I’m Kayla. I travel with two kids who love sugar, slides, and bedtime stalling. We spent two weeks in Sardinia in June, split across a few family resorts. I came home sun-kissed, sandy, and weirdly proud I packed enough snacks. Here’s my honest take — the good, the messy, and the “why is the pool this cold?” sort of stuff.
Quick note: we flew into Cagliari for the south and Olbia for the north. We rented a car. Best choice we made. Gelato stops came with it. Pistachio won the trip.
Before we left, I mined the local-parent wisdom on Antonello Salis and nabbed tips that spared us both tantrums and wrong turns. If you want the same insider scoop, his Sardinia with kids guide lays it all out.
Figuring out where to base yourself first can save hours in the car; I cross-checked our plan with Antonello’s rundown of Sardinia’s best areas to stay before booking.
First, a tiny truth
I love big resorts. Then I don’t. Crowds stress me. But with kids, big can be easy. More shade, more pools, more “Mom, can I go again?” You know what? I made peace with both.
Forte Village Resort, Santa Margherita di Pula — “The Kids Took Over. I Lived.”
This place is a small city by the sea. Bright flowers. Palm shadows. Golf carts whizz past like they’re late for recess. My son called it “kid Disneyland without Mickey,” which is close. If you want a glossy, outsider’s take, Women’s Health magazine put together a detailed write-up of Forte Village that lines up with much of what we saw.
What we used for real:
- Children’s Wonderland and Mario’s Village: my daughter baked pretend cakes; my son drove mini-cars in circles. Giulia at the mini club remembered their names by day two. I almost cried from the sheer relief.
- The Acquapark: slides that look scary and are not. I went down the blue one and screamed anyway. The kids still tease me.
- Bikes with child seats: clutch for getting from our bungalow to dinner without meltdowns.
- The pizzeria near the main square: simple, fast, and big enough to share. Staff brought the kids crayons without asking. Bless them.
Beach notes:
- Soft, pale sand; clear, gentle water in the morning. It got choppier after lunch. We stuck to mornings and naps.
- Loungers got claimed early. Towel diplomacy is real.
The “hmm” list:
- It’s pricey. I knew that going in. Still gasped at a few drink bills.
- Breakfast got crowded at 9 a.m. We started going at 8:15. Much calmer.
- Babysitting after dinner was great, but not cheap. Worth it for one date night.
Tip I wish I knew: sandals with back straps are gold on the wooden paths. Also, book half board. The buffet saved us from hunger-tantrum doom.
Parents sometimes ask me how to recapture a bit of grown-up adventure once the kids are settled with the sitter or conked out after a day of slides. If you’re curious about where modern dating culture meets the quick-hit spirit of old-school classifieds, the guide to the best Craigslist-style hookup apps breaks down which platforms still have real users, clear safety features, and minimal hassle, letting you decide if an adults-only side quest fits into your next child-free evening.
Some of my Canadian parent friends joke that the hardest part of any getaway is remembering how to date again once you’re back home. If that home happens to be on the Atlantic coast, a thoughtfully curated resource like Trans Escort New Brunswick provides up-front details, verified photos, and safety guidelines so that any meet-up starts from a place of clarity and consent.
Chia Laguna, Chia — “Gorgeous, Windy, and Full of Little Joys”
The beaches here look fake. Su Giudeu is this shallow, turquoise sheet of calm. My kids walked out and still had water at their knees. We watched tiny fish dash by their toes. We all squealed like kids. Fine, me too.
What helped us:
- Kids club in the morning, beach after lunch. The club had a baby corner with a microwave and warm milk, which made bottle life easier.
- Shuttle to the beach. Came often. We brought the foldable stroller and didn’t hate our lives.
- Dinner had a pasta station. Sauce on the side. Simple wins.
The windy bit:
- The mistral showed up two afternoons in a row. Umbrellas wobbled. Sand flew. The kids thought it was thrilling. I thought, well, exfoliation’s free.
The hill problem:
- The resort sits on slopes. Pretty views, strong legs. Stairs plus stroller made me mutter. I still loved it, but I felt it.
Tiny fix: we asked for a room closer to the pool after night one. They moved us. Took five minutes and my mood flipped.
Pullman Timi Ama, Villasimius — “Flamingos, Soft Sand, and 90s Hotel Vibes (In a Good Way)”
This one sits between a lagoon with flamingos and a big, gentle beach. Yes, real flamingos. My kids now think all lagoons have pink birds. Hard myth to break.
What stood out:
- Little train to the beach. The driver waved every time like we were friends.
- The kids club felt warm, not pushy. A gentle staffer named Enrico coaxed my shy daughter into a painting game, and she left with blue hands and a grin.
- Tennis courts for me, a lazy river vibe for the rest (not a real lazy river, but you get it).
Food stuff:
- Breakfast had proper espresso and a pancake corner. Dinner buffet had a bright salad bar and one solid roast meat each night. Desserts looked prettier than they tasted, but the fruit was ripe and cold.
The small gripes:
- Rooms are a touch dated. Clean, though. Think comfy, not flashy.
- Mosquitoes at dusk near the lagoon. We learned fast. Spray at 6:30 p.m., not 7.
Worth it for: the beach. Calm mornings, soft entry, and enough space that I didn’t whisper “sorry” every two steps.
If you’re curious how another parent found resort life, Antonello’s no-filter review of a Sardinian beach resort echoes a lot of my own highs and lows.
Resort & SPA Le Dune, Badesi (Delphina) — “Huge, Cheery, and Great Value”
Northern Sardinia felt wilder. The sea here had more mood. Le Dune is like a family village. So many paths and pockets that I lost my way on purpose. Among its five micro-hotels, La Duna Bianca sits right on the sand, and The Week’s recent review captures the all-inclusive indulgence better than I ever could.
Family wins:
- Multiple kids pools and a shallow splash area. Water felt a smidge warmer here, which helped with my cold-pool kids.
- The Peter Pan kids restaurant. Staff ate with the kids and made everything feel like summer camp. I sat near the door and watched, pretending I was chill.
- Long beach with strong sun. Free shuttle there and back. We built the ugliest sandcastle. It still counts.
Food notes:
- Tons of choice. Grilled fish one night, big salads the next, with a creamy risotto that I thought about on the flight home.
- It felt less fancy than the south, and that suited us. Easy, cheerful, no fuss.
What to watch:
- The sea can be rough later in the day. We swam mornings. Afternoon became shell-hunting time.
- It’s a trek from the airports. Our drive from Olbia took about 1 hour 20 minutes with a bathroom stop and one “I dropped my bear” moment.
A Quick Word on Falkensteiner Capo Boi, Villasimius — “Small Cove, Big Smiles”
We did two nights here. Private-feel cove, clear water for simple snorkel peeks, and a kids club called Falky Land that felt so clean and bright it made me want to play too.
Good bits:
- Early dinner hours with a kids buffet. My son lived on tomato pasta and cucumbers and somehow thrived.
- Evening mini-disco with a caretaker who knew the Chicken Dance by heart. I laughed, then I danced, then I pulled a calf muscle. Worth it.
Less great:
- Pebbly spots in the water. Water shoes helped a lot.
- Shade at noon was limited right by the water. We rotated like sunflowers.