These 10 resorts are perfect for families with kids of all ages

When my son was little, he had so much energy that he could have had 10 parents and still tuckered us out by noon. Vacations featuring leisurely dining and mellow park strolls were not in the cards for us. Instead, we searched for hotels and resorts that offered an abundance of activities to help channel his spry spirit. If you’ve got kids who need high-voltage fun morning till night, try one of these action-packed family resorts.
Lake George, New York
In the late 19th century, industrialists escaped city life by retreating to the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. They created a fresh-air fantasy where they could practice sports in rustic luxury. Today, visitors continue the tradition of recreation at The Sagamore on the shores of Lake George. Swimming, fishing, waterskiing and rides on the resort’s 19th-century touring vessel are some of the ways to enjoy the gorgeous lake. 
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The expansive lawn is perfect for turning cartwheels and playing lawn games. Tennis, pickleball, volleyball and big indoor and outdoor pools may exhaust even kids you thought would never yawn. The 10,000-foot indoor Rec Center, with mini-golf, a basketball court and ping-pong tables, give frisky youngsters rainy-day and evening options galore. 
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
For many vacationers, Punta Cana’s eye-candy beach and azure waters provide all the fun they desire. But if your family craves additional action, the all-inclusive Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort is the way to go. This big new resort sits on a sweet swath of sugary sand where volleyball and soccer are popular pastimes, but its offerings go way beyond the beach with a bowling alley, escape room, and waterpark. There are also numerous pools, including a massive infinity pool that hosts interactive games, limbo contests and dance classes.
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The resort’s Panchi Kids Club presents a range of high-octane supervised activities such as trapeze lessons and stilt walking demos. The grounds include a shopping promenade with a candy store and ice cream shop. A series of paved paths fringed with tall coconut palms make for a shady maze where kids may expend energy without getting overheated.
Groveland, California
Only a mile from an entrance to Yosemite National Park, Rush Creek Lodge is a perfect basecamp for exploring the area’s awe-inspiring beauty. This wooded property is a jackpot for perky kids thanks to a zip line, a nature-inspired playground with a rope swing and giant hillside slide, and a big year-round saltwater swimming pool and hot tub. If your kids crave more, hiking trails, bocce ball and cornhole should satisfy them. A glass-blowing program and nature-inspired crafts get the creative juices flowing. 
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The indoor game room has air hockey, pool, bumper pool and pinball machines, with a custom-designed interactive treehouse structure that wraps around the room. The hotel’s recreation program features park excursions led by their team of seasoned guides. In winter, consider a snowshoe adventure to experience Yosemite at its most serene. 
Savusavu, Fiji
Immersed in lush tropical foliage and surrounded by unspoiled reefs where a spectacular assortment of colorful fish frolic, Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji is a South Pacific paradise. The resort’s two full-time Fijian marine biologists take kids on snorkeling adventures, rock pool explorations and kayak excursions that dive into this aquatic wonderland.
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Young kids can learn scuba diving in the family swimming pool, and children who are at least 10 years of age may become certified at the PADI Junior Open water level. Tennis, pickleball, yoga, deep-sea fishing and hikes to waterfalls are a few of the ways young guests expend energy. Basket weaving, traditional cooking demos and coconut husking offer an immersion in local culture.
The Bula Club is a comprehensive childcare program where musicians serenade children as they swim, slide and play in the treehouse. Every child under 6 is assigned a private nanny or manny for their entire stay, and older kids are assigned a grown-up buddy. If your child is active, let the staff know and they’ll pair with a caregiver who is equally ready to romp. 
Skytop, Pennsylvania
Nestled on a sprawling nature preserve in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Skytop Lodge has almost as many activities as it does room to roam. Throwback traditions like afternoon tea and cookies add a yesteryear vibe, though the resort is anything but stuffy. Nearly unlimited recreational options should exhaust kids with plenty of verve. Programs explore the stunning scenery with naturalist-led hikes and mountain bike adventures. Boating, fishing and swimming are popular on the lake while golf, tennis, lawn bowling and archery are some of the many land-based activities.
