Islands To Go On Vacation With Family
What could be better on vacation than spending time in beautiful surroundings with the people you love? Going to islands is one of the best ways to make this happen, because it is a special treat that every member of the family can look forward to. Providing a fun and memorable vacation for everybody is not always easy, so you need to be prepared. Here are some tips for creating a great island vacation for your family.
Family vacations are some of the most cherished memories we will ever have. As we all know, it is not easy to finds some great places that are nearby and affordable for the whole family to go on vacation with.
Family vacations. Beautiful places, great weather, and no stress. But, there’s a catch: the little people who love hanging out with you every day. How can you make sure everyone has a great time? First, you need to know what your options are for family friendly islands for 2017. We’re going to take an in-depth look at what islands will be fun for couples, families with young children, and parents that want an escape from their kids. Island family vacation trips can be perfect for reconnecting with loved ones. Traveling can sometimes be a stressful experience, especially when crammed into a confined space with sometimes too many people. A group trip may seem like more fun and exciting to some, but you might not get the same bonding time that you’d usually get on a solo vacation. Not only is it harder to bond with a big group, there are also compromises between each person’s wants and needs if the schedule is too tight.
Caribbean vacations can be anything you want them to be. To some, that could mean together time spent lounging on a blissful tropical beach. To others, it could be a more active vacation with scuba diving lessons, rainforest excursions, and visits to ancient ruins. In a place as diverse as the Caribbean, there’s a perfect island vacation for every taste and budget.
The Best Caribbean Vacations and Destinations for Families
The best Caribbean destinations have many things in common, including a variety of beaches ranging from pebbly to powder white. And the best Caribbean vacations for families also come with a good mix of accommodation options that range from sprawling all-inclusive resorts to boutique-style inns, paired with plenty to do both on and off the beach.
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Here are the tropical destinations that practically guarantee a great Caribbean vacation for everyone in the family.
1. British Virgin Islands
Sailors love the British Virgin Islands for the ease of “line-of-sight” sailing (read: you can navigate visually because everything is within eyesight). Whether you choose to go the bareboat route or charter a catamaran with a captain from a company like The Moorings for the ultimate island-hopping itinerary, the British Virgin Islands make for idyllic Caribbean vacations.
Islands To Go On Vacation With Family
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For beach lovers, spots like White Bay Beach on Jost Van Dyke and Tortola’s Cane Garden Bay are the stuff of screen saver fantasies. Your family will feel like Robinson Crusoe’s gang traipsing around the giant boulders lining the sand at The Baths on Virgin Gorda. And there are snorkeling reefs everywhere, lined with swaying sea fans and teeming with tropical fish.
Where to Stay in the British Virgin Islands
If you prefer to be land-based in the BVI, choose from one of the great resorts on Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, or Jost Van Dyke. On Virgin Gorda, Oil Nut Bay is a family-favorite Caribbean vacation spot, offering adventure packages that include guided snorkeling excursions with sea turtles and road safaris to visit The Baths. And you can go the family glamping route at Anegada Beach Club when you stay in one of the beachfront tents set under a palm-thatch palapa.
2. Jamaica
With its fascinating culture, music, and all-around laidback vibe, Jamaica makes for great Caribbean vacations. Accommodation options on the island run the gamut from all-encompassing Jamaica all-inclusive resorts that target families to boutique beachfront escapes that come with your own private nanny.
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The third largest island in the Caribbean, this lush land laden with tropical fruit and full of spices (hello, jerk chicken!) is packed with adventure, too. Family vacation activities range from forays into the Blue Mountains and zip line adventures to riding a bamboo raft down the Martha Brae River and visiting famous waterfalls like Dunn’s River Falls (or lesser-known spots like YS Falls).
For the best beach on the island, make your way west from Montego Bay to Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, lapped by turquoise water and lined with restaurants, bars, and hotels.
Where to Stay in Jamaica
Consistently ranked among the best all-inclusive beach resorts in the world, it’s hard to beat Beaches Negril on Seven Mile Beach, with its huge pools, complimentary kids club, and included activities like snorkeling trips, scuba diving, Hobie Cat adventures, and paddle boarding.
