Families seek the best of the best when it comes to travel providers, knowing if they want a family vacation to go off without a glitch, considering all the factors that come into play when traveling with their brood, there are certain companies they prefer to use. We asked which companies are most trusted, and whereverfamily.com readers answered, naming the absolute best in the world of family travel in this year’s Wherever Awards, now in its third year.
There’s no denying this year has been far from the norm, and family vacations looked a bit different. These travel providers and destinations continue to deliver in the face of adversity, going above and beyond to keep travelers and their families safe and healthy while on the road.
PHOTO: © UNITED AIRLINES
Let’s start with our airline winners. United Airlines nabs the top spot as Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airline, and its MileagePlus program is Best Family-Friendly Frequent- Flyer Program. Air Canada wins Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America, for the second consecutive year, and Best Family-Friendly International Airline.
Take off or depart from Chicago Midway Airport, Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airport, and Incheon International Airport, Best Family-Friendly International Airport. If you’re driving, National Car Rental is tops as Best Family-Friendly Rental Car Company.
For hotels and resorts, Best Family-Friendly Hotel Chain goes to Hilton Hotels, and its Hilton Honors program offers the Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Stay Program. For Best Family-Friendly Resort Chain, Westin Hotels & Resorts reigns supreme. Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Bahamas takes Best Family-Friendly Individual Hotel for the second consecutive year. For Best Family-Friendly Hotel Kids Club, look to Colorado Springs’ The Broadmoor. And opt for Marriott Vacation Club when you want the Best Family- Friendly Vacation Company.
Two credit cards take consecutive wins: Chase United Explorer Card is Best Family-Friendly Credit Card for the second year in a row, and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase is Best Family-Friendly Credit Card Rewards Program for the third consecutive year. GOWAY is Best Family-Friendly International Tour Company.
Cruising to a win are Celebrity Cruises, Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line; Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Best Family-Friendly MultiGen Cruise Line; and Norwegian’s Splash Academy, Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line Kids Club.
PHOTO: © GREAT WOLF LODGE
Where are families visiting? Tahiti ranks as Best Family-Friendly International Destination. Its domestic counterpart is North Carolina, Best Family-Friendly Domestic Destination. The Dominican Republic wins Best Family-Friendly Caribbean Island, while Spain takes top honors as Best Family-Friendly MultiGen Destination of the Year. For fun and thrills, Sesame Place is Best Family-Friendly Amusement Park, and Great Wolf Lodge, for the second year in a row, is Best Family-Friendly Waterpark.
Beaches are popular with families, and here are the best of the best: Ocean City, Maryland, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic United States; Virginia Beach, Virginia, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Southeast United States; West Palm Beach, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida East; Sarasota, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida West; Fort Walton Beach, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida Panhandle; Orange Beach, Alabama, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Gulf Coast; Corpus Christi, Texas, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Texas; and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Western United States.
Congratulations to all the winners!
THE METHOD
WhereverFamily conducted an online survey of its readers Sept. 1, 2019–Sept. 30, 2020, with open-ended questions for the best in many categories important to family travelers. Only those questionnaires with 50 percent of the questions answered were counted. Surveys from employees of the web publication and individuals associated with the travel industry were not accepted.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airline
1. United Airlines
2. American Airlines
3. Alaska Airlines
Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America
1. Air Canada, Second Consecutive Year
2. American Airlines
3. United Airlines
Best Family-Friendly International Airline
1. Air Canada
2. United Airlines
3. TAP Air Portugal
Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Flyer Program
1. United MileagePlus
2. Air Canada Aeroplan
3. American Airlines AAdvantage
Best Family-Friendly Hotel Chain
1. Hilton Hotels
2. The Ritz-Carlton
3. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Best Family-Friendly Resort Chain
1. Westin Hotels & Resorts
2. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
3. Crowne Plaza
Best Family-Friendly Individual Hotel
1. Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas, Second Consecutive Year
2. LEGOLAND Feriendorf, Gunzburg, Germany
3. Beaches Negril Resort & Spa, Jamaica
Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Stay Program
1. Hilton Honors
2. IHG Rewards Club
3. Wyndham Rewards
Best Family-Friendly Hotel Kids Club
1. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2. Beaches, Turks & Caicos
3. Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas
Best Family-Friendly Vacation Company
1. Marriott Vacation Club
2. American Airlines Vacations
3. Delta Vacations
Best Family-Friendly International Tour Company
1. GOWAY
2. Lindblad Expeditions
3. Cox & King
Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line
1. Celebrity Cruises
2. Disney Cruise Line
3. Viking Ocean Cruises
Best Family-Friendly MultiGen Cruise Line
1. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
2. Celebrity Cruises
3. Regent Seven Seas
Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line Kids Club
1. Norwegian Cruise Line Splash Academy
2. Disney Cruise Line Oceaneer Club
3. Royal Caribbean Adventure Ocean
Best Family-Friendly Credit Card
1. United Explorer Card from Chase, Second Consecutive Year
2. Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa
3. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card
Best Family-Friendly Credit Card Rewards Program
1. Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa, Third Consecutive Year
2. United Explorer Card from Chase
3. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card
Best Family-Friendly International Destination
1. Tahiti
2. Italy
3. Fiji
Best Family-Friendly Domestic Destination
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Arizona
Best Family-Friendly Caribbean Island
1. Dominican Republic
2. The Bahamas
3. St. Kitts
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Northeast/Mid- Atlantic (Maine–Maryland)
1. Ocean City, Maryland
2. Kennebunkport, Maine
3. Nantucket, Massachusetts
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Southeast (Virginia–Georgia)
1. Virginia Beach, Virginia
2. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
3. Seabrook Island, South Carolina
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida (East)
1. West Palm Beach
2. St. Augustine
3. Amelia Island
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida (West)
1. Sarasota
2. Tampa Bay
3. Marco Island
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida (Panhandle)
1. Fort Walton Beach
2. Cape San Blas, St. Joseph Peninsula
3. Seagrove Beach
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Gulf (Alabama/ Mississippi/Louisiana)
1. Orange Beach, Alabama
2. Gulf Shores, Alabama
3. Grand Isle, Louisiana
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Texas
1. Corpus Christi
2. South Padre Island
3. Seabrook
Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Western United States
1. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
2. Huntington Beach, California
3. Laguna Beach, California
Best Family-Friendly MultiGen Destination of the Year
1. Spain
2. South Africa
3. Italy
Best Family-Friendly Amusement Park
1. Sesame Place, Langhorne, Pennsylvania
2. Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania
3. Universal Studios Hollywood
Best Family-Friendly Waterpark
1. Great Wolf Lodge, Second Consecutive Year
2. Zoombezi Bay, Columbus, Ohio
3. Aquatica by SeaWorld
Best Family-Friendly Rental Car Company
1. National Car Rental
2. Enterprise
3. Hertz
Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airport
1. Chicago Midway Airport
2. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
3. San Francisco International Airport
Best Family-Friendly International Airport
1. Incheon International Airport
2. Dubai International Airport
3. Hamad International Airport, Doha
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