Trips + Giggles Hotel Picks: The Terranea Resort

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*Welcome to our new format for family-friendly hotel reviews! Here we are giving you the family-friendly basics—why, where, what, how much and a few other essential bits of info. We'll be compiling as many of these as we can, but we'd also love for YOU, yes, you to submit your own reviews. So drop us a line. We can't wait to read your stuff! Love, T+G. 

TERRANEA RESORT

Why We Chose It:  We first stayed at Terranea Resort in 2015 for a friend's wedding and we were amazed at how awesome it was, both for adults and kids. This is a full-service luxury resort with the most incredible back drop—the Pacific Ocean. On our most recent visit, we stayed as a “Kind Ambassador” on behalf of Kind Traveler* which has partnered with the resort to be a Kind Hotel. What that means is if you book your Terranea room on KindTraveler.com, $10 of your nightly rate will be given to a local charity such as Marine Mammal Care Center or a different global charity of your choice. 

The Location: Located in Rancho Palos Verdes, which is about a 45-minute drive from Los Angeles and only 10 minutes from the cruise ports in San Pedro, Terranea occupies 102 acres on a peninsula overlooking the ocean. From here, spotting whales, dolphins and sea lions is a daily occurence. Speaking of those animals, the resort is on the same site of the old Marineland theme park, which was essentially a precusor to Sea World, complete with performing orca whales named Corky and Orky.

The Amenities: Our swish room on the fifth floor had a completely unobstructed view of the ocean from the small balcony. The king bed was beyond comfortable and since Terranea is a five-star resort, the bathrobes and slippers in the closet were an nice pampering touch. The bathroom was huge, with both a shower and a soaking tub. The room also has an empty mini-fridge for you to store your own drinks and snacks. We especially liked the plethora of outlets and USB ports around the room. But don't worry, there's a giant flat-screen TV on the wall should you want to look up from your mobile device. Most rooms have ocean views at Terranea, which is great news, however, the hallways are long and windy. Request a room near the elevator if you'd rather not lug your brood down the hallways.

The Rest of the Hotel: Aside from about 360 rooms in the main building, Terranea has a selection of bungalows, casitas and villas on property which are ideal for bigger family gatherings. There's also a total of eight dining options (including room service), four pools, (including an adults-only spot and a family pool with a great waterslide), the Tide Pool kids club, a water-sports activity center at Terrenea Cove, and a full-service spa. Golf and tennis are available nearby too. Plus, the resort hosts live music in the summer at Nelson's, the casual grill on the bluffs, and the lobby bar usually has a nightly live set as well. In short, you never need to leave the property. 

Bonus Tips: Be sure to bring the kids along for a morning nature hike with the resort's sustainability leader, Lauren Bergloff. She's an incredible resource who can sound off on both plant and marine life as well as the history of the area and all the awesome environmental initiatives the resort is undertaking. 

The Rate: Room rates at the Terranea start around $400 a night. Remember, when you book with KindTraveler.com, $10 of your nightly room rate will go towards a local or global charity of your choice. 

*(Disclosure: We stayed as a guest of the hotel for one night.)

OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Trips + Giggles Favorite Places: Marine Mammal Care Center of Los Angeles

Kind Traveler: A Booking Site You Should Know (And Will Love)


Juliana https://tripsandgiggles.com

Juliana is the founder and editor of Trips + Giggles. She has three children and lives in Los Angeles.

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