beach resort - Pitstops for Kids

Kimpton Surfcomber review: Where to stay on South Beach with kids

April 1, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

South Beach Miami may not be the most kid-friendly destination, but as Miami’s a major cruise port, families will find themselves navigating Miami Beach with kids in tow. When we realized our red-eye flight from San Francisco to Miami would land us in the city at 6 am, a full 10 hours before standard hotel check in, I knew exactly where I wanted to stay: at a Kimpton property. I knew a Kimpton would provide the level of customer service I needed when I arrived at dawn with tired kids: ample on-site relaxation we could take advantage of before check-in, as well as a friendly staff who would do all they could to get us in our room early.

Kimpton Surfcomber was perfect. Located in the heart of South Beach, directly on the sand, Surfcomber has three sections of outdoor entertainment: 1. their pool area, which has a beautiful art deco pool and plenty of lounge chairs, with a dedicated pool staff, 2. their ‘backyard’, which is a palm-tree shaded, grassy and sandy area behind the pool with outdoor sofas, Adirondack chairs, ping-pong, and the High Tide Bar, and 3. the beach, with yet another dedicated staff on premises to set your family up with lounge chairs, towels, sunscreen, shade, and water. In addition to these three main areas, Surfcomber has the following perks:

evening complimentary wine hour for parents
morning coffee and tea service in the lobby, and afternoon ‘Arnold Palmer’ service (tea and lemonade mix)
complimentary cruiser bike use (adult sizes)
two on-site dining options: High Tide and The Social Club
exercise room (and beach boardwalk adjacent for running, biking, or walking)
bell service and easy access to South Beach locations
on-site spa services and cabanas
as always, free WiFi and honor bar credit for Kimpton Karma members

We spent our long day pre-check-in at the beach, where we were able to use the beach butler service even though we didn’t have a room number yet, and took the bikes for a spin to check out the local scene (with teens, the adult sized bikes worked well). We ate a late breakfast at The Social Club, and took a swim in the pool, all while desk services held our luggage.

I asked for an early check-in if possible, and was notified around 2 pm that my room was ready. We spent the late afternoon relaxing in the room, then took a second swim at the beach before hitting South Beach for dinner. Note: the only downside to Surfcomber’s location: South Beach is an expensive place to eat…we were hard pressed to find any truly affordable options. Breakfast at the Social Club was absolutely delicious, but well over $50 for three of us, and adult beverages at High Tide were $14 each. We did find a breakfast counter option at the Walgreens one block away (odd, I know!) but expect to pay at least $15-20 per person for dinner and lunch in the South Beach area, at a bare minimum.

Subscribe to our Pit Stops for Kids seasonal newsletter, and get an exclusive travel ‘cheat sheet’. Click here!

The beach along this section of South Beach is calm and still in the mornings, with more waves and current in the late afternoons, and there’s plenty of sand to play in as well. We tended to roam between the pool and the beach. Our room was tastefully decorated and unique, as Kimptons tend to be, but also small, which Kimptons also tend to be. I loved the generous size of the property, however, and how relaxed, artistic, and spacious everything felt outdoors. The overall vibe is very chill and cool, without being snooty. We didn’t see many young kids here, but the adult party scene was elsewhere too, which I appreciated. It got a little loud at times on a Saturday night, but nothing we couldn’t deal with.

Room rates:

We paid around $250 for our standard room with two queen beds, and with all the on-site amenities, I felt I got a good value. The Loews and Ritz Carlton practically next door ask twice as much or more, and I don’t see much addition to the amenities (I could see their pools and beaches alongside ours). And you can’t beat the style of a Kimpton!

Directions:

The Surfcomber is located at 1717 Collins Avenue, South Beach. We paid a $35 flat rate for a taxi from MIA. We were in walking distance of restaurants and beaches and 15 minutes from the cruise port.

Washington with kids: Semiahmoo Resort review

March 28, 2019 By Sharlene Earnshaw

If you’ve ever wondered what the far Northwest corner of the continental US looks like, you should visit Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Washington. This quintessential Pacific Northwest coastal resort is located on a spit almost completely surrounded by the Puget Sound within eyeshot of the US/Canadian border.

Its location on the water and the property amenities made for a memorable long weekend getaway for our family of six. The beach and outdoor yard games alone entertained and delighted our kiddos and provided amazing coastal views for us to enjoy while supervising their play.

