Georgia is a state with a lot to offer. Couples, singles, and families alike will all have a blast with the entertainment options provided. However, traveling with families often has special considerations to consider when selecting and booking the best hotel or resort for your vacation.
How do you know which is the best resort to select when traveling to Georgia? This guide will outline 13 of the best family resorts in Georgia and why they are great options for your next family vacation.
Are you interested in learning more? Continue reading below!
- Jekyll Island Club
- The Cloister at Sea Island
- Great Wolf Lodge, LaGrange
- Margaritaville at Lanier Islands
- The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa
- The King and Prince, Saint Simons Island
- The Candler Hotel Atlanta
- Best Western Plus Augusta Hotel
- Ritz-Carlton Reynolds
- Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge
- Paradise Hills, Winery Resort & Spa
- Callaway Resort & Gardens
- Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort
Jekyll Island Club
As a historic resort with a unique history, Jekyll Island Club offers many features that families and children will love. Prominent past guests include the Vanderbilts, Pulitzers, and Rockefellers.
With massive amounts of green space for running and playing, the natural landscape of Jekyll Island Club offers plenty of fun all by itself. However, the entertainment doesn’t end there. Among the family fun activities provided at Jekyll Island Club include:
- Children’s Splash Pad
- Children’s Water Park
- Family History Tours
- Paddleboard Rental
- Kayak Rental
- Croquet
- Mini Golf
- S’more Roasting
The resort also offers the Sea Turtle Center, which provides education on preserving sea turtles and sharing information about their life and rehabilitation after injury. At Sea Turtle Center, you can also learn about the research being compiled by the staff and the findings that they have uncovered about the lives that sea turtles lead.
You can also visit the Tidelands Nature Center, which offers 17 acres of saltwater fishing, boating, or kayaking. The land surrounding the nature center provides beautiful scenic hikes and bird watching. Taking a break from a world of electronics and being part of nature with your family will give a moment of reflection and bonding.
Where Is It?
You can find Jekyll Island Club online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
371 Riverview Dr.
Jekyll Island, GA 31527
The Cloister at Sea Island
The Cloister uses the words legendary and elegant to describe their establishment, and that description is entirely accurate. Located on its own private island of 50 acres, it’s a calming oasis that you didn’t even know you needed until you arrived.
As a Forbes award winner, The Cloister at Sea Island knows how to treat guests with the highest level of service and comfort. With the large-sized rooms and plentiful amenities, there is plenty of space for everyone and more than enough things to do, including:
- Golfing
- Complimentary BMW Use (up to two hours)
- Kayaking
Sailing - Horseback Riding
- Shooting Clays
- Paddleboarding
- Biking
- Bowling
- Yachting
- Dolphin Watching
- Falconry
- Fishing
- Hunting
- History Tours
- Tennis
- Teen Scene Club
- Children’s Program
- Hydrotherapy Pool
With all the different activities, each member of your family will be able to go their separate ways or come together for a fun adventure. Each person can choose between an activity that is a favorite pastime or try out something new. How often do you get the opportunity to try out falconry?
Where Is It?
You can find The Cloister at Sea Island online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
100 Cloister Dr.
Sea Island, GA 31561
Great Wolf Lodge, LaGrange
Every child in America knows the charm that Great Wolf Lodge offers. With locations throughout the country, you are never more than a few hours from one of their resorts, and the action-packed time that everyone will have will bring a level of lightness to their demeanor.
Between the array of water slides, the lazy river, the water basketball courts, a playground with different water features throughout, and a space for small children and babies, the days of your vacation will feature your children running back and forth among the attractions.
Do you have a concern about the safety of your kids with so many people and water surrounding them? Although you need to monitor their whereabouts, many lifeguards on staff are constantly surveilling all water areas.
Outside of the water fun, there is also a Build A Bear, an arcade, restaurants, and nightly shows. There is also a scavenger hunt that children can participate in on the premises and throughout the building. Great Wolf Lodge LaGrange rooms come in several different styles, including a separate bunk area for the littlest travelers.
Make sure you download their app before you go, as it provides even more fun through games and schedules for the different shows and events.
Where Is It?
You can find Great Wolf Lodge LaGrange online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
150 Tom Hall Pkwy
LaGrange, GA 30240
Margaritaville at Lanier Islands
When you see that the name of this particular resort is Margaritaville, you may not automatically think that it’s family-friendly. However, you would be wrong. There are many features that this property possesses that make it suitable for people of all ages.
One of the biggest attractions when you stay at Margaritaville at Lanier Islands is the water park. You don’t have to be a guest of the resort to play, and there are many attractions within the water park that will entertain you and your family for days.
