Ensure your water-loving brood has at least one Caribbean vacation under their belts, and you may find yourselves returning again and again … and again. The sun-kissed haven of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman pays homage to its treasured location with design, amenities and cuisine inspired by the beachfront setting. The exhilarating flavors of Blue by Eric Ripert will convert even the most stubborn of young seafood skeptics, while the only resistance you’ll encounter to renowned Seven Mile Beach is when it’s time to leave—might we suggest another dip in one of the resort’s sparkling pools, or an in-suite movie over homemade churros from Saint June restaurant, to coax them through it?

Everything’s bigger in Texas, a tried-and-true cliché you’ll appreciate as kids take in the generous expanses of The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas: swaggeringly spacious rooms and suites, an eye-popping 48-ounce dry-aged porterhouse steak at Knife Italian and, of course, the resort’s showstopping central pool. Newly open in May 2024, this spectacular oasis is the splashy star of an opulent deck where parents bask in stylish loungers and private cabanas while little swimmers get their kicks in the water or scamper on deck for elevated snacks, fruit plates and beverages.