Florida's Top Resort For 2026 Is A Beachfront Island Escape With Family-Friendly Amenities

With a record-breaking 10.7 million visitors in 2025, Palm Beach County has officially become a travel hotspot. Therefore, it's no surprise that the best resort in Florida is located on the eponymous luxurious island enclave. Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach was voted the top resort in Florida for 2026 by Travel + Leisure readers as part of its annual World's Best Awards. The property wasn't only voted the best in its state; it was also ranked the No. 4 resort in the entire country. 

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach was readers' favorite for its beachfront setting, ocean-view accommodations, and wide range of family-friendly amenities. Palm Beach's island geography, cradled between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Lake Worth Lagoon to the west, means guests are never far from the water. The resort offers over 200 rooms and suites across its expansive 6-acre grounds. Here, days are often spent by the water, either at the swimming pools or the sandy beach lapped by the Atlantic. Younger guests will enjoy the activity-packed kids' program, while active travelers can play tennis or book water sports. While many stay happily ensconced on site, Palm Beach, along with the surrounding county, provide much to explore, such as golf courses, beaches, and charming downtowns. 

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach is an easy-to-access vacation retreat. It's about a 20-minute drive from the international airport (PBI), which receives nonstop flights from most major U.S. cities. While the resort is open year-round, the best time to visit for outdoor activities in cooler weather is between late October and early May, when temperatures range between 60 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

Palm Beach is home to more millionaires than anywhere else in the state, so coastal luxury is a very familiar sight on this island, and Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach certainly delivers this. Its 207 rooms and suites are all decorated in a soothing, sea-inspired palette and offer outdoor balconies and ocean views. Families who need more space should book one of the 14 suites, which resemble airy and stylish beach houses. One of the most lavish accommodations is the Sea Breeze Suite, which covers over 1,800 square feet and features cheery, striped walls, blue and pink-toned furniture in the living room, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto a wraparound oceanfront terrace.

Mornings at Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach begin either at a bountiful breakfast at Florie's Terrace or on-the-go coffee and pastries at Cocoanut Café. Come lunch, Seaway, an alfresco patio overlooking the water, serves up fresh seafood platters, healthy salad bowls, a jerk-marinated grouper sandwich, and more. Lunch can also be delivered to your lounger around the swimming pools or on the beach. The signature eatery Florie's is Mediterranean-inspired, with a menu of flavorful seafood dishes like amberjack carpaccio, swordfish Milanese, and charred octopus. While the restaurant is refined, it is also very family-friendly and offers a prix-fixe menu with plates more suited to younger guests' tastes. Children can also craft their own pizzas here as part of Florie's Kid's Kitchen program. At all of the resort's restaurants, children ages 4 and younger dine for free with their parents.

Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach is anchored around a central oceanfront courtyard that has two swimming pools. Separated by a lush barrier of tropical greenery and palms, one pool is reserved for adults, while the larger one is family-friendly, so children of all ages can splash around. For more waterfront fun, the spacious, private beachfront has plenty of games and toys for younger children to play with in the sand, while older children can head out into the water with boogie boards and paddleboards. Children can also spend the day at the Kids for All Seasons club, with its packed calendar of classes and activities, while their parents lounge by the serene adults-only pool or enjoy pampering treatments at the spa. The resort is also an ideal place for active families to play tennis together at the on-site court or take out the complimentary bicycles to ride around Palm Beach. "What stood out the most was how well the resort balanced sophistication with a welcoming, family-friendly vibe," one previous guest shared on Google, where it has a 4.6-star rating based on over 1,200 reviews.

Although the resort has an endless slate of adventures to keep visitors occupied, there's plenty to discover in surrounding Palm Beach as well. A two-minute drive away is the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course, one of Florida's most gorgeous and walkable golf courses, where beginners can learn the basics of the sport. Another scenic spot that's not far from the resort is Lake Worth Beach, a coastal Florida city with artsy downtown vibes where you can stroll out to the long fishing pier, eat at the waterfront Benny's on the Beach restaurant, and check out local art galleries.