Family

Candid snapshots of smiling, on vacation faces are a highlight of every family photo album—but we all know it’s not easy to keep a smile on those faces while traveling. Requirements for happiness differs between toddlers, tweens, teens, and adults. How, then, do you find a place that’s right for everyone?

There’s a world of travel possibilities, and I’m here to help you narrow down your choices to a handful of safe bets. I’ve got three boys, and I know there’s often a fine line between merriment and meltdowns on a family vacation. Over the years, I’ve developed a few rules to travel by with kids:

A. Book early to budget accordingly for your family vacation, especially if you want to travel during holidays or school breaks;

B. Focus on all-inclusive resorts (saving you money in the long run by including all meals, beverages, and activities) and villa-style properties (which give you all the comforts of home along with access to hotel amenities and services);

C. Look for destinations which offer family fun programs and activities—bonus if there are special programs just for kids so grown-ups can get a break; and

D. Consider inviting your extended family—having grandparents or older kids along enriches the experience (and, between us, gives parents built-in babysitting options).

Now that you know the rules, join me on a tempting tour of nine of my favorite destinations for a family vacation. When headed to any one, pack your camera to capture all the fun—and all the smiling faces!

1. Nickelodeon Resort, Dominican Republic

Who vacations in a pineapple under the sea? Your family does! Following Disney World’s lead, this resort invites children of all ages to vacation with some of their favorite animated characters (like SpongeBob Square Pants) with accommodations to match (like “The Pineapple Villa”). Their version of all-inclusive includes gourmet cuisine and premium drinks as well as personalized service and activities hand-selected for guests, from getting slimed at Nickelodeon Place to serving an ace at the Sports Hub. And though certainly geared towards high-energy families, the resort also has a 14,000-sq.-ft. Vassa Spa and a slew of “Romance” activities to ensure you have lots of love alongside the laughs.

2. Generations Riviera Maya, Mexico

As the name implies, this is the place to visit with multiple generations, from a baby to a baby-boomer grandparent, with something for everyone. Set along the glittering blue of the Mexican Caribbean, this beachside resort pampers with an all-inclusive concept featuring a la carte dining and bars, relaxing treatments at Náay Spa, fun activities for kids of all ages (including Eko Kids Club and Little Eko Chefs), and more. At Generations, every room is a suite with butler service and 24-hour room service—and you can choose the suite that’s perfect for your family from nearly a dozen different options (perhaps you’ll choose the suite with an oversized terrace and private infinity pool?).

3. Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Jamaica

Once you arrive here, you never have to leave—and you may never want to! Oriented for adults and kids of all ages, your stay here includes unlimited dining at a number of unique restaurants (as well as dining carts and 24-hour room service; they also have the ability to handle special dietary requests), beverages (from freshly brewed Jamaican coffee to cocktails), beach and pool concierge service, a 24-hour gym (offering yoga, pilates, and cardio classes), watersports, games on the pool deck, and a nightly show at the outdoor theater. Where to regroup each night? The resort offers plenty of unique rooms and suites, including the Swim-Up, which gives you and your family (ages 13+) access to a private pool.

4. Azul Beach Resort, Mexico

Though managed by the same company that oversees the Nickelodeon Resort in the DR, this beachfront boutique resort is a decidedly more low-key, ultra-pampering affair. Case in point: upon arrival, adults are given a glass of champagne while kids receive a Nickelodeon smoothie to sip while making a selection from the aromatherapy and pillow menu. Intimately set on a half-mile of white-sand beach, everything at this all-inclusive oasis is just a stroll (or stroller ride!) away, including six gourmet restaurants, swim-up bars, Vassa Spa, and lot of fun for kids, from My Gym (for guests ages 4 to 12) to special spa treatments for guests ages 5 to 17—also, their all-inclusive baby amenities program provides everything parents need, from strollers to sterilizers, bottles to baby food. Accommodation options include newly renovated Deluxe Rooms and spacious suites, all with goodies like built-in daybeds, Jacuzzi® bathtubs, and air-conditioning. Should you feel the need for a change of venue, Azul Beach Resort is close enough for a day trip to Playa del Carmen.

5. Atlantis, Bahamas

This is a mega resort and, as such, it offers mega delights for your family, with lots of beaches, restaurants, and kid’s camp activities as well as a chance to swim with dolphins or sea lions and an on-site casino for grown-ups. It’s also home to Aquaventure, a one-of-a-kind 141-acre waterscape with 20 swimming areas, 11 swimming pools, a water-play fort for kids, a mile-long river ride, and high-speed water slides. There are seven different accommodation areas, from the Royal Towers to the Atlantis Marina; larger families should consider a suite or multiple rooms. Though not all-inclusive, a trio of Dining Plans are available (and children 11 and under eat free with the purchase of an adult dining plan).

