The Top 8 Caribbean Resorts for Families

Atlantis (Paradise Island, Bahamas)

Family Features

• Kids Concierge service to assist families with booking child-friendly activities and experiences
• 11 pools staffed by lifeguards (including two designed especially for kids)
• Complimentary movie theater experience with daily kid-friendly movie screenings
• 35 restaurants (most with dedicated kids' menus)

Parent Perks

• 30,000-square-foot Mandara spa with unique water-therapy treatments
• Fitness center with a cardio theater
• In-room babysitting service available

Highlights

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

A wide range of water-ride intensity 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.

• About Atlantis

Beaches Turks & Caicos (Providenciales, Turks & Caicos)

Family Features

• 12 miles of white sand beach
• 10 pools staffed by lifeguards
• Pirates Island Waterpark featuring waterslides and kid-friendly pools
• Xbox Play Lounge offering unlimited free play with a variety of Xbox games
• Camp Sesame featuring activities with favorite Sesame Street characters such as Baking with Cookie Monster

Parent Perks

• Complimentary fitness classes including Zumba and water aerobics
• Full menu of spa services
• Single-parent-friendly months with receptions
• Complimentary Kids Club during operating hours (after-hours babysitting services also available)

Highlights

Four resorts to choose form, including one that resembles a French village with Parisian-style architecture, cuisine, and ambience.

Allows kids to interact with Sesame Street characters through on-property activities like character breakfasts.

Caribbean's first Certified Autism Center that works closely with the One World Foundation to teach kids'-club staff how to relate to and welcome autistic children.

Taking full advantage of the island's reputation as a top diving location, Beaches Turks & Caicos offers a Bubble Makers program that teaches young would-be divers basic underwater-breathing skills. Using scuba apparatus, kids ages 8 and above become familiar with the equipment in a pool while hunting for underwater toys at a depth of 6 feet.

A more advanced version, called Seal Team, is also available for kids 8 and above, and a five-day National Geographic scuba program teaches children 10 and up ocean diving as well as how to identify fish and reefs.

Children 5 and under play in a dedicated space separate from those for ages 6 to 12 at the beaches. And in an effort to mix education and fun, the resort offers a Beach Science program, designed for kids 4 to 7, which encourages budding scientists to dig for sharks' teeth and launch rockets on the sand.

• About Beaches Turks & Caicos

Family Vacations: Atlantis Paradise Island

Four Seasons Resort Nevis (West Indies)

Family Features

• Amenities specifically for kids including child-friendly welcome amenity and child-sized bathrobes
• Kids menus at all resort dining options
• Kids For All Seasons club for kids ages 3 to 9
• Family-friendly activities such as crafts, cooking, and storytime
• Free-form infinity pool for families
• Babyproofing kits upon request

Parent Perks

• Chilled towels and fruit at the state-of-the-art fitness facilities
• Full-service spa with special couples' treatments
• Golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II
• Rum tastings at crowned monkey Rum Bar and daily happy hours
• Babysitting and supervised activities for kids available

Highlights

The Four Seasons Nevis has an enviable spot in the West Indies, with no neighboring hotels to compete for its wide stretch of Pinney's Beach. Arrive at this former coconut plantation via a 25-minute private hotel boat from St. Kitts's airport or direct air service from San Juan.

Children participating in the Resort's Sea Turtle Education and Adoption program receive an adoption certificate for an endangered sea turtle.

Has a playground equipped with a pint-size general store; in addition, the facility housing the Kids for All Seasons children's program boasts a mock pirate ship, a jungle area with a tropical tree house, and stuffed monkeys hanging from a tree.

Offers a smiley-face fruit plate and Kermit's Grilled Fresh Fish of the Day with vegetables and rice on its children's menu.

The concierge can arrange for a Monkey Excursion, where families can explore the tropical rainforest with a local naturalist in search of wild green monkeys.

The Kids for All Seasons facility is strategically placed in the middle of the resort, so whether parents are at the spa, dining, or at the pool or beach, they're only steps away from their children. Activities include cake baking, croquet, sea turtle watch, beach walks, and a supervised lizard hunt, often followed by story time in the shade of a palm tree.

