I stayed at Beaches in Turks and Caicos several years ago. About 12 to be exact. I was bored silly a

I would like to take my family of 4 (kids ages 11 15) on a special vacation, so I am thinking Caribbean. My wife and kids have not traveled much in their lives and have certainly not seen anything like the Caribbean. As the kids get older, I'd like to take them somewhere that they'll always remember. So I am thinking Caribbean as the primary option. I am open for other ideas, but it seems the Caribbean is a good option.
I am on the fence between cruise or an island stay. I would consider either. I am trying to make a decision and gather some prices. Just as most others, budget is an important factor. Although I have not set a concrete budget, I am thinking that $10k is the absolute max out of pocket expense, but less is always welcomed
I live in the DC metro area, so my flights will have to be out of Dulles (IAD). My employer has all sorts of businesses that offer special deals on tons of things, including vacations so I am asking them for advice and pricing so I can compare. I am also looking at standard places like Costco travel. I am always looking for a deal, so any suggestions are welcome
I want to take the family on a nice vacation in a nice place. I would like to have a lot of available activities and something "inclusive" does sound like something that would be useful for us. I have 2 sons and they love to eat LOL. I do not want anything that is in Mexico. There's a few different reasons, but I am thinking Eastern or Southern Caribbean. I would prefer something that would rate in the 4 star range. Many years ago, I stayed at the Atlantis and I thought it was great. That was in 1996 though. I just know that style of place will be nice. Here is the core info for me:
With all of that said, does anyone have any suggestions? I have read a few things, but so far the best reviews for resorts I have seen have been Atlantis and Beaches Turks Caicos. I also have some prices on cruises that I am considering. I am looking for suggestions on cruise vs hotel, location, best place to buy, best value, etc. Any advice is appreciated!
OK - February is "High Season" in the Caribbean so no matter where you go you'll encounter the highest room rates of the year. I'm also guessing that if you are planning to travel in February it will be during President's Week or Spring Break. If so, don't delay too long in finalizing your plans as many families book their trips almost a year in advance when traveling at those times.
Cruises are a good way for a family to see the Caribbean. All your meals are included and there are tons of activities that will interest all members of your family. Many cruise lines also have "teen programs" which I'm sure your children would love and it gives you and your wife some "adult time". Look at Carnival, Princess or Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as they specialize in "Families".
georgia virtual tours There are only a few All Inclusives in the Southern Caribbean and those that are there are on the pricey side. So, if you want All Inclusive and you want to see the Souther Caribbean on this trip your best and most economical bet would be a cruise.
I am not stuck on any date to be honest. My kids are in high gear with sports from March thru the Fall and then there's T-Giving and Christmas right at the end of the year, so that's how I landed on Feb. Really georgia virtual tours nothing more than that...
I have been talking to a travel agent about vacations and pricing, but I have told them that I am shopping for the best deal. So they recommended and priced 3 cruises on NCL and RC. Both were priced with 2 joining rooms or with 1 larger room, like a suite. With 2 "big" kids, I was concerned about space.
For resort-like stays, they proposed a couple places in Dominican Republic, but the reviews were pretty bad. I think they were Occidental, viva wyndham, and Barcelo. From what I saw, the reviews were 50% bad. All were 3.5 stars.
The only reference point I have is the Atlantis, which I like because of tons of stuff to do there. I have a friend that just got back from there so I got a few notes from them as well. My concern there is the cost of everything, especially all the add-ons that u may have to pay for. Not sure if its a big deal or not, but the general feeling I have.
The place I stumbled on last night was Turks Caicos. Everything I read about it seems to be high reviews, georgia virtual tours particularly Beaches in Turks Caicos. It does appear to be high-end cost though. I also wonder how much stuff there is to do there, like in comparison to Atlantis. Like I know Atlantis has all the water park stuff, aquariums, casino, etc. I am not sure what Beaches and/or T C has to offer in that way.
I have been to many places in the Caribbean. You don't state what you have against georgia virtual tours Mexico, but it is one of my favorite places. The Riviera Maya area is loaded with family friendly all inclusive resorts.
If you are worried about safety, these resorts are in a safe area. Most of the tourist areas in Mexico are safe. You also will get more for your money in the Dominican Republic or Mexico. I personally felt much safer off the resorts in Mexico than in the DR.
