Beach resort/vacation with kids

[Baboontyme 2849]

I had a similar thread last year but I've narrowed down the scope of what we're looking for. 

• Prefer a resort with lots of kid activities vs single unit rental
• Prefer it to be on the East Coast/Gulf on the Ocean without leaving the country
• Would like to drive as an option (coming from MI, not TX, max of 20ish hours, less preferred). Close to airport would also be cool as I will consider that. 
• Prefer a villa with a kitchen

We did Captiva last summer and it was great. Might like to try something else. Access to beaches on the resort, a pool, waterslide, bars, gym, etc all would be positives. Off property amenities/restaurants/bars and excursions close by also would be a plus. Kids are young (6 and 9). Trip would be in the next month or two. 

Please let me know if you have any recommendations. Thanks!

[HenryJames 66394]

Pampa

[Baboontyme 2849]

Pampa is nice. But I had a pifane just now and I'm looking at Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort. Anyone been there?

[Pato del Muerto 52997]

Miracle mile

[Brew 3049]

Man, that’s more of a Caribbean or Hawaii trip than a contiguous US trip. There was a Marriott resort on Marco Island that was really fun for the kids, but it looks like it may have changed to a JW now. I’m not sure if they changed the resort setup or not. We were down that way earlier this week. You have the Everglades and Keys that are both close by. The Naples Grande is right there also, but I’m not sure it has a lot of kids activities although the pool setup is nice. There are several lists online if you search Florida family resorts, but most are Tampa and south.

From location standpoints, if you’re near Tampa there is a nice aquarium, the marine center from Dolphin Tales is right there, plenty of nice beaches, baseball, day trips to AMI, etc. If you’re in the Marco Island / Naples area you have the Everglades, a day trip to Aquarium Encounters in Marathon, a decent zoo, shelling/beach hopping day trips, etc. We have avoided the Florida East Coast outside of a few days in Fort Lauderdale/Miami and a trip to Amelia Island (decent Omni resort there for kids, but no local activities) because our kids don’t like the beaches. 

You may as well just go to Disney and hit the water parks, theme parks, and day trip the beach if you want to be around that many kids though. Getting a house with a pool at the beach and no other people around is more our speed. We can find local things for the kids to do.

[Brew 3049]

21 minutes ago, Baboontyme said:

Pampa is nice. But I had a pifane just now and I'm looking at Sandestin Beach and Golf Resort. Anyone been there?

The place stays packed, I’ll give you that. There are some decent restaurants in Baytowne Wharf and the newer Grand Boulevard shops that are attached. Never stayed onsite there but I have clients that own houses on property that swear by it. 30A is so close by though and such a better beach experience.

[Baboontyme 2849]

Thanks Brew, you helped me out a lot last year. 

To clarify, we would spend 90% of our time on site. Done Disney enough, don't need to do that. Prefer more relaxed beach/pool/whatever all day scenario with maybe a day or two with an offsite excursion. We don't mind the people that a resort would bring. 

What is better/nicer about 30a vs Sandestin? I have never been to the panhandle. I do much prefer the drive to the panhandle (15h) vs. central/South FL. 

[Brew 3049]

For what you are looking for, probably nothing. Sandestin is just a massive resort across both sides of Hwy 98. If you’re on the beach side, you have it and you have to shuttle back and forth to golf, food, etc. If you are on the bay side, you have the other stuff, but you have to shuttle back and forth to the beach. However, someone that has stayed on site should weigh in. It just seems like a pain in the ass from when I have been there for conferences and just stopping in to eat.

