Family affairs: from the mountains to the sea, kid-friendly resorts provide satisfying getaways for the whole gang, including Mom and Dad

Travel America, July-August, 2002 by Randy Mink, Karen Mink

As parents of children who whine about long car rides, scrap with each other, and insist on romping in the hotel pool until midnight, we often think "family vacation" is a contradiction in terms. At the beach, lake, or theme park, we sometimes wish we could eliminate the stress caused by extended periods of togetherness. Our own chance to unwind never seems to come.

In a recent survey on family travel, 45 percent of parents responded "relax" when asked what they most want to do on vacation. Not surprisingly, only 4 percent of children chose relaxing as a priority. Survey results show kids most want to swim (45 percent), meet new friends (20 percent), and spend time away from Mom and Dad (10 percent).

To keep everyone on speaking terms (and increase their business), more and more hotels and resorts are going out of their way to attract families by catering to kids. Youth activity programs and facilities custom-made for junior guests mean more relaxation for today's hardworking parents.

Near Florida's Walt Disney World, the first and only all-suite Holiday Inn has gained national attention for its two-bedroom KidSuites that give parents and children their own space. In a semi-private, fun-themed room with bunkbeds and mini twin or two twins, kids at the Holiday Inn Family Suites Resort Lake Buena Vista have their own TV, VCR, CD/ cassette player, Nintendo 64, and phone.

Murals and graphics reflect the KidSuite's corporate sponsor. It might be Kellogg's (Tony the Tiger), Coca-Cola (frolicking polar bears), US Space Camp, or Edy's Ice Cream. The private bedroom for adults (with king or queen bed) and the parlor area (pullout sleeper sofa, rocking armchair, refrigerator, sink, microwave, coffee maker) each have a 25" TV.

The 800-room Holiday Inn, a welcoming retreat after an exhausting day at Disney World or Universal Orlando, offers two separate courtyard pool areas, one catering to younger children. Other family-friendly features at the railroad-themed resort include the Locomotion game arcade, a motorized train ride around the complex, nine-hole miniature golf course, and kids-only check-in desk that resembles a depot ticket counter. The Club Car restaurant serves a free, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, and the food court menu includes Pizza Hut and A & W favorites, plus Edy's ice cream. Kids 12 and under eat lunch and dinner free from a special kids' menu when accompanied by an adult.

Bingo and karaoke, plus a weekly clown show by resort president Terry Whaples, highlight nighttime entertainment at The Crossings. To hone their people skills and relate to kids, all senior management staff attend Clown College.

Hyatt Resorts, a pioneer in supervised children's activities, is known for its Camp Hyatt program, introduced in 1989. Kids not only take part in outdoor games and sports but learn about the local culture and environment in destination-specific activities.

In Arizona, young guests of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch make arrowhead necklaces, hear about Indian life from a Hopi storyteller, take part in a desert scavenger hunt, and visit the Phoenix Zoo. The resort's water playground features 10 swimming pools, a sand beach, and a three-story waterslide. The Camp Hyatt program at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country in San Antonio keeps kids busy with things like river tubing and cowboy and Indian games, while the Hyatt Regency Kauai in Hawaii offers flower lei making, hula lessons, seashell sculpture, palm-frond weaving, and sandcastle building. The Hyatt in Key West, Florida, even has its own turtle farm.

Through August 31, Hyatt Resorts offers a new summer package that includes a free night based on a minimum length of stay, a complimentary day Session of Camp Hyatt for up to two children, and free meals for children under age 12 when accompanied by an adult who purchases a regular meal. Children under 17 play golf for free with a paying adult.

A family favorite in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont is Smugglers' Notch, which bills itself as "America's Family Resort." Open for year-round recreation, this ski village literally guarantees fun in extensive activity programs for four age groups, from tots to teens.

While kids at Smugglers' Notch are having fun with their counselors, parents take advantage of canoe trips, llama treks, and craft workshops from country stenciling to dried flower arranging. After-dark festivities for the whole family include bonfires and game nights. On selected evenings a "Parents Night Out" provides a special kids' dinner and chaperoned activities. Nightly programs at the Outer Limits Teen Center include movies and sports tournaments.

Parents and kids get together at the resort's Family Water Playground, which features waterslides, a lap pool, and tubing on the Giant Rapids River Ride. A less contrived atmosphere for water sports is the secluded Rum Runner's Hideaway, a 10-acre reservoir for swimming, fishing, paddleboating, and canoeing. Notchville Park has three interconnected pools, sand volleyball, croquet, a climbing wall, and a grassy area with picnic tables. Within an hour of Smugglers', you can visit Lake Champlain, Stowe, the Shelburne Museum, Cabot Creamery (for cheese shopping and tasting), Vermont Teddy Bear Company, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory.