Cape Cod is a popular family vacation destination, especially in the summer months. Many families choose to stay for at least a week or two, to take advantage of the gorgeous beaches, the delicious restaurants, the fun ice cream shops, the quaint stores, and the family attractions.
For your vacation, you’ll have lots of options for where to stay, including vacation homes, motels, hotels, and resorts – all great for family fun. There are some great Cape Cod hotels on the beach, as well as some that are just a short ride away from the beach.
Cape Cod offers some great resorts offering family-friendly amenities including game rooms, pools, family programming, beach access, and more. If you choose to stay in one of these, you’ll have several great options. Here are five of the best Cape Cod resorts for families.
Disclosure: We’ve received some complimentary stays at these best resorts in Cape Cod over the years, and have also paid our way. This post contains affiliate links and a purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you.
5 of The Best Cape Cod Resorts For Fabulous Family Vacations
When choosing a Cape Cod resort, you’ll want to look at a few things. Several beautiful Cape Cod towns are great for a summer vacation. It’s a good idea to research the areas and decide what types of things you’ll want to do on your trip. While you can easily take day trips during your vacation, you may want to be in a specific area.
If your vacation plans include the beach, you may want to stay in one of the Cape Cod hotels with beach access and amenities. Otherwise, you’ll either need to bring things like beach chairs and umbrellas with you on vacation or purchase them while you are there.
Because of the weather in Cape Cod, many amenities are only open seasonally, and you’ll want to check the season opening dates. Some Cape Cod family resorts are only open in season.
Chatham Bars Inn
One of the most luxurious resorts in Cape Cod is the Chatham Bars Inn Resort, located in the upscale town of Chatham. Chatham Bars Inn offers a variety of guest rooms, including oceanview rooms, suites, and regular deluxe rooms, all in the main inn. Many of these have private balconies.
The Chatham Bars Inn also offers beautiful ocean-view cottages with guest rooms in them, as well as 12 adult-only spa suites that are located above the resort’s spa.
Amenities at the Chatham Bars Inn include a zero-entry heated outdoor swimming pool, with both lounge chairs and cabanas for rent. There is also a farm, located a few miles away, where much of the food is grown. There’s also a seasonal farm stand selling fresh produce.
The Chatham Bars Inn is located along a quarter-mile private beach, where guests can enjoy a day in the sun. Cabanas are available to rent for the day, and there are also lounge chairs and umbrellas. Food and beverage service is available at the beach.
Other amenities include a fitness center, a full-service spa, a 6-wicket croquet court, summer children’s activities, and more. Chatham is a great place to stay, with a fun downtown area and a fish pier where you can watch harbor seals just a short drive away from the resort. Read reviews of the Chatham Bars Inn here.
Ocean Edge Resort
Ocean Edge Resort is a beautiful, sprawling family resort located in Brewster, MA. It has so many great activities for families as well as amenities and is perfect for a luxurious Cape Cod vacation. The resort is so large, that there are two separate locations, across the street from each other.
On the water side of the road is the Mansion at Ocean Edge, a beautiful building that serves as the main lobby and contains many of the guest rooms. Past that is the Presidential Bay Collection, which has gorgeous multi-bedroom villas with plenty of space for everyone to spread out.
Across the street, adjacent to Cape Cod’s only Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, are the Villages. These buildings are all a bit different, with many offering multi-bedroom suites. Guests of some of the villages don’t have access to the private beach, so keep that in mind before you book.
There are lots of outdoor activities at Ocean Edge Resort including tennis courts, pickleball courts, kayak rentals, bike rentals (to use on the nearby bike trail), five pools (including two outdoor pools), several restaurants, and a private beach. While the private beach isn’t available to all guests, there is a shuttle available to take guests to the nearby Crosby Landing Beach. Guests can also purchase a Brewster beach pass from the town to use the local beaches.
In the summer and during school vacations, the resort offers activities and programs for families. It really is a special place. Check their website for specific details of family activities. Read our review of Ocean Edge Resort here, and check out other reviews here.
Red Jacket Resorts
This family-friendly local chain of resorts has several Cape Cod locations, including a beautiful beach resort in centrally located South Yarmouth, MA. The Red Jacket Beach Resort, one of their numerous resorts, is open seasonally but is a fantastic option for a Cape Cod family vacation. It’s one of the most popular Cape Cod beach resorts for a family.
The resort offers a private beach, right on Nantucket Sound, with chairs, umbrellas, and towels. From mid-June through Labor Day, there’s also food and beverage service at the beach. Guests of all of the Red Jacket Resorts have access to amenities at the other resorts (including the Riviera Beach Resort), so you can also drive around and experience the other resorts.
The resort offers several different accommodation types, including standard rooms, family rooms, cottages, and suites. Oceanview rooms are also available.
The Red Jacket Beach Resort also offers an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and a fitness center. See reviews of the resort here. You’ll also have easy access to some popular family activities, including mini golf, the Cape Cod Inflatable Park, and the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Located in the beautiful town of Harwich is the Wequasset Resort and Golf Club. This luxury resort is a fantastic option for families vacationing on Cape Cod.
Room options include suites, cottages, private homes, and villas, so you’ll have plenty of room for your family to spread out. Many of the guest rooms have beautiful water views.
There are so many great activities right at the resort. These include a gorgeous heated pool as well as a tennis center with a lap pool, and a hot tub. In the evenings, guests can enjoy the fire pits located by the pools.
Kids aged 4-12 can enjoy some fun activities and children’s programs at the children’s center, which is open seasonally. It includes a pirate ship playground and splash area, an amphitheater, video games, and so much more.
Other amenities at the Wequassett Resort include beautiful beaches, restaurants, an 18-hole golf course, boat rentals and charters, and more. See reviews of the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club here.
Sea Crest Beach Hotel
The Sea Crest Beach Hotel, located in North Falmouth Massachusetts (in the upper Cape), is one of my favorite Cape Cod resorts. Although it’s technically a hotel, it has some great family-friendly amenities that make it worth a stay for the whole family.
There are several room types at the hotel including signature rooms, fireplace rooms, oceanview rooms, and oceanfront rooms. There are also family suites and cottages available.
The Sea Crest Beach Hotel offers an outdoor pool, an indoor pool, a pool bar, a game room, and a beautiful beach. Guests have access to umbrellas and beach chairs, as well as food and bar service in season. It’s a great option for a family beach vacation on Cape Cod.
The hotel offers a restaurant, Red’s Restaurant and Lounge, pool bar and ice cream counter (both open in season). You can read more reviews here.
Frequently Asked Questions
All of Cape Cod is kid-friendly, and there are beaches everywhere. While you can stay anywhere, we prefer the mid-Cape area, including Yarmouth and Dennis. There are family-friendly amenities and activities throughout this area.
There are lots of fun things to do with kids on Cape Cod.
There are pros and cons to both. If you are looking for the specific amenities offered by hotels, there are lots of options.
Looking for more Cape Cod travel tips? Click to see our guide with town recommendations, things to do, restaurants, and more in Cape Cod.
David Cartier
Monday 23rd of January 2023
Chatham Bars Inn, Ocean Edge and Wequasset all cost in excess of $100 per NIGHT during season. I don't know many families that can afford them. The du Pont family, perhaps. Must be nice, to have your stay comped, but that shouldn't deter an honest review.
Jodi Grundig
Tuesday 24th of January 2023
To clarify, I've never received a comped stay at Chatham Bars Inn or the Wequasset, and I've paid full price to stay at Ocean Edge multiple times. This post is focused on the best resorts, and it wouldn't be an accurate post without including those three resorts.