America's Best Family Hotels 2013

Here’s a go-to resource for your next family vacation, whether you’re looking for a laid-back beach getaway or Rocky Mountain adventures.

Name an activity that kids might dream up for their perfect vacation and Florida’s Ponte Vedra Inn & Club probably has it. They can join lawn games and craft classes, improve a tennis or golf swing, take a horse ride along the private beach, and learn a captain’s secrets for catching flounder.

It’s a winning recipe that has earned Ponte Vedra the title of America’s best family hotel, according to T+L readers, who voted in the annual World’s Best Awards survey. And like many of the top-ranking properties, Ponte Vedra delivers meaningful, experiential travel and the option for tailor-made experiences.

At Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Lodge (No. 3), for instance, you can indulge in a reflexology massage, while your child chooses a pastry-scented pedicure or a hydrating facial, all items on the “mini-me” menu. A stay at Colorado’s Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa (No. 20) comes with daily story-time—along with complimentary mugs of hot chocolate. And Virginia’s Tides Inn (No. 7) now provides tees for tots at the 18-hole Golden Eagle Golf Club.

Family-size accommodations and convenience remain selling points as well. Disney’s Beach Club Resort (No. 10) is a few minutes’ stroll from Epcot, but you don’t need to leave the resort to get your thrills. Its own three-acre water park features a waterslide crafted from the mast of a life-size shipwreck.

So say good-bye to one-size-fits-all travel. You won’t have to choose between amusement parks and museums or French fries and fresh seafood—2013’s batch of winners has a little something for everyone.

This historic golf-and-tennis resort also offers biking, lagoon excursions, and horseback riding. For little kids, however, the tried-and-true pleasures of a playground, a pool, and easy beach access may prove most popular. For a sweet pick-me-up, head to The Gourmet Shop, where an innovative chef churns out homemade ice cream in heavenly flavors like crème brûlée, chocolate-coconut, and violet.

Southern grandeur meets island charm at this refurbished Gulf Coast retreat among sand dunes. Camp WaterColor caters to kids with nature walks and craft activities, while adrenaline-pumping activities include paddle-boarding and kayaking. After an action-packed day, gather together for a beachside bonfire or movie night inside a rustic boathouse.

The pretty mountain town of Stowe sets the scene for this sophisticated resort, where cabins feature woven timber, natural stone, floor-to-ceiling windows, and bamboo sheets. Hit the slopes, take a family-friendly Segway tour on nearby Spruce Peak, or opt for mini–spa treatments like a 25-minute Chillax Session, complete with aromatherapy and cucumber slices, aimed exclusively at kids.

This tranquil Indian River County resort makes a welcome pre- or post-Disney respite from the Orlando crowds (about two hours away). Pint-size guests will enjoy outdoor afternoon treasure hunts, alfresco oceanfront cooking classes, and quality time with characters like Goofy. And accommodations that range from guest rooms to three-bedroom cottages guarantee there’s room for the whole brood.

Seemingly plucked from a fairytale, this Victorian castle is, in fact, 90 miles north of New York City in the scenic Hudson Valley. Hike on Shawangunk Ridge, skate in the resort’s private pavilion, or hop on a carriage ride that snakes along Mohonk Mountain. Don’t miss the resort’s legendary Sunday brunch spread, including smoked salmon, jumbo shrimp, and made-to-order omelettes.

Not far from Disney’s Magic Kingdom lies this grand Victorian resort, with red turrets and gas lamps that would make Cinderella and other royalty feel at home. The 24-hour concierge can swiftly arrange for everything from Disney character visits to a private dinner in the kitchen of Victoria & Albert’s, one of Florida’s finest restaurants. Suites are big enough for eight, and other family-friendly amenities include a walk-in pool with a waterfall and after-dark kids’ activities.

Fresh lemonade and cookies greet guests upon arrival at this luxurious waterside resort, wedged between the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay—and with its own sailing school. You can hit the croquet lawn or the lush links at Golden Eagle Golf Club, carved around a 50-acre lake; junior tees are available. End your day with complimentary s’mores, served on silver platters.

During the three-hour signature safari experience on this wildlife preserve, expect to spy giraffes, wildebeests, and zebras. At dusk, don night-vision goggles and head back out to tour the grounds by open-air truck. The Pan-African restaurant Jiko prepares inventive flatbreads like roasted chicken with spicy lime relish and Lamb Chopper cheese, grilled to perfection in the restaurant’s wood-burning ovens.

