Top 10 Family Spring Break Vacations

It's hard to beat Florida for one of the best family spring break vacations. Most breaks fall in March or April when the water's getting warm and the beaches invite relaxing or playing in the sun. South Carolina's Hilton Head Island, shown here, is another good weather destination for biking, water sports like kayaking and spotting dolphins and other wildlife. You can even sneak in some education for the kids at the Coastal Discovery Museum, with its focus on mariculture, the island's Gullah culture and the environment.

Or — think beyond the beach for your family spring break vacation. Some destinations are small towns or urban areas; others are family-friendly resorts that offer so much to see and do, you might not leave the grounds. Explore our list of got-to-go destinations and find your fun.

The island of Atlantis was a mythical paradise, but Atlantis Paradise Island, in the Bahamas, is the real deal. Choose from five spectacular hotels, 20 swimming spots with 11 unique pools, a 141-acre water park with high-speed slides and rushing rivers, and five miles of sandy white beaches. The activities for kids 3 to 12 in the Atlantis Kids Adventure club are outrageously fun, ranging from staff-supervised pizza-making to donning hard hats and building with Legos, and from playing pirates to playing detectives or wizards. Want an extravagant tea party? Atlantis has this covered in a life-sized Victorian dollhouse with a charming pretend kitchen. There are gaming systems galore, nightclubs for adults and teens, and water fun on paddle boats and water bikes. New to Atlantis: an overnight marine life camping adventure for ages 6 and up that lets guests snorkel at twilight, kayak with dolphins, encounter sea turtles and more.

Saddle up for spring break at a luxurious dude ranch in Arizona. Rancho de los Caballeros has been giving families an insider's look at Western life since 1947, so it's no surprise they've mastered the art of the family vacation. The children's club keeps kids busy swimming in the heated outdoor pool, playing tennis, roping, riding, hiking, playing horseshoes, going on scavenger hunts, doing arts and crafts, and watching movies under the stars. Parents can relax, visit the full-service spa or play golf. Hop on a hayride for a cookout around a mesquite campfire while authentic cowboys strum acoustic guitars and lead everyone in Western songs. This resort boasts 13,300 acres of horse-accessible trails to explore the Sonoran Desert. Wickenburg is a 75-minute drive northwest of Phoenix.

Tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has free or budget-friendly things for families to see and do, and the downtown area is completely walkable. Pack a picnic to enjoy beside the waterfalls at Falls Park on the Reedy, named a Top US Park by TripAdvisor and home to the only single-sided suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere. Let the littles take a scavenger hunt along Main Street for nine bronze mice statues, inspired by the book Mice on Main, or climb the multi-story structure, have a real-life pit crew experience and try other hands-on exhibits at The Children's Museum of the Upstate. If you're a sports fans, catch the free trolley to Greenville's West End, where the Boston Red Sox's minor league plays at Fluor Field and pop into the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library. At the Greenville Zoo, feed giraffes and encounter more than 200 other animals. Hit the Roper Mountain Science Center for the Friday Starry Nights exhibit.

Springtime at Myrtle Beach is ideal for outdoor fun. Sixty miles of coastline invite parasailing, surfing, swimming and other water sports, and there's no lack of restaurants plating up hook-to-table seafood. Picky kids can find burgers and games at Dave and Buster's, nachos at The Hangout or down chocolate dragon eggs for dessert at the Dinoland Cafe. Many eateries have volleyball courts, rope courses or arcades to pass the time while you wait to be seated. Ride the 200-foot-high SkyWheel over the boardwalk, play golf or mini-golf, or explore the hands-on educational exhibits at WonderWorks. In 2016, the Champion Autism Network named Surfside Beach, on the southern end of the Myrtle Beach area, the first "autism-friendly travel destination."

