Family Friendly Beach Destinations

When you’re choosing a beach vacation for the whole family, of course you want a destination with plenty of sun, crystal-clear water and pristine stretches of sand. These destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean offer all of that, along with places to explore beyond the sandcastles.

Playa del Carmen is a coastal town in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, along the Caribbean shoreline. You’ll find great weather, beautiful beaches and world-class resorts, along with fascinating cultural experiences and outdoor adventures. When you’re ready for a break from the beach, you can take a day trip to Chichen Itza to see the ruins of a Mayan city, visit the Underwater Museum of Art, home to a spectacular collection of underwater sculptures that can be admired from a glass-bottom boat, or take a ride on a submarine.

With more than 350 sunny days a year, you’re all but guaranteed perfect weather in the Mexican resort town of Los Cabos, where the beaches are known for their golden sand and dramatic rock formations. Set at the far end of the Baja Peninsula, this once-sleepy fishing village now offers family-friendly luxury resorts, golfing, sailing and surfing. Every December to April, pods of humpback whales make their way from Alaska to the warm waters around Los Cabos, and you can spot them during a whale-watching tour. The Wild Canyon Adventure Park offers zip lining over canyons and off-road ATV rides.

Glitzy, cosmopolitan Grand Cayman, the largest of the Caribbean’s Cayman Islands, is famed as much for the friendliness of its people as it is for its yacht-filled harbors. The island’s Seven Mile Beach is a stretch of powder-soft white sand lined with luxury hotels and resorts. You’ll find kid-friendly restaurants, ice cream shops and lots of activities. The Cayman Islands have worked hard to save their famous blue iguanas from extinction, and you can see them on a safari at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.

Puerto Rico offers cultural activities for travelers of all ages, in addition to natural wonders and gorgeous tropical beaches. You’ll want to spend time strolling along the cobbled streets of Old San Juan, with its Spanish colonial architecture and historic fortresses like El Morro, which has been jutting out over the Atlantic Ocean for 500 years. El Yunque National Rainforest is a 45-minute drive from San Juan, with hiking trails, waterfalls and hundreds of plant and animal species, including the coqui frog, a national symbol.

Set on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana’s all-inclusive resorts attract vacationers from around the world. The island offers spectacular beaches and plenty of sunshine. Activities include whale watching and kayaking, jungle tours, snorkeling trips and one of the longest zip lines in the Caribbean. Santo Domingo is the oldest European settlement in the New World, filled with fascinating historical sites. Your travel advisor can organize a tour of the most kid-friendly highlights.

For help with your travel plans, contact one of our experienced Travel Advisors.