Planning a special getaway? Think Caribbean and Bahamas. I know, I know. Bone-chilling winter seems the obvious time to travel to tropical islands. That's what I thought, too, until I started working for a Caribbean travel magazine and found out that most of the trips I'd be taking to the area would be between mid-April and mid-December, when the throngs of tourists disappear and prices at island resorts dip as much as 40 percent.
In 12 years of research, I've found that, despite the lower rates, the top family destinations in the Caribbean and nearby Bahamas don't skimp when it comes to service and activities. At the Wyndham Palmas del Mar resort in Puerto Rico, your family will enjoy a tropical vacation full of action and adventure.
HUMACAO, PUERTO RICO
Wyndham Palmas del Mar, a former coconut plantation, packs plenty of action into a family vacation. Offerings include a 3 1/2-mile white-sand beach and water-sports center, plus tennis, golf and horseback riding. Families can also book tours to nearby El Yunque rain forest--the only tropical forest in the U.S. territory.
The Kid's Klub caters to youngsters ages five to 13 with swimming lessons, sand sculpting, cookie bakes, miniature golf and boogieboarding. From May 1 to September 30, the Kids On Us program lets kids ages 12 and under stay and eat for free. Call 1-800-WYNDHAM for current low season rates.
Sharon Jaffe Dan, a former senior editor at CARIBBEAN TRAVEL & LIFE, writes from her home outside Washington, D.C.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.
