As a travel writer and editor for over a decade, I've learned a thing or two about planning domestic and foreign trips…but I didn’t come around to the delight of the practically-planning-free allure of the all-inclusive resort until later in my experience excursion-ing. This appreciation was hard-won—I discovered how much more stressful it is to plan a trip budgeting my own money rather than company funds; you would too, if an a-la-carte resort charged an exorbitant amount for room service oatmeal and pot of coffee. Here are my suggestions for the top affordable all-inclusive resorts I’d travel to in 2025, ranging from beachy escapes in the Caribbean and Mexico to a couple surprising escapes right here in the U.S.

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If you stay at an all-inclusive, you’re (mostly) safe from sticker shock when you’re presented with your final bill. Since the food, resort activities, Wi-Fi, parking and all the other little extras are bundled into the nightly rate, you are free to just roam the grounds booking your dinners, borrowing your water sports equipment and parking your kids in the kids’ club when you want that much-deserved me (or us) time.

However, buyer beware: While the term “all-inclusive” sounds definitive, the precise meaning can change depending on where in the world you’re booking your stay. For example, in coastal Mexican and tropical Caribbean resorts, the label usually means the price of the nightly room includes meals, activities and—this adds up, vacationers—unlimited alcoholic drinks. (So, for instance, imagine you’re on a cruise, except the ship analog would be the boundaries of your Cancun resort.) By contrast, in popular destinations including Hawaii, Las Vegas and continental U.S. resorts, room charges usually only cover the overnight room stay itself, with possibly a breakfast included. In these cases, sometimes domestic resorts will bundle room nights together and add themed perks—say, a show at the resort’s casino and dinner or a set of activities suitable for children—for a special price.

I searched for resorts with high-ranking user reviews costing below $350 per night, including meals and activities. (That's roughly the median price of well-reviewed resorts with desired amenities in preferred destination areas.) Resort rates can swing wildly—from the premium on high season bookings during spring and summer school holidays, as well as during winter to the relative bargain shoulder season booking opportunities between Thanksgiving and New Year. So for comparison’s sake, I quoted prices for the April booking season. When resort rates diverge from the all-meals, all-activities model, I note it in the text. Now then, on to your stress-free moveable feasts of sun, fun and vacation affordability.

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