20 Best Island Vacations for Families

With miles of white beaches, warm crystalline water, and endless sunshine, the Caribbean offers some of the world’s best island vacations for families.

Outside of the Caribbean, look to destinations such as the Mediterranean and Canary Islands for culture, golden beaches, and natural landmarks that cater well to families.

From thrilling adventures in the Bahamas to building sandcastles on black-sand beaches in Santorini, consider one of these dreamy island destinations for your next family vacation.

Grand Cayman

The largest of the Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman is a gorgeous tropical island that is well-suited to families.

One of Grand Cayman’s best beaches is Seven Mile Beach, on the northwest coast. This white beach is lined with swaying palms, bars, and restaurants, a short distance from George Town, the island’s capital.

The water is among the best in the Caribbean for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving, with a coral reef packed with marine life just off the shore.

To inject some culture into your family vacation, visit the Cayman Islands National Museum to learn about Caymanian heritage, and visit the colonial-era Fort George in George Town.

Another unmissable thing to do in Grand Cayman is to stroll through the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, where kids will enjoy seeing the Blue Iguana Habitat, a conservation program to protect this endangered reptile.

Take your family to Hell by traveling to West Bay at the northern tip of Grand Cayman. Its name is taken from the harsh appearance of this 24-million-year-old geological wonder, an area of black jagged limestone rock formations flanked by tropical greenery.

There’s even a “welcome” sign painted in red that says “Welcome to Hell” and a mailbox, which means you can send a postcard from Hell to friends and family back home.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

The island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands is a knockout for families, with sun-baked beaches, whale watching, and a golden-dune nature reserve.

In Las Palmas, the capital, there’s an outstanding aquarium, the Poema del Mar Aquarium, near the city’s sweeping Las Canteras Beach. Consider splitting your day between the two, with watersports and sun loungers for hire on Las Canteras, and restaurants dotted along the promenade.

At the aquarium, gaze at the cinematic Deep Sea pool, with over 350 marine species on display through one of the largest glass-viewing windows in the world. Poema del Mar Aquarium also has a turtle hospital where injured and sick turtles are nursed back to health.

In the south of Gran Canaria, Playa de Maspalomas is one of the best beaches in the Canary Islands for families thanks to its miles of golden sand and swimmer-friendly waters. The beach is flanked by the 900-acre Maspalomas Dunes Nature Reserve.

There’s a brackish lagoon popular with migratory birds and a palm tree oasis, too, making it a wonderful spot for families to explore.

Gran Canaria is also a fantastic spot to go on a memory-making whale-watching trip with boat tours operating from the southwest of the island. Typical ocean encounters include dolphins, sperm whales, pilot whales, and fin whales, which can be seen in the sapphire-blue Atlantic Ocean that surrounds the Spanish island.

Cozumel, Mexico

What makes Cozumel, a Mexican island off the Yucatan Peninsula, among the best island vacations for families? It has dazzling beaches, Mayan ruins, and some of the best snorkeling in Mexico.

Take your family to Playa Mia Grand Beach Park. With its 200-foot water slide, a floating water park, kayaks, and a swim-up bar, it’s an idyllic beach in Cozumel that’s a hit for kids and adults.

One of the best things to do in Cozumel with kids is to visit Punta Sur, a serene 247-acre nature reserve of tropical forest, beaches, a lagoon system, and reefs. Nature-curious families will enjoy a slow-paced boat ride on the lagoon to look for crocodiles, turtles, and iguanas.

At Punta Celarain Lighthouse, learn about the region’s maritime history at the Navigational Museum, while between May and October, sea turtles arrive on the beach to nest.

The Mesoamerican Reef lies just off Punta Sur. Sign up for a guided snorkel or scuba trip to spot queen conch, grouper, parrotfish, angelfish, and barracuda among the cornucopia of ocean life found here.

You could also explore El Cedral, a Mayan ruin that dates back to 800 A.D., making it the oldest on the island.

Mallorca, Spain

The largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, Mallorca has dazzling coves, pretty towns, and coastal hiking trails, plus a capital city, Palma, replete with culture, shopping, and gastronomy.

The dramatic Drach Caves in Mallorca’s southeast make for an intriguing day out for families. This network of four caves extends almost two and a half miles, featuring thousands of stalactites, stalagmites, and underground lakes, the largest being Lake Martel.

To reach Lake Martel, you’ll need to descend 119 steps, deep inside the caves. Here, join an atmospheric boat ride or cross the lake by the footbridge. Adding to the magic, a quartet performs a live classical concert.

