Florida’s Paradise Coast offers a variety of family-friendly places to stay. Below is a selection of resorts.
No matter where you and your family choose to stay on Florida’s Paradise Coast, you won’t just be enjoying our uncrowded white-sand beaches and breathtaking sunsets. You’ll also have convenient access to all kinds of activities and adventures, like Everglades eco-tours, fishing excursions, waterparks, and kid-centric spots like the wonderful Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples.
Plenty of family fun can even be found on-site at our celebrated resorts. Here’s a sampling of the many lodging choices known for family-friendly amenities.
Edgewater Beach Hotel: Close to it All
Each of Edgewater Beach Hotel’s 125 units are one- or two-bedroom suites. They’re roomy and nicely appointed with private balconies, kitchens, and more. Seven miles of pristine Gulf beach await just a short stroll away. Two swimming pools (with bars and the adjacent Pool Bar restaurant) are ideal for relaxing and romping. And the location! This beachfront hotel is within easy driving or cycling distance of Naples Zoo, Lowdermilk Park, and more. Downtown Naples, with its upscale shopping and plethora of exciting dining options (perfect for date night!), is just 3.5 miles south.
Endless Kid-Friendly Fun at Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa
Kids like games – and so do their parents. On that count, beachfront Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa delivers big time. The Hilton Hot Shots program has a packed schedule of daily activities, from hula hoop and water balloon contests to soccer and field hockey tournaments – as well as Kids Night Out on Fridays and Parent Retreat on Wednesdays. As if that’s not enough, the Activity Room (ping-pong, foosball, board games, etc.) is open every day from 7 a.m. to midnight. And let’s not forget the babysitting service for parents wanting to slip away for a bit. Outdoor adventures await at next-door Marco Island Watersports, where you can rent wave runners, take a parasail ride, go on shelling tours, and more.
Tiki Time at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
Luxury and endless fun right on the Gulf are in store at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. For families with children aged 5 to 12, the resort features the Tiki Tribe Discovery Day Camp, offering peace of mind for parents and great times for the kids. Then there’s beach volleyball, a scenic cycling tour of the island, sailing and shelling excursions, arts and crafts, and – in keeping with the hotel’s Balinese theme – a nightly fire-dancer show that will dazzle the entire family. Among the complex’s many restaurants, which range from elegant to casual to beachy, 10K Alley is the most kid-friendly. The gastro-pub features a colorful gaming emporium with bowling, mini-golf and arcade games for kids of all ages – not to mention 60 craft beers and barrel-aged bourbons for the grownups.
Marco Beach Ocean Resort: Sea Turtles & Beachfront Fun
How’s this for cute? One of the traditions at this 103-suite, upscale boutique resort is the Turtle Turndown, available by request. In honor of the loggerhead sea turtles that nest on local beaches, the hotel offers children a story of the creatures’ annual nesting event, tips on how to keep them out of harm’s way, and – cutest of all – a stuffed turtle keepsake. Marco Beach Ocean Resort’s roomy one- and two-bedroom suites with private balconies and fully equipped kitchens can comfortably accommodate families of varying sizes. On the beach or at the expansive pool, attendants provide complimentary umbrella-shaded chairs and take orders for food and drinks. Each day at 3 p.m., guests on the beach and at the pool are offered a free smoothie. Try breakfast at The Saletta, a resort-casual eatery with a kids’ menu, outdoor seating, and Gulf views. Parents and kids alike can enjoy fine dining at the award-winning Sale e Pepe restaurant. The Beachfront Bar & Grill serves up meals and cold drinks right on the beach.
Get Poolside at Naples Grande Beach Resort
Take a thrilling ride on a 100-foot water slide, which deposits you into the Naples Grande’s Mangrove Pool, one of three on the 23-acre property. Tennis enthusiasts will marvel at a center that includes 15 clay tennis courts (that can also accommodate pickleball). The resort offers several beach accesses, but the most unique is along the Clam Pass Beach Path, which winds through 200 acres of protected mangroves. You’ll be greeted by Rhodes End restaurant (one of seven on the property) and three miles of white-sand beaches.
Low-Key Fun at Olde Marco Island Inn & Suites
All of the units at off-the-beaten-path Olde Marco are spacious two-bedroom suites with private, screened lanais. The hotel is located on the quiet north end of Marco Island, but it’s very close to the action if you want it. The original inn dates back to 1883, but these days it’s comfy and elegant, designed in a classic Florida style. You can enjoy indoor/outdoor dining at the French-inspired Bistro Soleil. There’s a heated pool hot tub, and bike rentals for a nominal fee. Tigertail Beach is just a short car or bike ride away.
All-Ages Amenities at The Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort, Naples
Situated on Vanderbilt Beach in North Naples, the luxurious Ritz Carlton Beach Resort, Naples offers a plethora of activities to complement its posh accommodations, six restaurants, two heated saltwater pools (including a Junior Olympic one for adults only), a heavenly spa and other amenities. Kids aged 5 to 12 can experience Nature’s Wonders, an environmentally conscious program that features a living eco-sanctuary with 11 aquariums that house sharks, crabs, alligators, turtles, and more. Kids of all ages can get their kicks at the sleekly designed Vue, a next-level entertainment lounge outfitted with virtual reality games in all the top user platforms. Guests have access to the 36-hole Tiburón Golf Club, part of a sister property – the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples – just a 10-minute ride on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle.
Vanderbilt Beach Resort: Family-Owned & Family-Friendly
Owned by the same local family since 1968, this intimate hotel offers guests an “old Florida” experience – with all the modern amenities, of course. Beachfront Vanderbilt Beach Resort has 18 rooms and suites. For visitors wanting more living space, a four-story building across the street on the bay houses 16 two-bedroom condos. There’s a heated pool located right next to the beach, and the indoor/outdoor Turtle Club restaurant, a favorite of locals, offers “toes-in-the-sand” dining. You can enjoy paddleboarding in the calm Gulf waters and have some fun at the tennis/pickleball court. The Vanderbilt has several beach-cruiser bikes that guests can use for free. We suggest you point them north and take a 10-minute ride along scenic Gulf Shore Drive to Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, a 166-acre wonderland, perfect for hiking, lounging in the sun, or swimming, and one of the best shelling spots in Southwest Florida.