Semiahmoo Resort accommodations:

Semiahmoo underwent a full remodel in 2016, upgrading all the rooms, dining facilities, meeting spaces grounds, spa, lobby and added the beach activity center. This remodel resulted in a destination hotel with a casually elegant Northwest style with a large fireplace and lots of windows facing the water (and complimentary apple cider in the lobby which was well received by our crowd). Most guest rooms are a traditional King or double queen configuration. Our room was spacious enough to have two double beds, a rollaway bed and a small sitting area by the view window facing the water. Our room also had a small mini refrigerator making in-room kid meals possible. Unknown to us prior to our visit, Semiahmoo is dog-friendly, welcoming family members of all shapes and sizes. All of the first floor rooms have exterior doors and open right onto the lawn and beach making traveling with a dog or toddler that much easier.

Included resort amenities:

Traveling with kids takes a mental, physical and emotional toll on parents, as all of you reading this article assuredly know. When our family arrives on a property for a holiday, we have no desire to pack everyone back into the car to travel to yet another location (plus we still have a little one in a 5 point harness). We want to settle in and enjoy all the amenities on property, and if those amenities are included for a modest $20 resort fee per day, I’m even more on board. From our experience, Semiahmoo offered the widest variety of included family-friendly amenities of the resorts we’ve recently visited.

Semiahmoo Resort spa and health club:

As a guest of the resort, we were given access to their spa and health club which included a heated indoor/outdoor pool (my kids are still talking about this feature); deluxe locker rooms with a sauna and steam room; reservable gym time to play pickleball, tennis or basketball (equipment included); health club classes and expansive fitness equipment. Our family reserved the pickleball court for an hour exposing our kids to this Northwest favorite sport for the first time. We also reserved the on-site golf simulator, for an additional $20 per hour. If time allowed between our beach and pool visits, I would have liked to take in a complimentary yoga class in the health club or indulged upon some extra time in the sauna and deluxe showers. Those luxuries had to wait until our next visit. All to say, the spa and health club facilities offer activities and relaxation for all members of the family.

Seaview Library and games:

The Seaview Library, positioned right off the lobby with expansive coastal views, offers dedicated gaming space with easy access to board games for all ages. On Saturdays during the high season, the resort offers supervised kid activities (ages 5 – 12) for a small fee. Activities are weekly tailored to the interest and ages of the kids who participate. Around the grounds, there are numerous large yard games, horseshoes, a sand volleyball court and a large chest of other lawn game equipment easily accessible to resort guests.

Discovery Theater:

An on-site movie theatre was new to us, for which we greatly enjoyed. The Discovery theatre, which originally was likely a lecture hall, has been converted into a 50 seat movie theatre for resort guests to enjoy daily movies on the 156’ HD projector “big screen.” Guests can pick a movie from an expansive selection at the front desk and reserve the space for their own viewing pleasure or guests can slip in and join another family already watching a movie. The atmosphere was relaxed, ideal for families. You can bring your own snacks, eat and drink in the theatre and come in your pajamas. This is the way we wish our family could experience all movies on the big screen.

Activity Center:

Included in the resort fee, guests get the first hour of bike, kayak and paddle board rentals. The Activity Center has a wide variety of bike and kayak offerings, sizes and safety equipment suitable for all ages and abilities. Rentals are available 7 am – 8 pm daily. We found this offering generous and ultra fun.

Bonfire and s’mores:

Weather permitting the resort offers nightly bonfires and free smores at dusk. A storm was supposed to move in while we were on property, which we worried would also infringe upon our ability to view the blood moon eclipse also scheduled during our visit. Lucky for us the storm never matriculated and the skies cleared so we were able to enjoy the beach bonfire, smores and the blood moon eclipse – an experience we won’t soon forget.

Beach and surrounding nature:

There is literally hours of entertainment right outside the resort doors. Our kids could spend days rock collecting, sea creature hunting, beach combing, and fort building. The driftwood and ample collection of rocks make for hours of entertainment. As a parent, I was also able to safely view the kids from the warmth and comfort of my hotel room. The view sitting on a log gazing at the sea and mountains vistas weren’t too bad either. On Saturdays, the resort offers local expert, staff guided bird watching tours at 2 pm. During the summer months, resort guests for $5 round trip can board the historic Plover Ferry from the nearby marina and sail across into the town of Blaine. Plover Ferry is the oldest running foot ferry running in Washington state. Strollers, bikes and well-behaved dogs are also welcome on the boat.