Another reason Mallorca is one of the best island vacations for families is the island’s gorgeous beaches and glass-clear waters. Laze and splash on Alcudia Beach in the north of Mallorca. One of Mallorca’s best beaches, this golden sweep of sand is perfect for paddling, watersports, and swimming.

Palmanova Beach, close to Palma, is a fabulous spot, too, with thatched umbrellas, pretty palm trees, and plenty of space for sunbathing, siestas, and sea swims.

Don’t leave Palma without catching a glimpse of the majestic Catedral de Mallorca. It’s one of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals, with its ornate Gothic architecture and large rose window.

Read: Best Things to Do in Mallorca

Grenada

Families adore the spicy Southern Caribbean island of Grenada, known for its nutmeg and cinnamon production, for its laid-back vibe.

Stretch out on the crescent-shaped Grand Anse Beach, one of the best beaches in Grenada. This two-mile shore, a short distance south of St. George’s, Grenada’s capital, is postcard-perfect, with white sand lined with palm trees, and watersports, beach bars, and restaurants.

Pick up souvenirs from Grand Anse’s Craft and Spice Market and sip on a rum punch, with fresh coconuts and juices for the kids.

More intrepid families will appreciate Grenada’s hinterland in Grand Etang National Park, home to some of the best hikes in the Caribbean. This emerald landscape covers over 2,000 acres, including three of Grenada’s tallest mountains and Grand Etang Lake, a volcanic crater lake sitting at 1,739 feet above the sea.

Hikes range from breezy 15-minute walks to full-day expeditions. There are picnic areas, food concessions, and a visitor center within the park. Look out for the reserve’s tropical wildlife, too, including frogs, lizards, and colorful birds.

Stop off at Annandale waterfall after visiting Grand Etang Forest Reserve. It’s one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Caribbean, surrounded by lush ferns and dangling vines with a tempting watering hole at the bottom.

If your troop prefers to take in some of the island’s history, head for Fort Frederick, a late 1700s bastion perched 800 feet above St. George’s harbor.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini is a bucket-list destination, not just for couples looking for romance; it’s one of the best island vacations for families, too.

Lying in the Cyclades island chain, Santorini displays a rugged landscape, with a submerged caldera, and dramatic black and red-sand beaches.

In contrast to the island’s volcanic terrain, the towns of Oia and Fira are marked by pretty whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches. They’re wonderful places to explore on foot, filled with gift shops, art galleries, designer boutiques, and many restaurants and bars.

Santorini’s colorful beaches are a big pull for families. Build fanciful sandcastles on Perivolos Beach, a sweeping strip of black sand on Santorini’s south coast. The dramatic shore features sparkling azure water, thatched parasols, and watersports, with tavernas and bars dotted along the seafront. Bring water shoes for kids, though, as the black sand gets extremely hot.

Another must-visit Santorini shore is the magnificent Red Beach, framed by ochre cliffs that plunge into the sea. Nearby is the Bronze Age Akrotiri archaeological site, dating back to 2,500 B.C.

Here you could delve into Santorini’s long backstory. This sophisticated settlement was wiped out by a volcanic eruption in the 17th century B.C., with paved streets, squares, frescoed buildings, and storehouses unearthed at the site.

You could also enjoy a family kayak trip in the caldera to witness Santorini’s beautiful beaches and dramatic coastline from the water. After cooling off in the sea, enjoy a lunch of fresh locally caught seafood, such as snapper, squid, and octopus at a local taverna.

Aruba

Possibly the best island for family vacation fun in the sunshine is Aruba, boasting one of the best climates in the Caribbean.

Plan a visit to Aruba’s family-friendly De Palm Island. This action-packed coral island has colorful water slides, a swimming pool, watersports, and an open bar, making it a big hit with families.

Visiting here is one of the best things to do in Aruba with kids as you can swim, snorkel, fly down the slides, and admire the pink flamingos that wander the shore. Afterward, settle down for a tasty lunch at the island’s buffet, with a salad bar, Caribbean chicken curry, and grilled fish among the dishes.

If you prefer to stay on the mainland, Aruba’s marvelous Eagle Beach is a short distance north of Oranjestad. It’s the widest beach on Aruba, with powder-white sand, beach huts, and watersports.

This beautiful beach in Aruba is famous for its two fofoti trees that point towards the ocean, twisted by the trade winds. A highlight for nature lovers is leatherback turtle nesting season, between March and July.

Alternatively, the Casibari Rock Formation in the center of Aruba is a natural wonder that piques curious minds. These gigantic monolithic boulders are surrounded by cacti-lined trails, with steps leading to the top for fantastic views of Aruba.

