Looking for recommendations for hotels in Avalon. We are traveling in mid-April - 2 adults and 5-year old for 2 nights. We prefer moderate to upscale lodging, but kid-friendly. Budget is @ $250/night or less, which looks to be plenty for mid-week in April just about anywhere in Avalon. How is the Hotel Metropole vs. Pavilion Lodge? Any other recommendations across from the beach?

Also - we plan on doing a glass-bottom boat ride, and visiting the botanical gardens/Wrigley museum. Any other suggestions (besides the beach) on things to do with a young child in tow (he can handle 1-2 miles of easy walking), and also kid-friendly restaurants?

Rent some wet suits and snorkle at Lover's Cove. Easy in and out with smooth water and LOTS of fish. A five year old would be thrilled.

I believe that the Pavilion Lodge is one of the more kid-friendly hotels on the island. I've never stayed there, but lots of friends with small kids have.

Activities: I've done the glass bottom boat tour and was not very impressed. The "glass" is scratched plexiglass and visibility is poor. Check out the semi-submersible Nautilus tour instead.

Rent a golf cart for an hour or two to tour the island. The views are breathtaking and the kids love it.

There's also a miniature golf course that your little one might enjoy.

Food: The Busy Bee, is right on the water and is kid-friendly. I also like eating outside at Descanso Beach -- past the Casino. Big Olaf's ice cream is always worth a stop, too.

ttt

We've stayed a dozen times at the Pavilion Lodge over the years. The rooms are quite nice now. The best things going for it is the huge grass lawn and patio, right in the middle of Avalon, and the closeness of the boardwalk.

We've taken our kids, so there was room to play, and also gone with golf groups, and it's nice to sit outside on the patio in the evening, too.

Love the Busy Bee Cafe, lvk. Had many a lunch on the deck over the water there.

The Hotel Metropole is very nice and the Blue Parrot restaurant is also.
I think kids would be fine at both.

I love Descanso Beach! You can eat, drink, shop and swim all in one place - what's not to love!

Blue Parrot is gone. Hotel Metropole turned the space into spacious condo like suites (for a price!). Pavillion recently remodeled rooms and I heard they were great. Kids all over Avalon in all the hotels, so you won't have problems anywhere.

Yes to the submarines over the glass bottom boat. The Lover's cove area is the BEST for swimming with the fishes, but yes, you need to get a wet suit for that time of year -- v. cold then.

Antonios for pizza -- my son has loved that place since he was 4 and he's 18 now.