Summer holidays with the kids are the best time to get away as a family and spend some quality time together.  But when it comes to the practicalities of keeping kids safe under the sun, putting on sunscreen on the beach can be a bit of a struggle with them raring to hit the waves, build sandcastles and eat (by now sandy) sandwiches. 

Worries about the sun and skincare issues can put some parents off from venturing to sunnier climates, but if you listen to the experts and choose wisely where you holiday, your annual family escape to the sun will go swimmingly!

According to skin specialists, 50% of our exposure to sunlight occurs in childhood. Making it even more pertinent advice to keep covered and protect your children’s skin from sun damage.  By following some simple advice, both parents and kids can frolic about on the beach without the worry about skin damage (and the discomfort of sleepless nights from sunburn).

The first thing to remember is that kids should spend as little time as possible in direct sunlight abroad, which means avoiding the hottest mid-day temperatures when the sun is at its strongest.  Protective measures such as sunhats and long-sleeved cotton   t-shirts can help when on the beach and it’s advisable to keep to shadier areas.  However, this is not necessarily that unless you go to a resort where beach areas provide loungers and large umbrellas that provide shade.

Many holiday resorts are aware of the needs of parents to keep their children in the shade as much as possible.  So you’ve chosen a destination but want to make sure you can find a resort that is aware of your needs to keep your children safe from the sun? 

One of the companies keeping this in mind is On the Beach, who specialise in holidays Spain bound, with many of its resorts providing kids’ clubs so you can take your children to the beach in the early morning or in the afternoon when the sun is weaker and let them make friends and fun memories in the Kids’ Clubs during the day. And did we forget to mention that then you can have a break?!

It’s important to remember that infants should never be exposed to direct sunlight and that high-factor sunscreen that is specifically designed for children (of at least SPF 30+) should be used.  For more advice about skincare on holidays a good place to go is the NetDoctor, a site giving tips on sun damage prevention.  So once you’ve arrived in that Spanish paradise, got the suncream on and hit the beach, the only thing left to do is relax.

Snuba in Puerto Rico

By Meghan McCloskey

“There are only three things you need to remember about Snuba,” said the bronzen instructor, “Breathe, never take off your oxygen mask and don’t swim off like a mermaid.” 

Easy enough, I think, considering one of the three rules is an instinct. ‘Snuba’ is not a typo, it’s one of the fastest growing aquatic activities that combines the best of snorkeling and scuba diving and allows you to explore coral reefs in the depths of the tropical seas without getting scuba diving certified. 

I jump, flippers first, off the back of the boat into the warm waters off the coast of Guánica, Puerto Rico.  Before I know it I’m fifteen feet underwater immersed in a delicate coral reef, face to face with iridescent fish in their natural habitat.  The only underwater communication I’ll be using is the ‘ok sign,’ which is Snuba for “this is awesome!”

Puerto Rico offers plenty of adrenaline inducing activities without the headache of complicated travel arrangements.  For families with a mix of daredevils and sunbathers, you can’t go wrong with this destination.  You don’t even need a passport to enter Puerto Rico, which is approximately a 4-hour flight from New York.  Despite its convenience, when you land in Puerto Rico and you stare out at the banana groves and the cerulean blue waters, you will feel as though your stresses are a world away.  

My destination is Copamarina Beach Resort in the small town of Guánica, a place where locals take pride in their land and go to great lengths to preserve the natural areas. Guánica is home to the largest dry forest in the world, a water-deprived ecosystem where the trees and cactus only grow one to five feet, yet sometimes to the age of 700 years.  Besides biologists from around the world, the free park attracts mountain bikers who could start at the top of the cliffside forest and bike down to Compamarina Resort to relax by the pool. Jose Luis at the information hut will point you towards a trail to meet your interests, whether it is a stroll to breathe in the fragrant fresh air or a quest to spot the rare Puerto Rican Whip-poor-will.

Copamarina hosts one of the best water sport centers for families on the island because there are options for all ages and skill levels.  There are opportunities for scuba diving, kayaking, paddle boarding and even HobiCat sailcraft.  Little ones can team up with parents and older siblings on a three-person kayak to embark on a trip to the forested Gilligan’s Island and even have a picnic on with white sandy beaches.  Not up for the challenge? Put up your feet and take in the views of Guanica at sunset from off shore aboard a pontoon boat.

I try my hand at paddleboarding, an ancient Hawaiian version of surfing, where the audacious rider balances on two feet on top of a surfboard and propels through the water with a giant oar.  Unfortunately, Poseidon is against me on the uncommonly windy day and the waves forbid me from reaching Gilligan’s Island.  I resign to shore, but an aromatherapy massage awaits me at the Bodyderm Spa of Copamarina.  As traditional Puerto Rican music soothes me, I treat my deserving muscles, feeling surprisingly accomplished for a vacation day.

Most visitors to Copamarina opt for the all-inclusive package, a real steal and the only package of its type on the island.  Parents will love daytime dining at the al fresco café, Las Palmas where you can try Puerto Rican fusion like mofongo (root vegetable-based dish) stuffed with grouper while kids can munch on comfort foods. Steal away for an evening and dine at the elegant Alexandra Restaurant, which offers innovative cuisine while being serenaded by the violin of a local music professor.  The filet mignon is a must-try!

If you want one more taste of Puerto Rico before heading home, stay at Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort, found on a slice of pristine beach conveniently located a half a mile from the San Juan airport.  The energetic ones in the group can rent a boogie board or surfboard to tackle the waves.  Want to rest up before heading back to the real world?  No problem, you can recline on a spacious hammock and gaze out at the beach or hedge your bets at the in-house casino.

I head back to the airport, adrenaline still piping through me.  It’s a good thing that Puerto Rico is so accessible because I’ll be back soon for more adventure!

Where is the kale?

There’s plenty of spinach, arugula and lettuce but not the kale or the nasturtium the chef had wanted.

Jan Dane doesn’t miss a beat as she looks over the carrots and the radishes, talking to the farmers at the indoor Saturday farmer’s market in Stonington, CT, buying cheese from one, eggs and corn meal from another.

Dane, the mom of three, is a modern day Forager. That means it is her full time job to act as the liaison between local farmers and the chefs at the luxe 49-room Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI which is a designated Relais & Chateaux property with a focus on farm to table cuisine.