Some of the activities included in the water park include:
- Family Fun Zone (for small children)
- Foam Parties
- Wild Waves Wave Pool
- Raging River
- Blackout
- Twister
- Double Down
- Cat 4
- Splash Down
- Intimidator and Triple Threat
- Typhoon
- Wibit
- Thunderbolt Triple Zip
In addition, the resort offers many other activities like boating, fishing, sunset cruises, fantastic dining, and more. It is important to note for lodging purposes that Margaritaville at Lanier Islands is primarily an RV Resort. However, they offer cabins for rent during your stay, allowing you to spend several days enjoying everything the area offers.
Where Is It?
You can find Margaritaville at Lanier Islands online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
7650 Lanier Islands Pkwy
Buford, GA 30518
The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa
Many people love traveling to Savannah, Georgia, due to its quaint atmosphere and historical roots. The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa offers a location right in the middle of the city with fun features to enjoy when you are done sightseeing for the day.
With a location right on the river, you can wake up every day to beautiful water views. You can also take it further and spend time in the resort’s pool adjacent to the river. With this spot, you can enjoy the calm pool waters while taking in the beautiful landscape surrounding you.
Besides the pool, there is a kids splash pad. While you are lounging peacefully in the pool, your children can be running and splashing until their hearts are content. Are you dreading getting out of the pool to find something for lunch? The resort offers a lunch service. They will bring your order right to you, poolside. Therefore, you don’t even have to dry off!
Make the day complete by securing a poolside cabana to lounge in and enjoying s’mores in the fire pits.
Where Is It?
You can find The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
1 Resort Dr.
Savannah, GA 31421
The King and Prince, Saint Simons Island
The King and Price resort on Saint Simons Island does everything with the idea of family at the forefront. The resort offers many activities of interest to family groups of all ages and interests. Some of the most popular choices include:
- Lighthouse Trolley Tour
- Shrimpin’ Boat Tours
- Eco-Tours
- Charter Fishing
- Kids Camps
- World War II Home Front Museum
- Ghost Tours
- Sailing Charters
- Bike Trails
- Kayaking
- Paddleboarding
- Sailing Lessons
- Paint and Pottery Studios
- Summer Waves Waterpark
- Horseback Riding
In addition to all the fun activities, the resort also provides several different swimming pools, including two children’s pools. There is also a hot tub in the main pool area and both the north and south complexes. Wherever you stay on the resort property, you will only be a short walk from swimming and a hot tub!
At the end of the day, you can enjoy dinner in one of the resort’s popular restaurants or take in a game of tennis on the property’s courts. Additionally, the beautiful sunsets surrounding the resort will have you impatiently waiting for nightfall.
Where Is It?
You can find The King and Prince online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
201 Arnold Rd.
St Simons Island, GA 31522
The Candler Hotel Atlanta
Staying at a hotel with a remarkable history is the icing on the cake when it comes to a family vacation. The Candler Hotel Atlanta was built in 1906 by Asa Griggs Candler. Although that name may not ring a bell to you, you see evidence of the person’s existence everywhere you go.
Mr. Candler is the person who purchased the Coca-Cola recipe. Without that purchase, we might only be drinking Pepsi these days!
Besides the fun history of the building, the interior makes you feel like you just stepped into a millionaire’s mansion. With crystal chandeliers and grand staircases, you will feel the need to stand up a bit straight as you walk in!
The most remarkable feature of the Candler Hotel is its proximity to everything a family would want to participate in while in the area. Steps away from your hotel room, you will see:
- The College Football Hall of Fame
- Centennial Olympic Park
- Rialto Center for the Arts
- Center for Civil and Human Rights
- Balzer Theater
- Skyview Atlanta
- The Tabernacle
- World of Coca-Cola
- Georgia Aquarium
Even without elaborate swimming pools or a surplus of extra features, this hotel will serve you and your family during your stay with its central location and unique design.
Where Is It?
You can find The Candler Hotel Atlanta online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
127 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Best Western Plus Augusta Hotel
Traveling as a family requires additional space. Not only while traveling in the car but also when choosing your accommodations. Finding a hotel or resort with larger than average rooms is always a plus when in this situation.
The large room size is one of the many benefits of staying at The Best Western Plus Augusta Hotel. The standard rooms offer double beds and ample square footage. Choosing a higher-level room will give you a small kitchen or kitchenette, as well as a separate living room space.
Staying at The Best Western Plus Augusta Hotel gives you access to a complimentary continental breakfast as well as an outdoor heated pool. Although Augusta has many warm weather months, you don’t have to worry if you arrive during a cold snap. The heated pool will still allow you many opportunities for water fun during your stay.
The Best Western Plus Augusta Hotel has a central location with easy access to the local mall, restaurants, and local colleges. You are also less than three miles from the Augusta National Golf Course, where the Masters tournaments occur.
Where Is It?
You can find The Best Western Plus August Hotel online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
1062 Claussen Rd
Augusta, GA 30907
Ritz-Carlton Reynolds
The five-star hotel that is the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds places relaxation and family bonding at the forefront. Their highest priority is to make sure that you and your family are enjoying yourselves on your vacation, and they provide ample opportunities to make it a reality.
