In Puerto Vallarta, all-inclusives account for 80 percent of the hotels and they are especially popular with families in Mexico and the Caribbean. They’re certainly upping their game to appeal to families.
Giovanni Arredondo holds up two huge Pargos—a kind of snapper—that had just been caught this morning, more than enough to feed the 10 of us.
At the Iberostar Playa Mita in Riviera Nayarit on the Pacific Coast of Mexico they feel they’ve gotten as close to family vacation nirvana as they could possibly get. “We’ve never had free room service,” joked Troy Nathan.
There are dolphin discovery programs run by this company all over the Caribbean but this park is different because for the same price (a little over $100) there is a challenge course, water slides, a water play area for younger kids, even a zipline over the slides).
Puerto Vallarta is known for its galleries and its food but it is probably known more as a cruise ship stop and for those visiting the all-inclusive resorts.
I looked around and saw kinds of families — from around the world here to experience what is widely considered one of the wonders of the world.
We’re in Puerto Vallarta, which is increasingly known for its food and happens to have some 500 taco stands open into the early hours of the night—each one with a specialty that locals come to savor. Every ingredient comes from within a 20 mile radius.
Once we land, I talk the rental car lady and my Dad into getting us a cool Mustang to ride around in instead of this family looking car they had for us. My dad tells me I have rental car swag.
After seeing London’s great sites, it’s a joy to explore Britain’s famous Cotswolds towns, which are just about a two-hour train trip from London’s Paddington Station — ideal for a day or a weekend when you’ve had enough of the city, as fun as it is.
Matt Yemma and his 12-year-old cousin Ethan Sitzman spend a week shagging baseballs, autographs and enjoying the waterparks and sunshine of spring training in Arizona.
TakingTheKids