This One’s for the Kids

Togetherness is the main focus on a family vacation, but sometimes kids just want to be kids. Below is our curated list of exclusive family vacation spots with kid-specific programming for education and entertainment (and a plethora of amenities adults will enjoy as well).

Montage Deer Valley: Deer Valley, UT 

Tucked into the Wasatch Mountain Range surrounding Park City, UT, Montage Deer Valley grants ski-in/ski-out access to some of the best trails in the country. But it isn’t just a winter wonderland—hiking, mountain biking, golf, and fly fishing reign supreme in the summertime.  

When you’re looking to take time and unwind with a massage at Spa Montage or just give the kids their own “me” time, Paintbox kids’ club offers programming for ages 5–12 that is both educational and entertaining. Artistic littles will love watercolor painting and science experiments, while older, more active kids gravitate toward scavenger hunts and swimming.  

When you’re looking fill your days all together, check out Montage Deer Valley’s calendar of events and activities focused on the whole family. From the Friday Family Cooking Series and Saturday night campfires (complete with s'mores and stargazing), to family movie nights and Ping Pong tournaments, it's like summer camp for the whole family — in one of the most beautiful places in the American West.  

The Club's five, three-bedroom residences are outfitted with cozy fireplaces and a walkout balcony, complete with access to the resort's indoor and outdoor pools and complimentary shuttle service to Park City. 

Pelican Hill: Newport Beach, CA 

At Pelican Hill® in Newport Beach, it's easy to forget you're in California. The Tuscany-inspired resort will transport you the Italian countryside (but with an ocean view) the moment you arrive.  

While you play the resort's two Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf courses or relax at the award-winning 22-treatment room spa, children ages 4–12 can learn and play at Camp Pelican™ where highly experienced counselors customize indoor and outdoor experiences and offer a weekly schedule of themed days, special guests like the “Lizard Wizard” and his reptile zoo, sand castle building, and the favorite — a Kids’ Night Out dinner and movie night. For teen guests ages 13–16, your concierge can arrange local excursions such as kayaking, surfing, and beach cruiser bike tours.  

Kids of all ages can take a break from the sun and kick back in a beanbag chair at Camp Pelican, a space just for them equipped with board games, age-appropriate books, video games (even karaoke!), and a Ping Pong table. 

Unwind after your day in the sun in one of the Club's five three-bedroom villas, each perfect for families with their open floorplans. You’ll fall in love with the stunning Pacific Ocean views and décor reminiscent of a Tuscan estate — including Italian limestone fireplaces. 

The Cloister: Sea Island, GA 

The Cloister at Sea Island is the only resort in the world to receive four Forbes Five-Star awards for 12 consecutive years, and there is no shortage of reasons why it’s a top favorite among Members. The timeless Georgia enclave has five miles of private beach to its name and features a tennis center, yacht club, ultra-luxe spa, and one of the best menus of children's activities of any U.S. resort.  

Budding naturalists will delight in the variety of animal-focused activities, including an introduction to falconry, fishing, crabbing, and outings with Sea Island's nature and falconry teams for an up-close look at birds of prey and reptiles native to the state. Sports enthusiasts can perfect their tennis and golf swing, learn archery, and improve their swimming skills. And then there are the baking and biking lessons, bowling lanes, arts and crafts, and so much more. 

Your family will feel right at home in the Club’s 14 four-bedroom residences, each of which can comfortably sleep up to ten. Prepare meals together in the spacious kitchen, enjoy quiet mornings in the screened-in porch, and splash in the private plunge pool — all just a short walk from The Cloister’s numerous resort amenities and restaurants. 

Esperanza Resort and Spa: Los Cabos, Mexico 

From world-class dining at the resort's three restaurants (as well as chef-curated private dining on the beach) and an award-winning spa complete with a special menu designed just for kids, to La Cueva, a space dedicated to teens, and Tortuguitas Kids Club, with daily activities for the little ones, Esperanza is an ideal retreat for families. 

At Tortuguitas Kids Club, children ages 4-11 are encouraged to explore and create. Thanks to Esperanza's private setting, kids can run free without having to worry about leaving the safety of the grounds. Supervisors lead kids through yoga, arts and crafts, games, and cooking classes, as well as take them to the pool and the beach to enjoy all that Cabo has to offer. 

Enjoy the Southern Baja's blissful 350 days of sunshine a year in one of the Club's condo-style luxury residences. Each residence includes comfortable outdoor living spaces and private plunge pools, kitchens equipped with chef-grade appliances, a dining table for eight, and access to Esperanza's four pools, spa, fitness center, and restaurants. 

Montage Kapalua Bay: Maui, HI 

When it comes to family vacations, few destinations rank higher than Maui — it's a haven of postcard-worthy beaches, volcanic hiking trails, oceanfront golf courses, and fish-filled reefs. Though there are ample excursions for the family to enjoy all together, sometimes the kids just want to be kids on their own time — and Montage Kapalua Bay delivers. 

Along with their signature Paintbox kids’ program which keeps kiddos ages 5‒12 years entertained with arts and crafts, tide pool explorations, and games galore, Montage Kapalua Bay now offers Montage Academy — where the school is in session, Hawaiian style. Monday through Friday, young travelers ages 6–17 can join a monitored study hall on the property where personalized attention from both local and virtual tutors keeps them on track with their assigned classwork from school back home. In the afternoon, they can participate in elective activities ranging from physical education to art to history and life sciences.

Between island-style remote learning and beach activities, kids will stay plenty busy. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy a round at Kapalua Club's two championship golf courses, relax beside the 8,500-square-foot Lagoon Pool, or unwind with an island-inspired massage treatment at Spa Montage. 

One of the Club’s ocean-facing, three-bedroom residences is your ideal tropical home-away-from-home just steps from the beach. The spacious lanai grants panoramic ocean views and ample seating to enjoy an alfresco family meal after a day of island fun.