If everyone likes something different, choose San Diego for your family spring break vacation. There's the beach, of course, but there are also great parks, cool museums and two fantastic zoos. The 100-acre San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and the 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo Safari Park are world-class places to see animals and plants. Take a walking tour in the cheetah habitat (they're world-class, too, when it comes to sprinting) or ride in an open-air safari truck to spot rhinos, antelopes and other animals. Look for the two platypuses in the park's Walkabout Australia; they're the only ones currently living outside The Land Down Under. The Loews Coronado Bay Resort is a good base for exploring other attractions like LEGOLAND California, hands-on exhibits at the Fleet Science Center, eateries and shops in Old Town San Diego and marine life at SeaWorld San Diego. If you'd rather stay put, the Loews will keep everyone entertained with three pools, games, fishing lessons, watersport rentals and more.

Hawaii is known for its blue water, gorgeous scenery, beautiful beaches and luxurious resorts. For adults and kids who love nature and outdoor activities like ziplining and kayaking, Kauai, the "Garden Island," is one of the best family spring break destinations. (It's probably the rainest of the islands, but that's why it's lush and green; the South Shore is drier and sunnier.) If you can swim, then you can surf — at least that's what the folks at East Kauai Surfing School believe while offering lessons for all ages and ability levels. Families can arrange for group sessions so the whole crew can wipe out and encourage each other to hop back up again. Book through the eco-friendly, beachfront Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa. It's a family favorite with freshwater pools featuring waterfalls, slides, secret caves, a saltwater lagoon and a lava rock-lined lazy river. Parents don't have to feel guilty about dropping off the keiki, or kids, at Camp Hyatt; kids ages 3-12 can learn the hula, meet the resident parrots and make cool cultural crafts.

Wisconsin Dells likes to say it's the "Waterpark Capital of the World" because it's home to Kalahari Resort, which boasts the state's largest indoor waterpark and an awesome outdoor waterpark. Families can save on the sunscreen and splurge on the fun at the indoor water wonderland, which has 125,000 square feet of slides, water cannons, whirlpool spas, lazy rivers, wave pools, zero-depth entry pools and The Master Blaster — a 570-foot water rollercoaster. The outdoor park has more slides, spas, a watery tree fort and flumes. If you can get the kids out of the water, there's also an indoor theme park with a Ferris wheel, indoor go-carts, a carousel and arcade games. Admission to the water park is included in the price at the resort for guests who stay on-site; you can also purchase day passes.

Sandy Lane Hotel in the West Indies, Barbados, is a family spring break destination to aspire toward. It boasts chauffeured luxury cars and palatial suites and serves up champagne, canapes and scented towels when you arrive. This exclusive resort is pricy but a worthy investment if you're looking for a refined atmosphere with plenty of engaging activities to keep the little ones happy. Parents can enjoy a few rounds of golf on impeccably manicured fairways or slip into the spa for a massage or the moisturizing Rose Hydrating Cocoon. Kids will dig the Treehouse Club with themed events and activities like nature walks, sports and crafts. Teens chill in a separate lounge with pool tables, foosball, computer stations, board and electronic games and big-screen TVs. The whole family will love swimming with the rare Hawksbill turtles just off the shore.

Small crowds early in the year make Gatlinburg a great family spring break destination. Kids and adults can make pottery at Fowler's Clay Works and walk the SkyBridge, the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America. Look down at the deep valley below, and you might spot a black bear in its natural habitat. Encounter sharks, stingrays and other sea creatures at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, shown here, and book ahead to pet a penguin and help it paint. (You can take your art home.) Don't miss Annakeesta, an outdoor family theme park with rides, gardens, ziplines, courses to climb and crawl, and more. Stroll the connected bridges that hang 50 to 60 feet in the air for 360-degree views of the Smoky Mountains and peaks as far away as Kentucky. At night, see illuminated Astra Lumina, an enchanted, multi-media night walk.

Dollywood Parks and Resorts, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is a short drive away from Gatlinburg and worth the trip. Named for country music star Dolly Parton, it's a theme park with rides, shows and other attractions for all ages. Book your stay at one of the two family-friendly resorts: Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge and Resort or Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa.