By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher
Family Vacations Expert, about.com
Do you have a question about planning a family vacation? Ask dearjulius.com
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Question:
I am six months pregnant with our second baby, and I have a 19-month
old little girl. We would like to take a family vacation somewhere warm
and toddler-friendly in the states or on an island where no passport is
necessary. Ideally, we'd love to be on or close to the beach, have
access to a pool, and have accommodations that will be comfortable for
all 3+ of us. I'm not sure whether a suite or kitchenette option exists
out there, but it would sure be nice! We want to make sure we're
somewhere where mealtimes won't be a huge ordeal. We'd hate to have to
drive somewhere for breakfast, lunch and dinner; on-site options and/or a
kitchenette where we can prepare breakfast and/or lunch would be
amazing. Any suggestions you have would be much-appreciated. We're
thinking of traveling at the end of this month or next month.
—Nancy H. from Alexandria, VA
dearjulius.com says: Congratulations and best wishes on your growing family! I hope you’ll find my shortlist of top vacations with a baby or toddler
helpful in the next few years. For your upcoming trip, I’m going to
focus on Florida because it is so easily accessible from Virginia and
offers an incredible array of spectacular beaches.
My top pick is a
Club Med resort, because the chain really understands how to provide
support to young families with babies and toddlers. Club Med Sandpiper Baby Resort
in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is the only Club Med property in the United
States. Pricing is all-inclusive and kids under age 4 stay free. Your
daughter can attend the supervised Baby Club Med program with kids her
own age. Mealtimes will not be an ordeal at the resort’s child-friendly
restaurants, and you’ll have 24-hour access to a babycare room equipped
with bottle warmers, a microwave, fridge, mixer, and sterilizer, should
you want to prepare special meals for your daughter. The resort can even
loan you a stroller if you need one. Club Med Sandpiper Bay is not set
on the ocean but rather on the banks of the St. Lucie River. It does
have a 400-foot beach with sailing and other water sports, as well as a
swimming pool.
Need to be on the ocean? A couple of hours and a world away from crowded Orlando theme parks, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
is a very grand and quintessentially Floridian beach property that’s
part of the Disney Vacation Club timeshare group. You don’t have to be a
member to stay here. The resort offers a ton of free family-fun
activities, from campfire sing-alongs and bubble blowing workshops to
sandcastle-building and toddler craft sessions. Aside from the
twice-weekly character breakfasts with Goofy, the vibe is decidedly
light on Disney. Preschoolers get a fun splash area, and life jackets
and pool noodles are available for free.
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About three hours southwest Orlando on dreamy Captiva Island, South Seas Island Resort
offers a wide array of accommodations options, including spacious
villas with separate living and sleeping areas. There are beaches on
both the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound, and nearly two dozen
pools, including zero-entry pools perfect for little ones. The place is
large and sprawling, with the feel of an upscale, beautifully landscaped
gated community.
