Potential Puerto Rico planning with two kids ages 7-9 - exhausted after
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Anonymous
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Death of loved one and illnesses in the near family. I want to cancel. Mentally and physically exhausted to plan. DH wants to keep the vacation.
Only flights are done…Late March to early April - 1 week. Also have a few hotel nights (different brands - use or lose) but feel sick redeeming them (were deceased family member’s). If I give in…how hard is to plan. DH wants to do activity-laden trip to shake us out of it (we usually do those kind). DH has been before but unable to help with planning as working extra due to lots of missed time last couple of months. I work 15 hrs a week so have some time now finally. Just brain dead. Where would we stay or rather which places would he stay? Airbnb or Hotel(s)? Which activities and which areas to pick for stay …and I can see if I can get started…thank you. |
Anonymous
| So Sorry for your loss. I’ve been there and usually research the heck out of things but can imagine it would be tough in such circumstances. I would just not go. DH is wrong to insist. |
Anonymous
I'm sorry for your loss 
Your kids may need this. How about an all inclusive with a kids club? That way kids and dh can do activities, but you can just lounge by the pool. Don't do AIr b and b. You'll end up having to deal with a grocery store and cooking. |
Anonymous
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I'm so sorry.
I agree with PP. Book a nice hotel with a pool. Don't plan anything else. Let your family figure it out when they get there. Sometimes a vacation in a nice place can just be a time to rest. |
Anonymous
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So sorry, OP — I’m in a similar boat, recent death in the family, too mentally tired to plan a vacation like I normally do (luckily we had already decided to not go anywhere for Spring Break).
We’ve been to Puerto Rico several times, and her are a few resorts we liked - they aren’t all-inclusives, but they have pool, beach, bars, restaurants, and…most importantly for my only elementary aged kid, other kids at the pool https://www.wyndhamriomar.com/ https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/puerto-rico/hyatt-regency-grand-reserve-puerto-rico/sjurc Rent a car, drive from the airport to the hotel Old Town San Juan is fun to just explore — El Morro (the fort) is amazing, fly kites on the huge green space in front, get ice pops here https://www.paletashop.com/ You can go horseback riding here (also some other activities, I booked this a few weeks ahead of time) https://carabalirainforestpark.com/ Zip lining (I haven’t been to these, because our LO was too young). https://rainforestzipline.com/ Or https://www.toroverdepr.com/ Kayaking in the bioluminescent bay at Fajardo (booked a few weeks ahead of time in spring of 2022, there are other similar companies). https://pureadventurepr.com/ For El Yunque some sort of passes/tickers are needed — I can’t remember what, but the last time we went (spring 2022) they were sold out a few days before https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300017 |
Anonymous
NP but unfortunately PR doesn’t have all inclusive resorts. |
Anonymous
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For now just book the flights and hotel. Don't try to overplan. We went there without a daily schedule and found plenty of things to do including doing nothing.
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Anonymous
I'm the pp, I had no idea! Oops. It's clear I've never been. Thanks for the clarification. |
Anonymous
| I’ve been considering this though last time we went we encountered many power outages. This was a few years before the big storm. |
Anonymous
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The Wyndham Rio mar is great. Right on beach and fabulous pools. Food in property so you can treat it like an all inclusive. Rooms are beautiful. Beach seems private because the hotel is in a gated golf course community so really hard to get to. There is a car rental place on property (hertz) so you can do a one day rental and drive to el junque which is 15 minutes away and hike and zip line there. We also took an Uber into old San Juan to see the fort — the kids can do the NPS Junior ranger program and get badges—and walk around old town. It was all very easy. We booked through Costco and got a cabs card and free car service to resort as well as a lower room price. I’d try to reserve the car at Wyndham a bit in advance— we waited until last minute and they were booked but we lucked out with a cancellation.
If you let us know which hotel points you need to use, we can give some suggestions and basically plan for you. So sorry for your loss. This could be really nice and relaxing. |
Anonymous
| Find a travel agent with an expertise in Puerto Rico. |
Anonymous
| Can you post the hotels you have? I am happy to tell you the activities to do. At least post the itinerary you have planned out. I am sure it is fine and you don't need to change lodging. I am currently working on a trip for Old San Juan/Rincon. Last year we did Rio Mar and Cabo Rojo. |
Anonymous
+1 Exactly what I was going to say. |
Anonymous
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Book a hotel with a pool and breakfast buffet.
Read a Lonely Planet guide book for highlights. If DH is so into activities, let him choose and plan three. The other three days will be pool/beach days. If neither of you have the energy to plan excursions, wait until you get there. Have the concierge plan for you. They can give ideas, suggest outings that match your kids’ ages. |
Anonymous
+2!! Get this off your plate, and have someone else handle the unpleasant aspects of the trip. I'm sorry for your loss, grief affects us all so differently. Please be gentle with yourself. Think of using a travel agent as a form of self care. |