That’s why Dane also teaches classes at the hotel—whether how to shuck an oyster or introducing guests to local New England cheeses. “I loved it when a little boy tried his first oyster,” she said. She does classes on butter churning, ice cream making and grilling pizza too.

Of course it is healthier to eat fresh food. It is also important to support local farms and small business.  “Kids are very receptive,” to the message, she reports. Let’s hope the hotel gets more creative with its children’s menu!  

In summer, Dane says, she visits 5-7 farms a week—there are more than 700 food farms just in Rhode Island, she explains. She stops at large and small farmers markets too looking for what’s different (tiny radishes, a  cheese she hasn’t seen before from a local cheese maker…) “I have more than 49 farms on speed dial,” she says.

View of The Ocean House at Watch Hill RI from the beach

The chefs at Ocean House, she jokes, have “an Iron Chef mentality and are always up for a challenge.” And her finds may well end up on the menu. The evening we were there, we enjoyed a six course tasting menu (well-priced I thought at $85, with a wine pairing at $135). We had roasted beets with local Hannahbells cheese, delicious warm potato and leek soup , white Peking Duckling with kale (I guess the chef found it elsewhere)…and more. Throughout the year, there are special Farm + Vine and In the Kitchen dinners highlighting a particular cuisine.

On Sunday,  we enjoyed one of the best brunches I’ve ever had starting with oysters farmed down the road, an assortment of salads—Waldorf, cous cous, marinated artichokes, crepes(beef tenderloin or wild mushroom?) and then a yummy lobster hash sandwich amid other selections.  The atmosphere was lovely too-the dining room with its sweeping ocean views. No wonder so many people come here to celebrate a special occasion!  ($54, $25 for kids plus all the champagne you want.)

The original Ocean House, a grand yellow Victorian hotel overlooking a spectacular private beach with views of the Atlantic and Block Island, opened in 1868 and welcomed genteel guests who came for the entire summer for 135 years. The new structure was built in the footprint of the original and is just celebrating its second anniversary. I love the relaxed elegance, that there are artifacts from the original hotel throughout, the fanciful artwork and thoughtful touches (jars of goldfish and malted milk balls in our room and miniature scones to welcome us.)  There is even a children’s book by local author Ardith M Schneider about two mice, Mortimer and Max who watch the demolition of their old home in the old Ocean House and find a new home in the Watch Hill Chapel across the road. Mortimer Mouse and the New Ocean House.

Did I mention the fabulous OH! Spa with signature services inspired by the ocean and the harvest?  (Think locally harvested lavender, beach stone massage and a facial that uses peach butter and a buckwheat mask.) You won’t want to leave the relaxation room which overlooks the ocean.

The owners now are working to restore the Weekapaug Inn a few miles away that was originally built in 1899 in the community of Weekapaug, Rhode Island, with views of Quonochontaug Pond, and the Atlantic just beyond. 

This 27-room (and four two-bedroom suites) inn will that is expected to open in October with activities that will focus on the water (think sailing and kayaking), the outdoors (think bird watching with the resident naturalist) and bringing families together (think pizza made outside and curling up to read a story or play a game in the expansive public spaces.)

Dane agrees that with kids who are fussy eaters—including one of her own—it is easier to take the path of least resistance and serve them chicken fingers or burgers—the standard kids’ menu fare. Take them to visit a farmer’s market or a farm. (Websites like www.farmfreshri.org  in Rhode Island, www.localharvest.org  and www.farmstayus.com can help)

“You have to be positive about what you are eating and the kids will be responsive to that,” she suggests. Order menu items to share.

“When you are traveling,” Dane continued, “It seems like such an opportunity to get kids to try new foods….it is absolutely part of the adventure!”

In France recently with her children, even her picky eater tried sauces and quiche—a big step for a child who likes everything plain and white. Most restaurants in France didn’t offer children’s menus, Dane said–just smaller portions for smaller prices. “That makes so much sense,” she said.

Clearly.

With the baby goats at Vida Verde

Wow!

We’re less than an hour south of San Francisco but a world away—dramatic crashing ocean waves on one side; farms on the other.

We walk a trail at Pescadero State Marsh, watching scores of baby Herons in the trees in a rookery and spy a turtle in water. We laugh at the harbor seals sunning on the rocks at Pescadero State Beach.  

We stop at Harley’s Farm and Goat Dairy in tiny Pescadero to sample goat cheese (do we want pistachio and apricot, sundried tomato, chive?)… the best goat cheese I’ve ever tasted….  for our picnic  overlooking crashing waves at Bean Hollow State Beach . Dessert? Creamy fudge made with goat milk. (Come starting in May on Saturdays and check out the Coastside Farmer’s Market.)

There are many farms and wineries to visit here, the chance to whale-watch, kayak, even stay in a light house (HI-Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest and most photographed lighthouses in the country is now a hostel!) … and simply enjoy nature at its best

We walk along Pebble Beach with its distinctive small pebbles instead of sand. Kids are exploring the tide pools. An Anemone! A Sea Star!  It’s chilly and we’re glad for the sunshine. It’s a perfect spring day

One reason for our visit: The chance to see  Vida Verde where my daughter Reggie works—a nonprofit organization that provides overnight environmental educational programs for inner city kids.  We ogle the newborn baby goats. So cute!

Our final destination is the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay that is one of the most spectacular hotel locations I’ve ever seen. The hotel is high on scenic bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean with two golf courses, tennis courts, walking trails to the beach and outdoor fire pits. (They leave us s’mores kits in our room.  Some rooms have their own private fire pits where guests can sit and take in the ocean views.)

I love being on the Club Level where we have access to the Club Lounge with complimentary breakfast, lunch, snacks, and, before dinner, delectable snacks (grilled artichokes? Shrimp? Cheeses?)

There are many families here who tell me the charge ($150 per room) is well worth it for the chance to relax while the kids grab something to eat without waiting in a restaurant. Kathleen and Don Tanaka are here with their two kids from Saratoga, CA for an overnight with friends and their kids. “We can relax and they have their own space,” she said, gesturing to her two kids peering out the window at the wedding taking place outside at the hotel.

“If you want anything it is always there,” said Makaela Tanaka, 12. The best part: The jars of penny candy that the kids can help themselves to “They pretty much have everything we want, especially the candy!”

