play beach volleyball, relax by the pool, enjoy private beach access, or try boating.
For a day on the sea, set sail on Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise. This family-oriented pirate-themed day cruise located in the heart of Clearwater Beach is tailored to both children and adults. Join the Captain and his wife, Panama Pam, on a sailboat journey past scenic Clearwater, hunt for treasure, search for dolphins and enjoy a variety of pirate activities.
See dolphins, stingrays, sharks and even more marine life at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Take advantage of educational exhibits, meet rescued animals and choose from all sorts of outdoor experiences, including boat rides and guided tours of Clearwater Bay.
The Reach Key West — Curio Collection by Hilton
Set on a private, natural-sand beach in Key West, The Reach Key West – Curio Collection by Hilton is an intimate and elegant destination with lots of sunshine and a breathtaking shoreline.
Your family will appreciate guestrooms and suites with subtle nautically inspired decor. Savor delectable cuisine amid sea breezes on the open-air wood deck of the Four Marlins Restaurant. Bask in the sun at the beachfront pool or enjoy an array of family-favorite outdoor activities, including bocce ball and water sports.
The hotel, at a prime oceanfront location, is a brief stroll from the major attractions of Old Town Key West.
For family entertainment, get tickets to a live comedy show, plays, dramas and musicals at the oldest continually running theater group, the Waterfront Playhouse.
Take your family back in time to 1856 Key West at the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum, where you’ll meet actors portraying pioneers of Key West’s maritime and wrecking industry and learn about their day-to-day lives on the high seas in what once was America’s richest city. You can even climb a 65-foot lookout tower the pioneers used to spot shipwrecks.
Hyatt Regency Orlando
This hotel is located right next to some of Orlando’s most popular destinations, including Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, International Drive and ICON Orlando 360.
With so many activities on-site or just outside the hotel, adults can relax while the kids play. The hotel’s zero-entry Grotto Pool also features a waterslide and waterfalls with a gradual beach pool entry and a separate gated kiddie area with a sandbox and wading pool. This massive resort pool also has a full-service poolside bar and grill, Coconuts.
Kids will love the daily poolside family-friendly games, including basketball, ping pong and foosball, in a tropical setting. Other daily activities include pool noodle races, freeze dance, cannonball contests, animal float races, hula hoop contests, water balloon tosses, and after all of that, chilled towels.
Take an I-RIDE Trolley and explore Orlando’s famous International Drive, where you’ll find enough shops, restaurants and incredible 400-foot-high views at ICON Orlando 360™ to tickle everyone’s fancy.
In nearby Orlando, take on exciting races and games at Andretti Indoor Karting & Games – Orlando’s newest and most adrenaline-packed venue boasting three indoor go-kart tracks, 12 bowling lanes, a rock wall, ropes course, car simulators, laser tag and more than 128 video games.
Sports lovers will enjoy a visit to Top Golf Orlando – an entertainment complex on Universal Boulevard that offers a high-tech golf range, arcades, a restaurant, bar and golf-themed games for all ages and experience levels.
Visit Cape Canaveral’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and examine the Space Shuttle Atlantis, learn about America’s greats of space at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and experience a simulated launch of a space shuttle.
Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina
The Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina, on 1,500 feet of sugary white sand at the tip of Estero Island, overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and is a premier choice for guests seeking adventure, relaxation and fun in Fort Myers Beach. With 12 lush acres and deluxe beachfront studio and condo rentals, this resort includes a host of conveniences and family-friendly amenities. Families will enjoy proximity to an array of additional activities.
Curious natural wildlife, stately homes and museums and stunning vistas of sea and sky make southwestern Florida’s Fort Myers a prime destination. If you’re here between November and March, you can get to know some of the resident sea creatures swimming at the 17-acre Lee County’s Manatee Park.
Check out the nearby Ostego Bay Marine Science Educational and Research Center to learn about the special ecology of the barrier islands and estuary ecosystem. Experience it through interactive exhibits, aquariums, touch tanks and unique displays.
Visit the magnificent Matanzas Pass Preserve on Estero Island and hike winding trails through mangrove forests and discover some of the area’s wildlife, including owls, hawks and turtles in this 60-acre sanctuary just off Fort Myers’ coast.
This resort offers a host of family-focused activities, including nightly seaside campfires packages, dine-in movies at the resort’s Octopool for a movie with free popcorn and arts and crafts activities.
Catch some of the best beachgoing activities Fort Myers has to offer with waverunner rentals, parasailing, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.
Kids can become Pink Shell Junior Rangers. They spend three days with the resort’s Ranger Rob to learn the skills needed – backpacking, activity books and daily adventures – to earn an official ranger pack and a certificate!
Or, join Ranger Rob in the resort’s weekly Nature Discover Programs. Guests of all ages will enjoy learning about the diverse plant and wildlife species native to Fort Myers Beach.
Are you ready to book a trip to Florida? Contact a AAA travel advisor to find great deals for your next family vacation.