Travel ideas and experiences on cruises or at all-inclusive resorts, including dude ranches
Correspondent Alison Tibaldi recently visited Beaches Turks and Caicos with her teenage daughter, Madeleine. They had never experienced a Mother-Daughter vacation, and the timing was right.
In the days of being connected 24-7, there is a place where adults can unplug, unwind and become a kid again.
The water slide that swung out over the sea, a deck dance party, lots of food and ice cream and this club area just for teens called Vibe. So I felt pretty good about taking my first cruise on a Disney ship for three days.
We liked the Disney Dream for our first family cruise because of Disney’s reputation for customer service, the ship’s dedicated teen entertainment area called Vibe and a short three-day Bahamian sail
As many of us head off to warm climes and cruise ships on spring break, it’s especially important to be mindful of water safety, particularly if young kids are along for the trip.
In the Turks and Caicos, most hotels here are condo-style and kid-friendly. Most visiting families, however, opt for the gargantuan, all-inclusive Beaches resort, one of Sandals’ family resorts in the Caribbean.
I like that Turks and Caicos is not only safe and that beachfront hotels are just 15 minutes from the airport but that there are so many options—from the all inclusive huge Beaches with over 750 rooms to the Somerset with less than 60.
Families come to Turks and Caicos to relax, but also to enjoy the fishing and water sports, like kite-boarding on South Beach.
It’s not even a holiday week but the Beaches resort on Turks and Caicos is fully booked, including 841 kids running, jumping, splashing and sliding down the water slides at the water play area. “So worth the money,” said Greg Vogel, from Baltimore.
Turks and Caicos is made up of 40 islands and Cays just 575 miles from Miami. Providenciales, where we’re staying, is famous for its beaches, diving, snorkeling and fishing. There are a growing number of resorts catering to families here, including the giant Beaches resort.
An afternoon visit to laid-back Sayulita, a few minutes drive from the Iberostar Playa Mita on Mexico’s Pacific Cost. The crescent-shaped beach is fringed with tall palms. Fishermen sharing the beach with surfers and hippies.
If you think all-inclusive resorts are nothing but rowdy sun-seekers, conga lines, mediocre buffets and cheap liquor, meet the new Iberostar Playa Mita. A vacation here should do wonders to change any preconceived notions you may have about all-inclusive hotels.
Taking the Kids correspondent Allison Tibaldi and her teen-aged son Alec enjoy their last day on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas with a port of call in St. Thomas, USVI, and ride on the Kon Tiki Sightseeing and Beach Cruise.
Day three aboard Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas starts with the Dreamworks character breakfast for Taking the Kids contributor Alison Tibaldi, and ends with Italian food at Portofino.
Taking the Kids contributor Allison Tibaldi visits the gym on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas and first port call at CocoCay in the Bahamas.
Taking the Kids contributor Alec Tibaldi describes his first cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas and provides another excellent video.
Taking the Kids Contributor Allison Tibaldi finds Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas to be huge, but easy to navigate with interactive screens all round.
Taking the Kids contributor Alec Tibaldi, who joined his mother on a Royal Caribbean cruise and visit to Universal Orlando, describes his first visit to the theme park and provides an excellent video.
Taking the Kids contributor Allison Tibaldi reports on a two-for-one holiday with her son on a Royal Caribbean cruise along with a visit to Universal Orlando Resort.
Eileen tours the Bahamas with locals guiding the way. Three videos.