Wailea Beach, Maui

Shallow waters perfect for young children may be one of the details you’re looking for when considering the best family beaches. This one was voted best beach for the U.S. in 1999. What can be nicer on some beach days than lounging on the sand watching your smaller ones running in and out of shallow warm water, occupying themselves with pails and shovels without deep water drop-downs to worry about. Snorkeling and floating on more gentle waves is not a bad way to spend the day. If you are into more activities than that, you can splurge on a day pass at the Grand Wailea Resort on Wailea Beach, which offers the use of its phenomenal pools and water slides.

If you so choose, check into the Grande Wailea Resort where you’ll have access anyway. Did I mention this amazing resort is part of the Waldorf Astoria crème de la crème of hotels? Yes, well, all I can say is be prepared because this place is stunning in every sense. The pools are also called fantasy pools. There is an adult pool called the Hibiscus pool which only 18 years and older of the mature sort can lounge in.

For those with children however, you will not be disappointed by the 2000 foot long Wailea Canyon Activity pool that is actually nine free form pools connected by a river that one can be carried along in to the next pool. There are different modes of getting to the next pool depending on the speed you wish to exert yourself to such as whitewater rapids mode to the more sedate waters carrying you easily to the next pool. There is a white water rapid slide, six waterfall caves, a Tarzan pool with a swing rope, four jungle pools, an infant pool, and the list goes on. The facilities just for the pools are so incredible that you may easily find yourself wishing you had checked into this hotel for these facilities.

Look into their Camp Grande, which offers an extensive array of activities for your children, ages 5 to 12. There needs to be a minimum of three children to run the day and evening camps, so check ahead if you are depending on this at all as a way to enjoy your own leisurely time, such as maybe at the Spa Grande, voted one of the top ten spas in the U.S. by Conde Naste Traveler. Some people could care less about the spas, especially the men, and that’s fine. When not at the beach, try your spaless days at the golf course,- three championship courses to choose from, the tennis court, the many restaurants and lounges on site. You’re likely to find that this is a holiday you’ll remember as one of your best family vacations.

Directions: Fly into OGG which is the Kahului airport. If you are renting a car, go online for the very clear directions to this hotel resort but it will be about 17 miles from the airport.

grandwailearesort.com