LGBT-friendly Resorts for Families

Club Med Sandpiper Bay not only hosts Olivia & R Family Vacations LGBT Family & Friends Club but has all the makings of a LGBT-friendly family vacation any time of year. Just two hours north of Miami, the resort is chockfull activities and amenities: flying trapeze school, tennis academy, basketball, water polo, kayaking, paddle boarding, sea scooters, tubing, golf, waterskiing, a water park, baby gym, talent shows to name a few. Kids clubs are age-specific, and there's even a baby restaurant with special meals designed to meet the nutritional needs of children ages 4 months to 3 years. The Pyjamas Club babysitting service frees up parents for the evening.

The 433-room Marriott CasaMagna actively supports LGBTQ initiatives in Puerto Vallarta and is TAG-approved by Gay-friendly Hotels & Attractions Worldwide. The beachfront resort is close to shops and restaurants around Marina Vallarta and across the road from the Marina Vallarta golf course. With a private beach, indoor and outdoor pools, childcare and child programs, upscale dining and spa, it's a good place to relax and regroup after seeing the sights.

The historic Provincetown Inn juts out into the harbor, a mini peninsula at the terminus of King's Highway with views of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Opened as a luxury hotel in 1925, it is year round resort, with Provincetown's largest outdoor waterfront pool and beach, a sauna, a seasonal bar and grill, a nightclub and beautiful murals of Provincetown's past by local artist Don Aikens. Rates vary by season.

The all-suite Costa Sur with 205 rooms over 14 floors was one of the first hotels on the South Shore about 30 years ago. All accommodations have kitchenettes and glorious views of the bay. Its private beach is popular for LGBTQ weddings. About a 10-minute taxi or bus ride from downtown, the resort has plenty on site to keep you busy and offers an all-inclusive plan. It is TAG-approved by Gay-Friendly Hotels & Attractions.

A thirty minute drive from Pretoria and LGBTQ-operated, The Funny Farm lodge is a peaceful getaway for all genders and orientations in a family-friendly environment. Comfortable rooms are decorated with bright colors, or guests can opt for a tent stand or cabins for a more detached stay. A swimming pool, bar and pool table provide entertainment on farm grounds, or guests can venture off for adventures in quad riding, gorge gliding, diamond mine tours, rhino viewing and fishing.

A Waldorf Astoria resort, the 311-room Casa Marina is a 1920s hotel with one of the largest private beaches in Key West and probably one of the few resorts in the world that holds sand castle workshops in sand castle building. The guest rooms and suites combine tradition with contemporary style and have configurations that easily accommodate families or vacationing friends. A half mile from Duval street nightlife, It has three restaurants, two pools and a selection of non-motorized water sports.

Set on 28 Balinese-inspired acres, the DoubleTree at SeaWorld is the official hotel for Gay Days with theme park and entertainment attractions within easy reach and plenty of resort activities on site. There are two pools, a putting green, arestaurant, a market and a kids lounge. Guests also have complimentary scheduled shuttle service to SeaWorld, Aquatica and Universal Studios Orlando.

This all-inclusive resort is set in the jungle 15 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen, a play land for adults and children packed full of activities and amenities including a kids club, massive water with dozens of slides, eight restaurants and a spa. The 955 guest rooms range from family-friendly deluxe to select club adults-only, some with bunk beds, kids plunge pools and/or hot tubs, and all with private balcony or garden terrace. The shallow and rocky beach nearby has free snorkel and kayak rentals.

Just outside of Monadnock State Park in the southwestern corner of New Hampshire and a family favorite, this rustic, all-inclusive resort offers rooms, one-to-three bedroom cottages and three-to-five bedroom houses scattered around the property. Meals are home-cooked and wholesome, served family style in the dining room. Many guests don't even set foot off the farm since on site activities include sports courts, indoor and outdoor pools, horseback riding, boating, ice skating, sleigh rides, fishing, hiking,milking cows, feeding farm animals, gathering eggs and a full children's program. Reflexology and massage treatments also available.

Azul Beach Hotel by Karisma caters to families but welcomes everyone to a luxurious all-inclusive boutique beach resort experience. Oversized suites especially designed for families can accommodate parents and up to three children under 12. Some have pool access from the terrace. The kids program keeps children busy with anything from breakfast with Sponge Bob and a play house to yoga, cooking classes and movie nights. Parents may want to explore a moonlight couples massage, the expansive selection at the tequila lounge or both. The resort's six restaurants offer a variety of gourmet dining, kids menus of course and Gerber baby food.