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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Caribbean with two kids - where do I start?

20 replies

pickupthismess · 23/01/2010 19:51

We have decided we quite fancy the Caribbean this year but all the islands look lovely. I think we would prefer a villa with a pool but maybe a resort could tempt us (I just need access to cheap laundry or a washing machine LOL).

I have no idea even where to begin - any advice, recommendations, info on islands VERY gratefully received.

OP posts:

tearinghairout · 23/01/2010 22:42

I've been to Grand Cayman, had an apartment at the Villas of the Galleon on Seven Mile beach. here

The island feels quite American, so I didn't feel a twit doing my yoga on the beach or awkward going off by myself. Beautiful countryside & beaches, and although there were some shacks, each had its own satellite dish!

We found it quite expensive there because almost everything has to be imported.

tearinghairout · 23/01/2010 22:44

If I were you I would go into a travel agent & ask their advice - they might be able to point you in the direction of the best place for families. Personally, I've always fancied Tobago...

But for families, you can't beat Florida!

MrsMattie · 23/01/2010 22:45

St Lucia is nice.

Lots of people will say Barbados.

Depends on what you're looking for. Do you want 'real Caribbean' or just hot and nice beaches?

isnowsoonenough · 24/01/2010 18:47

Villas can be an expensive option in the Caribbean and I would suggest you look at complexes with 2 bed apartments first. Antigua is a good option "Tranquility Bay" at Jolly Harbour.

We were lucky enough to be guests in a Tobago Villa for a few nights during our travels, and it was v.nice (www.tobagobeachvillas.com see "yellowbird" right next to the beach) but the children missed playing with other children and I find now that for family holidays we prefer shared facilities, and also prefer somewhere that you are not so isolated from other people.

Original poster

pickupthismess · 24/01/2010 20:24

Great ladies, loads to be going on with.

MrsMattie, why will 'people say Barbados'?

I guess we are after genuine Carribean not just a beach hol. We're v well travelled, normally off the beaten track so find it a bit hard to go on packages. But I agree that it probably is good to be around others for the children's sake rather than ours. Am going to look at all your links.

V excited now

OP posts:

isnowsoonenough · 25/01/2010 18:38

Mount Cinnamon and also Blue Horizons Garden Resort in Grenada, both near Grand Anse beach, lovely. Grenada is one of the nicest islands IMHO. Both of these would be suitable for families. Not cheap, but if you want cheap look at The Gem Beach Resort in Grenada (just round the next bay from Mount Cinnamon and Blue Horizons), for a more down to earth (or without the travel blurb 'basic') style of accommodation, on lovely beach and cheap. Not many Travel firms sell it, you may have to go direct.

claraquack · 09/02/2010 01:50

How old are your children? What sort of things do you like doing? I would not recommend st Lucia if you have very young children, there isn't a huge amount to do here apart from beach. And beach again. Mind you, you could say the same for most Caribbean islands. If your children are under 10 I would say Florida!

isnowsoonenough · 09/02/2010 22:59

Snorkel, swimming, rainforest, nature walks, Carnivals (real ones not made up ones in Disney) .... cricket, sailing, kayaks

claraquack · 10/02/2010 00:17

Like I said, there isn't a lot if your children are very young. I live here, mine are two and four and it's quite hard thinking of things to do at weekends. (they are too young for all of those listed below apart from swimming).

However much easier if they are older.

isnowsoonenough · 10/02/2010 09:35

If you live there, lucky you. Not sure if you lived in the UK before, so forgive me if I;m stating the obvious. In the UK the kids don't get the chance to do those things because it is too cold for 8 months of the year. So for tourists visiting the Caribbean, there are lots of things for us to do in the short time we get to enjoy it. I took mine the first time, when they were 5 and 7. They learnt to snorkel and the youngest child even went with us on a a 4x4 jeep ride through the mangrove swamps at 5am in the morning. She still talks about it.

isnowsoonenough · 10/02/2010 09:40

Friends that have been to Florida, tell me they shop, go to theme parks, swim in the villa pool and then repeat. This year we are going to Greece to do all the things I listed below that we do in the Caribbean (except carnival) there will be Greek dancing and dish throwing in a local taverna. The kids will be swimming in the sea about 20 ft from us after they have eaten and then play cards and mess around with their mates till about midnight.

isnowsoonenough · 10/02/2010 09:42

I would hate to go to Florida and Sharm.....
So there.

isnowsoonenough · 10/02/2010 09:42

Glad I go that of my chest

claraquack · 10/02/2010 15:05

isnowenough - all I will say is going on holiday somewhere is very different from living there. I get SO SO SO fed up with people thinking our life is one long holiday because we live in St Lucia.

