Seeking recommendations for family vacation (Feb 2018)

[Sho'Nuff]

Hi All -

I'm planning a vacation for my family next year and am looking for recommendations as to places we should consider visiting. We will be going during school break in February next year, and since its cold as hell in New England at that time of year we want to go somewhere warm. My kids will also be old enough (6 and 9) to withstand a longer trip that involves air travel.

Budget is ~$8,000-$10,000 for a family of four, but being the cheap bastard I am I would prefer to spend less. We also have ~$1600 worth of travel credit through my Chase card.

My initial thought was to spend 7-10 days at Beaches Turks and Caicos, but the cost is very high and I would prefer a place where our kids can sleep in a different room from us (that is an option at Beaches but its crazy expensive).

I've also thought about a cruise, but honestly I'm not really into spending a week on a floating city. I'd do it if we were going someplace really neat (e.g., Alaska, the Norwegian Fjords, etc.), but those destinations are not really the best in the winter.

Any suggestions?

 

[purbeast0]

I've been to Turks and Caicos and stayed literally right next to Beaches at The Alexandra. Beaches looks incredible, but as you said, it's really expensive. I walked by it every day when I walked down to Coral Gardens to snorkel. It's a big clean property with what looks like a lot to do. They wouldn't let me step foot on the property.

That said, I'd STRONGLY recommend T&C in general. You could easily find a 2BR condo or some place to stay in T&C and stay under that budget very easily.

I'd also strongly recommend Aruba. That and T&C are tied for my favorite places ever. Been to T&C only once but Aruba 4x. They are both safe islands and you can rent cars and drive all over the island and feel safe. The water and beaches in both are very prestine, but there is something about Grace Bay and Taylor Bay that give T&C the one up slightly than Aruba. Aruba definitely has more stuff going on though so if that is what you are into. T&C is definitely more laid back with less activities to do, but that could be a good thing depending on what you are looking for.

Both places have incredible restaurants and food so I'd say that is a toss up.

I went to Aruba last month and my wife and I are planning 2 more trips this year, and 1 is to Exuma for my birthday in November at Sandals. I'm not really into AI places but I'm going to give it a try because I hear Sandals is on another level when it comes to AI. On Aruba I've never done it and I would not recommend it either as there are just too many things to do on the island and too much good food to be stuck in your resort. I've been to Nassau and stayed at the Atlantis, but I'd recommend Aruba and T&C over that place.

If it were up to just me, I'd probably go back to Aruba in the summer but my wife wants to try something new.

 

[KMFJD]

Get away from the Caribbean, how about Tahiti?

http://thebrando.com/ (Obama was just there)

Bora Bora?

 

[purbeast0]

Going to Tahiti from New England with a family of 4 for under $10k doesn't sound realistic to me, especially if staying in an overwater bunagloe. The flights alone would probably be like $1200+ a piece.

 

[Jeeebus]

now that you're a partner, you've graduated to big time!

can't give you too much shit because I was looking at Beaches for the family in August. Looked awesome but couldn't justify the $11k or so for a week. So instead we're going to Hawaii first class burning a shitload of Chase points. #partner problems

 

[DougK62]

Definitely consider Central American destinations. Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua would be my recommendations. Inexpensive to be there, great food, volcanoes, hiking, wonderful scenery, amazing plants and animals, safe, and super hospitable cultures - just about anything you'd want. I can imagine 6 and 9 year old kids loving it. Lots of families visit from the States.

Hoping to take my nieces and nephew to Nicaragua next spring.

 

[KMFJD]

Going to Tahiti from New England with a family of 4 for under $10k doesn't sound realistic to me, especially if staying in an overwater bunagloe. The flights alone would probably be like $1200+ a piece.

Yeah, forgot about that, flights are min 1300 and long, the overwater bungalow is very expensive, on land bungalow is doable though (around $3k but definitely very plain)

 

[purbeast0]

Definitely consider Central American destinations. Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua would be my recommendations. Inexpensive to be there, great food, volcanoes, hiking, wonderful scenery, amazing plants and animals, safe, and super hospitable cultures - just about anything you'd want. I can imagine 6 and 9 year old kids loving it. Lots of families visit from the States.

Hoping to take my nieces and nephew to Nicaragua next spring.

My wife is from Nicaragua and I've only been there once, but we did go to the active volcano which was cool. Also went to Montelimar which was cool. And then there is Corn Island which is off the coast and is a very nice carribean island that was extremely underdeveloped (in a good way) when I went. I bet it's totally different now.

I have only been to Costa Rica once and don't remember the city we were in but I would not recommend it. I know it's huge so there are awesome places but we went where the beach was like located between 2 volcanos and the water was nasty looking.

 

[nk215]

keep it going guys. I am also looking for a good vacation spot around spring break next year.

 

[SearchMaster]

A cruise really isn't a bad option to be honest. They have tons of activities for kids so that generally you and your wife will get a lot of alone time. I was against going the first time but it ended up being a great trip and we've been on over 15 cruises now (none in quite a while though).