“If you want something, you can just go get it,” added nine year old Mason Lafreniere, who is from Los Gatos, CA.

“We don’t have to worry about the kids here,” said Kathy Lafreniere. And on vacation, that counts for a lot

We learn this Coast with its hidden coves, thick fog and isolated canyons was ideal for rum runners from Canada and local moon shiners. Speakeasies were popular here then. Now there are farms that date back to the 1800s, miles of white beaches (here’s the place to horseback ride along the beach), Redwood forests and hiking an d biking trails along the bluffs and among the mountains.  There’s whale watching thru April, kayaking, fishing, even the chance to see how cheese is made.  And of course, the chance to sample plenty of farm-to-table good eats.

With four regions to explore – the North Coast, Half Moon Bay, the South Coast and the Redwood Region – we can’t fit it all in one weekend. We simply follow my daughter Reggie’s lead to some of her favorite places.

This area, we learn, is also home California’s first and only broad based ecotourism visitor program, through which more than 30 farmers, fisherman and business community members have come together to offer visitors hands-on activities and a chance to meet local residents.  To be included in the Ecotourism Map, all businesses had to agree to follow important environmental standards.

 We head to dinner at the popular Peruvian La Costanera, on a cliff overlooking the ocean that offers spectacular views as well as spectacular food (he restaurant is recommended in the Michelin Guide.) We feast on ceviche (there are over a dozen to choose from), empanadas (the best I’ve ever eaten), Causas (chilled whipped potatoes topped with mushrooms asparagus and avocado) and excellent seafood Paella.  Still, the managers tell me, the place welcomes many children and it is noisy enough that you don’t have to worry about disrupting anyone’s dinner.  

On to the Redwoods tomorrow! I’m glad we’ve got another sunny day.

Mayan ruins on Riveria Maya Mexico

By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Media Services

The next time the kids don’t want to do their homework, remind them that knowledge is power.

That’s what the ancient Mayans believed. Those with the most knowledge — astronomers, priests, doctors — lived closest to the temples. We learned this, and more, when we visited the ancient city of Tulum, a spectacular, oceanfront ruin located along the Mexican coast, 75 miles south of Cancun (www.rivieramaya.com). Tulum is one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mayans.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention we’re less than a year away from Dec. 21, 2012, the date the ancient Mayan Long Count calendar forecasts will signal the end of all humanity. But experts aren’t convinced and I’m not worried.

Though safety is a major concern for tourists traveling to Mexico, here on the Yucatan Peninsula — a glorious stretch of Caribbean, which runs more than 80 miles along the coast, starting just 10 miles south of Cancun and including the seaside village of Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Tulum, as well as the amazing Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, no one I met was worried. They were too busy enjoying that perfect combination of beach, watersports (snorkel in the largest natural aquarium in the world at Xel-Ha Park), foreign culture (great place for the kids to practice their Spanish), food, and, of course, time-traveling back to an ancient culture. This area, after all, is more than 1,000 miles from the region specified in the U.S. State Department’s warning about travel to Mexico.

Even better, you may get a bargain. You have your choice of more than 300 hotels from tiny 15-room beachfront hotels like the Playa Azul in Tulum to massive all-inclusives like those from Barcelo and Iberostar to small upscale condos like the Condo Hotels right in the heart of Playa del Carmen with its pedestrian Fifth Avenue that teens especially will love. (Book three nights or more and get 15 percent off, plus breakfast. Book seven nights and get an additional 10 percent off.) Let’s not forget manicured resorts like the Fairmont Mayakoba, which has taken the lead in sustainable tourism and makes efforts to incorporate local culture in all of its programs, even the spa, which features local herbs, oils and extracts and treatments, including Mayan clay purification. Resort shops feature local Mayan handicrafts. (Check out Fairmont Savers rates that can save you 30 percent off the best rates.)

Many people think your only options here are big all-inclusive resorts. Actually, 75 percent of hotels here have fewer than 100 rooms. (We loved the 88-room, all-inclusive Ceiba del Mar Beach and Spa Resort, just south of Cancun.) Another small all-inclusive, the 148-room Azul Beach Hotel, is ideal for young families with its gourmet baby food, Fisher-Price toy loaner program, kids club and beachfront playground. (Book from May 1 to Dec. 22 and kids 13 and under stay free here and at the larger Azul Sensatori Hotel by Karisma and adults are 20 percent off.)

Wherever you stay, you should get out and explore.  Tulum — at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries — is one of the best preserved Maya sites and the high cliffs surrounding this coastal town protected it from hurricanes even in ancient time.

It is a great ruin to visit with the kids because it is relatively small and when you are finished, you can walk down to the beach and cool off in the water.

Our guide, Gabriel Morales, explains that perhaps only 800 people — those with the most knowledge — lived within the city while thousands more lived outside. (Note: It is smart to get a guide at the entrance. It’s less than $50 for four people.)

Time travel on a beach vacation? That’s not all. Swim in an underground cenote (deep water-filled sinkholes). These underground river systems crisscross this region. You can even explore a cave. Yes, we did that too at Rio Secreto and it might be one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had, though I wouldn’t bring kids younger than six.

Our guide, Alfredo Kuri Ogalde, led us as we sloshed through water, squeezed through narrow openings and floated along taking care not to touch any of the amazing formations. The only light is from the light on our helmets.

What makes this cave so unique is that it’s the only discovered cave not completely flooded. The formations — orange, sparkling crystal, calcium blue gray — are also so fantastic — there are thousands of stalagtites overhead; big ones, small ones — because the petrified coral reef is more porous, allowing the formations to grow more quickly.

Mayan warriors had to find their way through the cave before going off to war. The theory was that if they confronted the nine gods of death and survived, maybe they could cheat death again in battle.

The Mayans believed that when they died, their souls had to pass through the underworld to be reborn … as we will be when we return to the surface, we’re told.

I don’t know if we’ve been reborn. But when we get back outside, everything seems much brighter — and different somehow.

(For more Eileen’s visit to Riviera Maya, please read her travel diaries)

© 2012 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Families have discovered that it is easier — and often cheaper — to get away in the spring than in the summer when camps and summer jobs — not to mention work schedules and peak travel season perils — wreak havoc with family vacation planning.

