Guide to the Best Beaches® Resorts to Celebrate the Holidays for Families

A family of four stands together on the beach, while staying at Beaches Turks and Caicos.
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

Learn which destination is right for your family thanks to our holiday guide to Beaches family-friendly all-inclusive resorts! Whether you’re heading to Jamaica or Turks and Caicos, a Beaches resort is a wonderful place to spend the holidays as a family. Rooms are spacious enough for bigger families, and various packages allow you to take advantage of various dining or other options. Aside from the usual poolside fun, kids’ clubs, and exciting performances, each of the hotels on this list also boasts a ton of holiday-themed fun. Kids will love meeting Santa alongside their favorite Sesame Street characters, making your vacation all the more memorable! So, next time you’re searching for the best Beaches resort for your family, this guide covers everything you need to know about visiting. Keep reading for our Guide to the Best Beaches® Resorts to Celebrate the Holidays for Families! 

What to Expect Across All Beaches Resorts

Little Boy holding hand of Elmo at Beaches Turks and Caicos
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

Beaches promotes a Luxury Included® family vacation, with inclusions that you might expect, such as gourmet dining and drinks, kids clubs, and other entertainment. Plus, there are some things you may not expect to be part of your package – like tips, airport transfers, water park, golf, scuba diving, and non-motorized water sports. In addition to the amenities and lodging onsite, Beaches aims to deliver peace of mind through their Platinum Protocol of Cleanliness™. And they’re just minutes from stunning attractions and thrilling activities off property, which can be arranged through Island Routes Adventures.

RELATED ARTICLE: 10 Best Caribbean Family Resorts With Baby Clubs

What to Expect at Beaches During the Holidays

Families holding hands on the beach
Photo Courtesy: Sakshi Thawani Mirchandani

Visiting a Beaches resort during the holidays will be a sure treat for families! Throughout the season, each Beaches resort puts on its own activity agenda to make the time of year extra special. Enjoy a parade headlined by Santa, holiday cookie making with Cookie Monster from Sesame Street®, or a New Year’s Eve dance party (one appropriately timed for kids and one for adults, of course). While activities can vary from resort to resort and from year to year, we share what potential holiday fun could look like at each of the resorts below in our Guide to the Best Beaches® Resorts to Celebrate the Holidays for Families

How to Reach the Beaches Resorts with Your Family

Two boys cuddle with Sesame Street mascots at a Beaches resort.
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

The three Beaches resorts are accessible from Montego Bay (MBJ) and Providenciales (PLS) airports. Providenciales has more than two dozen non-stop flight options from Eastern Canada and the United States, the Midwest United States, and the Caribbean. Montego Bay has even more non-stop options from Canada, Europe, and South America. Beaches Turks & Caicos is a 20-minute ride from the airport, while the Jamaican Beaches resorts are about a 90-minute to two-hour drive through the provided transportation. There’s a brief stop midway as desired. 

RELATED ARTICLE: Best Cruise Lines For Families With Kids Of all Ages

Best Beaches Resorts to Visit During the Holidays as a Family

A young boy stands on a pool deck at a Beaches resort.
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

Now that you know more about the Beaches brand and how it appeals to families, it’s time to choose the best resort for you. Keep reading to learn more about the best Beaches resorts to visit during the holidays for families! 

Beaches Negril: For the Adventurous Family Holiday Break

Aerial view of the Pirates Islands Waterpark at Beaches Negril.
Photo Courtesy: Beaches Negril

Reserve your family’s vacation at Beaches Negril here!

The recently renovated Beaches Negril sits on Jamaica’s 7-Mile Beach, a perfect place for adventurous families looking to play! For waterpark enthusiasts, the Santa Cruz buildings provide a close home base to Pirates Waterpark and the Aqua Center. The Savannah buildings are more centralized, putting families just steps from the main pool on one side and the lazy river on another. While all lodging has access to the beach, it’s the main draw of the Montpelier buildings, alongside the lawn chess and shuffleboard.

Why Families Love It

Four children, along with a staff member and two Seasame Street characters have a tea party at Beaches Negril.
Photo Courtesy: Beaches Negril

Need some downtime? Head to the beach or lay by the pool to enjoy some sun. The Kids’ Camp will also keep infants through elementary-aged kids busy with games, activities, and celebrations, with the X Box Play Lounge nearby for teens. At the center of the resort, Club Liquid, and Trench Town provide teens and tweens with alternative hangout spaces. And, it’s just steps from the Red Lane Spa, where adults may choose to relax. After some time apart, families can gather at one of the 10 restaurants on the property, take in an evening show or simply enjoy a stroll on the expansive beach. 

Special Holiday Activities for Families

Expect lots of holiday cheer when you stay at Beaches Negril! If you visit during Christmastime, families can take advantage of various holiday-themed activities for all ages. Take in a holiday-themed show, for example, where kids can see their favorite Sesame Street characters. There’s also some other entertainment for older kids and adults. On Christmas Eve, join other guests in Christmas caroling, and don’t forget to attend a Jamaican party with Santa on Christmas. Kids love watching him arrive by speedboat! Then, you can dance the night away on New Year’s with various celebrations around the property. With so much to do, active families will certainly find this to be the best Beaches resorts to visit during the holidays for families

Beaches Ocho Rios: For the Young or Multigenerational Family Holiday Break

A view of Beaches Ocho Rios from a balcony room, onto the stunning beach and pool below.
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

Book your family-friendly stay at Beaches Ocho Rios now!