The 30A communities give you the best beach part with some of the other stuff but aren’t resorts by any stretch. Look at Watercolor, Seaside, and Rosemary if you want kids activities nearby, food options close, plenty of people/kids. Look at Blue Mountain, Grayton, Santa Rosa if you want a house/condo and a beach/pool while driving to eat in most cases. Watercolor is the closest to a resort setup in my opinion in that it has pools, lakefront activities, restaurants and shops, kids activities, etc. Seaside has turned into your local Country Club makeup with kids and teenagers just taking it over and running around everywhere. They have a nice setup though. A lot of people from our area are going to Rosemary now, because it is somewhat self contained and laid back, but it’s primarily about the beach and being low key. You can always stay at Sandestin, and then drive down through the other communities. 30a starts just a few miles from Sandestin. You also have Destin the other way which has water parks and plenty of stuff for kids to do.

[Baboontyme 2849]

Gracias for the info Brew. Again keep in mind we liked South Seas a lot. My kids will spend less time at the beach than at the pool/waterslides but also don't want to go to a park where they have to wait in line for some bullshit. We enjoyed the beach parties at night by the tiki bars and the sunsets while they splashed around but they aren't big ocean kids. 

[Brew 3049]

Someone else can probably answer better about what the on-site activities are like. If you end up there, you can always go down to Big Kahuna’s water park to take them to a water park. Crab Island is always a good time if you are comfortable renting a boat. The Gulfarium is worth a visit. Restaurant options are never ending, but there is a Donut Hole 3-4 miles from Sandestin and it’s worth a visit for breakfast or just donuts. I can throw out others if you end up in that area.

[Baboontyme 2849]

Hi @Brew and anyone else. I'm trying to line something up for mid-late summer. Enjoyed Sandestin and Captiva but looking for something different. Ideally a beach villa in a resort with multiple pools, bars and restaurants. Or alternately a beach house with a private pool within walking distance to a town with shops/restaurants/bars. I think we would prefer the former but who knows what the summer will bring, I suspect we would mostly be doing carryout and cooking at 'home' anyway. I think it's better for the kids to have other kids around which is why I skew towards resort, but this year - who knows. If anyone has a resort or area that they like on the beach in FL, GA, SC, NC etc definitely interested in hearing about it. 

[alincoln 2385]

Sea Pines in Hilton Head is your answer since you just did SW Florida.  

[immamac 43723]

1 hour ago, Baboontyme said:

Hi @Brew and anyone else. I'm trying to line something up for mid-late summer. Enjoyed Sandestin and Captiva but looking for something different. Ideally a beach villa in a resort with multiple pools, bars and restaurants. Or alternately a beach house with a private pool within walking distance to a town with shops/restaurants/bars. I think we would prefer the former but who knows what the summer will bring, I suspect we would mostly be doing carryout and cooking at 'home' anyway. I think it's better for the kids to have other kids around which is why I skew towards resort, but this year - who knows. If anyone has a resort or area that they like on the beach in FL, GA, SC, NC etc definitely interested in hearing about it. 

Go to cancun. Thank me later. 

[alincoln 2385]

To add a bit more detail, Sea Pines Beach Club and the Marriott Resort just south of there are good options for resorts.  We always rent a house on one of bird named streets north of the Beach Club on the east side (beach side).

[Ogie Ogilthorpe 639]

You could always try Hawks Cay near Marathon, not a natural beach but still nice

[Baboontyme 2849]

Looked at Hawk's Cay. I plan on driving and it's a bit further than I want to go. Thanks. I will check out Sea Pines alincoln. Thanks. 

[alincoln 2385]

No problem.  Let me know if you need any additional information (restaurant recs, things to do).  It's a great option for kids in your age window.

[Brew 3049]

I’m not an East Coast fan of a resort fan, but Sea Pines is a nice area. I just don’t care for the beaches or the water and the few times we’ve taken the kids they have had no interest in getting in the water. From a house standpoint, Rosemary Beach would fit your requirements, something around Seaside but outside the immediate loop would fit your requirement, a house in the Pine Island area of Anna Maria would be probably the highest on my list, something right around Siesta Key, etc. 