You’ll find plenty of good deals too, wherever you want to go. Here are 23 ideas to get you started.  You can find read a lot more about most of these destinations in my columns and travel diaries.  Just enter the destination in the search tool.

1.ADVENTURE The Grand Canyon, for example, is a terrific spring option — especially when you can trek through narrow side canyons and camp, cooling off in the waters from Havasu Falls. This is a no-work camping trip, though, because Austin-Lehman guides do all the work. Check out www.fsguides.com for other guided adventure options in beautiful wild places.  Here’s your chance to send a postcard from the Native American village of Supai — the most remote in the country. REI Adventures is another great option for a wilderness adventure led by professionals who take care of much of the camp work for you. They also offer a week in the remote area of the Grand Canyon’s Havasu Falls, or a backpacking adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains   Go to Peru or take your teens on a trek to Everest base camp (just $1,411 per person for 15 days) with Australia-based Intrepid Travel where your trip might include a home stay with a local family.  Or try searching for whales with Sea Kayak Adventures in Mexico’s newest national marine park.
 
2.ALOHA Hawaii.  Especially if you are on the West Coast, you’ll find great deals in Hawaii like those from Pleasant Holidays where you can score an air-car-condo deal.  Concentrate your stay on one island like Kauai where you can stay at a luxe resort like Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort, the centrally located Kauai Marriott Resort or a relaxed condo like The Colony Resort on the North Shore and take your pick of adventures—surfing, snorkeling, hiking. Opt for a different kind of all inclusive at Kona Village where you stay in thatched-roof bungalows with no TVs and the kids will leave with a new appreciation for the ancient Hawaiian culture.

3. ATLANTIS, the gargantuan (3,500-room ) Paradise Island resort boasts everything from a teen club CRUSH to cooking lessons for kids to interactions with dolphins and sea lions and an expansive Aquaventure Waterpark as well as spa treatments (for kids as well as parents) and some 40 restaurants and lounges. But despite kids eat and stay free deals, Atlantis can be expensive when you add up all of the activity charges.

4. BELIZE  or Costa Rica    Check out Chaa Creek Lodge, Located at the base of the Maya Mountains in Belize, where you can visit well-preserved Mayan sites, stay on a private nature preserve, ride horses through a jungle, canoe, visit the butterfly farm and combine a stay at a beach resort. Kids up to 18 stay free when sharing a room with parents at the Chaa Creek and the resort offers babysitting services and jungle safaris for kids. Commune with the monkeys in Costa Rica. Friendly Planet Travel has some extraordinarily well-priced tours. Look for other kid-friendly tours from companies like Wildland Adventures and Thomson Family Adventures.

5. CITY LIGHTS    Amtrak offers significant discounts for kids to let you explore a nearby city over a weekend when hotels are eager to fill rooms which means you will score a deal. Check websites like www.getaroom.com  and www.hotels.com , or check www.craigslist.com for apartment rentals in cities where you want to visit and propose what you are willing to pay. Check the city’s official tourism website like www.bostonusa.com, www.nycgo.com or www.sanfrancisco.travel for the latest deals and to see what special family offerings are available when you want to visit—new museum exhibits, theater productions?   Let each child plan a day of the itinerary. You will be amazed where they lead you!

6.  CALIFORNIA   Take your pick of  Disneyland (look for kids fly free deals), Universal Studios Hollywood  or Legoland. You can head to to beach towns like Huntington Beach, explore  museums and restaurants in San Francisco, shop till you drop in Los Angeles, maybe spying a celebrity and San Diego. Want to commune with the animals? Go Whale Watching and to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey or head to the famous San Diego Zoo or Sea World.

7. COLLEGE TOURING-Leave the other kids in the family behind and opt for some one-on-one time with your high school junior. Stay in a Bed and Breakfast near the campus to pick up some intel from locals. Don’t try to cram too many schools into one trip.  They all start to seem the same! Check out www.goseecampus.com, a free website offering the first online college trip planner for high school students and parents. Bring a lap top or iPad and have your high schooler jot down some thoughts after each visit. What did he like? What didn’t she like?  And if you drive up to the campus and they refuse to get out of the car, keep driving.

8. CHERRY BLOSSOMS  Spring is a terrific time to visit Washington, DC. The National Cherry Blossom Festival starts March 20 and lasts until April 27 and even includes a special Blossom Kite Festival.  There are plenty of  freebies (or nearly free)  like  seeing  the stars in Rock Creek Park at the only planetarium operated by the National Park Service, touring the the National Mall with DC by Foot, a walking tour company that gives  kid-friendly tours complete with games and fun facts,  See money made with a free tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Play pilot in a mock cockpit at America by Air, an exhibition on permanent display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Get close to original Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights at the National Archives, then stick around to research your own family’s immigration records. The Fairmont Washington, D.C. is collaborating with Friends of the National Zoo on The Panda Package in honor of the giant pandas – Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Families The package includes overnight accommodations for two adults and two children and a Zoo Welcome Kit featuring a cuddly stuffed plush panda, a zoo map, Zoo Tycoon 2 computer game for Windows, and more. For every room night booked $10 USD of the room rate will be donated to the Giant Panda Conservation Fund.  Rates start  from $199.

9. EUROPE It’s a lot less crowded, less hot and cheaper than in the summer! If you book a package that includes flight and hotel on a website like www.travelocity.com you can save as much 20%. Plan a 10 day 8 night spring break trip to the historic cities of Florence and Rome with www.tourcrafters.com. The package for two adults and one child up to 16 in a triple room costs $1,049 per adult and $720 per child. These prices include air fare from New York, four nights accommodation at the 4-star Hotel Rome, four nights at the 4-star Hotel Rin Florence, buffet breakfasts, Hop On Hop Off tour of Rome, Eurostar train ticket, free ice cream for kids in each city, and a special kit, Florence guidebook and restaurant discount for kids. Prices are valid from March 1 to 31, 2012. Opt for an active European adventure (Kayak and bike the Croatian coast perhaps?)  with Adventure Center’s multi-activity family trips. On the Croatian Coastal Adventure, you can run rivers, canoe and kayak along the coast, along with bicycling through villages and discovering Croatia’s Rich history!