Beaches Ocho Rios has the smallest footprint of the three resorts, making it easier to get from spot to spot with young kids or multiple generations in tow. And while there are stairs throughout the property, there are also elevators for those who prefer or need them. Accommodations include family suites, which can fit up to five people. The allure of the Beachfront Greek Village rooms is that they face the small beach area, while the French Village rooms deliver ocean views above the sand.

Why Families Love It

Two boys stand near Elmo at Beaches Ocho RIos.
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

Families always have a great time at Beaches Ocho Rios. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a visit to the beach or the hotel’s many pools. Daily entertainment, featuring Sesame Street characters in daytime activities and early evening shows, complements everything there is to do. The Kids’ Club area is centralized in one part of the resort, near the Caribbean Village rooms. And, there are distinct areas for each age group – infant/toddler, younger and older elementary ages, and teens (which have a lounge to come and go freely, as well as a dance club). So, if you have a wide range of ages, it provides a convenient “one-stop-shop” for drop-offs and pickups. Seven restaurants and a half-dozen bars also mean parents are a few steps from food and drink. For adults seeking some alone time, dinner on the beach (for an extra fee) is a real treat!  

Special Holiday Activities For Families

While holiday activities can vary from year to year, Beaches Ocho Rios likes to plan special celebrations on major holidays. Little ones will love the Sesame Street holiday parade with Santa and the Christmas-themed show on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, older kids and adults can have fun at Santa’s Silent Headphones Party. On New Year’s Eve, families can enjoy a fun Sesame Street show, as well as music and performances throughout the night to make ringing in the New Year extra special.

Beaches Turks & Caicos: For the Family Wanting Top Variety During their Holiday Break

A pristine pool at Beaches® Turks & Caicos Resort on a sunny day with a few families swimming in its shallow waters.
Photo Courtesy: Beaches® Turks & Caicos Resort

Interested in this hotel? Book your stay at Beaches Turks & Caicos today!

Does your family want a little of everything during your holiday break? Then Beaches Turks & Caicos might be the best destination for you! Among all three resorts, it boasts the most lodging options, the widest selection of food and drink, and tons of activities on and near the best beach on the island. Five villages make up the resort, each with its own flair. The Caribbean and Seaside Villages sit on one side with two smaller pools, a garden oasis, and seaside views. The Italian Village is central, a hub anchored by the resort’s largest pool and eateries on either side, steps from the beach. The French Village is entertainment central with the resort’s main stage and waterpark nearby. Key West sits on the opposite side of the Seaside Village, known for a quieter and more relaxed vibe.

Why Families Love It

Several Sesame Street characters walk along a dock at Beachs Turks & Caicos.
Photo Courtesy: Beaches Turks & Caicos

Beaches Turks & Caicos is truly a family-friendly paradise. During your vacation, kids can slip and slide at The Pirates Island Waterpark or head to nearby Grace Bay Beach for water sports. The resort also has a kids club to accommodate all ages, from a special infants club to The Beaches Kids Camp for kids between three and five. There’s also a Navigators and Adventurers program for kids between six and ten years old, plus Trench Town and an Xbox Play Lounge teens. Of course, kids will adore seeing their favorite Sesame Street characters around the resort, like Elmo or Super Grover! Parents will love the 21 restaurants and 15 bars on-site, plus the Red Lane Spa. Certainly, families looking for variety will find this to be the perfect Beaches resort for their family’s holiday getaway!

Special Holiday Activities For Families

Throughout the peak holiday season, Beaches Turks and Caicos carries the theme of variety into holiday celebrations. Families who are visiting during special times can enjoy themed shows, crafts, parades, cookie decorating, and more. All the while, you’ll be accompanied by Sesame Street characters, Mrs. Claus, and Santa and elves. They throw a great New Year’s Eve party with music, dancing, and fireworks, too! 

RELATED ARTICLE: 7 Best Family Resorts in Turks & Caicos

Beaches St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Beaches Runaway Bay: To Be Determined!

A young boy runs along a beach in Jamaica.
Photo Courtesy: Gunjan Prakash

Beaches’ fourth resort on St. Vincent is planned for the future, as is the fifth resort (and third location in Jamaica), Runaway Bay! Stay tuned for more information about this exciting new addition to Beaches®. We will be sure to add it to our Guide to the Best Beaches® Resorts to Celebrate the Holidays for Families.

Happy Travels!

A young boy plays a large lawn chess game at a Beaches resort in Turks and Caicos.
Photo Courtesy: Megan Tucker

We hope this Guide to the Best Beaches® Resorts to Celebrate the Holidays for Families helps you pick the perfect Beaches resort for your family’s holiday getaway. While you can’t really go wrong with any option, the specific layout, accommodation options, and amenities at each destination can help you make the most of your holiday trip! Enjoy your next holiday vacation with kids! 

RELATED ARTICLE: Visit One of the 12 Best Caribbean Islands for Families!

*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the attractions, accommodations, or things to do on this list may be closed. Please ensure availability before making your decision. 

*This post may contain affiliate links that may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links in no way inform the hotels, sights, products, or other recommendations included in our articles. All opinions and recommendations expressed here are compiled from submissions submitted by the generous members of our Families Who Love To Travel community.

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Megan Tucker

Megan Tucker is a public relations professional, wife, mom and lover of all things travel and travel planning, based in Arlington, Virginia. While she grew up in New England, she's lived in the Washington, DC area, London and Abu Dhabi, and has traveled across the United States, the Caribbean, Western Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania with and without her husband and two sons.