The Spread:
Modeled after the parent company's ski villages, Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort is a big property with 1,350 units. Free trams shuttle guests from one end of the 2,400 acres to the other. Recently, the resort added the Village of Baytowne Wharf, a shopping and restaurant complex within walking distance of most of the resort's lodging. The bulk of the accommodations, from hotel rooms to four-bedroom villas,

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lie along the property's four golf courses and the remainder are across the street near the 7.5-mile beach and the Market Shops center.

Why Families Love It:
For families, the mix of beach and marina provides endless recreational activities. Enjoy kayaking, rock climbing, bungee trampoline jumping, mini-golf, tennis, sailing, deep-sea fishing, nature trails, 17 pools, a pirate-themed playground and tree house, and biking. Parents can relax at Sandestin's spa as well as at the more posh spa at the Hilton Sandestin Beach.

For the young sporting crowd, Sandestin excels with junior programs for tennis, golf, and sailing. Junior Tennis Camp occurs three days a week, 90 minutes a day, through most of the year, for ages five to 17. Cost is $23 per day. The Junior Golf Program offers $20 clinics during spring break and summer and a three-day advanced clinic two to three times each summer for $700. Kids ages eight through 12 can participate in sailing classes every Monday and Wednesday from 9 to 11 a.m. for $120 per child.

Sandestin recently added an extreme dimension to its KidZone, the children's program, with a new bungee trampoline and rock-climbing wall. For teens, there are kayak trips, a surfing school, Segway excursions, and evening activities. For ages three to five, camp convenes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and costs $35 per child, including lunch. Kids ages six to ten can attend all-day sessions, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which incorporate off-property field trips and run $55 per child. Children's Evening Out is open to ages three to ten with pizza, movies, and beach flashlight tag three days weekly, 6 to 9:30 p.m.; cost is $40.

Special Activities & Events:
The resort's two shopping districts host weekly special family events. On Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m., Market Shops hosts a special Kids Korner activity; Baytowne Wharf throws Mini Gras each Tuesday 6 to 8 p.m.