America's Best Family Hotels 2011

There’s no need to leave the kids at home, thanks to Travel + Leisure’s list of the best hotels for families in the U.S.

Don’t be fooled by its name: Colorado’s Bachelor Gulch is well suited for families, with wide-open spaces and tons of activities. And if you stay at the Ritz-Carlton here, you’ll find enough amenities (and nannies) to ensure that parents get a vacation, too.

Family-friendly activities, attentive service, and beautiful landscapes are hallmarks of America’s Best Hotels for Families, as voted by readers in T+L’s annual World’s Best Awards survey. And the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, ranked No. 6, is a prime example of a property that offers something for every family member: air hockey and video games in the teen lounge; a 21,000-square-foot spa with claw-foot copper tubs; and access to Vail Valley’s numerous golf courses.

Connecting kids to the outdoors is a priority for many parents, so it’s no surprise that America’s Best Hotels for Families includes plenty of properties in natural settings. “Experiencing or reconnecting with nature is growing in popularity because of the benefits to children as well as adults,” says Diane Wood, president of the National Environmental Education Foundation. “In fact, more physicians are prescribing outdoor activities and time in nature for kids to help tackle obesity and other conditions.”

According to the 2011 TripAdvisor family travel survey, 37 percent of families plan to visit a national park this year. They’d do well to stay at Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa (No. 7) in Jackson Hole, WY. One mile from Grand Teton National Park and 60 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, this timber resort teems with outdoor activities, from ice-skating to horseback riding. Back at the hotel, spacious suites have pull-out sofa beds and kitchens, while customized massage packages are available for mother-daughter duos.

But even if the call of the wild is getting louder, Walt Disney World remains an indisputable kid-pleaser. This year, six resorts at the Happiest Place on Earth made the list of America’s Best Hotels for Families—and they offer a variety of accommodation styles. Disney’s Craftsman-style Wilderness Lodge (No. 8) within the Magic Kingdom has a rustic feel, while those sporting Topsiders will feel right at home at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort (No. 16)—a waterfront property that channels New England right in Epcot.

Read on to see all of America’s best hotels for families.

Next to the theme park, a little piece of Africa: spot free-roaming zebras and antelope from your private balcony overlooking 33 acres of savanna. Doubles from $350.

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Newly renovated 88-room beachfront retreat bordering an Audubon sanctuary, with a seafood-centric restaurant in an 1899 former lifesaving station. Doubles from $300.

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Tucked into a village just steps from the lifts, with fly-fishing and white-water rafting in summer. Doubles from $599.

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Family-owned Back Bay boutique property, around the corner from Newbury Street and minutes from Fenway Park. Doubles from $285.

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An in-house biologist leads excursions to track moose and mountain lions—that is, if you can pry your crew away from the Xbox 360 in the kids’ club. Doubles from $550.

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Winter heaven, with an affordable ski-nanny program, doggie spa treatments, and fire pits. Doubles from $549.

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Tall-timber resort abutting the entrance to Grand Teton National Park; the new 16,000-square-foot spa has a rooftop yoga studio that offers kids’ classes. 800/631-6271; doubles from $389.

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Totem poles, carriage rides, and a man-made geyser are just a few of the features of this Craftsman-style homage to America’s national park lodges. Doubles from $375.

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Storied 1883 hotel on the shores of shimmering Lake George, where cruises take place on a handsome replica of a 19th-century wooden boat. 800/358-3585; doubles from $189.

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Calling all swimmers: this seaside complex has nine pools, a baby-friendly beach, and seven waterslides (some with white-water rapids). Doubles from $519.

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Eighty-three-year-old grande dame with a coastal flavor (crabbing off the dock, anyone?). Doubles from $395.

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Yes, it’s owned by that von Trapp family—thus the Austrian-style décor and the weekly Sound of Music sing-alongs. Doubles from $325.

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Barrier-island resort that has wide-ranging activities: tie-dye lessons, all-ages golf, and Surf Kayak Rodeo. Doubles from $460.

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Recently renovated 1913 property with a Cold War–era bunker that’s open for tours. Doubles from $359.

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Connected by monorail to the Magic Kingdom, this tiki lover’s fantasy features everything from a Tahitian ceremonial house to a volcanic pool that “erupts” with water. Doubles from $510.

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Near Epcot, a Nantucket-worthy shingled village with three acres of pools. Doubles from $465.

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Inspired by the golden age of Hawaii; keikis get to make kiddie-size leis and snorkel Kealakekua Bay. Doubles from $795.

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Takes its cues from California’s Yosemite National Park, down to an Ahwahnee-like lodge and a redwood waterslide. 407/934-7639; doubles from $265.

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Americana, everywhere: think carnival games and enough street theater to rival Atlantic City. Doubles from $500.

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Kids get pails and shovels upon check-in at this quintessential New England beach retreat, where expansive green lawns lead to the harbor’s edge. Doubles from $720.

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With an inventive youth spa menu (hair braiding; Polynesian temporary tattoos). Doubles from $365.

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Water, water everywhere, from the saltwater lagoon to the tropical-fish-filled canals. Doubles from $369.

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Twenty-three miles east of Austin, with draft horses for mascots and a “Don’t Mess With Texas Animals” program where children learn about the wildlife of the surrounding habitat. Doubles from $319.

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The only ski-in, ski-out hotel on one of the best slopes in the East, with an après-ski spa for all ages. Doubles from $259.

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Two hours from Orlando: beachfront breakfast with Goofy for the kids, wine-pairing classes for you. Doubles from $375.

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Five minutes from Main Street and right beside the lifts, with ski valets for every age. Doubles from $639.

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Lavish re-creation of a picturesque Italian town, complete with nightly operas sung from the balconies. Doubles from $349.

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Open from May to October, this legendary 19th-century resort on Lake Huron features 100 rocking chairs on the world’s longest porch. From $279 per person, including children’s activities and most meals.

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Near the Gulf of Mexico, with adventure—a rock-climbing wall; corkscrew waterslides—around every bend. Doubles from $199.

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SeaWorld is your neighbor, but the fun begins on site: the four-acre water playground includes a 950-foot tubing river and a zero-entry kiddie pool. Doubles from $349.

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Set along a three-mile stretch of Maui’s crescent Kaanapali Beach and fresh from a $15 million face-lift; the stargazing nights are a hit. Doubles from $279.

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Eleven aquariums, eco walks, and naturalist-led boat tours give young guests a crash course in conservation. Doubles from $769.

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Order piña coladas by the Gulf of Mexico after dropping the kids off at Aquatic Camp. Doubles from $439.

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Built by Laurance Rockefeller in 1965, with lanais for all rooms and a Robert Trent Jones Sr.–designed golf course. Doubles from $500.

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Turrets and plenty of gingerbread trim turn Disney’s flagship property into a showcase of Victorian style. Doubles from $505.

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On a fabled stretch of fine white sand overlooking the Kahala Coast. Doubles from $415.

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