We’ve done family vacations before and it’s been great. Mostly cruises and all inclusives since it’s easier with a lot of people. This one has some specific requirements though and I’d like suggestions that others have actually been on.
A family member has been very ill and treatment will end sometime this summer. We’d like to give it a couple of months and then plan a family trip to celebrate. So late fall, early winter. Working around school holidays would help but not that many in school any more. Would like an all inclusive resort in the U.S. to avoid too much strenuous travel. Probably 15-30 people ranging in age from six months to our age. Four kids under the age of three, a middle schooler, a couple of high schoolers and a few in college so has to appeal to a broad range. The more activities that appeal to all ages, the more will join in. I’d like to make it not a bargain place but not outrageous either.
Any great ideas? I looked at a Club Med in Florida that seemed acceptable and catered to young families but seemed to have too many add ons for me. I really would like to cover the entire cost for my part of the family.
Can you all travel,to Jamaica? There is some all inclusive resort there with a Sesame Street theme. Friends went with their family, and said it was awesome. Something for everyone…but obviously very social for the Sesame Street fans. Biggest hit (cost extra, but they said it was worth every penny)…bedtime story read by Elmo!
That does look amazing. Will have to see if sick relative is up to flying to Jamaica. Leaving the country is also a risk due to health. Thinking about maybe an all inclusive resort in Orlando? Babies too young for Disney but some of the others could do that
I am a long time Club Med customer. I am not sure what you mean by there are a lot of add ons. I think the only one I am aware of is the membership fee. I have an agent you could work with who may be able to help with it.
My family just came back from a resort from Punta Cana recently. It is part of Melia chain. From NYC it was a direct flight of few hours, not much further than FL. Not sure where you are traveling from.
Because of your particular circumstance, you would want to go to a place where you could make sure it is very clean and close to hospital/airport. I would avoid Mexico and places like that where you would need to be careful of water and such.
Have you considered a guest ranch? We are not “horse people” but we enjoyed the experience. All inclusive prices, nice accommodations and good food. Usually lots of activities for different ages. The locations we’ve been to are:
Your dates may be an issue. I don’t know how many are open “late fall/early winter” so you’d have to check around. These two do have fall dates but I don’t know if they are late enough for you.
You may also want to double check the activities available. We always visited in the summer when they had a full calendar of activities. Fall may be scaled back on activities.
We went to Bermuda few months after my father was done with chemo. It was an easy flight from NYC. Back then there were few all inclusive resorts, but I am not sure if they still have that. Some hotels offer breakfast and dinner packages. Fall in Bermuda is beautiful. The only thing is the island is rather expensive.
This is the resort in Florida I was looking at. The membership fee was no problem, but there were extras for better drinks, some restaurants, etc. Also most of the activity seemed to be golf and tennis, neither of which we’re really into.
@3bm103 - better drinks are better wine, champagne or some premium alcohol. There are few food items that maybe extra, like lobster. I have to say that their house wine, proseco and regular alcohol were very drinkable. I have been going to club med for 30 plus years, we have rarely spent a lot for extras. We may order a bottle of champagne sometimes, but that’s it. I also don’t pay extra for certain dishes because Club Med is not a fine dining place. Your lobster would most likely be dry and not that tasty.
They generally have a lot of activities there, like volleyball, pool games, exercise, etc. It is a very lively place. I call it an adult camp.
Has anyone been to an all inclusive in Orlando? I think the toddlers won’t get much out of Disney, but the ones with middle and high school kids could spend a few days there and the rest at the resort.
I haven’t been to an all inclusive in Orlando, but I’ve been to some mighty nice resorts there. And there is so much to do in that area for all ages. I don’t think you can go wrong! No worries about traveling out of the country either.
We stayed at many hotels in Orlando. The one we missed was the wilderness resort at Disney, because we were just 3 people. Part of our fun was trying different hotels in the Disney or universal resort.
We did stay at beaches in Jamaica, but I don’t know how safe I’d feel in the next year. We also enjoyed the Disney cruise.
If you want Orlando, Disney has packages that include park tickets (if you want) and their dining plan. Not completely all-inclusive, but pretty close.
@oldfort How long ahead of time do you usually book a vacation at Club Med? We’re looking at this November probably around Thanksgiving and it already shows many rooms sold out. I doubt they’re going to have enough room for our party at this point. Is it best to just call them? Go through a travel agent?
I can’t find any other acceptable All Inclusives in the U.S. Most of the family has decided it’s too risky to leave the country either because of the Zika virus or our family member’s health.
“too risky to leave the country either because of the Zika virus or our family member’s health.”
There’s a very high likelihood the Zika virus could be in Florida by that time frame but I understand the concern as well as the concern about health and ease of travel/medical care access, if needed.
One difficulty is your time frame. Many of the all-inclusives in the USA are geared toward summer months.
I know someone who went to Little Simons Island…with her whole family. It was not an all inclusive, but they said it was the best family time vacation ever. And there was a two year old, a baby, and the adults.