Travel ideas and advice for those seeking fun in the sun, regardless of season
A trip to the beach is a perfect summer getaway — and a bargain too. As long as you opt for a destination that’s off-season in summer — like the Caribbean or Arizona — you can have your pick of deals.
Who’s watching the kids in the pool? Someone should have eyes on them at all times — even if they know how to swim. According to new research more than 40 percent of children (5 to 17) who drowned in pools knew how to swim.
It’s easy to see why these vacations are so popular with multigenerational families. No one is doing all the chores that typically come with a house rental.
A lot of families are concerned about spring break plans as the Zika virus continues to spread through the Caribbean and Mexico — popular spring break destinations for families, as well as their college students.
We were brought together by a volunteer program called Meet the People, which has been bringing tourists and locals together for more than 50 years over a shared interest — in our case, cooking and food. meeting the locals in Jamaica Did I mention the program is free? The volunteers will even come and pick you up.
Seriously. We are at River Bumpkin Farm and have floated down about 1.5 miles of the 75-mile long river.
We are visiting Doris Morgan, who has been welcoming tourists—more than 1000—since the mid-1980s, showing them a bit of Jamaican cuisine and culture through the little publicized Meet the People program. Did I mention she does this for free and that there is no charge to the tourists?
In the early 19th Century, when grand balls were held at the famous courthouse in Falmouth, Jamaica’s oldest seaport, young women would sew fireflies into their gowns so they would literally sparkle.
We are eating dinner on the terrace listening to the ocean, feasting on Caribbean lobster. No we aren’t at a tony restaurant in Jamaica. We are at Serenity on the Beach, one of the 100 private villas in Jamaica managed by Villas by Linda Smith.
John Bartels has no interest in going home. He, his two sisters, and his parents have been spending a vacation week at Half Moon, a Rock Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, that has been setting a high bar for resorts here for more than 50 years
No, I’m not a little early, though Halloween is nearly a month away. That’s because everyone from hotels to theme park to attractions to campgrounds to museums now have special Halloween doings that typically go on all month long.
Visit Mexico during an annual festival and you will have special insight into the country’s cultural traditions and heritage. Mexico, of course, is a lot more than the sum of its beaches, as wonderful as they are.
If you think Mexico is only about all-inclusives, think again. The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta, with its contemporary décor and just 280 rooms, offers all-inclusive options, though many also like to explore Puerto Vallarta’s lively dining scene.
Lake Tahoe is one of the largest alpine lakes in the world, with a full menu of recreational options to match its grand size. Combine the cobalt blue water with miles of pristine nature trails and you’ve got a perfect match for lovers of the great outdoors.
The whirlwind parks tour continues at Universal Studios Hollywood and Knott’s Berry Farm. Heading home with an armful of souvenirs, Hannah says: “I had such a great time with my dad and will always remember this trip with him.”
Ten-year-old Hannah Sitzman is a serious and competitive gymnast who only gets one week off her training a year. So she and her Dad Mike made the most of every day on a whirlwind visit to the parks and beaches around Los Angeles recently.
As Father’s Day coincides with the start of the summer vacation season, I figured there’s no better time to offer some suggestions to up dad’s fun quotient on vacation, which is a much better idea than yet another Father’s Day tie, or an IOU, accompanied by a charming kid’s drawing.
Looking for a summer beach bargain?
You know, somewhere with white sand beaches, clear blue water and plenty of activities to keep everyone happy — paddle-boarding, giant sand castle building, boogie-boarding and snorkeling. Let’s not forget kayaking.
Yes, there has been a recent State Department warning about travel to Mexico. But here in what is a tourist destination — albeit one less busy than Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, we certainly feel safe amid vacationing Mexican families.
In Puerto Vallarta, all-inclusives account for 80 percent of the hotels and they are especially popular with families in Mexico and the Caribbean. They’re certainly upping their game to appeal to families.
Giovanni Arredondo holds up two huge Pargos—a kind of snapper—that had just been caught this morning, more than enough to feed the 10 of us.
People come to San Blas in the Riviera Nayarit from all over the world to see birds—as well as to surf the famous breaks. We are in a boat, mangroves on either side in La Tovara National Park
At the Iberostar Playa Mita in Riviera Nayarit on the Pacific Coast of Mexico they feel they’ve gotten as close to family vacation nirvana as they could possibly get. “We’ve never had free room service,” joked Troy Nathan.
There are dolphin discovery programs run by this company all over the Caribbean but this park is different because for the same price (a little over $100) there is a challenge course, water slides, a water play area for younger kids, even a zipline over the slides).
Puerto Vallarta is known for its galleries and its food but it is probably known more as a cruise ship stop and for those visiting the all-inclusive resorts.
We’re in Puerto Vallarta, which is increasingly known for its food and happens to have some 500 taco stands open into the early hours of the night—each one with a specialty that locals come to savor. Every ingredient comes from within a 20 mile radius.
Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia offers Splash, a wing where the kids club is housed and visitors delight in being young and taking part in family-friendly activities and Harmony, Coconut Bay’s adults-only wing.
Many families have a special vacation spot — a snow sports resort, a lake where the kids caught their first fish, a beach where they build giant sand castles. Jumby Bay is one of them.
Karin Allyn is celebrating a birthday on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach under a thatched umbrella with her children and grandchildren. But not just any beach—she’s at Jumby Bay
We’re at Jumby Bay on its own island just off the coast of Antigua–an all inclusive where the food isn’t like any other all inclusive I’ve seen—of course this is one of the most exclusive resorts in the Caribbean.