The Best of North America

best antidote to airplane food

For a dose of old-Hollywood glamour, pull up a stool at the Fountain Coffee Room's curvy counter and get ready for some of the best pancakes (light, not dense and doughy) and people-watching in the free world. $$$$

best way to feel far away, close by

Perched on a dramatic bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the property is only a 40-minute drive from San Francisco International. But with driftwood beaches and elephant-seal watching, you'll feel a million miles away. $$$

best hotel for baseball lovers

A must for Padres fans—or any baseball buff—this hotel is connected to Petco Park by a skywalk, making it a breeze to run back for a pit stop with no line. Its Homerun package throws in free tickets along with some peanuts and Cracker Jacks. $$$

best après-ski lodge

About 17 steps from the resort town's Mountain's Silver Queen Gondola, this is one of the few places where you can satisfy your cravings for both hot chocolate and a plate of beyond-beyond truffle-oil french fries without even a thought of the shuttle bus. $$$

best old-school kids' camp

The historic landmark in the Allegheny Mountains has spent 230 years perfecting nostalgic family activities—and then some, from hunting and fishing to croquet, archery, and white-water rafting. $$$

best free ride

The hotel shuttles guests on Mizner's Dream, a vintage teak motor yacht that connects the main hotel and the beach club across the Intercoastal Waterway. $$$

best water park

At Aquaventure Water-scape, waves and water-surged "conveyor belts" propel kids around the 63-acre park. You'll never see your kids happier. $$$ to $$$$

best bar for families (without the guilt)

With the Madeline author-illustrator's graceful murals all around, the quintessential Upper East Side experience offers classic cocktails for grown-ups and afternoon tea for little girls and boys in finery. $$$$

best teen concierge

Seventeen-year-old Ben Podborski (son of Olympic skier Steve) immediately wins the trust of teens who would otherwise be sooo bored. $$$ to $$$$

best kids' club for going native

Situated on the Tama-yame Reservation, it gets its young guests building an adobe house and exploring cottonwood forests. Parents can sample 25 kinds of tequila at the hotel bar. $$$

best place to learn from a master

Artists in residence (visitors include Eric Fischl and April Gornik) offer painting lessons to kids and adults in the resort's beautiful, whitewashed studio-gallery space, steps from the sea. It's open to the public as well as to hotel guests. $$$$

best mother hen

Roxane Daniel, the resort nurse, recommends natural remedies for sunburns and sore throats. $$$$

best North-American hotels

A resort that gets it right all around: beachfront family suites, organic food, a No TV Kids Club (6 months and up), and toddler-friendly waters. $$$$

This eco-conscious hotel is perfectly situated, with bay views, ferry access, and the world's best food court—the Ferry Building—across the street. $$$

Kids can make cheese, play with goats, milk cows, and ride tractors at this elegant former Vanderbilt estate overlooking Lake Champlain. $$

With two pools (one for splashing, one for swimming), shady palapas for naps, and delivery from the local taqueria, it doesn't get much better. $$$$

Perched above the Pacific on land where farm animals roam, these workman-style cottages (with kitchens) get a delivery of fresh eggs every morning. $$