The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort

The honest review

The King and Prince has been a fixture on St. Simons Island since 1935, and families keep coming back because the resort has quietly invested in the details that matter most when you are traveling with children. The pool complex alone justifies the stay: five outdoor pools on the property, including two dedicated kiddie pools — one features a small waterslide and waterfall — and a heated main pool that extends the usable season into spring and fall. The pools are well-spaced, so the kiddie area does not feel like an afterthought jammed beside adult sunbathers.

Beach access is the other major draw. The resort sits directly on the Atlantic, and the beach frontage here is wide, calm, and well-suited to kids who want to build sandcastles or wade without fighting heavy surf. Dolphins are a regular presence in the nearshore waters, and the resort organizes seasonal dolphin-watching boat tours that genuinely deliver — this is not a marketing promise, it is a feature of St. Simons Island's coastal ecosystem.

Room fit for families is solid. The Beach Villas (one and two bedrooms) each have private pools, hot tubs, gas grills, and gated parking — an excellent setup for families who want a semi-private retreat within the resort. The Guest Houses scale up to five bedrooms, which makes them practical for multi-generational groups traveling together. Standard guest rooms are renovated and comfortable but on the smaller side for families with a lot of gear.

ECHO restaurant serves Southern coastal cuisine with ocean views and a children's menu, so you are not stuck leaving the property every night. Two Har-Tru tennis courts are complimentary, and bike rentals let families explore the island's well-maintained trail network without a car.

Honest caveats: the pricing climbs steeply in summer peak, and villa rates above $500/night can feel like a stretch for what is ultimately a mid-tier Southern resort without the water-park infrastructure of a Disney or Atlantis. Staff responsiveness has earned consistent praise in recent reviews, but service can thin out during busy holiday weekends. Parking is gated and included, which removes one common resort friction point. Overall, this is the most well-rounded family property on the island — the combination of beachfront location, multiple pools scaled for kids, and flexible accommodation sizes earns it a genuine top recommendation.