Most of my blogs are written while touring with a group of women. Today I'm going to change gears and talk about Single Parent's travelling with your children.
A few years ago I took my first family vacation as a single parent. I was a bit nervous at first and wondered if I would feel comfortable travelling outside of the country.
Questions in my mind were:
1. Is it safe?
2. Are the children going to be bored?
3. Am I going to feel uncomfortable on my own?
4. Will I have to pay a single supplement?
I'm sure many of you have asked these same questions and probably hesitated in taking that vacation because you just weren't sure. Following are some tips on how to make your single parent trip enjoyable and fun.
1. Choose a resort that caters to families.
We chose a fabulous all inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The resort had large comfortable rooms, numerous pools (one catering to families with small children), a beautiful beach and room service (the teens love this option). There are many family friendly resorts in Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Mayan Riviera, Mexico to name a few.
Club Med, Beaches and Superclubs have excellent family friendly resorts in each of these locations.
2. Make sure there's plenty of activities.
The resort we stayed at had something for everyone. Water aerobics for Mom, beach and pool volleyball for my son and Spanish lessons for my daughter. The nightly entertainment was early enough to entertain the young ones and they involved the children in the show. The children had a blast and it was was great fun to watch. Various activities were planned throughout the day. Many resorts offer mini and kid clubs to keep the little ones occupied while you enjoy some down time.
3. Are they going to like the food?
Most resorts offer a variety of dining experiences: buffet restaurants, beachside BBQ with hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza (kid friendly), specialty restaurants. Our favourite was the Tepanyaki restaurant as they entertained us with their knife wielding stunts while preparing our dinner.
4. Day trips. Check out the options available off the resort. There are many exciting day trips available which give you the opportunity to see the country and meet the locals. Our family highlight was visiting the dolphin sanctuary and interacting with the Dolphins. These experiences create wonderful memories which you and your children will talk about for years to come.
5. Will I have to pay a single supplement? Typically the resorts will charge for 1 single adult and 1 child. Have your travel agent check to see if the cost for 2 adult fares is lower, sometimes it is.
6. Watch for single parent specials. Some resorts offer single parent weeks which makes it easy and affordable for single parents to plan a trip with their kids.
Beaches Resorts offers Single Parent Family Fun weeks:
Sept. 5 - 11, Sept. 19-25 and Oct. 1-7, 2011.
During these weeks they offer special Single Parent Family activities, including: a beach bonfire and movie and Beach Olympics; serve as special guests in the weekly Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street Parade; enjoy Beaches Family Night with Kinect for Xbox 360, and a complimentary Martha Stewart Crafts Studio Postcard class. Programmes are specially designed to encourage bonding time for single parents and their children while mingling with other families.
SuperClubs Resorts periodically waives the single supplement at some of their popular family resorts.
Breezes Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino caters to families with a variety of age-specific programs at its Kids Club. A circus workshop with flying trapeze and trampoline clinics, as well as a selection of land and waters sports provides ample excitement for kids and parents alike.
Breezes Trelawny Resort & Spa offers a wide range of activities for kids and adults alike. Supervised activities are available for kids of all ages including water sports, pool games, contests and theme parties, as well as babysitting services for up to two children. This watery wonderland boasts an enormous kids pool complete with splashing waterspouts, fountains and an incredible 124-foot water slide winding its way through. Meanwhile, the seashell pool, swim-up bar and 84-foot winding water slide is sure to keep the grown-ups afloat.
My children still remind me of the wonderful family vacation we spent together in Punta Cana. I'm so happy we had that time together and look forward to many more.
Debbie Ross, founder of the Womens Travel Network.ca
