Mermaid Magic, Nature Walks & S’mores Await at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa

Does someone in your family really, really, really want to learn to swim like a mermaid? At Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa in Southern California’s Surf City, he or she can do exactly that. Tail rentals are included in the experience, available Monday through Friday at 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. and again at noon in the resort’s lagoon pool. Participants not only receive guided lessons and instruction from the resort’s very own pod of expert mermaids, they’ll also enjoy a mermaid meet-and-greet photo opportunity.

Popular animated films aside, mermaids have had a hold on our collective imagination for centuries. Making their appearance in folk tales and fantasy legends in locations across Africa, Asia and Europe, these half-fish, half-women (or half-men, in the case of mermen) are still said to be sighted in warm and cold waters around the globe.

In Huntington Beach, they’re seen regularly around the resort pool, sporting brilliantly colored tailfins and happy smiles. To take part, advance reservations are necessary, and kids have to meet a few important safety requirements: They’ve got to be at least 48 inches in height and must be able to swim on their own without the benefit of flotation devices. They also must be able to hold their breath underwater. If your kids don’t meet these conditions, they can still take part, provided they wear a life vest, a fin that doesn’t restrict foot movement and are supervised in the pool at all times by a parent or official guardian. Celebrate post-pool time with s’mores outdoors or take part in a guided nature walk.