Is 8 old enough to scuba? If it is, you can occupy everyone with getting scuba certified at any resort that does that.

This isn’t a Caribbean option (I don’t think) but when it’s time for Europe, look into walking tours. You get an itinerary, hotels and often dinner restaurants depending on the tour. Your bags are picked up each morning and taken to the next hotel. But because you’re walking, you get to stumble upon all kinds of things and you can change you mind about what to do each day as you like within some limits.

I think you just need a place with kids clubs and teens clubs, and those aren't necessarily exclusive to AIs.

We did Grand Velas Riviera Maya one year as people who do not love all inclusive. It did not change our mind. You still need to reserve decent dinner times, along with the added "bonus" of trying to get decent pool chairs at the crack of dawn and being surrounded by drunk conventioneers (at least when we went). If your budget allows, Rosewood Mayakoba has a kids club now. And a good travel agent can handle the rest so you don't have to.

OP here.

I've never done an all inclusive before but we just came back from vacation where I'm exhausted and everyone else is refreshed. I was looking for an experience that I don't have to plan, even if it is a little less than perfect. Kids love the beach but can't lay around all day, so was hoping for a place with lots of options for them to play and get energy out while I sit around and read a book.

This article is what was swaying me towards Xcaret: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/all-inclusive-resorts-mexico-caribbean-culture/

Check out the Grand Hyatt in Playa del Carmen. It's basically a mini-resort, but smack in the middle of PdC with its awesome restaurant scene. I'd do breakfast everyday at the hotel (just to make life easy), and venture off for lunch and dinner. They have a kids club where you pay a la carte for care, plus a Teens Arcade.

You can do that for way less than $1-2K for per night. Definitely sounds like a good place for kids a bit older (like your's). My kids are too young, so probably would better benefit from a AI.

https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/mexico/grand-hyatt-playa-del-carmen-resort/cunpc

Instead of an AI, look into family camps. We did one last summer and just about everything was included in the price: A little cabin, 3 pretty good, buffet-style meals per day, and activities—kayaking, sailing lessons, paddle boarding, arts and crafts, nature walks, horseback riding, yoga …

Kids were grouped by age and went off during the day on guided adventures. Adults could laze or do grown up activities. It was exhausting and fun and could be a good alternative to an AI.

Anonymous wrote:Beaches Turks and Caicos

Nice place for a family but it is the very definition of AI.

Beaches Turks and Caicos

Sounds like you should go to a nice resort not an AI. Check out the different hotels in Mayakoba. Lots to explore and eat within the resort itself. Prices vary from Andaz to Rosewood.

I dont like AIs either. But i went twice when kids were tiny and we needed and extra room for them to nap and didn't want to bother with making food. DR is the most affordable for these. We liked the Melia brand resorts which are the Paradisus ones. There are two we stayed at Paradisus punta cana and another one. Both are on the smaller side which is good and the buffets were very tasty with lots of fresh options and the beaches nice (if you avoid the seaweed times which is now june-august at least)

Why go if you don't like AI? You are not going to be happy, especially if you're not drinking. AIs make sense for those who want to booze it up and eat eat eat.

I'm not shaming you either because I don't like AIs for the exact reasons you don't (I like to explore and I don't drink and I don't eat three square meals a day). I just don't think this is the vacation you think it'll be.

They all have this. All of them also have mediocre food and it can be hard to get a restaurant reservation / table. Just focus on a good beach. You don't want the ones directly in Cancun, for the most part, because their beaches are very limited.

Iberostar or Grand Velas Riviera Maya.

We are a family of four, two adults and two kids ages 13 and 8. I've always enjoyed the kinds of vacations where we explore hole in the wall restaurants and find fun things to do as a family, but the problem is that I end up planning everything and then I feel like I don't really get to enjoy the vacation at all b/c I'm too worried about making sure everyone else is happy.

We've never done the all-inclusive thing, we're not big drinkers and we love to eat but we have a lot of dietary restrictions. I'm looking at Xcaret but whoa its over $2k a night. I'm thinking about putting that on the bucket list for the future, but are there other all inclusives that people have liked, and that they were surprised by?

Looking at something with relatively cheap flights from DC, so Cancun, Puerto Rico, DR, maybe the Bahamas.

Must have sand and beach, able to accommodate dietary restrictions, kids activities where the kids can do their own thing at times. I'm looking for a one stop shop where everyone can have fun without all the planning on my shoulders.

Would love recs! Thanks!