[Brew 3049]

It wasn’t Sea Pines, we went to Wild Dunes. The main pool was closed, but it was a nice resort. I preferred the Omni at Amelia Island primarily because the Fernandina Beach downtown area was a nice setup and we liked the houses. I have friends that go to some place on St Simon’s Island every year and never go anywhere else. I haven’t been though.

[alincoln 2385]

Hilton head beaches are not the soft white sand of Gulf Coast Florida and the water is a bit murky (although very warm during summer).  The Hilton Head beach does create some nice tide pools when the tide recedes that little kids like to play in.  The beach is also perfect for bocce and kicking around a soccer ball.  It's also relatively uncrowded (at Sea Pines), particularly if you on the beach in front of the houses as opposed to in front of the resorts.

[Hate 20167]

Hi [mention=155]Brew[/mention] and anyone else. I'm trying to line something up for mid-late summer. Enjoyed Sandestin and Captiva but looking for something different. Ideally a beach villa in a resort with multiple pools, bars and restaurants. Or alternately a beach house with a private pool within walking distance to a town with shops/restaurants/bars. I think we would prefer the former but who knows what the summer will bring, I suspect we would mostly be doing carryout and cooking at 'home' anyway. I think it's better for the kids to have other kids around which is why I skew towards resort, but this year - who knows. If anyone has a resort or area that they like on the beach in FL, GA, SC, NC etc definitely interested in hearing about it. 

Like Brew said a few posts back, go to Rosemary Beach. The kids will love it. Soft white sand and blue water. If you don’t want to rent a house, book a room at The Pearl. It only has one pool, but I’ve never seen the pool crowded. You can use the hotel’s bikes to ride around the town and go to the adjacent towns that are maybe a 5-10 minute bike ride away. The whole area is very family friendly. We once rented a house with a pool in Santa Rosa beach which is just a few miles away from Rosemary. It was a little more reasonably priced than the houses in Rosemary Beach if you are concerned about that.

[Baboontyme 2849]

Thanks guys. How does Rosemary Beach and surrounding areas compare to Siesta Key? I've been honing in on renting a place at Siesta Key. Most of the "resorts" are smaller condo complexes and I'm good with that this year, or might even go the private home route if I can find one with a pool. I would rent close to the Village so we would have the amenities of restaurants, bars etc nearby if we choose to go that route. I will check out RMB. 

Never been to either. We didn't leave the resort at Sandestin other than when I hit Publix and the liquor store. 

[Brew 3049]

2 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

Thanks guys. How does Rosemary Beach and surrounding areas compare to Siesta Key? I've been honing in on renting a place at Siesta Key. Most of the "resorts" are smaller condo complexes and I'm good with that this year, or might even go the private home route if I can find one with a pool. I would rent close to the Village so we would have the amenities of restaurants, bars etc nearby if we choose to go that route. I will check out RMB. 

Never been to either. We didn't leave the resort at Sandestin other than when I hit Publix and the liquor store. 

Rosemary is much more private/quaint feeling than Siesta. Depending on kids ages, you will feel more comfortable turning them loose in Rosemary. Siesta is the busiest of all mentioned if you have to use public beach access. The main beach is massive, but you can stay further from there but you also lose the walk ability. I think you can take the trolley setup though. Rosemary felt too uppity for me, so we’ve only been once. I would rather get a house on AMI or Blue Mountain and have to drive to eat potentially. I’m not a big fan of other people so we’re always looking for low beach volume.

[Baboontyme 2849]

I looked at Rosemary a little. I looked at AMI a lot. I took a left turn at some point and decided I wanted a private house. My wife and I are both fully vaxxed but kids are too young and while I don't mind sharing space with other families at a giant pool area, like the one we had at the Westwinds condo in Sandestin, most of these areas are smaller resorts with smaller pools. Why deal with sharing facilities I guess. There will be people at the beach and in the village, that's enough for this year. Maybe next year back to a resort. It was tough finding private homes available at both AMI and SK but I finally settled on a house in SK with a pool. Thanks for the recs. I'll probably post a review of the area if I remember.