10 .COOKING TOGETHER Learn how to make a delicious Italian pizza or pasta by hand, while exploring regions of Italy famous for the culinary traditions along the way. Boston-based Lauren Birmingham Piscitelli leads culinary tours in Italy with a focus on kids cooking — whether they are three or 18.  

11. FLORIDA.  There is a lot more to see and do than Orlando in the Sunshine State. Head to a resort like Sandestin on the Gulf Coast where you can sign the kids—and yourselves–up for golf and tennis clinics as well as explore miles-long white-sand beaches. Sandestin is offering many deals this coming spring, including Stay 4 nights and receive the 5th night free (Mention Code FREE5), a 21-Day Advance Purchase – Book your stay early and receive up to 25% off select accommodations for your Spring Break visit (Mention Code LOWEST),  and the possibility to save up to 25% off a consecutive seven-night stay on select accommodations for your week-long visit (Mention Code WEEKLY). They also offer Complimentary amenities including free rental of bicycles, canoes, kayaks, and tennis courts; free fitness center access; free children’s activities (in season), and complimentary resort-wide tram service offered every day of a guest’s stay. Anchor your gang at a Palm Beach area resort and you can take in some spring training games, hit the spa and view the alligators in the Everglades.Or, Tradewinds Island Grand Resort in St Petersburg has just opened a new floating water park in the Gulf of Mexico www.JustLetGo.com/Waterpark while Loews Miami Beach Hotel amped up its kid-friendly offerings as part of its $50 million renovation, complete with a retro ice cream ship and Sushi making lessons.

12. FOLLOW THE SUN TO THE CARIBBEAN   Low season starts in mid-April which means prices drop dramatically. But this year, you will find plenty of deals in March too.
Look for packages like at St. Croix’s Buccaneer which offers free breakfast, kids club and among many other spring specials.  Check out the new junior tennis camps at the beautiful yet quiet Curtain Bluff Resort on Antigua. Rock Resorts are touting a free night at its rapidly expanding group of Caribbean properties, many which have condo-like accommodations.  Look for discounts at all-inclusive resorts like Beaches in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos with special Sesame Street activities for the youngest travelers and tween and teen clubs for older siblings. Jamaica’s  Breezes Trelawney Resort has everything from  trapeze, rock-climbing, tennis lessons, to mini golf and a water playground.

13. FOLLOW YOUR PASSIONS   Or,  learn something new together.  Learn to scuba dive at a place like Bohio Resort in Turks and Caicos.  For more dive resorts and learning how to scuba dive, visit www.padi.com.  Explore a museum devoted to sport like the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in  Springfield Mass where the game was first invented; music (the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH) , spies (The International Spy Museum in Washington DC)  or stars at Pacific Science Center’s planetarium.

14. HILTON HEAD, SC  is a small island with preserved nature, beautiful  beaches, golf, tennis and more.  The Sea Pines Forest Preserve within the Sea Pines Resort offers boardwalks to explore the wetlands, observation decks, and a nice hike. The famous “Salty Dog” in Sea Pines is a marina area offering jet skiing, para-sailing, boat rentals, as well as a bar area near the beach.  The Museum of Hilton Head has guided tours of the beaches offering both bike and kayak tours. Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort has the wide range of activities for kids and teens that other Disney Resorts have, but on a picturesque beach. Family activities are also included. Westin Resort Hilton Head Island has a kids camp for ages four to twelve, which includes crafts, trips to the pool and beach, and more!

15. HISTORY  Build a trip around American history whether in the Historic Triangle of Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown,  or Boston where you can walk the Freedom Trail with a costumed interpreter or Philadelphia where you can see the Liberty Bell  in the new Liberty Bell Center. If your family is into war history, you can also tour a battlefield like Valley Forge or Gettysburg.

16.HIT THE SLOPES There’s nothing like some spring skiing sunshine. Look for late-season deals across the country from Vermont to Colorado, Utah and California   Websites like www.ski.com can save you significantly when you book flights, lodging and lifts together.   For example, the Sky Lodge in Park City, UT () is offering the  “Stay Three, Stay Free & Ride Free” package, where you can get a 4th night free and a 4th day of skiing complimentary–this includes daily lift tickets to Park City or Deer Valley. The package is available March 16, 2012 through April 15, 2012, excluding certain blackout dates. You can save up to $800! Look for family oriented festivals like Kidtopia at Keystone Resort in Colorado.  If everyone in your gang is a beginner, consider smaller mountains near where you live–Hunter Mountain in New York, for example, Crystal Mountain in Michigan, Brian Head Resort in Utah, Bolton Valley in Vermont and Mount Rose on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.

17. HOME AWAY FROM HOME  Whether you want to head to the mountain slopes or the beach, book a condo or vacation home and you can invite your favorite niece to babysit the toddler, join forces with another family (great for single parents!) or invite a friend for your teen or tween. Check out www.perfectfamilyvacation.com for good deals on digs in resort locales with multi-bedrooms. Also try sites like www.vrbo.com  and  www.homeaway.com where you can negotiate directly with a homeowner. Look for free nights from www.resortquest.com.

18. MEXICO You’ll find great deals at Mexico all-inclusives  along the Riviara Maya, which is still considered safe place to to vacation.  Those who like history and archeology, will be fascinated by visits to ancient Mayan towns, such as Tulum or Coba.  Head to eco-cultural nature and water parks, Xcaret and Xel-Ha, where  you can  swim with dolphins, drift on crystal-clear underground rivers or enjoy various shows by Mayan performers. Adventure lovers will enjoy zip-lining, ATV driving or horseback riding in the jungle, and snorkeling or diving in the Caribbean Sea that boasts the world’s second largest coral reef.
Check out the Azul Sensatori, the new Villa del Parmar Cancun–which offers fully equipped kitchens and deeply discounted all-inclusive rates through the end of April, and Occidental Grand Xcaret–with hands-on activities to encourage families to engage with and learn about the environment.  The hotel offers a turtle tip program in which guests can participate in the liberation of baby turtles; an Xcaret eco-path designed especially for children. You can opt for a condo hotel right in the fishing and tourist town of  Playa del Carmen. Try Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen with five boutique luxury properties, located right next to each other and by the sugary white sand beach.  If you are looking for luxury, try one of the four Velas resorts, where you can experience all inclusive deals with beautiful ocean views, a spa, golf course s and gourmet meals. Hacienda Tres Rios: A green resort in the Mexico’s Riviera Maya, is offering a special spring travel promotion, where you can stay at almost 50% off normal prices.

