7 Best Beach Resorts for Families With Teens That Don’t Require a Passport
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Beach trips are the best vacations. The endless days in the water, building sandcastles, eating ice cream cones — it’s what summertime is all about! But when you’re searching for places to stay across the US, it can feel like families with teens are a bit neglected. Many resorts offer kids clubs and activities designed for the under-12 set — plus adults-only options, of course — but often, there’s not a lot for teenagers to do. And if you’ve ever tried to convince a teen to come on a family vacay with you, then you know how incredibly hard it can be.
Persuade your teen that your family getaway will be fun for them too by booking one of these seven teen-friendly beach resorts throughout the country. From water parks within walking distance to all the gear, games, and equipment they might want for a perfect day on the beach, your teens will have the time of their lives at one of these beach resorts. Because nothing will ruin the summer vacay faster than bringing a disappointed teen along for the ride. (Trust us!)
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Best Beach Resorts for Families With Teens That Don’t Require a Passport, At a Glance
Best Overall (Hilton): Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Best in Florida: RumFish Beach at TradeWinds
Best in Texas: Isla Grand Beach Resort
Best in California: Catamaran Resort and Spa
Best in South Carolina: North Shore Oceanfront Resort Hotel
Best in North Carolina: Trailborn Surf & Sound
Best in the Northeast: Nonantum Resort
BEST OVERALL
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Aloha, family fun! Head to Hawaii to check out our favorite resort with teen beach activities: the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu. This resort is located on a stunning white sand beach at the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. Here you can stand-up paddle board or learn how swim like a mermaid — or simply snorkel, surf, and kayak for hours. There are also family-friendly luaus and activities that the entire family will enjoy, such as lei making, hula lessons, bracelet making, and movie nights. And if your teen wants to go on a more epic adventure, you can book an ATV adventure, a zipline canopy tour, or a tour of Kualoa, a valley where movies like Jurassic Park and Jumanji were filmed. Your teens will never want to leave the resort with so much to do here!
Average cost: $328+
What’s included with your reservation: 5 outdoor pools, 1 children’s pool, beach loungers, umbrella
Amenities: 2 coffee shops, 2 poolside bars, 9 restaurants, fitness center, full-service spa, designer stores, kayaking, snorkeling, steam room
Activities for teens: water slide, bicycle rentals, horseback riding, outlet shopping mall, windsurfing, zipline canopy tour
Proximity to beach/main attractions: Located on the widest stretch of beach featuring the best pools and waterslides in Waikiki, as well as the only saltwater lagoon, 4-minute drive to Honolulu Zoo, 14-minute walk to Waikiki Beach Walk, 15-minute walk to Royal Hawaiian Center
BEST IN FLORIDA
RumFish Beach at TradeWinds
Teens will be so busy at this resort on St. Pete Beach, they won’t know what to do with themselves! It’s located right on the beach with tons of family-friendly activities like parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and dolphin cruises. Other activities that teens will enjoy include a floating waterpark with tons of cool inflatables to climb on; a game zone with ping pong, giant Jenga, and more; and dive-in movies, where you can relax on a raft while watching a family-friendly film. The High Tide Slide is one of the highlights, which is 3 stories tall and 200 feet long right on the and. Teens will love racing down the water slide with unlimited rides for hotel guests. Another perk is scuba diving with the fishes a 33,500-gallon aquarium filled with more than 200 fishes.
Average cost: $254
What’s included with your reservation: Unlimited access to resort features like the water slide, game zone, paddle-boating, outdoor pools, and resort events
Amenities: Spa, pickleball, water loungers, kids’ day camp, cigar rolling workshop, dolphin cruise, parasailing, jet ski rentals, fitness classes, shuffleboard, nightly campfire s’mores
Activities for teens: Splash Island Water Park, 3-story water slide, game zone, dive-in movies
Proximity to beach/main attractions: 8-minute walk to Splash Island Water Park; 3-minute drive to Pass-a-Grille Beach; 4-minute drive to Upham Beach; 11-minute drive to John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk
BEST IN TEXAS
Isla Grand Beach Resort
Isla Grand Beach Resort is in a prime location on South Padre Island. It’s located minutes away from two pristine beaches with amazing activities like horseback riding, scuba diving, and surf lessons that’ll keep teens entertained. It’s also near a waterpark, an amusement park, and the Queen Isabella State Fishing Pier that the entire family will appreciate. The Isla Grand also pools, sand volleyball courts, and other on-site attractions that teens can enjoy alone without being too far away from their parents.