In Montego Bay, the elegant Half Moon is another Caribbean vacation favorite for families who prioritize beautiful beaches. And for all-out family fun with a dedicated nanny for the kids during your stay, nothing can top the all-inclusive Franklyn D. Resort and Spa in Runaway Bay.
3. Puerto Rico
The mix of Latin culture, mind-blowing natural attractions, and Old San Juan’s historic streets—not to mention no passport requirement for U.S. citizens—makes Puerto Rico an exceptional spot for Caribbean vacations with the family.
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When you’re not lounging on the beaches of Isla Verde or Culebra or taking surf lessons in Rincon, you can go kayaking in a bioluminescent bay on Vieques, snorkel among sea turtles on colorful coral reefs, or soak up the sound of salsa music while trying Puerto Rican specialties like mofongo on the streets of the lively capital city, San Juan.
Where to Stay in Puerto Rico
For a luxury splurge, the longstanding go-to for Caribbean vacations in Puerto Rico is Dorado beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, with its multi-bedroom suites and residences fronting one of the island’s very best beaches on the north coast, west of San Juan. Closer to the city, the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel hugs a beautiful beach and has four pools and a swim-up pool bar.
4. Grenada
You’re thinking outside of the Caribbean beach resort box when you plan a vacation to Grenada, and you’ll be rewarded with a friendly island where mass tourism is still in its infancy and the beaches are as golden and welcoming as they come.
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Dubbed the Spice Isle for the nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and other goodies that grow here, Grenada is a chilled-out Caribbean vacation spot where nature rules and you can spend your days tubing along the Balthazar River, hiking along the crater of an extinct volcano at Grand Etang National Park, or dipping in the Seven Sisters Falls.
For a swim in the sea, there’s no beating a day at Grand Anse Beach, lined with coconut palms and tropical flowers, and located to the south of the island’s pretty capital, St. George’s.
Where to Stay in Grenada
For a boutique stay on Lance aux Epines Beach, hit the family-owned Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel, with its onsite water sports center from which you can head out snorkeling, sailing, or diving. On Grande Anse Beach, Mount Cinnamon is renowned for its Caribbean elegance, flowering grounds, and direct access to the island’s best family beach.
5. Antigua and Barbuda
A beach for every day of the year. That’s right, the islands of Antigua and Barbuda bring 365 beaches to the table for your Caribbean vacations. And if a fun time together sounds like trying a new beach every day, then this east Caribbean paradise might be the place for you. Don’t miss Half Moon Bay, arguably the prettiest of the many beaches, then road trip around and see what you can discover on your own. In this Caribbean destination, all roads lead to a beautiful beach.
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You can add a good dose of history to a Caribbean beach vacation in Antigua, too, with a visit to English Harbour, the only Georgian harbor in the world still in operation.
Where to Stay in Antigua and Barbuda
Set on a beautiful sweep of sand on Antigua’s southern coast, Carlisle Bay appeals to active families with its onsite watersports and tennis facilities. For a similar splurge off Antigua’s north coast, Jumby Bay is the ultimate private island all-inclusive experience.
6. Dominican Republic
From the beautiful beaches of Punta Cana and the elegant golf courses of La Romana to vibrant Santo Domingo and quiet kite surfing towns like Cabarete, the Dominican Republic offers many of the best Caribbean vacations for parents and kids.
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Families in search of adventure will find it here, too, in the form of mountain biking trails in the highlands and canyoning or white water rafting on roaring rivers like the Rio Yaque in Jarabacoa.
Where to Stay in the Dominican Republic
In the tourism hub of Punta Cana, there are so many all-inclusive family resorts to choose from that it’s almost dizzying. Top choices include the Hilton La Romana Resort and Waterpark and Nickelodeon Hotels and Resorts Punta Cana. In La Romana, Casa de Campo has resort rooms as well as private villas (many of them more like mansions) for rent.