19. ORLANDO BOUND So many families come to Orlando for Spring Break—2.6 million visitors in March and April–that  you’ll see more kids here than any time of year except the summer. And it won’t be nearly as hot. TheMagicard offer discounts on everything from attractions to accommodations and restaurants. Check out www.mousesavers.com for deals on all things Disney. And, explore outside Orlando. An hour south  is the “Space Coast” with the Kennedy Space Center, which offers a space camp and a number of picturesque beaches and nature refuges. Holiday Inn Club Vacations is offering more space, more amenities and more things to do this Spring Break. If you book your stay early, you can save 30%! Kids will love the water playground and putt-putt golf. 

20. PLAY BALL!  Cheer on your favorite teams at spring training games in Florida and Arizona. Look for deals like at the InterContinental Tampa, which is close to George Steinbrenner’s Legends Field. You’ll find special packages close to every stadium—and plenty to do when the games are done.

21. RANCH  Your kids might never look at chores the same way again, once they’ve pitched in at a place like the Rockin’ R Ranch in Utah, an authentic cattle ranch where besides riding they can try their hand at barrel racing, archery, roping, and more. Not only won’t you have to worry about entertaining the kids, you won’t have to worry about feeding them either because all the meals are included. There are plenty of other ranch options too, with many opening mid-spring, according to the Dude Ranchers’ Association. Check out the new website from a Montana mom who was raised on a ranch and is raising her kids on a ranch — www.Top50ranches.com — which focuses on top riding experiences at ranches in the U.S. and abroad. My gang loved Vista Verde Ranch in Steamboat Springs, CO.

22.SAIL AWAY Cruises are good bets for families whether the kids are preschoolers (organized activities!) or teens (all they can eat! A safe place to roam!)  Some ships like Disney Cruise Line even have day care for infants.)   You can cruise from more than two dozen U.S. ports (including New York, New Jersey, Galveston, TX and Los Angeles)  which means you can avoid flights. Go for three days or a week.  Invite grandma and grandpa along. Mega ships like Norwegian’s Epic and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Allure offer something for every age group. And it’s not too late to snare a deal.  Check websites like www.cruisecompete.com for good deals and www.cruisemates.com for a family cruise guide.   You can find a travel agent who is a cruise expert at www.cruising.org.

23.SAIL YOURSELF AWAY  Moorings or Sunsail are among the companies through which you can charter a  yacht with or without a captain for a high-seas family vacation. Consider the British Virgin Islands, acknowledged as  among the best boating destinations in the world, where you are rarely out of site of land.  With a “Powercat”, a family can cover a lot of ocean but there’s always the option of dropping the anchor and going snorkeling, scuba, fishing, reading, or sunbathing! Another option is Mexico’s Baja Peninsula near Cabo San Lucas and Baja California. The bodies of water include the Gulf of California and the Sea of Cortez, both with views of pristine beaches and beautiful mountain ranges.

Diving on wreck of RMS Rhone in BVI (Sail Carribbean Divers photo)

By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Media Services

Never mind the moray eel. I’m focused on rubbing the “lucky” porthole of a ship that sunk here in a hurricane nearly 150 years ago.

Did I mention that I’m 60 feet underwater, diving mask on my face, breathing oxygen from a tank strapped to my back? That sunken ship — the RMS Rhone — is the top dive site here in the British Virgin Islands (www.bvitourism.com) and the morning we’re here, there are plenty of other divers in the water as we explore the wreck with Sail Caribbean Divers (www.sailcaribbeandivers.com).

While the Wreck of the Rhone, just off Salt Island, is a must-dive site, Mike Rowe, who oversees Sail Caribbean Divers, tells us that there are many wonderful dive sites here — canyons, tunnels, caverns grottos teeming with underwater life like Blond Rock, The Chimney, The Wreck of the Chikuzen and The Indians. The BVI boasts more than 50 islands and islets, after all.

I’m just thankful to share this spectacular adventure in paradise with my husband and kids. It’s terrific — and rare — when you can find something you all enjoy, especially as the kids grow older (kids as young as 10 can become certified divers) on vacation. Learning to dive is easier and less expensive — typically $300 — than you might think, thanks to the option of completing online coursework first from PADI, which reports that a million people become certified divers every year.

My husband, Andy, and son, Matt, had gotten certified some 15 years ago in the BVI — a father-tween bonding exercise; I did some years later on a trip to Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. My daughter Mel learned to dive last year on a mom-daughter trip to Grand Turk Island and then was able to use her certification in Bali when she was studying in Asia. (Read what I wrote about our Grand Turk trip.)

Now it is time for my daughter Regina Yemma and her boyfriend Dan Foldes to join our club. When we planned a sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands with The Moorings we knew we wanted there to be a diving component. Sail Caribbean Divers, a PADI 5-Star Instructional Development Dive Resort, the only one in the BVI with these highest ratings and with four locations, made it easy: Reg and Dan came to the BVI ahead of us to complete the first of their required three days of water instruction with Victoria “Vicky” Zgardzinski. First, they had learning sessions at the beach on Cooper Island, going over the fundamentals of the gear. (Certainly a lot more pleasant than when I did it in a chilly YMCA pool.) By the time we arrived, they were ready for their required open-water dives and we were able to rendezvous with our boat at Norman Island.

Reg and Dan reported they were stunned by the sea life — fluorescent-colored fish, countless coral and sponge species, spotted eels, and prickly urchins — on dives that were exhilarating and a little scary, as they learned to breath underwater and manage all the necessary equipment.

Their final dive before “graduation” — through the canyons of an underwater reef — “was over before we wanted it to be,” they reported. “Soon we were on the surface trading high-fives and fist bumps, reveling in our accomplishment,” Foldes added.

(In case any of you have water-loving teens, the same crew from Sail Caribbean Divers has been running summer learn-to-dive and sail programs here in the British Virgin Islands for more than 30 years — www.sailcaribbean.com.)

Our dive on The Rhone was memorable not only because it was our first together as certified divers but because the site is a constant source of fascination for divers and snorkelers — part of the ship can be snorkeled. We were actually able to swim through part of the wreck — it took us less than two minutes. (There is still a spoon with the captain’s initials on it.) The massive size of the ship’s superstructure is amazing — as is the sea life that now calls it home — Queen Angel fish, fire coral, sponges that cover the wheel. Wow!