Other than "warm", what's your goal? Active? Relaxation? Kids definitely complicate vacations because it's not that relaxing when you have to constantly keep them entertained. Then you feel like an idiot for spending $10K on a vacation when all they wanted to do was play in the pool all day and you could have just gone to Miami.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Thanks all. I appreciate the feedback and suggestions. The challenge as Searchmaster said is to balance the kids having fun and my wife and I having fun. I want this to be a vacation for ALL of us, and not just the kids.

With regard to goals for the vacation, The major goal is for it to be fun for all and for it to be a big stress relief for mt wife and I. That said, I think its really better described in terms of what we would like to do.

My daughter (who will be 6) will be perfectly happy with some kind of body of water and probably needs nothing else. My son (who will be 9) wants to swim and have some activities that have to do with animals (snorkeling would be great for him). Both kids enjoy shell collecting a lot. My wife wants to relax on a beach, go out to dinner, and perhaps go on an excursion or two (she particularly enjoys hiking).

I on the other hand cannot sit still on vacation. I like to be active and do stuff that I can't do at home. So I would prefer to have options to do at least one activity a day, be it golf, scuba diving, hiking, parasailing, etc.

One thing my wife and I really want a break from is all the logistical elements of parenting. Primarily - we don't want to cook meals or be the primary source of entertainment for our kids. We enjoy that stuff well enough, but we just need a break and for one week I think its ok to shirk those responsibilities.

For all those reasons I have been considering an all inclusive resort in the caribbean, as it seems to tic all the boxes. And the best part is many of those resorts include childrens programs which are a blast for the kids and give mom and dad a break.

A cruise is a decent option too, but I think they provide "less" of what we want. Moreover - I really do not like crowds (or being anywhere where there is a large number of people). That is precisely why I abhor New York city and pretty much all major cities. And its also why I am concerned that I would be frustrated by spending my vacation on a cruise ship, which is basically a small floating city.

 

[purbeast0]

If you don't end up doing one of the dime-a-dozen all inclusive resorts, Aruba would fit your bill pretty much to a T based on your recent post.

 

[desura]

Why not Florida? You can at least drive/take the train down there. Go all the way to Miami. That saves a lot on airfare, which probably is pretty high that time of year because lots of people want to do the same.

It won't be as exotic...but still fairly different given the large Cuban and Latino population.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I personally went to Cabo San Lucas (southern tip of the Baja of California, Mexico) many a year ago and had a blast. Great hotels, you have 'east coast' and 'west coast' beaches (rocky and sandy), superb deep sea fishing, snorkeling, jet skiing and you can take four wheelers (rented) out into the desert and have a blast ripping up dunes. Downside would be less opportunity for hiking (as far as I know) and you're mostly isolated from being able to travel anywhere since it's kinda in the middle of nowhere.

 

[purbeast0]

Why not Florida? You can at least drive/take the train down there. Go all the way to Miami. That saves a lot on airfare, which probably is pretty high that time of year because lots of people want to do the same.

It won't be as exotic...but still fairly different given the large Cuban and Latino population.

The water in FL isn't nearly as nice as it is in the Caribbean that time of year. I was in the Keys in February last year and while the water is swimmable by all means, it was pretty damn chilly. Most people on the snorkel trips I did were wearing wet suits, as the guides recommended it. I started with one but it hindered me from diving down so I took it off, and it was very chilly the whole time I was in the water. Even at the beaches it was cold too not just out at the reefs.

That said, the Keys are a great place to go to and the snorkeling there is probably the best I've ever done anywhere in all the places I've been. And there is a lot of water activities to do down there.

 

[SearchMaster]

I still vote cruise I hate crowds as well, probably as much or more than you, and only once (out of 15+) have I ever felt a cruise was even a bit crowded. That time of year you'd probably be ok but it wouldn't hurt to check with a cruise travel agent and see if they have recommendations for less crowded ships. It sounds like you and I are pretty similar in that I also can't sit around for long periods and get bored easily. I don't care for sunbathing (I'll lay with my wife for 15 minutes or so then I'm done). If you pick a Western Caribbean cruise where they do a lot of stops, you'll have access to snorkeling, scuba, beach, shopping, etc. almost every day. They also offer things like ping pong tournaments, basketball, volleyball, belly flop contests, etc. as well as off-off-off-Broadway quality shows (they're ok but not great) and other entertainment (I think Rubycon is an entertainer?). And of course you don't have to worry about food. 90% of the time, the main dining room food is excellent. And they have the casual dining area open all hours of the day.

If you're adamantly opposed I'll shut up on the topic but the great thing is that the kids have a blast and don't mind being in their programs for 10 or 12 hours a day. I've never done an all-inclusive so I can't speak for their children's programs but it would certainly be a critical factor in the decision making process. The last couple of non-cruise vacations we took when my kids were that young were not nearly as enjoyable because, like you said, keeping them happy and entertained is a job all by itself.

 

[soulcougher73]

Peru? Machu Picchu would be awesome to see.