Sprawled along 1,000 acres of a barrier island beach, this opulent golf resort makes it easy to set out on an adventure. Take the kids on a salt marsh fishing trip, snorkel along the South Georgian coast, or board the Cloister Belle, a restored vintage yacht, for a sunset ride. The Beach Club Suites (with a kitchen, a fireplace, and a balcony) are close to three pools, an ice cream parlor, a movie theater, and the children’s center.

A short stroll from Epcot’s side entrance, this 583-room resort draws inspiration from the shingled, seaside cottages of the early 1900s. Its big attraction is a three-acre water park featuring a waterslide crafted from the mast of a life-size shipwreck and multiple pools. The occasional Disney character sighting at breakfast adds to the appeal of this convenient resort.

The larger-than-life lobby—eight stories high, featuring a gushing river and a rock-laden, floor-to-ceiling fireplace—is an attraction in its own right. Disney’s most rustic property embraces the all-American outdoors, with a pine-tree-wreathed pool and a man-made geyser that shoots out plumes of water on the hour. Families can catch a campfire sing-along attended by Chip ‘n’ Dale at the adjoining Wilderness Resort & Campground.

The star of this iconic beachfront hideaway is a 26,000-square-foot natural lagoon, where guests can frolic alongside a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Reef walks, lei-making, and hula dancing are among the countless activities catering to kids; parents can indulge in tropical treatments at the resort’s plumeria-scented spa, ranging from floral immersions to a traditional lomilomi massage.

This 72-suite property is equipped with an on-site escalator that transports you to ski lifts so that you’re on the snow-dusted Rocky Mountain slopes in minutes. Snowshoeing and dogsledding are also available for guests of this lodge, which offers not only convenience but the comforts of your own pillow-top bed and gas fireplace.

Baby-proofed rooms and a teen lounge are two of the thoughtful touches at this secluded, five-star resort bordered by a breathtaking volcanic coastline. Beachcombers will dig the property’s teeming tide and seashell pools, while a meal at ‘ULU (the on-site seafood grill) occasionally comes with an unexpected side of whale-watching.

Take a family animation class and enjoy VIP-like access to California Adventure Park when you stay at this centrally located hotel, done in traditional Craftsman style. For an adults-only dinner, book a table at Napa Rose, where every waiter is a sommelier. Rest assured that the little ones will be fully occupied at Pinocchio’s Workshop, furnished with a movie screen, arts and crafts stations, and cots.

Chandeliers and intricate floral wallpaper—courtesy of designer Dorothy Draper—adorn this legendary hotel, dating back to 1778. Brush up on croquet on the manicured lawn (kids under 13 play free), or explore the Allegheny Mountains with a guided hike. For a crash course on Cold War history, take a tour of the on-site bunker, which once served as a top-secret U.S. government relocation facility.

Walt Disney put his own spin on the Jersey Shore (circa 1940) with this hotel complex that includes Surrey bikes, arcade games, and a brightly lit boardwalk. When hunger strikes, head to the Flying Fish Café, where fun-house mirrors and decorative roller-coaster tracks fuel a carnival-like ambience. Star-chefs whip up potato-wrapped red snapper and char-crusted strip steak from their onstage kitchen.

Steeped in nautical history, this resort puts you and your family in the midst of a peaceful wildlife refuge, with a marina at your service. A picnic-friendly pavilion overlooks Chesapeake Bay, and the five restaurants serve plenty of Eastern Shore specialties like single-fried oysters.

SeaWorld is next door, but you can get your thrills right at the resort thanks to its four-acre water park with a tower slide, a 950-foot lazy river, and the Flow Rider, a nifty wave machine for wannabe surfers. Guest rooms channel ranch-house style with Texas Star silk throw pillows and leather armchairs.

Just 200 feet from Beaver Creek’s ski school, this château-style resort makes kids a priority. Story time convenes daily by the Great Room fireplace (complete with complimentary mugs of hot cocoa), Camp Hyatt organizes activities for those 12 and under, and a mountainside restaurant makes kid-size portions of steak and farm-fresh vegetables. The resort also knows how to pamper adults, whether at the spa or in luxurious guest rooms with oversize beds and views of the slopes.