It was simply fate that The Rhone was here at all that fall day, Oct. 29, 1867 to be precise, explained our dive master Melisande Rowe. The state-of-the-art ship was actually supposed to go to the much busier port of St. Thomas, but because of an outbreak of Yellow Fever there, the passengers and cargo came to Tortola to take on coal and provisions.

When the hurricane blew in, Captain Robert Wooley was the first casualty — washed overboard as he tried to assess the weather. The crew tried frantically to get the 300-pound anchor up and get the ship out to sea, but the anchor and chains were stuck. It was all over in a matter of seconds. The ship exploded. To this day, no one knows exactly why; the red-hot boiler furnaces blew the ship in half.

Some 200 perished on The Rhone and 75 other vessels were either lost or seriously damaged in the hurricane. Amazingly, there were some survivors — one washing up on the island of St. John 17 miles away. Because the people on Salt Island (so named because they harvested salt) worked so hard to save the survivors and bury the dead, Queen Victoria gave them the island — a wonderful gift for the poor islanders.

We saw the gear box house and rudder, crow’s nest and mast, the hatch — all covered with coral and sponges. The Rhone is now a national park but, according to Rowe, that hasn’t stopped people from trying to steal the lucky porthole.

I’m glad they weren’t successful. I rubbed the porthole — number 26 — three times as instructed and we had great luck the rest of the trip. Everyone was happy (for the most part). Meltdowns were few. Memories were made.

I need a lucky porthole every time I take the kids.

(For more on Eileen’s adventure in the BVI, please read her travel diaries)

© 2012 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Our entire crew on the Moorings cataraman Mary Morgan III

By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Media Services

For once, we’re masters of our own destiny — in paradise, no less.

Really.

Now if we can just survive the week of togetherness!

My far-flung gang has come to the British Virgin Islands — the undisputed Sailing Capital of the World — for a week aboard a chartered Moorings sailboat. It is the first time my husband and I and our three kids (plus my daughter Reggie’s boyfriend) have been in the same place at the same time in more than a year. My youngest daughter has just returned from a semester abroad; Reggie and Dan live and work in San Francisco; my son works and attends graduate school in New York. My husband and I live in Connecticut.

I was desperate to figure out a way to get us all together away from home in a place we’d all enjoy. A sailing trip was their top pick — we’d happily done it before. The British Virgin Islands have long been popular with sailors because of the constant winds and the fact that you are rarely out of sight of land. It’s no wonder then that more than 700 sailboats and yachts, the largest fleet in the Caribbean, are moored in Tortola. The Moorings has been in business for more than 40 years here and this trip we’re aboard a 46-foot Catamaran with four cabins — the largest boat we’ve ever sailed ourselves.

Everywhere we look here there is turquoise blue sea, bobbing sailboats, cruise ships and mega yachts, not to mention the small islands off in the distance. (This is an archipelago of some 60 islands, after all.)

The best part: There is no one telling us what time we have to eat dinner or even where we are going next. Welcome to the alternative to mega cruise ships and fancy resorts.

My three kids, Matt, Reggie and Melanie, all experienced sailors, nixed the idea of a captain, much less a cook, though that certainly is an option on charters. (Captains cost $185 a day.) Being the master of your own vacation destiny can be cheaper than you might think, though, certainly cheaper than a big resort where you’re paying $5 for a soft drink, double that when the kids are old enough for alcoholic concoctions. Sailboats with two cabins start at around $330 a day. Look for the latest deals on www.moorings.com.

This is our third sailing trip in the Virgin Islands, though our first in six years. I joke that I don’t think we’ll be searching out women to braid the girls’ hair this trip, or that Melanie will fall asleep at dinner. “You just have to chill, mom,” says Mel, who, like her older sister, has taught sailing. “You don’t have to take care of everything anymore!”

Certainly, I don’t expect everything to go as planned. It never does when kids, no matter how old they are, are part of the equation. But it’s still hard to let go of those expectations when the kids bicker (sibling issues don’t disappear in paradise), it rains (and I forgot my rain jacket), food freezes in the small fridge (it happens no matter what we do) and I discover I’ve forgotten the meat for our planned fajitas dinner.

“We’ll eat veggie fajitas,” my daughter Reggie says with a shrug. “This is an adventure, not a resort where everything is done for you!”

She’s right. And that means the most memorable aspects of the trip will likely be what I didn’t plan or anticipate — from the kids beating me at Scrabble (I used to be the family champion) to my husband diving 40 feet — literally — to retrieve the top to our dinghy’s motor, which fell into the water when he tried to repair it. (Thanks Sail Caribbean for lending us the needed gear after our dive), to Melanie’s regaling us with her expertise on reefs after a semester studying environmental issues in Thailand.

We wake up with the sun in a place where pirates once ruled. The British Virgin Islands is not nearly as developed as the U.S. Virgin Islands so the ambiance is far more relaxed, especially offshore. We jump from the boat to snorkel and swim. We eat gargantuan lobsters on the island of Anegada, home to just 300 people and famous for its lobsters. The kids try windsurfing and paddle-boarding at The Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda, which boasts an unparalleled array of watercraft for sailors and guests.

The biggest issue of the day — besides where to go — is whether we have enough ice. A trip like this requires that you be willing to let go of some of your creature comforts. We may have a blender and microwave on board, but we’re the only dishwashers and we’ve got to pump the water after a shower that isn’t always hot.

“Who cares!” my kids say. When the watermelon freezes, they use it in drinks.

Along the way, Reg and her boyfriend, Dan Foldes, will become certified divers, thanks to PADI’s online course and Sail Caribbean Divers, which also has run summer teen programs here for more than three decades. We’ll dive together as a family (more about that in another upcoming column), snorkel, kayak and most importantly, catch up on our lives.

It takes a lot of pulling together on a trip like this — from deciding our course to what to make for breakfast, putting up and taking down the sails, deciding where to moor the boat and getting the dinghy going when it stalls. We can’t just get away from one another either — short of jumping off the boat.

We disagree — sometimes loudly — over sailing technique, what to cook for dinner, whether we need more beer, as well as some more important issues of the day. A floating mat we’ve rented from Last Stop Sports blows overboard.