• About Four Seasons Resort Nevis

Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort (Montego Bay, Jamaica)

Family Features

• Half-mile of private beach
• Shaded playground
• Two laundry rooms
• On-site kid activities

Parent Perks

• Adults-only pool featuring a swim-up beverage bar
• Fitness center with on-site aerobics instructor
• Romantic rafting trips by appointment

Highlights

Boasts a multimillion-dollar renovation of all its public areas and restaurants.

Includes 173 connecting rooms ideal for large families, among the highest in our list, and 26 family suites.

Situated 15 minutes from the Montego Bay airport, eliminating the long airport transfers for which Jamaica is famous.

KidSpree Vacation Club serves children ages 6 months to 17 years and is broken down into four age groups. The nannies, who are required to have CPR and first-aid instruction, play with and care for the infants and toddlers in a dedicated space, while 4- to 12-year-olds spend most of their time outside in tennis clinics, playing games at the beach, learning to reggae dance, and immersing themselves in the island culture.

Beaches Negril (Negril, Jamaica)

Family Features

• Four pools staffed by lifeguards
• Pajama parties and sandcastle-building
• Restaurant with Japanese cuisine prepared tableside
• Crayola Art Camps

Parent Perks

• For guests in two-bedroom suites, butler service to arrange private dinners and custom activities
• Couples' spa services such as "Scrub-a-Dub-Dub: Two in the Tub"
• Adult beach volleyball

Highlights

Has the Beaches' Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street program, featuring live shows and activities with the characters.

Caters to the growing trend of wedding and honeymoon groups bringing children by offering FamilyMoon packages with discounts, free group portraits, and T-shirts.

Cools kids off with a Pirate's Island water park that has a 204-foot spiraling slide, a splash deck, and a 392-foot lazy-river ride.

Up-to-date video-game room and themed activities.

The Kids Camp for ages 12 and under works the cultural rhythm of Jamaica into its supervised activities: Dance class with Zoe focuses on calypso or reggae, while Elmo tells local stories and legends.

A kids' coordinator greets arriving guests with Big Bird cookies and a drink; in addition, a list of activities is given to families and posted throughout the property.

• About Beaches Negril

Club Med Punta Cana (Dominican Republic)

Family Features

• Three swimming pools staffed by lifeguards
• Bottle warmers, baby bathtubs, and strollers available for loan at no cost
• Mini refrigerator in all guest rooms
• Lounge for teenagers

Parent Perks

• Club Med gym and fitness classes on site
• Hot stone massage
• Snorkeling excursions

Highlights

Known for its Circus School, where kids as young as 4 learn to swing from a flying trapeze (while safely tethered to a harness and over a safety net) and attempt such other feats as juggling and acrobatics, which they perform for parents later in the week.

Kids explore cultures through music and mask-making via its Putumayo World Playground Adventure program.

Has a desirable beach location less than 10 minutes from the airport.

In addition to the Circus School, the kids' program for 2- to 13-year-olds incorporates a Mini Gym, a new Hip Hop Kidz dance program, puppet shows, arts and crafts, and sports, like soccer, basketball, softball, and archery.

Kids are given a choice of three activities every hour, so they're always doing something they like.

• About Club Med Punta Cana

Club Med Caravelle (Guadeloupe)

Family Features

• Rooms that sleep up to six
• Ramps throughout property for strollers
• Arcade
• Evening group babysitting for children ages 4 months and up

Parent Perks

• Detox massages
• Cooking classes and demonstrations featuring local dishes
• Catamaran trip to Petite-Terre (a tiny island offering pristine water for snorkeling)

Highlights

Uses specially designed equipment to help 3- to 7-year-olds learn tennis through its Petit Tennis program, which focuses on hand-eye coordination and teamwork.

Has a longer-than-average beach, at 1,500 feet; one of the facilities for the children's program is located on the coconut-tree-lined beach.

Along with the fun activities—Circus School, sailing instruction, Petit Tennis, windsurfing, and hip-hop—that are standard with the chain's children's program for 2- to 13-year-olds, Club Med Caravelle allows families to introduce their kids to authentic French island culture.

