The Caribbean Flavored Family Vacation

My Little Jacque Cousteau

I’m relaxing on the beach on my chaise lounge reading a somewhat entertaining novel. With my husband in tow, my 10 year old sprints across the beach with his flippers and goggles dangling. As he drips water on my novel, out of breath he exclaims: Mom, I just saw the biggest sea turtle and a school of fish ate the bread right from my hand! I love it here!

Experiences like this frequently occur in the Caribbean. Calm seas, warming sun, and a natural abundance, above and below the surface, make it the ideal location for a family vacation. What’s most important is that your family has an opportunity to spend quality time together. At home, late meetings, hectic work schedules, or after school activities often make spending quality family time together a challenge. A family vacation in the Caribbean is the perfect opportunity to spend some good old fashion quality time together.

Before you leave for your vacation, its important to plan what you want to accomplish with your family. Ask yourself what’s most important. Is it time with children? Is having time alone with your spouse important? Or is it a combination of both? These decisions will help you define the appropriate resort as well as to ensure that you return from your vacation satisfied with how you used your time away.

If time alone with spouse is key, you may want to pick a resort that has a developed kids program. Kids clubs are more than a swing set and a babysitter. These programs can be very elaborate with numerous supervised activities. Some include nature walks, arts and crafts, and of course liberal doses of pool and beach time. Some even have water parks or include trips to nearby attractions. Always consult the kid’s club supervisor or your concierge about setting up the activities for the day or if your children have any special needs. Kids clubs are typically designed for children from 3-12.

For toddlers and infants you may want to inquire as to if the resort has a nanny. For children older than twelve, many resorts now have “Tween Clubs” for children 12 – 15.

If you choose to have a more “hands on” experience with your family, then there is an infinite array of experiences before you in the Caribbean. What is most important in this case is that you share the Caribbean experience together. Research or contact your concierge to plan activities that all will enjoy based on age and interests.

Common in all destinations are sightseeing, hiking or nature walks, and of course the beach and great pools. Sports are also a good opportunity to experience with children. A day on the links or using the resorts Hobie Cat to teach (or learn) sailing with your children is a perfect way to spend the afternoon. Deep Sea or Bone fishing are also an excellent activity for older children. An experience that your children will remember for their next “what I did on my vacation” class presentation would be a guided horse ride on the beach. This can be arranged in most islands. There are also glass bottom boats or even submarines rides with companies such as Atlantis Submarines that operate in many of the islands.

The Caribbean is also home to some very unique natural sights which make the perfect back drop for a family outing. Here are some activities perfect to share with your family.

* St. Lucia is an island that children will love as your family visits the Diamond Falls (water fall), Pitons mountains, or Sulfur Springs.

* Sunset in Nevis brings out the precocious green monkeys that you can watch as they come out to eat ripe mangoes. The Botanical Garden is also a great place to spend an afternoon with children.

* Antigua and Cayman both have a Sting Ray City. Children will love to pet these exotic and friendly creatures.

* Jamaica is perfect for children offering a cool hike up Dunn’s River falls or a cool dip in the Port Antonio’s Blue Lagoon.

* Barbados offers the exotic Harrison’s Caves as well as the Barbados Wildlife Museum.

* Bermuda has a storied nautical past. Take the day to visit the Royal Naval Stockyards or the Bermuda National Aquarium.

* A number of islands have the Swimming with Dolphins experience. This is something your family or you will not forget. Anguilla, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, and Jamaica as well as other islands feature this attraction.

* In St. Thomas, Coral World provides children with an educational experience as they interact with the thousands of sea creatures in this expansive ocean aquarium.

* Cayman has a very large turtle park with over 15,000 turtles from small hatchlings to 600 pound adults.

No matter what your goal, its import to consider that travel to the Caribbean is an experience for your children as well. Encourage children to learn about the rich culture and interact with locals. You’ll want to discourage indoor activities such as watching movies or video games. Travel is about the experience. Ensure that your children have an enriching experience that they’ll remember for a lifetime.

As my son ran back to his underwater explorations, I looked down at the damp pages on my book. I smiled as I reflected that he never missed the gameboy that I removed from his luggage before we even left our house. I put the book down and picked up my goggles to join them in search of the sea turtle or some other wonder of the sea.

Read more in the Caribbean Escapes Luxury Travel Coffee Table Publication