St. Kitts & Nevis

From lazing on the sand to exploring island life, there’s plenty to do for families on St. Kitts & Nevis, including riding the historic St. Kitts Scenic Railway. This lovely, slow-paced outing takes travelers on a three-hour, 30-mile journey, including 18 miles on a narrow-gauge train, with the remainder on a bus.

Learn about the history of St. Kitts Scenic Railway as you take in the tropical views. Built in the 1920s, the railway was established to transport sugar cane from the plantation to the factory in the island’s capital, Basseterre.

Cross Christ Church and Soldier Ghut bridges as you enjoy warm tradewinds and soak in views of unspoiled coastlines, rainforest-carpeted mountains, and abandoned sugar plantations.

Visit the UNESCO-listed Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, one of the best things to do in St. Kitts. This hilltop fort is a reminder of the brutality of the slavery era; it was built by African slaves, beginning in the 1690s, and finished around a century later. Brimstone Hill Fortress is among the Caribbean’s best-preserved examples of military architecture, featuring towering polygonal stonewalls.

If you’re seeking a more languorous family day out, opt for Frigate Bay. Frigate is one of the most picturesque beaches in St. Kitts, with tall swaying palm trees, beach bars, and watersports.

There’s a relaxed feel at Cockleshell Bay on the south coast of St. Kitts, too, where searching for seashells, snorkeling, and sunbathing make for an unforgettable family day.

Afterward, gather around for delicious Caribbean cuisine of conch fritters and spicy fish tacos at one of the beachside restaurants.

CocoCay, Bahamas

What makes CocoCay in the Bahamas the best island for family vacations? Palm trees surround an array of daredevil water slides, free-form pools, and luxurious cabanas. There are five beautiful beaches with gently lapping clear water and silky sand.

Family members of all ages are entertained by splash zones, a zip line, and the 13 sky-reaching water slides, including Daredevil’s Peak, a 135-foot, white-knuckle drop at Thrill Waterpark, one of the best water parks in the Caribbean. Equally thrilling is Up, Up and Away, an adrenaline-pumping helium balloon ride that soars 450 feet above the island.

Chill out at Oasis Lagoon, the island’s sprawling freshwater pool, with its child-friendly sloping entry, swim-up bar, and private cabanas.

There are plenty of places to refuel on CocoCay, too, from Caribbean flavors at Chill Grill to quick bites at Snack Shack. For an elevated experience, rent an overwater cabana, complete with a lounge area and a slide that plunges straight into the ocean.

Jamaica

From lazy rivers to lush waterfalls, white-sand beaches, and tropical rainforests, few family escapes are as rewarding as a vacation in Jamaica, one of the most beautiful islands in the world.

Take your crew to discover the enchanting Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, location of the highest peak in Jamaica, the 7,401-foot Blue Mountain, with nine miles of hiking trails.

For a light, family-friendly hike, opt for one of the Holywell nature walks, with jungle jaunts ranging from 10 to 60 minutes. Eagle-eyed travelers might spot the endangered Jamaican swallowtail, the largest butterfly species in the Western Hemisphere, among the tropical vegetation, waterfalls, and bathing pools.

Just outside of Ocho Rios on Jamaica’s north coast, Dunn’s River Falls is another one of the best places to visit in Jamaica. Climb to the top of Dunn’s 960-foot cascade, over travertine rock formations, and bathe in scenic rock pools.

You could tube, kayak, or raft down White River’s exhilarating rapids. There’s also horseback riding, ziplining through the forest canopy, and guided hikes around the river. For more aquatic fun near Ocho Rios, try Blue Hole, with its series of waterfalls and cavernous limestone sinkholes filled with swimmable turquoise water.

To kick back in the warm Caribbean Sea, sunbathe on soft sand, and savor fried conch or Jerk chicken, relax on the crowd-pleasing Ocho Rios Bay Beach, one of Jamaica’s best beaches.

St. Lucia

There’s a great deal for families to love in lush, mountainous St. Lucia. Splash around on gorgeous Reduit Beach, perfect for novice snorkelers or paddleboarders. Wander around the colorful market in Castries, the buzzing island capital.

With older, adventurous kids, the Pitons hike comes with top bragging rights. These twin volcanic plugs define the landscape of the island’s southwest coast, rising vertically from the green rainforest.

You’ll trek with a guide along leafy trails to one of the lookout points where the sparkling Caribbean stretches out beneath you; other islands, including Martinique and Dominica, are visible in misty silhouette on the horizon.

