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Caribbean Family Travel Guide
Tell the kids that you are heading for a family holiday to the Caribbean; and it’s all pirates, mermaids and buried treasure that springs to their active minds. And no wonder as this paradise is home to all things Jolly Roger! That’s a great big- “Ahoy Mateys!” A family holiday to the Caribbean is a trip that brings you calm waters, wonderful beaches, exotic cultures and scrumptious cuisine. Oh; and don’t forget the pirates!
Places to go with kids in the Caribbean
It is true that for centuries pirates plundered passing vessels, and then took shelter in the islands of the Caribbean; but this amazing exotic location offers lots of fun family attractions that will keep everyone entertained and happy! From water sports, water parks and the warm waters of safe swimming beaches to museums dedicated to the past, the Soufriere Volcano and exciting pirate expeditions on the high seas! The Caribbean is made up of lots of islands that look like a cracking whip. The whole formation of islands is referred to as the Antilles, usually divided into the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles are the Caribbean's largest islands: Cuba, Hispaniola (an island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. The term Lesser Antilles encompasses the other smaller islands. Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia are especially popular as they have some of the best beach facilities for children. The true island treasures of the Caribbean are countless miles of stunning beaches where the family can play in the waves, snorkel in shallow waters, or just build sand castles together. Of course for the more adventurous and experienced there are turtles to swim with, top dive destinations where divers can hand feed sharks and more! On some of the larger islands you may wish to rent a car and go exploring for the day!
Child friendly accommodation in the Caribbean
Throughout the Caribbean, you'll find child friendly resorts with kids' programs to keep youngsters entertained and happy as well as beaches where the whole family can relax play and swim together. Best of all, supervised kid’s clubs mean some much needed time out for parents. You can enjoy a night on the town or just have a quiet day without the little tackers. Families love
Caribbean Holiday Resorts, especially the beach-front ones which typically offer water-sports, deluxe pools with waterslides and fountains, family activities like mini-golf, kids clubs, evening entertainment, meals and even an all-inclusive pricing; which means that your ultimate bill will not be puffed-up by copious ice creams, cookies and cokes! What a bonus as this equates to more spending money for other things; like souvenir shopping!
Of course another good way to travel with children is to stay in a self-contained apartment or villa. These usually come complete with a kitchen, laundry, and other conveniences. This way you get to look after all your needs, come and go as you please and organize your outings and meals according to your schedule and needs. Which option is best for you? That answer depends on your family’s needs and budget! On the right you’ll find just a few Recommended Family Friendly Resorts in the Caribbean for you to check out, or use our search on the left to see all of our hotels.
Family restaurants and local cuisine
The cuisine in the Caribbean uses quality fresh fruit, seafood, and fish. Most of the all- inclusive resorts offer a buffet style menu with a good selection and variety of dishes.
The local cuisine has a distinctive West Indian flavor and tends to be on the spicy side. It generally includes fresh fish, lobster or crab, conch (often as fritters) and Rice 'n peas, often served with coconut milk. Do try a Roti (a kind of West Indian chicken pastie) or a Johnnie Cake (fish cake) and Callaloo Soup. (A rich chunky soup made from a base of callaloo leaves and a little bit of everything else!) Many small villages have a weekly 'fish fry', where you can sample freshly barbecued fish with the locals. With fresh bananas, plantains (like an unsweetened banana - usually fried), yams, breadfruit, pineapple, mango, papaya, guava and coconuts available just about everywhere; there’s no shortage of tropical fruits and vegetables!
For the kids there is plenty of water, soft drinks, and non alcoholic fruit punch to be had. Drink fresh milk from coconuts served with a straw! Rum is the national drink here; making for some wonderful cocktails including rum punch, pina colada and daiquiri for mum and dad to enjoy!
Finally; hurricanes are a fact of life in the Caribbean, and even if it’s miles away from you; unfortunate bad weather will hang around! The best thing is to be informed, and you may even decide to take advantage of some out of-season discounts. The mild to warm climate remains fairly constant, both winter and summer; with showers a little more frequent in the summer, particularly from mid August to the end of October, but less so in the winter, January to April. Happy holidays!
