WhereverFamily Announces the Winners in the World of Family Travel

WhereverFamily, Global Traveler’s sister web publication, is the trusted source for family travel, bringing readers daily content on all things family travel at a variety of budgets, destinations, familial configurations and more. Each year the dedicated readers of whereverfamily.com vote on their favorites in the world of travel. Now it’s time for fun and celebration as we announce the winners in the 2026 Wherever Awards, now in its ninth year. A big congratulations to this illustrious list of honorees.

The skies are family-friendlier thanks to these winning airlines: Alaska Airlines, Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airline for the second year in a row; United Airlines, Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America, three years running, and Best Family- Friendly Frequent-Flyer Program, for MileagePlus, for the seventh consecutive year; and TAP Air Portugal, Best Family-Friendly International Airline, second consecutive year.

Family travelers have determined these are the hotels and resorts worthy of being called their home away from home. Marriott Hotels & Resorts earns Best Family-Friendly Hotel Chain, five years running; with its fifth consecutive win in this category, Marriott Hotels & Resorts earns our Quint Status designation this year. Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Stay Program goes to Hilton Honors. It’s a Best Family-Friendly Individual Hotel win for Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, Bahamas. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts earns the No. 1 spot for Best Family-Friendly Resort Chain, second consecutive year, while the overarching IHG Hotels & Resorts is named Best Family-Friendly Pet Hotel for the third year running. Finest Resorts wins Best Family- Friendly All-Inclusive Hotel. When it comes to kids clubs, Camp Cloister at Sea Island Resort in Georgia upset a two-time winner to come out on top.

Families seek out opportunities that take the stress out of all the detail work, like tour opera- tors. Family travelers across generations agree these two are the best of the best: National Geographic Family Journeys takes its fourth Best Family- Friendly Domestic Tour Company award, and Best Family-Friendly International Tour Company goes to Abercrombie & Kent for the second year in a row.

As we cruise into our next set of winners, Princess Cruises sets sail with two awards, both for the second consecutive year: Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line and Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line Kids Club for Princess Cruises – Youth & Teens. Seabourn Cruises earns its second Best Family- Friendly MultiGen Cruise Line.

Cha-ching! We took a penny for your thoughts on the best credit cards for family travelers, and the final tally declares United Explorer Card Best Family-Friendly Credit Card and Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature Best Family-Friendly Credit Card Rewards Program.

More and more families leave the destination decision- making these days to their Gen Z and Gen Alpha children, and here’s where they’re choosing: Fiji wins Best Family-Friendly International Destination, while domestically, Tampa Bay, Florida, is named Best Family-Friendly Domestic Destination. The Bahamas upset Jamaica to become Best Family-Friendly Caribbean Island/Destination. In the Northeast United States, Ocean City, Maryland, takes its second win as Best Family- Friendly Beach Town, Northeast, while Tybee Island, Georgia, wins Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Southern United States, also for the second consecutive year. Two Florida cities represent Best Family-Friendly Beach Towns based on location: Amelia Island, best in the east, for the fourth consecutive year, and Key West in the west. Santa Monica, California, was named Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, West Coast United States, for the second year in a row; and Waikīkī, O‘ahu, is Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Hawai‘i, also for the second consecutive year. San Diego, California, gets the nod for Best Family-Friendly Sports City/Town, and Greece secured its spot once more as Best Family-Friendly Multigenerational Destination of the Year, winning for the fourth time. Hersheypark, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, overtook another PA theme park for top spot as Best Family-Friendly Amusement Park. Great Wolf Lodge enters its winning era with a second win for Best Family-Friendly Waterpark.

And how do families choose to come and go? We finish our winners’ list with the following honorees: Hertz, Best Family- Friendly Rental Car Company two years running; Tampa International Airport, Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airport; iGA İstanbul Airport, Best Family-Friendly International Airport for the fifth consecutive year, earning Quint Status; Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Best Family-Friendly Airport Dining ; and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Best Family-Friendly Airport Shopping for the sixth consecutive year.

THE PROCESS
Whereverfamily.com conducted a survey of its readers Sept. 20, 2025–April 30, 2026, with open-ended questions for the best in many categories important to the family travel market (including multigenerational families). This survey was conducted online at whereverfamily.com/wherever-awards and emailed during the period in question. Only those questionnaires where more than 50 percent of the questions were completed were counted. Those with less than 50 percent answered were discarded. Submissions by employees of the magazine or individuals associated with the travel industry were not accepted.

FAMILY INNOVATORS OF THE YEAR
In addition to the Wherever Awards, we acknowledge family travel providers leading the way in the industry. Our Family Innovators of the Year accolades recognize a leader among airlines, hotels, resorts, rental cars, cruise lines, travel providers and destinations. These winners were nominated by our staff and chosen by our subscriber board. Congratulations to this year’s honorees.

Lufthansa offers children’s meals, entertainment and toys; priority boarding ; and participation in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. These amenities are just a few of the reasons the airline was named Family Innovator of the Year, Airline.

Kempinski Hotels delivers for young guests. From its Titan Tikes supervised kids club program to tasty cuisine tailored for children, it is no wonder Kempinski Hotels was bestowed the title of Family Innovator of the Year, Hotel.

When it comes to the Family Innovator of the Year, Resorts title, the name says it all! Nickelodeon Resorts’ properties in Dominican Republic, Mexico and Türkiye (with Orlando opening in 2028) offer 5-star, all-inclusive stays dedicated to kids.

Whatever configuration your travel crew needs, Enterprise Rent-A-Car has it. With a network of more than 10,000 locations and a wide selection of family-oriented vehicles, the Family Innovator of the Year, Rental Car delivers exactly what families need.

No stranger to trending on social media and earning rave reviews among consumers, Costco has mastered the art of travel also. Costco Travel, with packages that include flights, hotels/resorts and rental cars, is named Family Innovator of the Year, Travel Provider.

Consider Poland for your next family trip. This year’s Family Innovator of the Year, Destination offers a safe, family-friendly destination full of museums, parks and other historical sights. The country is especially magical at Christmas.

There’s no minimum age requirement on our Family Innovator of the Year, Cruise Lines title holder: Lindblad Expeditions. Those of all ages enjoy hands-on science with certified field educators and active excursions.