Beach Destinations for Memorable Family Vacations

For families the world over, the beach is one fail-safe destination. It’s an all-in-one destination where the parents can relax, soak some rays, and the kids can go crazy with running around the beach, making sandcastles, and splashing about the ocean – clearly the stuff of memorable family beach vacations.

Resorts and hotels situated in these beach towns have become aware of the needs of families who go on vacation and have come up with activities oriented towards just the kids, just the parents, or for the entire family. And when you want to go beyond the beach and beach activities, you can pack up the family and visit the other tourist attractions in the surround area, try the local food, meet and interact with the locals, and have fun choosing souvenirs to take home. For family beach vacations like these, we suggest several destinations:

Playa del Carmen, Mexico – Playa del Carmen has consistently ranked on top among travelers as a family beach vacation place. It is located in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, about 40 miles south of Cancun. Have fun soaking up the sun and playing on the sun, have some kiteboarding action going. You may also want to go on a daytrip around town, explore the jungle on an ATV, or even learn to cook authentic Mexican fare at The Little Mexican Cooking School. All these things you can do in Playa del Carmen Mexico.

Maui, Hawaii – as far as beach destinations go, this is one of the more famous and for many reasons. You’ll never run out of things to do in Maui. Hiking, boat excursions, sailing, and visiting the Haleakala Crater – there are just some of the activities you can do in Maui, and that’s not counting the sun, sand, and surf that you’ll surely enjoy.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – not a tropical beach, but it doesn’t mean the sand and the sea won’t be as enjoyable. Myrtle Beach offers not only a stretch of white sand beach but also nearby shopping centers, water parks, golf courses, and other areas of entertainment. For all your family’s vacation needs, Myrtle Beach has it pretty much covered.

San Diego, California – children will surely love San Diego because of two things: Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. Parents, on the other hand, will enjoy the cosmopolitan food served in San Diego’s restaurants and learning about the history of the city (which they could promptly share with their kids). There is also, of course, a wealth of beach and water activities that the entire family can enjoy on their visit to San Diego.

A Family Vacation for ALL

“You’re going on a vacation with your little children? Are you insane?”

That’s probably one of the things you’re going to hear when you start asking about good family vacation spots and activities. You can’t blame them, as traveling with children can be quite a challenging feat. The good news, however, is that it’s not impossible and your options are many and varied.

My family traveled a lot when my siblings and I were little, so there were like three children to look after and keep entertained. I believe the secret to having a family vacation that both kids and adults can enjoy is to find places where activities appeal to both parties. My parents achieved that. Among places I can suggest (it’s a pretty unusual list) are:

Disneyland/Disneyworld
Even if you are a cynical adult, you have to admit that you have a soft spot for the Magic Kingdom. It’s because the memories you forged there as a child were so good it’s ingrained in you forever. Why not do it for your kids? You can ride the teacups, the cable cars, Magic Mountain, among others. The “It’s A Small World” ride still appeals to me even as an adult. Older children may like the thrill (or mini heart attack) that the Twilight Zone ride gives. You can watch the parade on Main Street and then the light and fireworks show later on. It’s reliving your childhood while sharing it with your children. Win-win.

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Universal Studios
I’d go have a future family vacation in Universal if only to hear E.T. say my name once again (note: The E.T. ride is now only available in Universal Studios Florida). Any of the Universal Studios locations are good picks. You can interact with your children and explain to them what that talking car was about or why there is a giant shark with its mouth open. If you are a movie-watching family, this place will really keep kids entertained.

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Las Vegas
Yes, you read that right. As a child, I loved Las Vegas. I loved seeing the lights. I loved eating as much mashed potatoes as I wanted. I loved winning tickets and exchanging them for prizes. My parents utilized the Midway to keep kids happy while they sat on slots. Of course it wasn’t all about fun and games. Las Vegas has a lot of shows and I’ve watched many great magic shows and circus acts as a child. Cirque du Soleil is breathtaking to watch no matter what age you are.

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Historic Places
Personally I think these are great places for kids to visit because they’ll actually be in places most people would only read about in books. It also helps that you are interested in things like that because children will ask questions. My parents took us to the Statue of Liberty and I never saw it the same way again. My parents took us to see the pyramids up close, which would mean I was horseback riding in the Sahara. How many children can say they’ve been to Egypt? These kinds of places are a great way to teach your kids something else aside from the usual school stuff.

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The Beach
Come on, you’re going on a vacation, might as well go to the beach right? The beach is all kinds of perfect, and resorts have all sorts of activities planned for both adults and kids, or even the family as a whole. The children can play on the sand while you relax and sip your drink. You can try something new and get surfing lessons and what-not.

See? A family vacation isn’t that hard to plan. You don’t need to stress about it. Just remember, enjoy yourself and take photos. Take lots of photos.

St. Thomas Vacation Packages: Are They Worth the Money

If you’ve decided that a vacation in St. Thomas is what you’d like, you might be trying to decide if you should purchase a St. Thomas vacation package.  You might be considering this and need to know if they’re worth it.  Almost all vacation package companies say they will save you money, but this may not, in fact, be the case.  Actually the kind of vacation package that you purchase is the determining factor.

First of all, consider what is being offered.  Most vacation packages offer hotel accommodations but some also include your airfare. Make sure that you examine what accommodations are offered.

If your airfare is included in the vacation package, it should specify what airline the reservations will be on.  It is a simple thing to then go online and price the airfare against what the package offers.  Also compare how many stops, if you have to change planes and what is the airline schedule.  If you’re unfamiliar with the airline, research them online and especially look at their on time arrival record.

Consider the cost of the hotel that you will be staying in as well as the safety factor.  The cost of the hotel or resort as well as the name should be specified upfront.  Once you know that, it’s easy to compare prices and determine the cost of the reservations.  You can look online, ask your travel agent or even call the hotel directly.

What are some of the other things included in your St. Thomas vacation package?  Often they might include entertainment or discount coupons on meals or tours.

Don’t confuse vacation packages with all-inclusive vacations.  They aren’t the same thing.  All-inclusive vacations include accommodations, entertainment, meals and travel and vacation packages don’t.  While entertainment is often similar and can be boat tours, SCUBA diving, beach activities, most vacation packages don’t include food and drinks.

Once you have determined the estimated cost of entertainment, travel, and overnight accommodations, you can compare your total to the total cost of the vacation package. You may be surprised to see a significant difference.  The difference often varies. There are many individuals who are given a great deal and others will actually lose money by purchasing a St. Thomas vacation package.

Why are some St. Thomas vacation packages considered bargains while others are too expensive?  Well it depends on many factors.  Is the package from a discount travel website?  If so, then you might get a better deal.  One thing to note though is that when you’re purchasing a St. Thomas vacation package, you might want to make sure there are no hidden fees.  These fees can significantly increase your cots.

One thing that might surprise many people is that vacation packages to St. Thomas can sometimes be the best bargains if purchased directly through St. Thomas resorts.  You can also use a travel agent however you must be prepared to pay for that.  The nice thing about purchasing through a travel agent is that most of them offer a guarantee of satisfaction so you can know that the resort and travel agent are trustworthy.

So if you’re planning a vacation to St. Thomas, make sure that you look into purchasing a vacation package.