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If you’ve always wanted to learn to throw an ax or scale a rock-climbing wall, you’ve come to the right place. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools offer aquatic fun year-round. When the flakes fly, snow tubing, snowshoeing and ice skating will keep kids moving. For tweens and teens seeking a thrill, the Treetop Adventure Course features bridges, ropes and zip lines nestled high in the trees.
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Just outside Portland, Inn by the Sea showcases coastal Maine at its finest. Guests traverse a private boardwalk that winds through a wildlife sanctuary, leading to pristine Crescent Beach for swimming and beachcombing. The low-key vibe disguises a wealth of activities. Children can dress up like insects as a naturalist teaches them about Maine’s ecosystem when they join the Bug’s Life program.
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Family yoga, guided nature walks, gardening, art classes and kite flying join a daily ice cream social in summer and snowshoeing in winter. Swim in the heated pool or borrow a bike and explore nearby Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse in the state. A ride on the Lucky Catch, a working lobster boat helmed by Captain Tom, is an interactive way to connect young visitors to the local marine environment. And if you’re traveling with the family pooch, your pet will be treated like royalty at this pet-friendly resort.
Massanutten, Virginia
Massanutten Resort is a favorite weekend escape for Beltway families (it’s only a few hours from Washington, D.C.), but people come from all around to experience everything it has to offer. This Shenandoah Valley resort is brimming with indoor and outdoor recreational options in all seasons, so there’s never a wrong time to visit.
A huge indoor/outdoor waterpark, horseback riding, all-weather street curling, a zip line, hiking and mountain biking trails, basketball, golf and tennis offer round-the-clock fun. In winter, enjoy ice skating, snow tubing, downhill skiing and snowboarding. Ukulele and bongo drum classes draw a crowd. 
Bastrop, Texas
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa sits on the banks of the Lower Colorado River, adjacent to McKinney Roughs Nature Park’s meandering trails and a seasonal windfall of wildflowers. It’s only 30 minutes from cosmopolitan Austin, though the wide-open landscape feels light-years away. Ride a horse, learn to throw a tomahawk and make like a bona fide Texan as you discover the art of lassoing. 
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A fleet of bicycles, including kid-size bikes, are available to pedal over to the corral and see the friendly alpacas, goats and bighorns. When the heat is on, the waterpark has a big swimming pool, baby pool, two-story slide and lazy river. An 18-hole golf course, tennis and basketball courts, fishing at the fully stocked pond, and a well-equipped playground round out the options. 
Hamburg, New Jersey
Northern New Jersey’s Crystal Springs Resort is only 43 miles from New York City. The resort is made up of two sister hotels, Grand Cascades Lodge and Minerals Hotel, and both are so jam-packed with activities, it’s more a question of what you can’t do than what you can. Golf, pony rides, a nature trail, ax throwing, laser clay shooting, archery and a rock-climbing wall join winter fun like ice-skating and curling and summer diversions such as trapeze and fishing.
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Need more? Build your own stuffed bear and enjoy an array of seasonal craft workshops. There are also multiple pool complexes, none more fabulous than the Grand Cascades Lodge’s Biosphere. This heated free-form pool is surrounded by exotic tropical plants and a retractable roof. A 140-foot water slide, aquarium and snack bar make for hours of weatherproof fun. 
Bigfork, Montana 
Fringed by the Swan Range and Mission Mountains, Flathead Lake Lodge is a family-owned all-inclusive Montana ranch with a comprehensive horseback riding program. Beginners receive lessons, and serious riders can let loose on a network of trails. If your child wants to learn rodeo skills, you’re in the right place.
Equestrians flock here, but Flathead Lake Lodge is no one-trick pony, with kid-friendly activities that go way beyond horses. Its lakefront location presents every imaginable water sport, from waterskiing to sailing to kayaking. Guided hikes, yoga, pickleball, tennis, archery, line dancing lessons, mountain biking on miles of single-track trails, and rides in an all-terrain vehicle to see the resort’s 500-acre elk preserve are some of the many open-air options.
10 family resorts with nonstop activities for kids with nonstop energy originally appeared on FamilyVacationist.com.
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.