Time to Book Your Summer Family Vacation

It is May already, and here in Colorado where I live many elementary schools and high schools are just about done for the year. It is time to start planning and booking that summer trip for your family, and some of the best vacation memories come from beach vacations. Let your kids play in the water all day. Go swimming, go snorkeling, take walks along the beach, collect shells, view wildlife, and go fishing. There are some really family-friendly beach destinations for your summer trip.

Here are some destinations that come to the top of the list for popular family travel destinations. These are just ideas to get you thinking, and I cannot wait to hear what places rank among your favorites as well:

Coronado, California

Just a short drive from San Diego, Coronado is a great family beach destination. The weather is warm there, but even in the summer the ocean tends to keep the temperature comfortable. Coronado offers miles of white sand beaches, championship golf courses, great biking trails, fantastic dining options.

Southern California has great sport fishing as well, so if your family likes to fish, Coronado puts you close to some world-class fishing opportunities. I grew up in Southern California, and I spent a lot of time at the ocean. I fished for calico bass, sand bass, yellowtail, barracuda, and even tuna and dorado when the conditions were just right.

The Travel Channel named Coronado’s beaches the best “family beach” in America, so I think you would find Coronado a great destination.

Coronado is home to the Hotel Coronado, a unique, historic hotel you will definitely want to consider for your stay.

Sanibel Island, Florida

Sanibel Island is home to the Ding Darling Wildlife Reserve, a 5,000 acre sanctuary, where you and your family can go canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, and sport fishing. Sanibel Island has great family beaches, too. You can collect beautiful shells on many of the beaches, and Sanibel is conveniently located for a day trip to Captiva Island, too.

Kauna’oa Bay

The Big Island of Hawaii is, in general, a really fun place for a summer family trip. If you have kids, who love the ocean, Hawaii is spectacular. The Big Island has really great hiking opportunities, beaches, and cultural attractions.

Among the best beaches on the Big Island is Kauna’oa Bay. The Bay offers very calm, clear water. It is great for families with young children because they can safely splash in the shallows. And the bay also offers great swimming and snorkeling for older children and more experienced swimmers.

According to the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, “Welcoming strangers is a cultural practice of the Hawaiian people, developed into an art form over the centuries. It brings great dignity and honor to its practitioners and promotes peace and harmony wherever it is found . . . it is called ho`okipa”

The rich history of the islands, and the traditional pride of the Hawaiian royal families in offering hospitality to outsiders is something that very much lives on in Hawaii today. It is not simply the fact that Hawaii has become a popular resort destination for travelers from around the world.

The Big Island has some really great, family-friendly hotels that would welcome your family with open arms, in true Aloha spirit. You can find everything from moderate, clean, comfortable hotels to upscale luxury resort properties. Several options I would recommend on the Big Island are the following properties:

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Gather up your friends. Gather up your favorite places. If you need help planning a group vacation, Groople is there for you! Share your travel photos and stories, and even learn some useful tips for planning your next vacation. To join the group on Gather, click here!