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Subscribe to RSSLaura Begley Bloom from Travel + Leisure magazine shows off five sunny, warm and affordable getaways for spring break, including a Hawaii, Las Vegas and the Caribbean.
If you’ve got kids, you know that “spring break” has nothing in common with college students partying at the beach or a couple’s spontaneous escape to a resort. Organizing the needs and wants of various age groups is no vacation.
Slideshow: More spring break getaways
So let us at Travel + Leisure point you toward our favorite family-friendly vacations, with a trip and budget that’s right for you. According to the U.S. Travel Association, 30 percent of travelers have children in tow, and with such a large share of the market, you can bet hotels and cities across the country are rolling out the red carpet for all ages.
If your kids have webbed feet, the new Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, will have them squealing with delight. But the hotel is also a parent’s dream. It’s the first Disney property in Hawaii — on a serene crescent of sand along Oahu’s western shore — and the first property not connected to a theme park (i.e., no long lines).
T+L photographer Jessica Sample was won over by Aulani’s waterslides, which tunnel through lava rock. “Look for hidden animal drawings carved into the stone,” she suggests. You can also go paddleboarding or snorkeling in the shallow waters off the beach, which teem with tame stingrays and angelfish.
Artsy families will find inspiration at the Ace Hotel Palm Springs. Every April, the staff offers a weekend-long Crafting Community for all ages. It’s not Crayola and Play-Doh, either: kids can do everything from make their own henna tattoos to watch movies alfresco (popcorn and glow sticks provided). As mom Meredith Alexander says, “It’s as if someone came into my head and created the perfect weekend for my family.” Not a bad review!
But maybe the truest break comes with heading into the wild and letting kids release all that energy in the great outdoors, exposing them to wildlife and America’s natural beauty. One of our favorite outfitter trips is an awe-inspiring introduction to Utah’s national parks that includes riding horses through Zion and learning canyoneering in the slots of Escalante.
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Leave a Comment:
Disney's resort on southwest Oahu, Hawaii, is terribly overpriced, overrun with kiddies, and NOT close to the best sights and activities of the island.
Why would you choose to spend that much on a single hotel room for parents and kids when you could rent an entire 2-4 bedroom home in a better location on Oahu, plus a rental car, for less? Or rent a nice 2-bd condo in Waikiki next to the beach with lots of amenities for less?
Disney WANTS to corral its visitors so they will spend all their money at their resort, eat at their restaurants, purchase their activities, and not bother exploring the better parts of the island. Disney's corner of Oahu is on the dry side, so their area is not green, lush, and stunning like some nicer parts of the island.
Families or Spring Breakers can even rent a home or condo with a pool and beach gear within proximity to lots of moderate restaurants, shopping, lush hiking (and waterfalls), and close to major sights. Why strand yourself way out at the expensive Disney resort all crammed into a small hotel room?
I live on Oahu and have raised kids there. Right now, some residents and vacations home/condo owners really need the income from their rentals on Oahu and therefore their prices are more competitive than Disney. Just check out the major vacation rental websites.
Caution: Do not stay on the western side of Oahu because while lodging may be a bit cheaper, the west costal region has higher crime and is less visitor-friendly. The west side is also a minimum 45 minute drive (worse during rush hour) from most places you'll want to go.
My opinion is similar to "ttmadison" All the hotels in Ko'olina, where Aulani is located, are very expensive. If you are going to a hotel and don't plan on going anywhere else then it will work for you. However, if you want to explore the rest of this beautiful island this is a grueling starting point. There is only one road in and out that is often clogged with rush hour traffic. If there's a vehicular accident, and there often is, then you can kiss the rest of your day goodbye and say hello to your new neighbors in the car next to you.
Even though it's true the crime rate is higher on the west side of the island it's still not a place to be avoided. Some of the best unspoiled beaches are on that side. I go there often.
When I heard the woman on TV this morning say that a hotel room over $200 a night was cheap I began to wonder how big of a paycheck she gets! When we go to Waikiki or any of the outer islands we get very good rooms for a little over $100 and can still get acceptable hotels for under that.
Did the woman do any research or did she just get hired to promote overpriced hotels? Did anyone take into consideration that if you stay somewhere like Aulani that your restaurant choices are extremely limited with highly bloated expensive prices? Even the people I know who work there and get paid over $40 per hour are much more likely to bring in a plate lunch from Waianae.
How about bringing in someone to tell people where the travel deals are rather than where Travel + Leisure is getting paid to promote!?!
I like Key West.