Wequassett Resort and
Golf Club
Cape
Cod, Massachusetts
Why not spend your next family vacation in a charming
seaside town at Cape Cod? Nestled in historic Chatham
is the secluded Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, with breathtaking views of Pleasant
Bay and the Atlantic
Ocean. In addition to leisure sports for active parents, the
resort provides a multitude of activities to delight kids ages 2-12. The
Children’s Center features a nautical-themed playground with a “tot lot” for
little ones and “children’s area” for those over five. The outdoor facility is equipped with pirate
ships, treasure chests, run ramps and swinging ropes, as well as an interactive
aquatic playground. The high-tech indoor center boasts a 135″ HD screen, Wii,
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for rainy days. Daily activities include “dive-in” movies,
teen gaming nights and lessons in swimming, sailing and tennis.
Charleston, South
Carolina
Last year, a Travel and Leisure poll ranked this quaint southerly
town as their No. 3 travel destination. Charleston’s
unique blend of historical sites, assorted shopping (antiques, anyone?), and pristine
beaches makes it a worthy summer vacation destination. Upon arrival, families
are invited to join the Charleston Explorers Club, where they can pick up a
keepsake passport at the visitor’s center, collect souvenir stamps and win
prizes. History buffs and adventurers alike will have a blast discovering Charleston’s
historic forts, homes, plantations and gardens.
Mountain
View Grand
Resort and Spa
Whitefield, New Hampshire
Families can take an eco-conscious excursion to the Mountain
View Grand Resort and Spa, located in New Hampshire’s
bucolic White Mountains. City parents
will appreciate the resort’s green initiatives, which include installing a
wind-turbine, using energy-saving light bulbs, recycling cooking oil to make
diesel fuel, using its water tower to irrigate the golf course and grounds,
growing its own vegetables and flowers and more. Kids can enroll in the
complimentary Mountaineering Club where they can take part in activities like
cardboard boat races, frog hunts and horseback riding. An on-site greenhouse also gives little ones the chance to
plant maple tree seedlings and veggies.
Bristol Buenaventura
Panama
A slice of paradise can be found at Central
America’s Bristol Buenaventura, with its deep blue waters and lush
vegetation. Considered a playground for parents and their kids, the resort allows
children under the age of 17 to stay free and enjoy a daily complimentary
breakfast. Bristol’s own Kids Club
features a weekly schedule of events designed to educate children about Panama’s
culture and natural environment. Little adventurers can set out on supervised
explorations in search of local insects, reptiles and plants. The club also hosts
treasure hunts and sand castle building on the beachfront. Kid-friendly amenities
also include a children’s pool and a game room.
Hotel Crillon le
Brave
Provence, France
Spend your summer holiday overseas at the rustic yet
refined Hotel Crillon le Brave. You’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in
time at this refuge, made up of seven restored stone houses dating back to the
16th and 17th centuries. The hotel offers generous family
packages with large suite-style rooms and activities for young children. Kids (and
parents) can learn to speak French, make delectable signature French desserts,
and learn how croissants are made at a local bakery. What’s more, the resort
offers plenty of fresh air and outdoor recreation with horseback riding around
Mont Ventoux, golfing and kayaking on the Sorgue River.
Photo: The Aquatic Playground at Wequasset Resort and Golf Club.
Kimberly’s Pick Of The Month
Located on the Riviera Maya where the jungle meets the ocean, Rosewood Mayakobá is the heart of a 1,600-acre luxury resort enclave just south of Cancun, and is reachable via a non-stop flight from NYC. Rosewood Mayakobá’s children’s program, Rosebuds, features a wide range of activities. My children so enjoyed the eco-tour of the mangroves that they took it twice. The highlight of our stay, though, was Pirate’s Night: all the children dressed up as pirates and scoured the property during a scavenger hunt. Off-property, Riviera Maya offers water parks, boating excursions and an eco-archaeological park dedicated to Mayan and Mexican cultures, along with sophisticated shopping and fine dining.
Kimberly Wilson Wetty, co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel, regularly contributes her family travel tips to New York Family.
