The Top 10 Caribbean Resorts for Families

Family Features: 11 swimming areas staffed by lifeguards -- including two for kids only; a theater that shows three recently released movies daily at no charge and offers popcorn; 35 restaurants, most with kids' menus; 23 nonsmoking floors.

Parents' Perks: 30,000-square-foot Mandara spa with unique water-therapy treatments; fitness center with a cardio theater; candlelit French restaurant for adults and children 6 and up.

* A 97-acre waterscape with 250 species of marine life, including humongous sharks, barracudas, and stingrays, that -- behind Plexiglas -- swim above, around, and under guests as they walk the grounds and dine at on-site restaurants.

* The widest range of water-ride intensity in our survey, from a lazy-river ride to a high-adrenaline Leap of Faith slide.

* Re-creates the legend of Atlantis with The Dig, an underground maze that simulates the ruined Lost Continent, complete with royal treasure, phantasmagorical flying machines, and hieroglyphics, as well as live eels, lobsters, and piranhas.

* The resort also offers Family Yoga on the beach, and the physically challenging and mentally stimulating Atlantis Kidisthenics fitness program for ages 6-10.

* Other highlights are the Earth and Fire pottery studio, where families paint their own creations to take home, and Marina Village, a Bahamian marketplace featuring 21 shops, five restaurants, and live entertainment, including dance troupes, music, puppets, and magic shows.