On-Property dining:

Packer’s Restaurant & Bar:

The Packers Restaurant & Bar offers Northwest cuisine with amazing water views with friendly and attentive staff eager to serve kids and families. The atmosphere is a nice blend of casual dining accommodating of kids, yet elegant for us as parents to feel as though we are experiencing a night out. The kid menu offered options for many pallets and the portions were generous, allowing for our little one to enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day. There were nightly menu specials and a full bar to satisfy the parental “big kids.” In addition, Packers offers an expansive Sunday brunch buffet which satisfied all appetites and stomach sizes. Due to our busy evening schedule, one night we also ordered take-out pizza and salad from Packers. Walking through the resort halls in my slippers to grab a ready and warm dinner was a nice holiday luxury.

Since the rooms also had a small refrigerator and there is a microwave near the lobby, we also brought along a few kid-friendly meals and snacks that we could eat in our room or outside for a picnic. Semiahmoo also has the Seaview Breakfast Cafe for the parents who need espresso and an assortment of quick food options. Complimentary shuttle service is also offered to the Great Blue Heron Grill at the Semiahmoo Golf and County Club up the hill from the waterfront resort.

Being from the Pacific Northwest, I’ve heard many of friends talk about Semiahmoo Resort. This was our family’s first visit. Now that we’ve seen the beauty, experienced the ease of travel and enjoyed the affordable on-property adventures, I now know why other local and out of area families travel to Semiahmoo Resort and know our family will soon return. Our son, in fact, has already asked multiple times, on multiple occasions to go back.

Disclosure: We experienced Semiahmoo Resort as guests of the resort, for the purpose of review. All opinions remain our own.

Where to stay on Orcas Island: a review of Doe Bay Resort and Retreat

October 4, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Popular Orcas Island, WA can get busy during the summer season, and lodging on this less developed San Juan Islands vacation destination can fill up fast. Families will find they don’t have too many options: only a few established hotel resorts, lots of B&Bs (not all of them kid-friendly), and two campground choices exist. Camping at Moran State Park and Doe Bay Resort fill up as fast as the rest!

Doe Bay Resort is located right on Doe Bay, and resort grounds directly overlook the bluff. The whole property has a friendly, communal feel, from the general store selling organic local produce, vegan snacks, and sundries to the small restaurant to the group fire pit surrounded by an eclectic mix of cabins, yurts, and camp sites. In fact, the resort is known locally for their music scene: supposedly, they played host to a number of successful alternative bands in recent years. Most of the cabins and yurts are listed as two-person accommodations, so we chose a drive-in camp site (walk-in sites are also available, and if you don’t have too much stuff to cart, would be worth it: sites sit right on the bluff). If you have young kids, I’d opt for something on lower ground.

On resort grounds, families will find a nice grassy area, a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch, and friendly lounge with plenty of games, books, and free wifi, a nice playground, views of the bay (we saw a harbor seal enjoying a morning swim) and most interestingly, natural springs soaking tubs and sauna. Note: the latter is clothing-optional, and they mean it. Children are only permitted in the tubs during certain hours (at the time of our visit, it was 11 am to 5 pm) and they should be prepared to see nudity. In fact, every adult enjoying the tubs were in the nude (apart from me, should you be wondering). I felt it was a good travel experience for my kids, but should you feel differently, you’re now aware. There is a beautiful view from the tubs (with deck area) and a lovely waterfall adjacent, next to which our boys loved climbing and playing.

A word on Doe Bay campsites: Families should be aware that some sites are very small. We were given ‘Antelope’, which was large enough only for a 2-3 person tent, and situated dangerously close to a sharp decline overlooking the common grass area and fire pit. Had we not arrived at the resort after midnight (due to ferry schedules), we would have avoided a very uncomfortable night. Instead, we requested a change in the morning, and were given a far more adequate location for our size party. In general, sites on the right-hand side of the camping loop are larger and flatter, while sites on the left-hand side are smaller and higher up.