Average cost: $314+
What’s included with your reservation: 2 outdoor pools, free parking, live entertainment from Memorial Day to Labor Day, summertime kids’ activities
Amenities: fitness center, outdoor tennis court, beach volleyball, cooked-to-order breakfast, private beach access, shuffleboard, on-site restaurants and coffee shop
Activities for teens: horseback riding, Beach Park, Gravity Park, scuba diving, surf lessons
Proximity to beach/main attractions: 3-minute drive to Beach Park at Isla Blanca, 2-minute drive to South Padre Island Beach, 4-minute drive to Isla Blanca Beach, 19-minute walk to Queen Isabella State Fishing Pier
BEST IN CALIFORNIA
Catamaran Resort and Spa
Teens aren’t an afterthought at this San Diego-based resort. From all the makings of a fabulous beach day — frisbees, footballs, soccer balls, volleyball, board games, yard pong, corn hole, and more — to an on-site arcade, this is the perfect place to entertain teens. There are also many unique features of this Polynesian-inspired resort, including a unique bird show with colorful talking parrots and a sunset luau in the summertime with authentic island music and dancing. Seasonal summertime activities the whole family will enjoy include hula lessons, lei making, outdoor movie nights, paddleboard yoga, family game nights, and ice cream socials at the pool.
Average cost: $465+
What’s included with your reservation: beach loungers, towels, and umbrellas, beach games, fitness center, resort events
Amenities: on-site restaurants and bars, 1 outdoor pool and hot tub, spa, sailing, live entertainment
Activities for teens: arcade/game room, bicycle rentals, paddleboarding, kayaking, water sports equipment, summer activities, and entertainment
Proximity to beach/main attractions: 2-minute walk to Pacific Beach, 3-minute walk to Mission Beach, 2-minute drive to Belmont Park, 7-minute drive to SeaWorld
BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA
North Shore Oceanfront Resort Hotel
A fun resort plus a waterpark is a recipe for success for teens! This beautiful South Carolina resort fits the bill. It’s located on Myrtle Beach and offers free access to the Sands Resorts Waterpark, with a lazy river, wading pool, splash zone, waterslides, and waterfall pools. Need a break from the sun? Head indoors to the Family Fun Zone, where teens and kids of all ages can play arcade games or go to the Neptune Blacklight Indoor Mini Golf course. During the summer, there are plenty of activities, lawn games, water sports, contests, and more to keep the whole fam entertained at the North Shore Hotel.
Average cost: $245+
What’s included with your reservation: Waterpark tickets, lazy river, 1 indoor pool, 1 outdoor pool, 2 hot tubs
Amenities: Cooked-to-order breakfast, 2 restaurants, fitness center
Activities for teens: Waterpark, lazy river, arcade/game room, mini golf
Proximity to beach/main attractions: 8-minute drive to Apache Pier, 8-minute drive to Broadway at the Beach, 9-minute drive to Ripley’s Aquarium
BEST IN NORTH CAROLINA
Trailborn Surf & Sound
Located on Wrightsville Beach, Trailborn Surf and Sound is like something out of a movie. You and the kids will love every moment here, whether you’re relaxing on the beach or going on a sunset boat ride. Teens will spend a lot of time on the Great Lawn, with outdoor games like corn hole and evening summer bonfires. Another cool, teen-friendly perk? It’s located just minutes from the Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park, with a water park, go-kart course, laser tag, and more. Whether your teen enjoys a laid-back vibe or an action-packed vacation, they will find it here.
Average cost: $297+
What’s included with your reservation: 1 outdoor pool, 1 hot tub, fitness center, beach chairs and umbrellas
Amenities: rowing, kayaking, beach volleyball, surf lessons, spa, on-site restaurants and bars
Activities for teens: outdoor lawn games, water gear rental, summer bonfires
Proximity to beach/main attractions: 1-minute walk to Wrightsville Beach, 4-minute drive to Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, 11-minute drive to Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park
BEST IN THE NORTHEAST
Nonantum Resort
Spend some time in the picturesque Kennebunkport, Maine, this summer at the historic Nonantum Resort. It’s classic New England with plenty of family-friendly activities like daily sailing and nightly campfires. There are lobster boat tours, art classes, golfing, and free shuttles to the beach. While some of the summer activities at Camp Nonantum are just for younger kids, many welcome teens as well — like tie-dye parties, morning yoga, trivia mania, painting, kayaking, bike riding, and more. It’s a fun option if you are looking for a summer camp vibe for the whole family.
Average cost: $500+
What’s included with your reservation: 1 outdoor pool, bicycle rentals, buffet breakfast, shuttle to the beach
Amenities: 2 restaurants, poolside bar, bicycle rentals, golfing, scooter rentals, whale watching, boat tours, spa
Activities for teens: Camp activities like tie-dye parties, painting, and trivia nights, water sports, nightly campfires
Proximity to beach/main attractions: 2-minute drive to Walker’s Point, 3-minute drive to Gooch’s Beach, 5-minute drive to Mother’s Beach, 14-minute walk to Dock Square
Before you go, check out our slideshow below: