Gone are the days of so so family vacations which only cater to certain members of the group. Questex’s 2017 Caribbean Family Focus highlights the friendliest family resorts, eco-adventures and cultural attractions that the whole gang can enjoy.
The “Family Resort Report” gives readers a preview of the latest developments on the family accommodations front, including new suites, programming and deals. On the luxury front, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman recently unveiled a Penthouse Suite that boasts more than 19,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space, a full kitchen, a private beachfront cabana, a private cinema and a dedicated assistant. The newly opened Royalton Saint Lucia and Royalton Negril resorts offer luxurious, yet laid back, stays with spacious accommodations and supervised kids’ and teens’ clubs. Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on Nevis is offering 30 percent savings with the "5-Star Experience, 4-Star Pricing" daily rates and a Suite Family Savings package.
Some of the stand out kids’ activities include RIU Palace Punta Cana’s Splash Water World, complete with giant water slides, spray grounds and splash pads; the revamped Anancy Children’s Village at Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica; and the addition of an outdoor zone to the 40,000-square-foot Coral KidZ Club at the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun. The interactive addition allows would-be paleontologist an area to dig for fossils and create dinosaur sculptures from their discoveries.
Since securing the ideal resort is only half of a successful family vacation equation, the sales guide suggests natural and outdoor attractions as well as cultural activities to complete the family adventure. Turtle sanctuaries are a mainstay across the islands, with the Cayman Turtle Centre, the Turtle Encounters Project on the British Islands and the St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network providing the ultimate experience. All three provide educational and hands-on encounters with local wildlife. Other outdoor attractions include the Dominican Republic’s Kayak River Adventure and Puerto Rico’s El Yunque Rain Forest, where families can picnic, hike and swim among giant tree ferns and tropical birds. Kids of all ages will enjoy exploring the many forts sprinkled across the Caribbean, including Grenada’s Fort George and Fort Charles, the oldest of 18 historical fortifications found throughout Jamaica.
Read the Caribbean Family Focus, along with the Mexico Family Focus, Hawaii Family Focus and Multigenerational Travel Focus at travelagentcentral.com/focus-series.