One of the most enjoyable activities that the resort provides is a hotel-wide scavenger hunt that families can complete together during their stay. The hotel also offers different outdoor activities based on the seasons. In the summer, families can enjoy golf, paddleboarding, and kayaking. In the winter, they offer ice skating.
Another service offered by the chain is Ritz Kids, programming targeted directly to the youngest generation of travelers. The activities vary by location. However, the Reynolds location includes a kid’s clubhouse with arcade games and seasonal activities. They also offer in-room camping and a complimentary resort train ride.
As far as dining goes, the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds offers meals for a variety of taste buds. Children have their own menu and can even have their food delivered to the Ritz Kids Clubhouse. Parents can choose to have a family meal or a date night while the children are at the Clubhouse.
Where Is It?
You can find The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds hotel online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
1 Lake Oconee Trail
Greensboro, GA 30642
Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge
If a warm southern welcome is what you are looking for – the Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge prides itself on offering that exact thing. The guest rooms look like what you would expect to see in an old, large, southern plantation home. With beautiful hardwood floors, separate dining areas, large rooms, and tasteful decor, you feel at home instantly.
The fantastic features don’t stop there, though. There is a heated saltwater pool for the use of all guests, a beautiful natural landscape, a gaming area with pool tables, fire pits for s’more making, and a fitness center.
One of the most exciting things for the younger ones on your trip (and some adults too)? The short distance between Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge and the Margaritaville Water Park! Guests at Legacy Lodge can purchase a day pass to explore all the different activities at the water park and come back for a saltwater pool swim, s’mores, and a relaxing night’s sleep.
Needless to say, all guests – young and old – will have a great time during their stay at Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge in Buford, Georgia.
Where Is It?
You can find Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
7000 Lanier Islands Pkwy
Buford, GA 30518
Paradise Hills, Winery Resort & Spa
There is no greater combination on a family vacation than a resort, spa, and winery. When the family goes off for fun activities, you take in a massage and taste test the best wines – what can go wrong?
The area of Blairsville, Georgia, offers many unique festivals and events throughout the year that celebrate the different cultures represented in the area. Between mountain music and folk art, theater, and cultural dancing, you will get a taste of many different traditions during your time in the city.
The area of Blairsville is also known for its outdoor activities. With the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chattahoochee National Forest, there is no limit to the experiences you can partake in during your visit. Whether it’s hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, rafting, canoeing, or horseback riding, you will have a new activity to try every day of your vacation.
Where Is It?
You can find Paradise Hills, Winery Resort & Spa online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
366 Paradise Rd
Blairsville, GA 30512
Callaway Resort & Gardens
When visiting Callaway Resort & Gardens, you are in for many one-of-a-kind adventures. One of the most exciting features for guests is the Treetops Adventures high ropes course and the zip-line. There is nothing quite like being at lofty heights for an extended period to get your adrenaline going!
Callaway Resorts & Gardens is also a highly sought-after destination for its seasonal events. Not only can you take in butterfly exhibits and pumpkin carving displays at different times of the year, but they also have holiday light shows around the winter holidays and horse races in November.
The resort offers a large private beach for guest use, and they host a yearly 4th of July beach party with fireworks for those staying at the resort. There’s also geocaching, biking, hiking, fishing, boating, and tennis to take part in while at Callaway Resort & Gardens.
Where Is It?
You can find Callaway Resort & Gardens online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
17800 US Hwy 27
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort
Last on our list is the Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort, located just outside the city in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The hotel provides the ability to swim year-round with heated indoor and outdoor pools. Additionally, there are two 18-hole golf courses for you to work on your golf swing during your stay.
The area of Stone Mountain offers many nature activities, including kayaking, hiking, biking, boating, and fishing. A unique feature of the Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort is the outdoor, extra-large sized chessboard and pieces. To make your move, you have to physically carry the piece where you want it to be!
Near to the resort is Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. These places allow you to get a closer look at the wildlife and history of the local area.
Where Is It?
You can find Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort online at its official website. You can visit the resort in person at:
4021 Lakeview Dr
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Wrap Up
Choosing the state of Georgia for your next family vacation is a wonderful choice. The state offers many different experiences depending on where you decide to stay. Each location has its own unique features and opportunities that will keep you entertained for the entirety of your trip.
With that, how do you know which is the best resort to select when traveling to Georgia? This guide outlines 13 of the best family resorts in Georgia and why they are great options for your next family vacation.
Take the time to review this comprehensive guide and decide which experience best suits you and your family on your next vacation together!
More about our TFVG Author
A seasoned traveller, Dad, and avid sports tourist, James foundered The Family Vacation Guide to share his expert vacation experiences- especially when it comes to being a travelling family man.
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