Yes I have lived in the UK and my two girls were born there. There was so much more to do with them - playgrounds, baby groups, soft play, zoo's, farm parks, I could go on.

Don't forget the heat here - it saps your energy and it's actually hard to get out and do very much the main part of the day.

We're going on holiday to Florida in April and I can't wait. Safe playgrounds! Child-friendly restaurants where the food doesn't take an hour to come! Disneyland!

But as I said right at the beginning, it all very much depends on the age of your children. 5 and 7 year olds probably would enjoy somewhere like this more than toddlers. As would their parents!

isnowsoonenough · 10/02/2010 17:05

Who are you flying with to get to Florida? It's only a hop skip and a jump away I can see the appeal. DH lived in St Lucia for just less than a year for work, so I know what you mean about living and being on holiday somewhere hot as I spent some while there too. I work in travel and have been to most of the islands now, Grenada, Antigua, Barbados and with the kids in tow to St Kitts, Tobago and St Lucia. So you can tell we love it. Living there is another matter completely, the constant heat for one and the slow pace of getting anything official done.

Last lunch we had in St Lucia was at the Hummingbird in Soufriere overlooking the pitons, on the way back to the airport. I missed out on a site inspection of Jade Mountain DH went (I decide not to drag kids there). Hummingbird is a nice spot to stop for a few hours and take a dip in the small pool. All sounds glam, but work is work in that heat.

The 'Pizza Pizza' place in Rodney Bay has a little outdoor play area with soft tiles, lots of families go there early evening as sunset to let toddlers let off some steam. I was impressed at how well all the children played together and were considerate to the younger ones. I expect you have been.

isnowsoonenough · 10/02/2010 17:14

I tell you what, lets do a house swap . I'm sure you enjoy Florida FWIW.

Louise2004 · 10/02/2010 17:24

We went to Tobago one year with some of our extended family, so we were a full house and our ds had his cousin for company. We had a good time - the house was lovely, the beaches were perfect and a day trip to the waterfall was great fun, especially as it was raining and we came back covered in mud, much to the children's enjoyment! We stayed at a villa with a pool (www.abrahamrealty.com/v06.htm), but I agree that you might be better off staying at a family-friendly resort so your children can be with other children.

I hope you have a fantastic time wherever you end up going on holiday!

icancancan · 13/02/2010 21:54

I have been to tobago, trinidad and (v briefly) to st lucia and we are travelling with ds (4) to barbados at easter. we picked barbados as it is easy to travel around, no great distances and lovely beaches. st lucia would have been great but very hilly and didn't want to spend hours in a car with a hot, fractious toddler. we too are well travelled and like to get off the beaten track but with a toddler, have realised we have to compromise to keep him happy and hence us happy! this has meant nice beaches, not loads of long car journeys and access to a decent pool (if other kids there so much the better.)

Drayford · 13/02/2010 22:55

Tobago is fab - my children enjoyed it when they were young - particularly pigeon point, pirates bay and Englishmans bay and they are still addicted to roti!! But, we did have a car and used to stay in a lovely villa with a pool (and a brilliant housekeeper/cook). We stayed at Coco Reef once, but it was very sterile and faceless IYKWIM.

Grenada also lovely - Blue Horizons.....

But now my DC are older we are seeking more interesting places as they want diving and windsurfing etc so we are off to Nevis. Have you thought about St Kitt's -- looks nice and seems to have some interesting hotels.

Also, many friends of mine rave about BVI as being child friendly!

daisysue2 · 01/03/2010 12:13

I would go to Grenada again and again and again. It's probably the friendliest and safest of the islands. They have a zero policy on drugs so less crime than most of the other islands. We stayed in a fab villa www.fushivilla.com. But there are lots of hotels which have been mentioned before. Calabash hasn't been mentioned though. It's very old fashioned and has a great beach. The kids love it and we always feel very safe.

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