9 amazing family-friendly resorts with private beaches

Any kind of beach vacation is a good vacation. But when you stay at a resort with a gorgeous private beach, the trip turns into a true getaway.

There's just something about not having to search for a spot on the sand or share the shoreline with crowds of people that makes beach time so much more relaxing. And your whole crew can enjoy that kind of exclusive access at these family-friendly resorts with amazing private beaches.

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1. The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort

Longboat Key, Florida

This recently opened luxury resort sits on 18 scenic acres that include an 800-foot private stretch of white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Families will likely spend a lot of time by and in the water here, but no matter where you are at the resort, the beach is never really out of view. You can spy it from the family-friendly Resort Pool and Winding River, the Under the Sea Lagoon, where guests can snorkel with stingrays and local reef fish, the oceanfront spa, and many of the on-site dining options. Opt for a Gulf-view room or suite to start or end the day by watching the waves.

SUNSHINE STATE: The 14 best Florida beaches for families

2. Beaches Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Beaches Resorts’ all-inclusive properties are beloved by families for a whole host of reasons, from the resort’s excellent programming for kids and teens to the wide range of amenities and activities that include on-site water parks and scuba programs. Stay at Beaches Ocho Rios and you can also head down to its private white-sand beach and find kayaks, paddleboards, snorkeling equipment, and even “aquatrikes” for getting out on and in the Caribbean. The 22-acre all-inclusive resort also offers seven restaurants, five pools, and a full schedule of daily activities and entertainment.

IN THE BAG: Heading to a Beaches Resort? Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) pack

3. Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club

Dana Point, California

Book a stay at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, set on 175 acres atop a 150-foot seaside bluff in Orange County, and you have access to the private Monarch Bay Beach Club. That’s where the whole family can take a dip in the Pacific Ocean, rent paddleboards and kayaks, take surfing lessons, and enjoy seasonal beach bonfires complete with gourmet s’mores kits. Beyond the beach, the resort also offers complimentary access to beach cruisers, a family pool, a fitness center and dozens of complimentary classes, and a luxe spa with relaxation lounges with ocean views.

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4. Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina has not one but two private beaches. Located below the resort’s lagoon-style multi-tiered Pavilion Pool, Donovan’s Beach is the place to go for activities like kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, and playing on the resort’s kid-friendly water trampoline. And then there's North Beach, a secluded, scenic 1,000-foot stretch along the Caribbean just a short walk from the main resort area. Accommodations here range from standard guest rooms and suites to six-bedroom villas, and you can take your ocean-centric getaway to the next level by literally learning the ropes of setting sail at the on-site Offshore Sailing School.

TROPICAL TRIPS: 11 Caribbean vacations the whole family will enjoy

5. Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa

Palm Beach, Florida

There’s a lot for families to like at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. That includes two oceanfront swimming pools, an on-site ice cream parlor, and new Kids and Teens Clubs with crafts sessions, video games, and movie nights. At the resort’s private beach, staff can get families set up with kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkeling gear for exploring the Atlantic Ocean. Guest rooms and suites designed by Jonathan Adler are done up in colorful Palm Beach style, and even the family pup gets five-star treatment here with in-room dog beds, food and water bowls, and homemade treats.

BY THE SHORE: 10 dreamy Florida beach resorts that are perfect for families

6. Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico

Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

You won’t be sharing the sand with anyone but your fellow resort guests at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico, which sits on a 72-acre private peninsula in the foothills of El Yunque National Forest. Grab a kayak, paddleboard, or snorkel to explore the coral reef-protected Atlantic coastline from the resort’s private beach, or just read or relax by the water. (The resort’s motto is, after all, “doing nothing means everything.”) An ideal spot for a multigenerational family vacation, the property also features Puerto Rico’s largest lagoon-style pool, a wide variety of food and beverage options, a Tom Kite–designed championship golf course, a soothing spa, and complimentary bicycles for pedaling around.

NO PASSPORT NEEDED: 8 great partial and fully all-inclusive Puerto Rico resorts

7. Chatham Bars Inn

Chatham, Massachusetts

Oozing quintessential Cape Cod charm, Chatham Bars Inn sits on a quarter-mile private beach. Open year-round, it’s, of course, a popular spot during the summer months, when families can take to the calm waters of Aunt Lydia’s Cove, which is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by the Cape Cod National Seashore’s North Beach Island. There’s also an oceanfront zero-entry heated pool that’s open from mid-April to mid-October, along with seasonal kids’ programming that offers hands-on activities, craft sessions, and dive-in movies at the pool. Grownups will appreciate the resort’s restaurants, spa, and proximity to shopping and dining on Chatham’s historic Main Street.

SEASIDE SPOTS: The 11 most charming coastal towns in New England

8. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Part of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Sanctuary makes the most of its location, which faces the Atlantic Ocean. Ninety percent of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites have ocean views, and similar vistas can be enjoyed from the family pool and the outdoor Loggerhead Grill. From the pool complex, a boardwalk meanders down to the hotel’s private beach, where attendants help set guests up with chairs, umbrellas, towels, and beach toys. During beach season, these sands host activities, including sunrise yoga, surfing lessons, ocean seining, and evening beach walks.

SUN AND SAND: The 12 best beach resorts in the U.S. for families

9. Ocean House

Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Take a family beach vacation in elegant throwback style at Rhode Island’s Ocean House. The rebuilt inn evokes its 19th-century history but has the modern touches today’s travelers need. The resort sits along a 650-foot private beach where cabanas can be reserved in the summer months and activities include fishing, surfing, and stand up paddleboarding. There’s children’s programming during the summer, a full schedule of complimentary wine and cooking classes throughout the year, a seasonal croquet lawn, a screening room showing family-friendly movies, and complimentary bike rentals for tooling around Watch Hill (which just so happens to be where Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island mansion is located).

9 amazing family-friendly resorts with private beaches originally appeared on FamilyVacationist.com.

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The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. FamilyVacationist.com and TourScoop.com are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology, we review and select family vacation ideas, family vacation spots, all-inclusive family resorts, and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators, tour operator reviews, tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Staying at a resort with a private beach offers a relaxing experience