This guide to the Caribbean covers all the major islands, and focuses on family-friendly resorts and things to do with kids. It includes supervized children's programmes, babysitting services, money-saving tips and fun things to do in addition to lazing on the beach, such as snorkeling with stingrays, swimming with dolphins, handfeeding hummingbirds, exploring caves, learning to sail, visiting monkeys in their native habitat and dressing up like a pirate for a pirate cruise.
Amazon.com Review
You're taking a vacation, and you're taking the kids--and the latter needn't cancel out the former. The Caribbean has long been a vacation favorite, but there's much more to keeping the kids happy than just packing the ubiquitous bathing suit, shovel, and pail. Caribbean With Kids knows which resorts and seaside inns welcome children, have programs planned for them, and provide them with the chance to play with kids their own age, while you and the spouse explore more adult pleasures. The guide also opens the door to activities the whole family can enjoy together, such as hand-feeding hummingbirds in Jamaica, snorkeling with stingrays in Grand Cayman, swimming with dolphins in the Bahamas, and exploring caves in Puerto Rico.
This is, however, not just an entertainment primer; it's a full-fledged guide book. Along with all the child-related activities there are the necessary details on passports and travel agents, when to go and what to pack, transportation around and between the islands, recommended children's books, and island food. There's also a chapter on each island, featuring arrival and departure information, lodgings, shopping, what there is do to, and practical stuff like currency, electricity, Web sites, and tourist boards.
Paris Permenter and John Bigley know kids, know parents, and know the Caribbean. They make it as clear as the Caribbean Sea that a family holiday doesn't have to be an oxymoron. --Stephanie Gold
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(5 customer reviews)
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
This book helped us plan a great summer vacation!, July 23, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Open Road's Caribbean With Kids (Paperback)
My family just returned from a week-long vacation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We used Caribbean with Kids to help us select the resort and, when we were on the island, to help us select some activities away from the hotel to enjoy. The honest look these writers give of the islands is refreshing and helped us feel good about leaving the resort and getting out and enjoying Jamaica. Our kids learned more about the islands thanks to a section on children's books which helped them know more about what to expect and to look forward to the vacation. We're already using the book to look for a destination for a Christmas trip to the islands!
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
.....Yikes! Doesn't include (east coast) Mexico!!, September 30, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Caribbean with Kids (Paperback)
I rather did not like this book - I think I did a better job researching online, through travel agents, brochures, and family travel forums. There were a number of Caribbean destinations not mentioned in the book. Moreover, the information that was there seemed like abstract info. after my research. I was definitely disappointed that Cancun, Cozumel, and the Riviera Maya of Mexico (all hot spots for family travel and on the Caribbean Sea) were not included - obviously, if you are trying to research all options of where to go in the Caribbean, no stones should be left unturned. Bottom line - this book is maybe okay if you are not looking at Mexico at all, but if you're online and have a little time to look - invest some time. There is more complete info. out there.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
.....Yikes - Doesn't include Mexico (east coast)!!!, September 30, 2001
LisaLisaPHL (East Coast) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Caribbean with Kids (Paperback)
I rather did not like this book - I felt that I did a much better job researching places online, through travel agents and brochures. Moreover, I was a bit disappointed that it didn't cover the east coast of Mexico - Cancun, Cozumel, and Mayan Riviera - all on Caribbean Sea and hot spots for family travel!! What I did read was basically abstract info. that I had already gotten online - especially through family travel forums. I found that there were also some destinations missing from this book (that I had heard about elsewhere). So, this book is maybe okay if you are not interested in Mexico and not a heavy price to pay (to lose?) but just not too complete.
(5 customer reviews) 
This book helped us plan a great summer vacation!, July 23, 1998 
.....Yikes! Doesn't include (east coast) Mexico!!, September 30, 2001