• About Club Med Caravelle

Sunscape Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino (Curaçao)

Family Features

• Beachside playground and four pools
• Arcade
• Refrigerators upon request
• Junior suites with microwaves
• Kids' menus at all restaurants, including half-portion salads
• Explorer's Club for kids who are potty trained

Parent Perks

• Free scuba introductory course
• Dance contests
• Trapeze lessons
• Full service spa on the resort
• One pool is adult-only

Highlights

Is the largest resort on the island, with a 1,500-foot beach, skating rink, and 30-foot rock-climbing wall.

Offers two lighted tennis courts for night play and scheduled free lessons from pros.

Boasts a range of dining options, such as a beachside grill and SuperKids Snackbar.

A wide array of activities from rock climbing to beach volleyball are available.

On Mondays, kids learn about local culture through storytelling, dancing, and language instruction.

There's plenty to do nearby as well. Families can take a free 15-minute shuttle ride to the charming and colorful town of Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The children's program incorporates visits to the Curacao Sea Aquarium, where kids encounter turtles, dolphins, and sea lions and learn about sharks and other marine life in an interactive setting.

• About Sunscape Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino

Tips for Choosing an Island

There are more than 30 islands in the Caribbean. How do you decide which one is best for your family? To get started, ask yourself the following five questions:

1. What kinds of flights can I get from my local airport?

From New York City or Miami, you can often book nonstop service to almost any island; from other cities, however, your choices are limited. The destinations that tend to have the most direct service: Aruba; Barbados; Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Punta Cana; St. Martin; and St. Thomas. If you're bringing small children, you may also want to consider the length of the flight. For instance, traveling nonstop from New York City to Barbados takes more than 4 1/2 hours, while the flight to Nassau is just about 3 hours and the flight to Bermuda takes 2 hours.

2. How hot do you like it?

Most islands average around 85 degrees year-round. Bermuda and, to a lesser extent, the Bahamas cool off in winter.

This might suit your family just fine, especially if you have grandparents along or your children are very sensitive to high temperatures. Keep in mind that hurricane season typically runs from June 1 to November 30, but patterns vary widely from year to year and island to island.

3. What kinds of activities does your family prefer?

Some islands, such as Grand Cayman, Bonaire, and Turks & Caicos, are known for their great snorkeling and diving sites because of their clear waters, while mountainous islands like Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and St. Lucia offer beautiful scenic hikes. If you're a big beach fan, note that some islands, such as Aruba and the Dominican Republic, offer miles and miles of sand, while other islands have much shorter, cove-type beaches.

4. What is the official language?

English is the official language in 19 Caribbean islands; the remainder speak Spanish, French, or Dutch. Your kids can practice their Spanish in Puerto Rico and French in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Martin.

5. What kind of ambience are you looking for?

Eleuthera (in the Bahamas) and St. Kitts feature plenty of privacy, for example, while Nassau (the Bahamas) and Grand Cayman can be hopping with fun-seeking visitors.

Tips for Staying Safe

Before booking your trip, consider the following safety tips.

Weather

Hurricane season typically runs June 1 to November 30, but patterns vary widely from year to year. No island is immune. Ask your travel agent for detailed information pertaining to your destination.

Counselors and Babysitting Staff

Ask whether the resort checks the criminal background of potential counselors and sitters and requires that they have experience working with kids. Before you drop off your child at camp, make sure there are at least two counselors present at all times, even if there are only two or three campers. Ideally, aim for a ratio of at least one counselor to four toddlers and one counselor to eight older children.

Lifeguards

A surprisingly high number of Caribbean resorts don't employ lifeguards, often citing legal reasons. If the resort you like doesn't have lifeguards, inquire whether the children's program has additional staff to supervise kids when they engage in water activities.

Public Health

COVID-19 precautions are still in place at nearly every resort you may want to visit, but guidelines and rules can change very quickly. We recommend you check both the airport and entry requirements for the country and resort you are visiting to ensure you know the most up-to-date information regarding testing and vaccination status.

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