Rates and reservations:

Get reservations well ahead of time, particularly for summer weekends. At the time of our visit, we paid $45 per night for a tent site. Yes, this is high, but nearby Moran State Park has similar pricing, and is very hard to get into without far advance reservations.

Amenities:

A laundry room is available for a charge, and camp sites are near a full bath house, which has showers, wash rooms, and flushing toilets. A communal kitchen is also available adjacent.

Dining options:

Families can use the communal kitchen to cook meals (individual fire pit are not available and families are not permitted to make fires. We didn’t eat in the Doe Bay cafe, but it is available (and boosts stunning views in a very relaxed setting). The store also offers some necessities.

Directions:

From the ferry terminal, take Orcas Road toward East Sound. From there, take Olga Road through Moran State Park, then Pt. Lawrence Road to Doe Bay. You’ll see a sign for the resort on the right.

A stay at Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel with kids

August 9, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Parents might assume a Ritz Carlton hotel is too, well, ritzy for a family vacation. In fact, the family-friendly offerings at Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel make the acclaimed resort a smart choice for families looking for great vacation value.

Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel with kids:

The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel is located right on the Pacific Coast between the beach towns of Laguna Beach and Dana Point, CA. While a stay is expensive by any standards, your room rate stretches beyond luxury accommodations (which are often lost on kids): families will enjoy excellent service, a completely relaxed atmosphere, hassle-free access to a beautiful beach, and local expertise tapped from the team of concierges, bellhops, and front desk staff.

Kid-friendly offerings at Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel:

Families looking for an ideal beach day can take advantage of the Ritz Carlton’s Beach Butler Service, which not only brings your family straight to the beach via beach shuttle, but also keeps your hands free: ‘beach butlers’ will bring all your essentials to you (and always have towels and sunscreen on-hand).

The Dana Pool is tucked into a garden courtyard, with exposure to sunshine but not wind. Located adjacent is pool dining and beverage service, and ice water is always available. We loved that plenty of pool toys were available, and that kids were welcome in the hot tub. An additional pool exists on the Monarch side of the hotel, and tennis courts and basketball courts are also available for families, as well as a full-service fitness center for adults.

On site at the Laguna Niguel property is Eco Adventures, with opportunities for families to experience the local environment with sea hikes, snorkeling, surfing, and more. We attended the then-called Forests Under the Sea snorkeling program, which included a fun (and informative) naturalist talk followed by a full snorkeling trip to nearby Woods Cove in Laguna Beach.

Check it out on the Pit Stops for Kids YouTube channel:

We were able to learn more about the sea life we’d been spotting while snorkeling on our own, and learned what we could do to help sustain the beach and ocean life eco-system. Tip: Ambassadors of the Environment is available to non-resort guests as well, and is a great value for those looking for an informative half-day ocean excursion.

Date last visited:

July 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Right off PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) in Orange County, CA.

Room rates:

Room rates vary by season and type, from $500-well over $1000. At the time of our visit, we stayed in an oceanview fireside room, located off the Dana Lawn. This location was great for kids: it featured an outdoor fireplace and small patio leading to plenty of lawn space for kids to play on (complete with a horseshoe pitch). Rooms include marble bathrooms, luxury bedding, and in the case of an oceanfront room, amazing views. Note: one thing our Ritz Carlton room lacked was complimentary coffee and tea service, standard in almost all luxury hotel rooms. (Secondary note: my kids are only frowning in the following photo because the sun is in their eyes. They didn’t care about the lack of coffee service…that was all me.)

Dining:

The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel offers several dining options for families, all featuring wonderful service and ambiance (but all costing families accordingly). We ate an incredible meal at Raya, where our server couldn’t have been more friendly to the two kids I had with me (ages 11 and 13). The food was delicious, but even more impressive was the sunset seen over the Pacific from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Raya is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and while dining here for every meal will not be budget-friendly, I do recommending budgeting for at least one special meal here.

For faster, easier-on-the-wallet fare, the Marketplace serves up a nice, quick breakfast. The poolside dining offers high-qaulity snack and lunch foods (including excellent nachos), but for stays of more than a day or so, I recommend buying some groceries and making use of the mini-fridge. The concierge can recommend many off-property restaurants as well. Tip: if you plan to eat most meals on-property, it may be worth the expense to book a ‘club level’ room. Club level guests enjoy five daily food services included in their room rate, including lunch foods, full breakfasts, and cocktails.