Say bed and breakfast, and the notion conjures up cracking fires, romantic memories and inviting feather beds. While you can count on romance from all B&Bs, there are a surprising number of B&Bs that also cater to families. Kids love the welcoming hospitality of innkeepers as much as their parents do.
I travel regularly to B&Bs with my eight and ten year old girls. We refer to these trips as “kidcations”. The girls are veteran inngoers, preferring the fabulous breakfasts, snacks and amenities and welcoming environment of B&Bs to chain hotels.
Yet, not all B&Bs are ideal for families; it takes the right B&B to make a family vacation perfect. These rules of the road will aid in selecting the right B&B for your family.
Successful Kidcation Rules of the Road
1) Location, Location, Location: Be sure to choose a B&B in a kid-friendly location with plenty of activities for rain or shine. The closer, the better – rule of thumb for avoiding the “when will we get there?” chorus is two hours max.
2) Sweet Family Suites: Be sure to choose the right room for your family. Plenty of B&Bs have family suites, cottages or cabins with plenty of room to spread out. Cabins and cottages also translate to lower concern about kid-volume bothering other guests too.
3) Kid-kind Food: Hungry children are unhappy children. Be sure to ask the innkeeper about kid-friendly options for breakfast and additional snacks throughout the day. B&Bs will always cater to dietary restrictions and do their best to appeal to every palate from picky to plentiful.
4) Fragile isn’t Family Friendly: Be sure to inquire about furnishings before booking a family vacation. Museum quality furnishings and rambunctious kids don’t mix. If it’s haute Victorian or filled with fragile antiques, save that B&B for your romantic getaway and find another for the kidcation.
5) Built In Friends: Family-friendly innkeepers tend to have kids themselves who will soon become fast friends with your own children. Also, ask about built-in fun for the kids like pools, board games, horseback riding, and even children’s programs.
Great kidcation B&B destinations
Typically, the best kidcation destinations are resort areas with plenty of year-round fun for the whole family. Try these popular destinations; they’re favorites for our family.
Mt Washington Valley, NH: Filled with family attractions in the summer and great skiing in the winter, this collection of 27 villages surrounding Mount Washington is the number one choice for our annual kidcation. Favorite inns here include Whitney’s Inn in Jackson, where the kid appeal starts with large glass candy jars in the lobby and continues with kids suites with two TVs, an in ground pool and the paddle boats in the pond. Another perfect kid-friendly choice is Cranmore Mountain Lodge, with its own trout pond for fishing, kids’ living room filled with toys and games, and an unbeatable kid’s breakfast menu.
Stowe, VT: Here’s another great option for year-round kidcations filled with scenic beauty, hiking and biking and skiing. An ideal choice here is the Ten Acres Lodge with plenty of family suites to choose from. Kids will love the on-site movie theater and DVD library, TVs throughout the common areas and the friendly Vermont-signature cows across the street.
Photos by Marti Mayne during Kidcation in Mt Washington Valley, NH.
For More Information:
Ideas for Family Friendly B&Bs
Family vacations in Mt Washington Valley, NH
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