Families who have kids in school know that there are really only three times of year that make sense for a vacation: Christmas, summer, and Spring Break. Most parents, after all, don't feel comfortable pulling their children out of school "just" to take a fun trip, and work schedules don't typically allow parents to just pick up and go wherever, whenever either. Spring Break is an incredibly popular time for family vacations, and, naturally, some destinations are more appropriate for young children than are others. Here are three of Luxury Travels' recommendations for great places to take an upscale Spring Break trip.
Maui, Hawaii
What fun, what an utter splurge to spend Spring Break in Hawaii. Maui is especially recommended for families with young children for several reasons: The plethora of child-friendly activities, the calm shoreline of Wailea and its great snorkeling, the mellow, fun touristy areas of Whaler's Village and Kihei, and the Ambassadors to the Environment program. This last, in the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Kapalua, takes the place of the usual Ritz Kids day camp found at many other Ritz-Carltons. There are programs for families and just for kids, all are wonderful and led by trained naturalists.
Kids also like the Maui Ocean Center; all marine creatures here are native to Hawaii, and meticulously tended to. For example, the young green sea turtles are part of the hatch-and-release program that is crucial to the species' population. The water is always warm and the weather nearly always perfect in Maui. No wonder it continually ranks among the best places for tropical island vacations in the world.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is one of Luxury Travel's top places in the southwest for a vacation that is at once high-end, but outdoorsy and relaxed as well. There are several luxury resorts to choose from here, but Enchantment, and its fantastic, separate destination spa Mii Amo, is the best. Romantic enough for honeymooners, but child-friendly enough for a family Spring Break vacation as well.
Enchantment has it all. The resort's day camp, Camp Coyote, goes beyond the standard "drop the kids off and go to the golf course" mentality of many other resort camps. Activities here are specific to the uniqueness of Sedona, with scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, soft hikes and nature walks around Boynton Canyon, and easy education about local plants and animals. Sedona as a destination can't be missed; the red rocks, culture and living history of the American west are unforgettable.
New York City, New York
New York City is freezing in the winter and hot and humid in the summer, but Spring Break season? Just right. Spring is the best time for a family vacation in New York, what with the cherry trees in Central Park beginning to blossom, the year-round residents shaking off the crankiness of winter, and new shows opening on and off Broadway. Kids love New York City for the Bronx Zoo and the American Museum of Natural History – it's practically a rite of passage for young children to run amok under the Big Blue Whale – not to mention the frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity and the candy nirvana of Dylan's Candy Bar. Parents love New York City for the great upscale restaurants and the culture (yes, even children can enjoy The Met, if only for an hour at a time). There are countless luxury hotels to chose from here for an upscale family Spring Break vacation. Luxury Travel especially likes Trump International Hotel & Tower on 1 Central Park West for its audacity and the Mandarin Oriental for its location right above the Time Warner Building.
With so many places to choose from, these three luxury travel destinations barely scratch the surface. None, obviously, are related in any way to theme parks of any sort. Families do fill up the theme parks during Spring Break, be they Disneyland, Disney World, Universal or any other. The lines are incredibly long. The luxury of a line-free Spring Break vacation destination is worth its weight in gold. Have a fun, family-filled luxury Spring Break vacation!
Jennifer W. Miner - Jennifer has years of travel writing experience, spoken at several national conferences, and more. See Jendeavor.com for more details.
