Family
rafting on the Ottawa River, Canada
Riuland...RIU Hotels' new
children's program based on fun, education and enjoying the
outdoors...is now launching at select Mexico and Caribbean resorts in
two age groups: 'Club 4-7' and 'Club 8-12.' Giving kids' programs
a more modern spin, Riuland centers on themes: AquaLand (pool games and
contests),
RiuOlympic (group sports and individual events), PiratesLand
(swashbuckling pirate contests and treasure hunts), and two educational
experiences. RiuWorld introduces cultures of different countries
through their most popular children's games; while EcoLand activities
explore the hotel's natural surroundings, stressing care for the
environment.
Plays are staged
once
a week in the hotel's theater,
performed by
the children instead of for them. Dance games,
shows and the Miss and Mr. Riuland pageant awards prizes to all
contest winners. Kids sing the special club goers' song long after the
vacation becomes a fond memory. The children's program opened in Spain
last season, and was such a huge success, RIU personnel are expecting
the same reaction at their Caribbean, Dominican Republic and Jamaica
properties. www.riu.com
Horizonx Family Adventure. Rafting in the rapids of Canada’s Ottawa River, surrounded by amazing
scenery and tame wildlife, is a unique experience for both parents and
kids.
Children 40 lbs. and up join Mom and Dad in the gentle middle channel
of the
river for the perfect whitewater rafting initiation. It’s adventure and
excitement in rapids kids can handle. Package includes a day of
rafting, BBQ lunch, wet suits and remembrance photos. $100 adults; $70
children
under 12. Also check out Horizonx’s new program this year, Full Moon
Rafting,
and see what comes out at night besides the moon and stars. www.horizonx.ca
unique fAMILY getaway
 Pirate lore and boat
races await
families visiting the idyllic islands of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines.
St. Vincent was the site of the original and very
popular Pirates
of the Caribbean movie with Johnny Deppe. Explore Fort Charlotte, sitting 600 feet above Kingstown Bay and featured in the movie. Climb La
Soufriere
volcano, hike to Trinity Falls hidden in the rainforest, or visit Vermont
Nature
Trails for birdwatching.
Bequia...dotted
with
pastel
houses, bougainvillea and shady almond trees...retains its
boat-building
traditions by holding races every Sunday. Kids will love exploring the
model boat shops, visiting Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, Spring
Studios (pictured) and conjuring
up their
own pirate adventures in Fort Hamilton. www.svgtourism.com
Tamarijn Aruba All-Inclusive Family Package allows 2 children up to age 18 to stay, play
and eat
FREE when sharing a guaranteed oceanfront room with two adults. Ages
5-12 seek
the Mon.-Fri. Children’s Camp for face painting, pool and beach games,
movies,
scavenger hunts, snacks and more. Guests staying at either beachfront property,
AAA 3-Diamond
Divi Aruba or adjacent Tamarijn Aruba,
may use all
facilities at both properties: ten dining options, seven bars, three
freshwater
pools, watersports, plus the well-equipped Divi Winds Sports Center featuring a 30-foot rock
climbing wall on
the beach. www.diviaruba.com
or www.tamarijnaruba.com
At
Costa Rica’s famous Lost
Iguana Resort & Spa, families watch from their balconies at
night as Arenal
Volcano spews red-hot lava in a spectacular show. “Family Fun
Getaway” includes
two adjoining rooms, $500 spa credit, meals and babysitting services
for the
kids (10 hours total), and three rainforest adventures. Choose
from a
1.7-mile zipline canopy tour; a private hiking tour on resort trails;
guided
biking tour on the live volcano; a kayak or power boat cruise on Lake Arenal; or a visit to the Butterfly Gardens. Youngsters try the new smaller scale zip
line; wander
the resort’s winding hibiscus maze; or splash in the shallow hot
pool. The open-air spa also houses a gym and sauna. www.lostiguanaresort.com
Horseshoe Bay Resort, less than an
hour from Austin, boasts the nation's only kid-sized tennis courts,
putting this Texas Hill Country retreat on our list of family-friendly
vacation options. The Andy Roddick Kids' Courts, sanctioned by the U.S.
Tennis Association, are specifically designed for children up to age
ten, who perfect their skills using kid-sized equipment, guided by
age-specific rules. Racquets at Kids' Courts do not exceed 25 inches,
and play is with low-compression bright orange tennis balls. A 36-foot
court is used by children ages eight and under, while older kids play
on 60-foot courts. www.horseshoebaytexas.com
Need
help in choosing accommodations? Ciao
Bambino scouts the globe for hotels, villas, resorts and
apartment rentals catering to families with children, from infants to
teens. The newest section on their site, called Community Recommended, reaches
beyond the staff inspections that mark certain properties 'CB
approved.' It calls on families who have already stayed in
accommodations to give full reviews, so readers can make accurate
decisions on which place fits their vacation needs. This feature
includes key information about the writers' families, how many children
were involved, ages and travel priorities. Readers can identify the
validity of each resource as it applies to their particular
families. www.ciaobambino.com
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