So how about that romantic vacation getaway once you have kids? This is a question that is asked by many parents, especially those with small children because in some cases you may not want to or you may not be able to leave your kids behind. The answer is YES, absolutely, take a romantic vacation getaway with the kids!
The key to making it work is to plan your family vacation or getaway correctly and pick your destination and resort with care.
The Caribbean is a good destination choice because it has a lot of all-inclusive resorts that cater to families, especially Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Bahamas. Mexico is another excellent choice and even Central America is coming into its own with family vacations with of options in Costa Rica and Belize.
Even many resort areas and bigger cities in North America such as the Poconos, ski areas etc, have resorts that cater to families, you may not have to travel too far for your romantic vacation getaway with the family.
The more your kids are occupied, the more time you will have to spend ALONE as a couple. Even a few hours a day can make all the difference for some one-on-one time for the two of you.
If the resort provides night-time babysitting (usually for a fee), take advantage at least one night and go out for a romantic dinner. Whether you have 30 minutes or 3 hours, a little bit of romance can go a long way!
Choosing the perfect resort will depend at lot on the age of your children. If your children are babies and/or toddlers, pick a resort that has excellent programs for them. It is more challenging the younger that they are but it can be done. Some excellent choices when travelling with babies and toddlers include:
- Franklyn D. Resort and its sister resort, FDR Pebbles are small hotels which are dedicated to families only. Accommodation is always in suites and comes with your own Vacation Nanny.
- Beaches Resorts in Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos, with nurseries that are filled with cribs, strollers, high chairs, rocking chairs and simply everything your baby could ever need, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day of your stay. Beaches has also teamed up with Sesame Street to make it even more fun.
- Club Med resorts for families – Club Med has four different programs for children of all ages – Baby Club Med is offered at Ixtapa, Mexico and Sandpiper, Florida. This club is for babies between 4 and 23 months. Petit Club Med is for 2 and 3 year olds.
For more options for baby and toddler friendly resorts visit Best Family Beach Vacations – Travelling with Babies and Toddlers
If your children are between the ages of 5-12, you will have an even easier time find resorts that do an excellent job of entertaining school-age children for your romantic vacation getaway and family vacation.
Most all inclusive resorts, as long as they are not adult only, have some form of entertainment for the kids, naturally some are better than others. The ones that do it really well, keep the kids so engaged, you might forget what your kids look like until it’s time to go home!
For more options for all-inclusive child friendly resorts visit Best Family Beach Vacations – Top 10 All Inclusive Family Resorts for your romantic vacation getaway with the kids.
Travelling with teens can be a challenging age group to incorporate into a romantic vacation getaway for parents, but it is possible. Look for resorts and destinations that have activities and attractions that they will be interested in. If they meet other kids their age, you are set, they will be able to keep themselves occupied.
An excellent choice for travel with teenagers is Club Med Punta Cana. Their new teen hangout, The Ramp, is a two-story, open-air lounge exclusively for 14 to 17-year olds. Overlooking the Caribbean, The Ramp combines music, sports and games in a comfortable atmosphere, where they can meet other teens from around the world. Rollerblades and skateboards are welcome. Adults aren’t. There are football tables, telescopes and a jukebox filled with hit tracks from around the world.
A cruise is another excellent option to consider as a romantic vacation getaway and family vacation that will give you some breathing room. They have great programs for kids of most ages, and are a really great option to combine both romantic couple time and fun family time!
Carnival and the Disney cruise lines are a good choice if you have babies or toddlers.
Find out more about what to expect when taking a cruise with your baby or toddler.
For school-aged children, most of the cruise lines have an array of activities to choose from, have a look at what the different cruise lines offer in the way of children’s programs
Good cruise ships for teens include Carnival’s Fascination and Valor, the Disney Cruise Line ships, Royal Caribbean’s Voyager-class ships such as Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas. These Royal Caribbean ships have ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls, miniature golf courses, and teen-only facilities that are hard to beat! Also noteworthy for teens are the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Sun and Star, Princess Cruise Line’s Grand Princess and Caribbean Princess, and Holland America’s Oosterdam.
So do your homework, plan your romantic vacation getaway with the kids well by choosing a suitable destination with a resort or cruise geared to the age of your kids and you will be able to incorporate a romantic vacation getaway with the family on board. It may take some creativity sometimes but lets face it, the best thing you can do for your kids is for them to have happy, loving parents!
