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Posts tagged ‘caribbean with kids’

UltimateMama and her family had a spectacular time in the Virgin Islands recently. One tip:  buy your snorkel gear ahead of time so you don’t have to rent – that goes for adults and childrens gear!  UltimateMama’s kids loved Head Pirate snorkeling gear (the 3 piece set includes a mask, snorkel, and fins).

Stay at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove in order to get a villa with full kitchen.  UltimateMama enjoyed her two bedroom unit in the Tortola building.  The pool with water slide is terrific for kids as is the hot tub for adults.  There are myriad activities on site for people of all ages (bingo, movies, karaoke night, crafts for kids, and more).  You can snorkel right off the beach.  Additionally, one can take advantage of the Marriott Hotel’s offerings next door.

You will want to rent a car in order to explore the island of St. Thomas and have the ability to go to the car ferry to St. John.  UltimateMama was happy with our Avis rental and used it right away to stock up on groceries for the week at Gourmet Gallery.

An absolute must is an all-day boat trip on the Breakaway II to the British Virgin Islands (bring your passports).  You will board the boat at Sapphire Marina then have a wonderful day exploring The Baths at Virgin Gorda, snorkeling at Diamond Reef, eating lunch at Pusser’s in Marina Cay, and jumping off the boat to hit the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke.  Make sure your entire family has water shoes, sunglasses, UV protection shirts, bathing suits, towels, and plenty of sunscreen.  There is a short stop in St. John then you return back to St. Thomas in the late afternoon.

A trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands wouldn’t be complete without a trip to St. John to hit some great snorkeling beaches such at Trunk Bay.  Choose either a car ferry or a foot ferry to get over to St. John (car ferry obviously gives you more freedom once on the island) from St. Thomas.  UltimateMama advises you to get to Trunk Bay early as the parking lot fills quickly.  Trunk Bay has an amazing underwater snorkeling trail, a bathhouse, snack bar, and souvenir shop.  Cinnamon Bay is nearby too.

Back in St. Thomas, take your family on a drive to explore the beautiful beaches that the island offers.  Coki beach (on Coki Point) was a big hit with UltimateMama’s family due to the amazing fish seen when snorkeling in addition to not only a full rainbow sighting but also a double rainbow sighting.  UltimateMama arrived late in the day, parked and spent an amazing early evening snorkeling and taking pictures of various species of fish.  Apparently, the beach gets crowded when cruise ships are in port so be aware of those times in addition to making sure that you know where your belongings are at all times.  UltimateMama had a lovely time at Coki and it was not at all crowded.

UltimateMama’s family looks forward to their next meal so the following restaurants greatly appealed to all travelers (make all reservations in advance):

Havana Blue (on the Marriott’s campus):  Get a table overlooking the water and enjoy the blue lights

Grande Cru (located in Yacht Haven Grande): Upscale food in a tranquil setting

Banana Tree Grille (overlooking the Charlotte Amalie harbor):  Go on a night the piano player is playing and order the amazing Key Lime Pie

UltimateMama feels that Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman is a must see for everyone.  You will feel the soft, silky sand in your toes as you walk down to the edge of the crisp, blue, warm waters of the Caribbean.  Lodging options are plentiful in Grand Cayman but UltimateMama suggests staying on Seven Mile Beach if you can swing it (if you can’t Sunshine Suites seems to be a nice option).  From the top of the line Ritz Carlton or Caribbean Club to the Marriott, Westin, or Comfort Suites, Grand Cayman has it all.

UltimateMama and her family opted for a condo at the Casa Carribe through www.vrbo.com and were extremely pleased with the accommodations.  The condo on the beach offered a pristine pool and well maintained tennis courts.  It was on one of the best snorkeling reefs on the beach.  Additionally, the condo was walking distance from the Strand shopping plaza which was filled with restaurants, grocery stores, liquor shops, and boutiques.  We stocked up on breakfast, lunch, and snack foods and strolled down the beach for dinner options which were plentiful.  Our condo was located near a wonderful restaurant that we loved to frequent for dinner called Luca — terrific Italian fare.  If you are eating with children or a large group UltimateMama recommends making reservations in advance.  The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman not only had a spacious pool but also yummy restaurants.  UltimateMama’s children took advantage of the Ambassadors of the Environment programs at the Ritz Kids Club and saw some fabulous iguanas on site!

Not to be missed is the Dolphin Discovery experience which is a cab ride away (we used a taxi driver named Rita for all of our excursions).  Swimming with the dolphins was an extremely positive experience for our family of four!

UltimateMama’s family loves fun in the sun so going to Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean was an absolute delight.  We decided to forgo one of the ritzy hotels (Grace Bay Club, Gansevoort, Parrot Cay) and even some more moderately priced hotels (Seven Stars, Alexandra) for a two bedroom condo with kitchen at the Villa Renaissance.  We took a unique taxi service that we had previously arranged from the airport directly to a grocery store, stocked up on food for the week (including ice cream, popsicles, breakfast goodies, lunch items, and more), and arrived at the condo with plenty of time to hit the pool and beach.  During the week UltimateMama took a short stroll to Graceway, a local grocery store.  UltimateMama has a bit of advice for those who do not rent a car while in Turks and Caicos — the taxi fare can be outrageous — make sure you are clear of the cost of transportation before getting into the taxi.  Another piece of UltimateMama advice is to bring all of your own snorkeling equipment (masks, snorkel, fins).

After a morning of tennis, our girls were able to go to Iguana Island, snorkel, and eat conch salad with Caicos Dream Tours.  Great fun was had on the boat’s slide by UltimateMama and daddy too.  Seeing the dolphin JoJo was a real treat!

The crystal, clear blue water is breathtaking but so is the food (seriously)!  Make all reservations in advance of your trip.  We dined at wonderful places with our girls, including:

Infiniti at Grace Bay Club (we also roasted s’mores late at night)

Bay Bistro

Hemmingways

Da Conch Shack

Crackpot Kitchen

Coco Bistro

Seven

Magnolia was one restaurant we missed on this trip but will definitely hit next time due to rave reviews from friends.

For more snorkeling fun we took the kids (and our underwater disposable camera) to Smith’s Reef, right off the beach — we got there via taxi.  The colorful fish were amazing and playful, even in shallow waters!

UltimateMama’s family had their ultimate adventure riding horses on the beach with Caicos Corral.  Although it is pricey, it is a once in a lifetime experience that our kids will never forget.