At The Bight, an anchorage and long-ago hideout for pirates, located on Norman Island, just a quick sail from Tortola where we started, there is no one else around but other sailboats. When I offered the kids the chance to go eat at the waterfront restaurant, they said they preferred a just-us dinner onboard our boat.

I smiled. That was the point, after all.

For more on this sailing trip through the BVI, please read Eileen’s Travel Diaries

© 2012 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Pool view at Scrub Island Resort

DAY 7 — All good things must come to an end.

After a morning sail on our Moorings  charter Catamaran and afternoon pool and spa (me and my daughters ) fishing (my husband, son and daughter’s boyfriend) at Scrub Island Resort and Marina , the  British Virgin Islands’ newest,  we are enjoying our last cocktails on our sailboat.

We are birthed at the Scrub Island Marina just a mile from Beef Island and the airport here at this 230 acre private island resort that is just 52 rooms (they can be converted to spacious two-bedroom suites with kitchens) .  Rates are $525 and you could use Marriott points as this resort is now part of Marriott’s boutique Autograph collection.

There is a double-decker pool, small water slide and sumptuous rooms and suites. (There are plans for more than a dozen villas though just a couple have been finished and one is pinch hitting as the resort spa.) There is a small beach a shuttle ride away but for activities, you need to go off-island whether by kayak, dinghy or sailboat. 

“This is a place for adventures,” says General Manager Martin Smith, who says the key is organizing your stay—with the resort staff help.  To me, it seems like it all would take a lot of effort, especially when kids or teens are part of the equation.

There’s no arguing that this place is a terrific location—a five minute boat ride to the airport yet away from the hustle and bustle of Tortola.

Too bad my crew didn’t have any luck fishing. The chef would have cooked their catch. Instead, we feast on Tapas—and toast our adventure sailing in these beautiful islands.

Catch of the day (actually baitfish)

Too bad all adventures have to end. But at least not until tomorrow.

Restful view at Bitter End Yacht Club

DAY 6 — Snorkel, sail, windsurf or kayak?

We’re at the Bitter End Yacht Club on the island of Virgin Gorda  which has been a haven for sailors and yachters for years.

We’ve stopped for two nights and a day—like many sailing here—to relax and enjoy all of the activities we can’t do aboard our Moorings charter catamaran — lounging at the pool, going to the spa, paddle boarding and windsurfing  — and for some die-hards, watching football at the pub.

The place is so popular with sailors and yachts—there are several well over 100-feet long berthed right near our modest catamaran. “Some people don’t even know we have rooms here,” says resort manager Mary Jo Ryan as she shows me one with a spectacular view over North Sound on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.  I wish I could just stretch out in the hammock on the wrap around deck right here. 

There are 86 rooms but more people come via yacht and sail boat—the resort is only reachable by water and there are 70 mooring balls as well as more than 20 slips in the brand new Quarter Deck Marina, with water and electrical hook ups . Last night, our neighbor was a racing boat whose owners are from South Africa.

This place was started by the Hokins family in the 1970s as a family retreat. Chicagoan Dana Hokin, the third generation to run Bitter End, calls it the best and “safest place to beach comb, learn to snail, snorkel or perfect one’s high performance skills.” It boasts one of the largest resort fleets of boats, dinghies, windsurfing gear, kayaks and its own sailing school for kids as well as adults. The resort stretches along a mile of waterfront on the North Sound—the most protected and secluded deep water harbor in the Caribbean.

The resort, Hokin says, has been “green before green had a name.” In fact this year, it has won the British Virgin Islands resort for being the islands’ greenest.

We  planned to stop in  just for a night on our weeklong sojourn on our sailboat but opted to stay a second night so that we could “play” as well as relax after all of the sailing and diving we’ve been doing in these pristine waters all week.

Dan tries wind surfing at Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda

That’s pretty typical I learn.  If you are staying there is a kids’ camp that is part of the package as well as plenty of learn to sail programs.   More than half the guests have been here be3fore—a couple who got married here this past weekend with 70 guests had been here several times. That’s not uncommon. “We have a lot of third generations. It’s amazing to see,” says General Manager Mo Sallah. And there are plenty of people around to help—with a staff of 200, the ratio of staff to guest is a bit more than 1-1.

It’s a veritable village for sailors with everything from boat repair, shopping, restaurants (many come for the Tuesday night West Indian Beach BBQ and the Friday Night Seafood Buffet) even movies screened nightly.

But this place isn’t like a traditional luxury resort.   There is no TV or Wi-Fi in the rooms. While some of the rooms have been newly updated complete with Teak furnishings, others are decidedly dated. But that’s a small price to pay for the killer views (the rooms are all in cottages up high from the beach).

The idea is to get out on and around the water—there are 100 different water craft–that’s why the activities and meals are all part of the package. “If you want a place like the Four Seasons, this isn’t it,” says Sallah, unapologetically.  There are excursions to Anegada, to scuba dive, and to the Baths, the BVI’s famous natural rock grottos

Sallah looks out at the view of the sailboats, the turquoise water and the mega yachts.  “That’s why it takes two planes and a boat to get here….You don’t have a view lie this many places,” he says.

Families are at least half the business—and that includes those with grown kids like mine who are happy to try all the water toys.  I love the no muss no fuss aspect of the place. We are docked rather than moored—more expensive but easier which means we can just hop off the boat to get ice, to take a real shower, to buy eggs for breakfast or watch the football game at the Pub on Monday night rather than taking the dinghy,

We can also indulge in other vacation pastimes—like taking a snooze by the pool, hiking along the walking trails that lead up to some of the best views of the island or trying windsurfing as my and kids are doing.  We opt for a snorkeling trip in the morning that proves among the best we’ve experienced the entire trip.

OF course this place isn’t cheap—weeklong packages for a family of four in two rooms start at just under $8900 including meals , daily unlimited use of the club fleet, snorkeling trips, sailing 101 course and more—probably about the same as you’d pay at a more traditional all inclusive. Summer season, which starts in mid April is nearly $2000 less.

This place isn’t for you if you want to lay on the beach all day. “This resort is for people who want to be in and around the water,” says Mo Sallah, “The essence is that you are with nature—that’s what makes us unique.”

We hate to leave.