Need a break from snow and frigid temperatures this spring? Maybe just some guaranteed sun instead of the gray winter skies? The Caribbean, Hawaiian Islands and Mexico remain top family vacation spots. Need help choosing a destination? Read on!
I’ll admit, Mexico is getting a bad wrap lately due to headline-making stories that would frighten any family away. However, the tourist-heavy Caribbean shores of Mexico remain family friendly and somehow safe from the strife found in on remote roads, border towns and Mexico City.
Cancun, Cozumel and Riveria Maya are the top spots, with beaches lined with resorts, many of them all-inclusive. A simple flight into Cancun, a hotel shuttle ride to a resort, and all meals, drinks, activities and fun included with the room? Easy! Just like a vacation is supposed to be.
What is not to love about the Caribbean? It immediately conjures images of long stretches of sand, pink and purple sunsets, crystal clear beyond-blue waters where one can see their toes wiggling in the sand when standing neck-deep in the sea, and sunshine galore.
There are many islands welcoming families: the Bahamas, for example, is an easy flight off the coast of Florida and its Atlantis Resort is the pinnacle of fun resorts. Puerto Rico doesn’t require a passport of America citizens and not only is covered in tropical rainforests and stretches of beach, but has a bustling and historic capital city. The Virgin Islands are a water-lover’s paradise. Here, families can snorkel, dive, sail, kite board, kayak, you name it! The British Virgin Islands will give you that extra stamp in the passport, or visit the U.S. islands, which do not require passports for visits. Jamaica, Aruba, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, the Cayman Islands? There are islands a plenty in which to choose.
American islands but with a Polynesian flair, the Hawaii Islands give families a taste of the Pacific, without the need of a passport. While the flights may be more difficult for East Coasters, the long flight to Hawaii from throughout the U.S. is well worth it: the islands welcome families with wide, open arms! Hike in tropical settings and up volcanos, learn to surf the big waves breaking along the never-ending beaches, sway your hips in grass skirts during evening luaus, and swim like porpoises in gigantic resort pools, often featuring water slides and lazy rivers.
For more travel ideas in these warm-weather spots, be sure to visit our Forums, where families who have been there can offer up more tips and ideas.
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