6. Beaches, Turks & Caicos

Beaches is the pioneer of ultra-all-inclusive family vacations. As such, they set the bar really, really high with delights like four distinct villages (reflecting the architecture and attitude of Italy, France, Key West, and the Caribbean), a 45,000 square-foot waterpark (with everything from lazy river journeys to a swim-up soda bar), 19 restaurants, 15 bars, six pools (including a dedicated toddler pool), and fun for the under-18 set, like Sesame Street® characters for tots, Xbox Play Lounge for tweens, and Liquid at Beaches, a disco for teens, as well as a supervised camp for kids of all ages. Located on the north shore of the island, on 12 miles of white-sand beach along calm and clear turquoise waters, it’s a perfect place to experience every type of water sport. Last, but not least, there are more than two dozen accommodation options, from ocean-view rooms to private villas.

7. Coconut Bay Beach Resort, St. Lucia

You know when you fear your boisterous kids are bothering the singles around you? You won’t have that feeling at Coconut Bay. Because moments after you arrive—a quick five minutes from the airport, and after you accept a cold towel and either a glass of champagne, rum punch, or bottled water—you’ll turn your back on the adults-only wing of this 85-acre, all-inclusive resort as you head for Splash, the casual, family-friendly wing. Translation: boisterous kids aren’t just welcomed, they’re expected! And you’ll keep those kiddos moving with delights like the island’s largest waterpark (complete with aquatic playground, lazy river, and water slides), a paintball facility able to host 10 players, a fully supervised 50,000 square-foot Kidz Klub (with daily adventures like mini zip lines and petting zoo), and an air-conditioned indoor playroom; there are also numerous restaurants and bars and fun for adults with a complete fitness center, full-service salon, and oceanfront spa. All rooms are air-conditioned and overlook the sea; adjoining rooms are available for those who need extra space.

8. Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic

Stretching out over 7,000 acres, with what seems like 7,000 things to do, it actually takes some effort to be bored at this villa resort. Choose from a number of guest rooms, one- and two-bedroom suites, and spacious villas, then take on the seven restaurants (with meal plans and dine-around options), five bars, a night club, spa, wellness center, and activities that range from world-class golf to water sports, sport fishing, and horseback riding. When the kids want to be with other kids, or the adults need alone-time, there are lessons for little ones (like Junior Shooting Academy for ages 7+ and Junior Tennis Academy for ages 5+), Summer Camp 2017, and a variety of award-winning half- and full-day programs for toddlers, kids, tweens, and teens; the resort also offers professional nanny and babysitting services.

9. Half Moon, Jamaica

A resort gets no higher compliment than that of a repeat guest—and, for 60+ years, this villa resort has hosted many repeat guests, watching children grow up and return with their own children and grandchildren. Start your own Half Moon legacy! Set on 400 manicured acres with two miles of beautiful beachfront, Half Moon offers multi-generational fun, from family dive trips to tennis tournaments to horseback riding adventures, along with family-friendly accommodation options, like interconnecting rooms or a villa with private pool, cook, butler, and housekeeper. For the grown-ups, there’s Jamaica’s largest award-winning spa and an 18-hole par-72 championship golf course; for kids ages 3 to 12, there’s Anancy Children’s Village (a learning, play, and discovery village inspired by Jamaican folklore) and, from mid-July to mid-August, Camp Half Moon keeps kids ages 4 to 12 busy; and for the smallest travelers, a nanny service gives parents a break. Half Moon is affiliated with Penn State University’s esteemed “Better Kid Care” program, so parents can rest assured that all nannies and counselors are certified in best practices and age-appropriate activities.

Finding it hard to choose your favorite? Let me match your family with your just-right escape—it might even be a place not on this list! As a Travel Specialist, I’ve spent the last 20 years helping families plan and enjoy dream vacations—and I know the best places to visit, whether you’re a family of three or an extended family of 13.

Contact me today (call 603-418-8698 or send an email to me at info@travelbydarcy.com) and let me know how I can help!

It takes a lot of work to get ready for a family trip, even if you have a travel agent doing the planning and booking for you. Choosing the right places and activities, all while trying to maintain some semblance of your normal routine, especially if you have younger kids — can be a real challenge.

In the hectic pace of everything, it can be easy to forget the bigger reasons families choose to travel with their children: to enrich their lives, expand their emotional and cultural horizons, and help them become better global citizens.

So it’s great to encourage kids to be involved in the planning and to participate in family activities — but what are some ways that you can really get your child curious about your travel destinations without adding yet another list of to-dos to a parent’s already-long list?

Here are some ideas for sparking the love of travel in your child on your next vacation.

