Where to go on vacation with an 18 month old???

[Anonymous]

My husband and I would like to take a vacation with our DS in April (He will be 18 months at the time). We'd like to go somewhere with a nice beach. Any suggestions? I am hesitant to stay at a typical hotel, because with one room, it would be such a pain when DS is napping (we'd have to sit there in darkness and silence). Has anyone gone anywhere where you can get an apartment/condo (anything with more than one room)? We are wiling to fly somewhere, and would like to be on the beach.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

[Anonymous]

Most areas with a beach will have hotels where you can get a suite of rooms for not that much money. Look up Homewood suites, Embassy Suites, etc.

[Anonymous]

Look into renting a condo. Many beach resorts have condo on or near the beach. Personally, I've been in a 2 bdrm condo in Ocean City, MD and Maui. I think the Outer Banks, NC also has condos on the beach. (I know they have houses.) I love looking at VRBO.com for vacation rentals. Pick some beach areas you're interested in and then check out VRBO to see what kind of rentals are available.

[Anonymous]

FDR Resort in Jamaica - geared toward families.

[Anonymous]

Well - our choice is anywhere there are grandparents!!...but we have 3.

I really like Hilton Head. I never realized what a anxiety-ridden experience it would be to take DC to the beach. When the surf is even a little high or there is a slight drop-off things happen quickly. And really, I am not usualy neurotic about most things.

The reason I like HH is that there is such a long beach esp at low tide. DC can run around forever and there is little to no surf. There are some great playgrounds. You can rent a bike and go riding all week -even right out on the beach. It is very conveinent - and we go in Sept when there are less crowds and traffic.

My mom and I took all 3 to the beach and stayed in a hotel room - we just sat out on the terrace and talked and read while they slept.

Have fun.....

[Anonymous]

We loved Seaside, Florida, when our kids were younger. It's perfect if you're looking for easy access to a beautiful beach and don't want/need tons of entertainment options or a kids club/nanny service. You can rent a house -- sizes range from 1 and 2 bedrooms to much larger places if you decide to go with another family/ There are just a couple of restaurants -- nothing to write home about, but very kid-friendly. You can also cook at home -- every house has a grill, so just throw on some fish or steaks and you're set. It's a tiny town -- we biked everywhere -- with tennis courts and two or three pools to choose from in addition to the gorgeous beach. The town was designed by the same architects/urban planners who did the Kentlands, so that'll give you some idea of the feel of the place. Every house has a porch or deck, providing parents with a nice spot to hang out while the kiddos nap.

[Anonymous]

you could always invite your nanny to come along.

[Anonymous]

2nd vote for Hilton Head, particularly at Sea Pines. We took 2yo dd this spring and it was perfect. You can either stay in Harbor town (lots of condo rental options) with easy walks to playground, food, lighthouse, multiple pools, etc., or you could stay a bit closer to the beach if that's more your speed. We rented bikes and DD loved biking around to get to the beach in the morning - or riding the trolley. She STILL talks about her beach trolley, and we only rode it once.

[Anonymous]

I'd recommend a family-friendly resort in Puerto Rico. Plane ride is about 4 hours, and since it is part of the U.S. there are a lot of conveniences.

[Anonymous]

Ritz Carlton Amelia Island--you fly into Jacksonville (2 hour flight) and the airport in Jacksonville is pretty small and not hectic at all (never waited more than 10 minutes in security). Hotel is cheaper than other RC's and we've always managed to get a good deal on a suite (they have a door between the bedroom and living room). Pool area even has an adjacent plaground and wading pool/mini splash park for kids. Most of the guests are families with kids.

[Anonymous]

We stayed in Hilton Head last year with DS and it rained most of the week (though it was in October). There really wasn't that much to do in the rain with a toddler so we ended up driving to Savannah and spending a few nights there instead which, IMO, was much better than HH because there was more stuff to do.

[Anonymous]

you didn't state if you wanted to leave the country, but my wife and i took our 18 month old son to sayulita, mexico and had a wonderful time staying at a 1bedroom vrbo villa. we've since used vrbo for all our trips and have loved them all. He's 5 now and wants to see a new country every year and so far we are up to six.