St. Martin – St. Maarten
While this island normally attracts a party crowd, there are plenty of places for families to feel right at home. If you’re traveling with little ones in tow, head to Friar’s Bay (on the French side) or Little Bay (on the Dutch side), two beaches with calm waters for swimming. If the whole gang would rather get their blood pumping instead, hike up to the highest (and, arguably, most scenic) point on the island: Pic Paradis.
Curacao
Curacao is sometimes overlooked for flashier neighbors like Aruba, but it offers the perfect combination of relaxing shorelines and leisurely activities. The beaches are the obvious draw and scuba diving is popular, but kids and adults alike won’t be able to resist snapping photos of the colorful Dutch colonial architecture along Handelskade. The island also offers a number of resorts that provide special programming to keep kids and teens busy.