I have definitely heard about the value at places like DR. I haven't been there but I try to get a reasonable idea by reviews and opinions. I do realize that there will be extreme opinions in both directions. So far I have not found any places there that seem to have the activity level and high reviews that I was looking for. That could be completely wrong, but again I am just trying to learn more about whats out there.
Atlantis is in the Bahamas. the Bahamas are in the Atlantic (off the coast of Florida) not the Caribbean. In February you don't want to be any further north than the Dominican Republic to be assured of warm weather (daytime temps in the high 70's to low 80's F. the further south you go the warmer it gets.
You keep mentioning "activities" - most islands offer lots of activities - like hiking, snorkeling, diving, sailing, wave runners, kite boarding, etc. that will keep you busy so don't let that be an issue. If you stick to the major islands rather georgia virtual tours then "go off the beaten path" to some of the more obscure islands you'll find plenty to do. You see, the more tourists that visit a destination, the more things there will be to do. Activity vendors and tour operators don't set up businesses where there are no customers. And, if you go All Inclusive there will be lots of "on resort" activities for you your kids - it's what AI's are noted for.
So, first decide on which island you want to visit then choose your resort. Don't get caught up in the "Will I have more fun on the other island" syndrome. No two islands are alike and every island has something to offer.
Wow, thanks for the heads up. I guess I assumed it would be warm wherever georgia virtual tours I went. Other than a cruise, everything I have been looking at is north of DR. Right now Turks Caicos Beaches and Atlantis are my 2 favorites, but again I am open minded. Those 2 are the type of place I want to go to, so I am looking for places that are similar.
There's no way to predict the weather this far in advance but anything north of the DR could be cool . For example georgia virtual tours on the island of Nassau (where Atlantis is located) the Average Temperature in February is around 71 degrees. The average georgia virtual tours High is 77 and the average Low is 65. The highest ever recorded was 86, the Lowest was 48. So you see, there's a fairly wide range of possible georgia virtual tours temperatures but on average it's going to be in the low 70's. For the T C's (where Beaches is located) you'll find average temperatures only 1 or 2 degrees higher (if there's any difference at all). Cool temperatures are a risk when traveling to the Bahamas and the T C's in winter.
You can research "average weather statistics for any destination at www.weatherbase.com - just click your way through to the Caribbean and the the island you wish to research. FYI - on this website they include georgia virtual tours the Bahamas and the T C's in the "Caribbean" even though they are technically outside of the Caribbean.
By the way, you won't find anything like Atlantis in the Caribbean. There are two Beaches Resorts on Jamaica, one in Ocho Rios and the other in Negril. If you have your heart set on a Beaches Resort they are better options in February than the one in the T C's.
I stayed at Beaches in Turks and Caicos several years ago. About 12 to be exact. I was bored silly and ready to come home in a week. We were not a family just myself and husband. They do have a gorgeous beach. Have you considered Aruba?
Most Caribbean resorts get top dollar in the winter months. georgia virtual tours Beaches georgia virtual tours in Turks is especially expensive. I really doubt it's going to fall within your stated budget, especially since you may need two rooms. Also airfares are shockingly high for the winter. You might want to check the dates you're interested in for different destinations before deciding where to go, unless you're doing a vacation package.
There are a number of AI hotels in the Caribbean aside from DR, Mexico and Jamaica. Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia have several, almost everywhere has them. If you want the "real" Caribbean with fabulous beaches, you can't go wrong with Barbados or Antigua. Aruba is also a great island but is not everyone's idea of a tropical paradise as it is flat, dry and arid, having said that it has alot to offer.
I have stayed in several AI properties over the years in the Caribbean in the 3 or 4 star category, have never found them hugely expensive but some may prefer georgia virtual tours Mexico or DR because the price of AI what it includes is more important than the destination.
Look at vacationstogo cruises for your time frame. Southern Caribbean is great then. You could pick whatever georgia virtual tours is best on each island you visit. Also, consider Costa Rica adventure tour. Look at the AI vacations offered on Travelzoo.
Thanks. So I just ran a couple different dates thru beaches T C and it appears georgia virtual tours that the example dates I was using are almost 50% higher than dates very close to it. Does anyone know the differences between the