Hotels and Other Favorite Places to Stay

Here’s some of our favorites places that we have discovered throughout our travels as a family of five, along with ideas for empty-nest and girls’ getaways! It’s always recommended to read the latest reviews and understand cancellation policies before you book.

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Kihei Sands Condominiums, Maui, Hawaii Family friendly condos directly on Sugar Beach, it’s the perfect laid back spot for a Maui vacation. Centrally located in Kihei, with easy access to the rest of Maui. Read more about why we loved staying at Kihei Sands.

Hotel Indigo, Charleston, South Carolina Downtown Charleston has no shortage of beautiful places to stay, but just across the river you’ll find the Hotel Indigo in Mount Pleasant. The beautiful pool alone was enough for me, and the location makes for easy access to historic Charleston or nearby restaurants on Shem Creek. We also loved our stay at the Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District.

The Loutrel, Charleston, South Carolina Splurge for a girls’ weekend or romantic trip at this wonderful boutique hotel. Centrally located in downtown Charleston, we loved the hot breakfast, free snacks and drinks, bikes and helmets to borrow, and the spacious rooftop area for lounging.

Hyatt Place, Niagara Falls, New York If you are looking for a prime hotel location on the US side of Niagara Falls, consider the Hyatt Place. We stayed two nights and loved the free breakfast, the rooftop lounge for nighttime fireworks viewing, the convenient access to the pedestrian bridge to Canada and to all the activities on the US side of the falls. Find tips for a first visit to Niagara Falls.

Grand Beach Hotel West, Surfside, Florida It’s not often you find a family friendly hotel with a rooftop pool, but we found a gem in Surfside, just a few minutes north of Miami Beach. The Grand Beach Hotel is a perfect option, with suites that offer two bathrooms, beach access (including umbrellas and chairs) and restaurants and a grocery store an easy walk. The hotel has two properties, but the Grand Beach Hotel West offers more of a value, while still providing the same amenities as the beachfront property.

French Market Inn, New Orleans, Louisiana You can’t beat the location of the French Market Inn, on Decatur Street. It’s an easy walk to everything the French Quarter has to offer. Home to a charming courtyard perfect for relaxing, and just around the corner from the New Orleans School of Cooking, a place you’ll want to check out!

Hawks Cay Resort, Duck Key, Florida This family-friendly resort offers multiple pools, a saltwater lagoon, rooms and villas for any size family, and those famous Florida Keys sunsets! We loved our 3 bedroom villa, and the location on on Duck Key was perfect for a day trip to the Turtle Hospital in nearby Marathon. Read more about our stay at Hawks Cay Resort.

Loved the relaxing vibe at Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys. Read more about our stay on the blog.

Pacific Inn Motel, Forks, Washington If you have any fans of the Twilight movie series in your family, the Pacific Inn Motel is the place to stay. The “Twilight themed room” are a must for any fan of the movie series. The proximity to the Olympic National Park is a major draw, and kids can visit the tide pools on the nearby beaches to look for sea life and especially starfish. It was part of our 19 day road trip in the Pacific Northwest.

Refuge Inn, Chincoteague, Virginia During a spring visit to Chincoteague, we stayed at the Refuge Inn on the beautiful eastern shore of Virginia. Chincoteague is an easy-going back beach town, adjacent to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to the famous Chincoteague Wild Ponies. The Refuge Inn is located within biking distance to the Wildlife Refuge, with the bike rental shop adjacent to the Inn. For kids, you can’t beat having their own ponies to visit right on the adjacent property, as well as the large indoor/outdoor pool and free breakfast.

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The Magic Castle Hotel, Hollywood, California If you are going to spend a day or two in Hollywood, this is the place to stay. The suites are huge, the location is so convenient to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and the staff is the nicest you will find at any hotel. They are so knowledgeable and will tell you about all the local events (for us it was a movie premier at the Dolby Theater). Breakfast is included and kids will love the pool and the menu of snacks and drinks that are always available! This was a fun way to kick off our California road trip.

Sea View Inn at the beach, Manhattan Beach, California This place is great if you just want to spend a few days at the beach during a California trip but don’t want to bring all your beach supplies. They provide complimentary bikes, beach chairs and towels, boogie boards and even umbrellas. There is a wide paved biking path along the beach that runs for miles, and yet the town is close to Los Angeles (just about 15 minutes from LAX airport). The hotel offers larger rooms, which are great for families with 3+ children.

Lazy L at Willow Creek, Lewes Delaware (dog friendly!) If you and your dog are looking for a relaxing getaway near the wonderful Delaware beaches, here’s why you should plan a getaway to the relaxing Lazy L at Willow Creek. The house is situated on 7 acres next to a marsh, with 5 bedrooms, a private cottage and plenty of outdoor space for relaxing. There is a pool and fire place, along with a fenced in dog run. This place is truly dog friendly; the owners go out of their way to make both you are your dog feel comfortable and at home. We even brought our dog with us to the wonderful complimentary breakfast. The nearby town of Lewes is also dog-friendly, and the owners have all the information about where to go.

Motel Del Rogue, Grants Pass, Oregon If you are planning to visit Crater Lake National Park (which should be on every family travel bucket list), Grants Pass is a great town to spend the night. This unique, older motel is right on the banks of the Rogue River, and offers some larger rooms for families. You can picnic on your porch, or hang out by the river. It’s truly an old-fashioned, relaxing experience.

Parry Lodge, Kanab, Utah If there are old western fans in your family, this is the place to stay in the southwest. It is within a 2 hour drive to the spectacular Bryce and Zion National Parks, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, as well as the Lake Powell recreation area. Over the years, many famous movie stars stayed at the Lodge while filming in the surrounding area, including Hollywood favorites Clint Eastwood and Gregory Peck, and several of the rooms have nameplates to show who stayed there. According to the hotel website, the local Kanab area was used in over 100 movies and many television shows over the years. If you are there between April and October, there are classic movies shown in the Old Barn Theater (movies that were made in the area). The barn was previously home to famous animals such as Roy Roger’s “Trigger” and the Lone Ranger’s “Silver.” While it’s not a modern hotel, the history and magic make it worth the stay.

Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, Florida For fans of Harry Potter, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Islands of Adventures is a must see. To fully take advantage of the park, splurge and stay at the on-site Loews Royal Pacific Resort. The hotel grounds and lagoon style pool are beautiful, and you can either walk or ride by free water taxi to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk. Another valuable amenity is the free Universal Express pass, which allows you to skip the regular lines, as well as early admission to “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” In my mind, these two features alone balance out the extra cost of the rooms, especially during the busy summer months.

Columbus Motor Inn, San Francisco, California: If you are looking for a hotel for larger families in a convenient location, this is the place. The Inn is close to the cable car line, and a short walk to Fisherman’s Wharf. They offer two room suites as well as complimentary parking (although the garage is quite small). There are plenty of restaurants and even a small Trader Joe’s nearby. A great base for our 3 days in the San Francisco area during a California road trip.

Driftwood Lodge, Springdale, Utah: My kids will always remember this as the hotel with horses in our back yard! Located just 2 miles from the entrance to Zion National Park, this hotel is also perfect for larger families. There is a big grassy area for kids to run around, a large pool and beautiful views from your patio or balcony.

Inn at Northrup Station, Portland, Oregon: This colorful boutique hotel fits right in with the vibrant area of Northwest Portland. Rooms are all suites, filled with bright colors and funky decor. We visited in the summer and enjoyed taking the free breakfast up to the rooftop deck. Overnight guests also get complimentary tickets for the Portland Streetcar, which conveniently runs to downtown Portland.