Take a trip to Soufrière, in the south, where you can marvel at hot, bubbling mud pools, sulfuric steam rising from the world’s only drive-in volcano. Stop by the Mineral Baths and enjoy covering yourselves in therapeutic mud, snapping shots for the family album as you dry off in the sunshine. All ages are welcome here.

Barbados

Barbados has plenty for families to do, from encountering wildlife to exploring thrilling caves. Take a trip to Welchman Hall Gully, where kids will love spotting green monkeys scampering through the trees. Discover Harrison’s Cave, a mysterious underground world where massive stalactites drip from the ceiling and stalagmites rise up from the floor in bizarre shapes.

Kids will love the beaches of Barbados, which range from the long, golden sands of the Caribbean west coast to the wild, surf-pounded shorelines on the island’s eastern edge. The east coast isn’t for swimming, but it’s a gorgeous place to stroll and watch surfers.

For a real treat, head to Carlisle Bay and join a sightseeing boat to spot wild sea turtles. Confident swimmers can put on masks and snorkels and swim from the boat among these graceful creatures.

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Indulge in some swashbuckling family fun in the British Virgin Islands, an archipelago of coral reefs, sheltered bays, and tiny islands that were once the perfect environment for pirates looking to stash their treasure. The classic children’s novel, Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson, is believed to be set on Norman Island, one of the BVIs.

Energetic kids will love burning off some energy at The Baths on Virgin Gorda, an easy boat ride from Tortola. The Baths, protected as a national park, is a wild stretch of enormous, tumbled granite boulders, cool caves, and hidden lagoons along the shore. Pick your way from one end to the other via a series of low rock ledges and ladders, stopping to cool off when the crystal-clear waters beckon.

Away from the beach, embark on an overland adventure in a 4×4. Kids will love bumping along off-road trails, stopping to admire jaw-dropping views, and washing off the trail dust on a deserted beach.

Or opt for more organized fun with a day at sweeping Cane Garden Bay, where there are plenty of facilities and rocks at one end for novice snorkelers to discover the underwater world.

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

St. Thomas can rightly claim to be fringed by some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Magens Bay is one such paradise, with shade, hiking trails, snorkeling, and toes-in-the-sand beach restaurants. It’s the perfect family day out.

Or hop across to neighboring St. John, much sleepier than fun-loving St. Thomas. Take a taxi to Trunk Bay, an astonishingly beautiful beach of bone-white sand backed by bottle-green sea grapes. The big attraction for families here is the underwater snorkel trail, where underwater plaques tell you about the different corals and the species of fish you’ll see here.

There are plenty of other activities for families, too. If your younger kids aren’t ready for snorkeling, Coral World Ocean Park is a wonderful way to spot marine life without even getting wet.

The three-story, air-conditioned Undersea Observatory Tower allows you to view marine life 15 feet below the surface as colorful fish teem around the corals, oblivious to their audience. Larger visitors might include barracudas, hefty tarpons, and even sea turtles.

Take your tweens and teens on an adrenaline rush at St. Thomas’ Tree Limin’ Extreme Zipline Tour, which whisks you at high speed over the rainforest from the top of St. Peter Mountain.

If it’s a rainy day, the Pirates Treasure Museum is fun for the whole family. The Virgin Islands were a piracy hotspot in the 18th century, and you’ll discover everything here from old ships’ bells to cutlasses, coins, ships’ wheels, ingots, and other treasures found on shipwrecks around St. Thomas.

Bali, Indonesia

Verdant Bali is fringed by sandy beaches, its center a lush panorama of forested volcanoes and emerald rice terraces. Colorful Hindu temples dot the landscape. This is one of the best island vacations for families if you want to win kudos points with teens, as Bali is unquestionably cool.

Ubud, the island’s boho, artsy hub, is a great spot for shopping-obsessed teens, with colorful, affordable clothing, jewelry, and handicrafts at every turn. Take a trip to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, just outside the town, where some 1,000 long-tailed macaques live free amid towering trees and dense undergrowth.

Your teens will forever thank you for a visit to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace, near Ubud. The immaculate emerald terraces, which snake around the contours of the hills, are a photographer’s dream.

So is the chance to pose on a giant swing and have your photo snapped with the rice terraces as a backdrop. Entrepreneurial locals even rent out long, colorful dresses to add to the artistry.

Then there are Bali’s beaches. Teens will love busy Kuta in the south, while adults might prefer the more tranquil vibe of Nusa Dua. Lovina Bay in the north is completely different, as the sand is black. Take a boat out here, and you could spot spinner dolphins splashing around.

Sicily, Italy

Kids are fascinated by volcanoes, especially live ones, so simmering Mount Etna, which dominates the skyline of the east coast of Sicily, shouldn’t disappoint. Walk with a guide across trails of lava that are still hot underfoot and marvel at the dramatic volcanic landscape of the upper slopes.