 

[Jeeebus]

The water in FL isn't nearly as nice as it is in the Caribbean that time of year. I was in the Keys in February last year and while the water is swimmable by all means, it was pretty damn chilly. Most people on the snorkel trips I did were wearing wet suits, as the guides recommended it. I started with one but it hindered me from diving down so I took it off, and it was very chilly the whole time I was in the water. Even at the beaches it was cold too not just out at the reefs.

The water just about anywhere in the Caribbean is going to be as cold as the Keys in February. I've been to various islands in November, January, February - as a Floridian, I don't even like getting my feet wet because it's freezing to me. Maybe a northerner with ice in his veins would be ok with it, but I like my ocean to be a sauna before I venture in.

 

[purbeast0]

The water just about anywhere in the Caribbean is going to be as cold as the Keys in February. I've been to various islands in November, January, February - as a Floridian, I don't even like getting my feet wet because it's freezing to me. Maybe a northerner with ice in his veins would be ok with it, but I like my ocean to be a sauna before I venture in.

Well I can tell you the water in Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Barbados, Bahamas, and Aruba is all much warmer than it was in the keys for me that time of year.

 

[Jeeebus]

Well I can tell you the water in Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Barbados, Bahamas, and Aruba is all much warmer than it was in the keys for me that time of year.

Could be I'm just a huge pussy because if water is less than 85 degrees or so I'm happy on the beach. I don't even like throwing my cast net from the boat in the winter because I get splashed doing that.

 

[daveybrat]

Why not a nice cross country road trip to good old Wally World?? Maybe stop and visit cousin Eddie?

 

[ponyo]

I vote Aruba too. But instead of staying at fancy resorts like the Ritz Carlton, Hyatt, Marriott, etc, rent a local place using Airbnb. It's way cheaper and whole lot more fun IMO. You get to see and do things you normally wouldn't and truly see the island. We really enjoyed seeing the island this way. Local people were friendly and beautiful. Food and services were great especially for an island. You don't get the slow and shitty island time service you normally get in the Caribbean. I think that's due to the large number of Dutch people working in the service industry, We plan to go back, maybe do yearly trip.

I paid $360 for one week Airbnb rental. That's less than what I usually spend for one hotel night stay. The guest house was beautiful and comfortable and had everything we needed. The island is tiny so you can pretty much drive from one end of the island to the other end in about 1 hour. And what I loved about the island is you can stop and pull over to go to the beach anywhere and it's not crowded. There are so many empty and secluded beaches and places you can snorkel right along the road. I felt like I was on a private island. And there are plenty of trees and free beach huts so you can always find cool shades at the beach. And there's constant breeze so that keeps everything cool.

We ate multiple fancy $300+ meals there but my favorite wasn't expensive place. It was local favorite Zeerovers and dirt cheap. We ate there twice and would've ate there everyday if it was up to me. The restaurant is right on the water and only takes cash. They only sell fried fish and shrimp but they catch everything themselves. You can see them unloading the fishes and shrimp from the boat. And you choose your fish and shrimp and they weigh the shrimp. Everything is so cheap and fresh. To give you an idea, I ordered 4 large chunks of red snapper, kilogram of shrimp, basket of fries, basket of plantain, cornbread, pickled red onions, and everything was only $40 total. That's cheaper than wholesale prices here. Kilogram of uncooked shrimp will cost more than $40 in the US. And the view of the water at the restaurant and tables was great. You pay at the booth and seat yourself at any table so there's no tipping either.

Family of goats that came to graze next to the house.

View from one of the many free beach huts.

People relaxing under the shade of trees.

View from West Deck restaurant where we ate lunch.

On horseback riding tour.

People eating at Zeerovers.

my portion of red snapper and shrimp meal at Zeerovers

Large fishes swimming in the ocean water right by our table at Zeerovers

 

[BurnItDwn]

Umm,
Florida Disney?

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I have heard nothing but amazing things about Aulani - the Hawaiian Disney resort.

People with kids your age all says its a great time, food is amazing, activities are non-stop, and its very relaxing. Kids absolutely love it, regardless if they are Disney fanatics and due to the high cost its high end people. Only issue is the long 10+hr flights.

You will save a ton of cash by going to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean as all the food/booze is priced into the resort cost. All inclusives make life easy, vacation on auto pilot. You never need to think about where to eat, where to drink, or what to do. It's all covered. The resort will sell you excursions if you want to go offsite.

We've been to the Cancun area in Feb last year and had pleasant weather, the Ocean was definitely cooler than August but it was fine. Lots to do in the Cancun area with snorkeling, fishing, cenotes, water parks, adventure parks, Mayan ruins to explore. Two adventure trips over 6-9 nights is plenty.

ClubMed Cancun deserves a look.

And you could not get me on a Cruise Ship. Zero interest to be herded around on a giant boat.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Why not Florida? You can at least drive/take the train down there. Go all the way to Miami. That saves a lot on airfare, which probably is pretty high that time of year because lots of people want to do the same.

It won't be as exotic...but still fairly different given the large Cuban and Latino population.

Why not a nice cross country road trip to good old Wally World?? Maybe stop and visit cousin Eddie?

Shitters full!