Use your child’s natural interests to make a destination come alive.

Does your kid love painting? Music? Dance? Sports? Animals? Have your child research ahead of time about activities or places that might speak to his existing passions. Maybe the place you’re headed has an incredible soccer culture, or was the home of a famous photographer. Maybe it’s known for a certain kind of food, or has some quirky museum. Have him gather as much info as he can, and let him choose a way to dig deeper into that interest — a play, an exhibit, a match, a festival.

Use a travel journal.

If your child likes to write or draw, this can be both a wonderful way to document experiences and a way for kids to have alone time if they need it, or wind-down time in the evening before bed. Set aside even just 10 minutes for them to write down or doodle something from the day. A journal can be used before leaving, too — it can be a place where a child documents questions she has about where you’re going, things she wants to learn, a place to glue in pictures of places she wants to see, things she’s excited to try.

Try a scavenger hunt.

How many kinds of gelato can you try? How many colors of cowboy boots can you spot? Can you track down all the famous buildings built by a favorite architect? Make a list of landmarks that were important to a local band? This is something that can be adjusted for younger and older kids, and can be an effective way to engage older kids especially. It keeps them tuned in more, and there can be a reward when a “list” is completed — dinner of their choice, for example.

Use photography as a way to help them pay attention.

For a kid who loves photography, the lens can be an excellent way to help ignite curiosity and help them be present to the travel experience. For younger children especially, an inexpensive disposable camera works just great and can make them feel very grown up; older children might have access to a simple digital camera or a phone with a built-in camera. They might choose to just photograph whatever strikes their interest, and that’s fine — but they can also decide ahead of time to keep an eye out for something specific: interesting flowers, unique doorways, motorcycles or scooters they like, desserts, street signs, gardens, markets, sunsets. Being aware of and respecting cultural etiquette around taking photographs, of course, there are tons of incredible creative opportunities. This can be a wonderful way for a child to discover a new interest he didn’t even know he had.

If you choose to go the digital route, you can even set up an Instagram account specifically for your trip if you like, and your child can use a smartphone as her camera. This is a great way to visually and verbally record what they’ve seen and experienced. They can use it to build vocabulary in a new language by photographing an object, asking a local what it is, and then labeling the image with the word and its translation. If your child doesn’t enjoy traditional journaling as much, this can be an alternative way to have time set aside each day for remembering, documenting, and processing in a different medium.

Having an Instagram account also offers a wide variety of ways to print off and use selected favorite images — photographs, magnets, prints. And your child can use the Postagram app to instantly and inexpensively send postcards of the trip to friends, family, or back home again.

Use a recorder to capture new sounds, voices, and music.

If your child is more aural and visual, you can use a small digital voice recorder to capture the unique traits of your destination. Car horns, street music, sounds of natural surroundings, food cooking, traditional ceremonies, language, laughter — all of these paint an auditory picture of your vacation that will spark wonderful memories for years to come. Again, if your child doesn’t enjoy traditional journaling, keeping a recorded journal might be just the thing that will really spark his interest.

Use the power of compare and contrast to sharpen curiosity, create awareness, and start good conversations.

Have as a goal each day — and this can be something the whole family can do — to note one thing that’s similar to what you do at home, and one thing that’s different from what you do at home. Do kids play similar games? Eat different foods? Drive the same cars? Wear the same kids of clothes? Listen to different music? Have the same kinds of pets? In addition to observing similarities and differences, talk to them about their thoughts around what they’re noticing. What questions come up? What’s comfortable for them, and what feels totally unfamiliar? Do they see things that they wish kids did more of back home? This can be a powerful tool for kids to be present to what’s happening around them, and can help them process the culture shock that can accompany the newness of various environments, as well. It can be a way for you to get to know them better, and it can be a way for them to understand more about themselves, too.

An added bonus with these ideas is that they don’t really require any additional management or planning on the part of a parent. As with any other trip, each family will have to establish ground rules and be aware of the cultural expectations of the places they’re visiting. But other than setting aside some quiet time each day, which most families need, anyway, these activities are largely child-driven and executed. Yes, you’ll likely have to help your kid plan or reserve tickets for a chosen activity or event — but that’s something you would be doing for that day, anyway. The difference here is that your child will be a part of the process. And, yes, you’ll likely be stopping a little more as your child notices, points out, and talks about everything she’s taking in — but in the end, that seems like a wonderful opportunity for connection with your child, and a chance for parents to slow down and absorb a little more, too.

Traveling with your children provides a one-of-a-kind educational experience for them, and a powerful bonding experience for the whole family. I would love to help you design the perfect travel experience for your family!  Click this link to schedule a “Let’s Get Acquainted Session” with me let’s plan your family’s next great adventure.