History buffs of all ages will adore the antiquities in the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis near beautiful Syracuse. Discover the magnificent Greek theater, a Roman theater, and the Ear of Dionysus, an ancient quarry containing a deep grotto famed for its acoustics. The tyrant Dionysus would, according to legend, imprison his enemies here and take advantage of the crystal-clear sound to eavesdrop on them.

Ortigia, the old heart of Syracuse, is a tangle of whitewashed streets where you can pick up paper cones of fritto misto, fresh fish fried in a crisp batter, to eat on the go.

If your travels in Sicily take you to gorgeous Taormina, one of the prettiest coastal towns, introduce your family to the deliciousness of cannoli, crisp pastry tubes stuffed with sweetened ricotta.

Taormina’s bakeries have been perfecting the art of cannoli-crafting for decades, and nowadays, there are all kinds of flavors beyond the basic ricotta. Pistachio, orange, and salted caramel are all waiting to be tried.

Tenerife, Canary Islands

Kids love Tenerife, simply because it’s so different. The island is dominated by snow-capped Teide, Spain’s highest mountain.

Take the aerial tramway up to near the summit, where you can throw snowballs and admire the otherworldly lunar-like landscapes.

If your kids are budding astronomers, they’ll enjoy a tour of Teide Observatory, one of the largest solar observatories in the world. You can look at the sun safely and see some of the enormous telescopes used by the astrophysicists here.

Back on the ground, Tenerife has plenty to explore. The island has plenty of beaches, but most of them are composed of volcanic black sand. If the novelty of this wears thin, Playa de las Teresitas in the northeast has golden sand imported from the Sahara Desert.

Bonaire

Bonaire is the best island for a family vacation if you’re lovers of the underwater world. The island is surrounded by the Bonaire National Marine Park, which protects some of the most spectacular corals in the Caribbean, as well as more than 350 species of fish. As such, this is the perfect place to learn to snorkel or scuba dive.

There are dozens of gorgeous beaches here. Te Amo is one of the best, as the sea floor slopes gently here, so kids can wade in and drift above spectacular corals in water just a few feet deep. It’s worth investing in a laminated species guide so you can identify and check off different fish as you spot them, from graceful angelfish to nattily striped sergeant majors.

Another great family day out is to take the ferry across from Kralendijk, the colorful little capital, to Klein Bonaire and play castaway for the day. Uninhabited Klein Bonaire is fringed by spectacular reefs, which you can access from the white-sand No Name Beach.

There’s more wildlife to spot at Lac Bay National Park, where you can paddle a kayak through the mangroves on the lookout for rays and lobsters in the dappled green shade. Close by, you can learn to windsurf or paddleboard in the shallow waters of Lac Bay.

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is one of the best island vacations for families visiting Asia. It has a healthy dose of everything from scenery, beaches, culture, and wildlife to spectacular Thai food and shopping.

Wander through Phuket Old Town, a photogenic mix of colorful buildings and Sino-Portuguese frontages, with hippy-inspired shopping galore.

Take an island-hopping cruise to Koh Phi Phi, twin islands where sheer limestone cliffs plunge into turquoise lagoons, a setting immortalized in multiple movies.

Or explore Phang Nga Bay, studded with a forest of limestone karsts. These karsts are actually hollow, and you can go inside some of them, lying flat as a boatman propels you through low-ceilinged caves into the center, filled with a green lagoon.

Finally, kids will love meeting gentle elephants at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. This is not a theme park, but rather an ethical refuge for elephants that have led difficult lives as tourist attractions or in logging camps. They live out their days here surrounded by love and tended by their personal mahouts, or caretakers.

St. Maarten

Part-French and part-Dutch, friendly St. Maarten is a fabulous family destination. Philipsburg, capital of the Dutch side, is an easily walkable town with great duty-free shopping and a long, sandy beach lined with bars and restaurants.

There are plenty of other gorgeous beaches, of course. Orient Beach on the French side attracts an elegant crowd, while gorgeous Mullet Bay on the Dutch side is great for surfing.

Teens will want to make a beeline for Maho Beach, which lies at the end of the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport. The vibe here is of an all-day party, with sun-worshippers and plane-spotters gathering in the gentle surf to cheer as massive jets roar overhead. It’s harmless fun—and a great photo opportunity.

Family Island Vacation FAQs

The best island vacations for families offer glorious sunshine, golden beaches, and plenty of adventure. From the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, explore Celebrity Cruises’ itineraries to find your next family vacation.