It’s May. That means the kiddos are embarking on summer break, the usual workload eases up (hello, summer Friday hours) and the overall daily grind is a little less, well, grind-y. To celebrate the summer in the utmost family-friendly fabulousness, it’s time to soak up the mild temperatures, saltwater air and laidback SoCal character at Carlsbad’s Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara.

Aviara offers all the comforts of home, while still having the top-notch service and amenities that Four Seasons is known for—all set against the beautiful backdrop of Carlsbad. A major step up from traditional guest rooms, Aviara houses 246 luxury villas—including one- and two-bedroom resort residences. Offering the epitome of “home away from home,” each has a full kitchen, a dining room, outdoor space and a washer and dryer (in addition to luxurious sleeping and bathing areas, of course) so traveling families, especially, have all they need right at their fingertips. Guests will even spy extra-thoughtful amenities, like adorable child-size bathrobes. Walking into a residence is like taking a breath of fresh air; the space is drenched in light, soothing warm colors, plush furnishings and beachy accents.

Possibly the best thing about Aviara is that there is no need to actually leave the resort in order to have an endless list of things to see and do—starting with the incredible pools. There are two on-site pools where families can wade the day away and keep cool thanks to surprise deliveries of smoothie samples and fresh fruit. Plus, each main pool is complemented by a super-shallow kiddie pool so the wee ones have a place to splish and splash care-free. During the summer evenings, families are invited to cozy up with blankets and snacks on the loungers for poolside flicks.