Are you thinking about taking a BIG family vacation to Turks & Caicos? I’m not talking about the garden variety family of 4 kind of vacation, but one that includes your WHOLE extended (or at least most of them) family??
I did it with 30 other family members over 7 days!
Sounds like a potential disaster, right? Not at all.
Here’s how you and your family will not only survive 7 days in Turks & Caicos but also have a great time and manage to come home, still speaking to each other.
3 Important Tips For a Succesful Family Vacation in Turks & Caicos
After considering a trip to Puerto Rico, we settled on Turks & Caicos.
Choosing an all-inclusive resort in sunny and tropical Turks & Caicos is paramount especially if you’re traveling from a cold place like New York in winter. The warm climate and a family-friendly resort are sure to put just about everyone in a good mood.
Plus, warm weather means fewer clothes and less packing. You don’t need much in Turks & Caicos!
If you’re bringing the whole crew chances are there will be a good amount of kids with you. What does an all-inclusive resort in Turks & Caicos have? Pools.
KIDS LOVE POOLS! Keeping the kids busy will go a long way towards the collective happiness of the group.
So, for a week (Yes! 7 whole days), 31 of us descended upon the Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos. We not only lived to tell about it but we had a blast!
1 – Logistics
Many extended families choose places like Disney World or a European city like London or Paris that include sightseeing, museums, and dining out. These are great destinations, but they can become logistical nightmares when traveling with a large family group.
Many years ago, several of us attempted to get around the Disney parks by staying together. I’m still not talking to some of those people!
The Beaches Resort and its amenities are all contained on the property. The restaurants, beaches, pools, and villas were all in close proximity to one another. This made it simple to meet up with family members and coordinate throughout the day. The WiFi was exceptional, which allowed us to communicate with text messages and quickly find where family members were.
Within the Resort, there are four separate villages lined up along the beach that do their best to re-create the ambiance and architecture of Italy, France, Key West, and the Caribbean. Walkways easily lead from one village to another and made it easy for us to move around the resort together or to find each other.
2- All-Inclusive Food and Drinks
Hungry and thirsty relatives are cranky and complaining relatives. 31 people ordering a la carte from a menu and then arguing over how to split the bill can derail an entire vacation. All-inclusive packages are not for everyone nor for every type of trip, but they are essential to smoothly feed 31 people of different ages and taste buds.
Breakfast at Beaches was solid with eggs, pancakes, fruit, bacon, sausage, and oatmeal. During lunch, there was a salad bar, sandwiches, and pasta. Dinner was themed based on the 4 separate villages within the resort. There was a lot of variety and the kid’s menu made everyone happy.
The most popular spot after dinner? The ice cream parlor, of course.
The all-inclusive also made it simple to grab bottles of water or to head to a bar for Pina Coladas and Daiquiris.
3. Activities/Free Time
It can be tricky to get a large family group of 31 to agree on daily activities. An entire week can also be a lot of together time. Balancing structured activities, like beach Olympics and fishing, with free time to spend together or enjoy a few quiet moments alone on the beach, took the pressure off having to stick to a schedule.
The Beaches Resort ensured no one was bored. There are pools, lounge areas, game rooms, water sports, and nightly shows that provide entertainment for the whole family. The luxury spa offers deserved pampering.
Beaches expertly keeps kids busy. There seemed to be a pool every 20 feet and the kids couldn’t get enough of them. The water park is by far the most popular place at the resort. It features multiple water slides, a surf simulator, and several kid-friendly pools. It was hours of fun for kids of all ages.
Trip Info:
Flight:
Jackie booked a roundtrip award flight on JetBlue from New York to Providenciales. With an American Express 25% transfer bonus (Bonus Done) to JetBlue, I was able to get a 1:1 transfer ratio of Membership Rewards points to TrueBlue points. Typically, I would have needed 5 Membership Rewards Points to get 4 TrueBlue Points.
A little bit of flexibility went a long way. Being flexible allowed me to save roughly 30k points by booking my departure a day earlier.
Hotel:
I stayed at the Beaches Sandals Resort at Grace Bay. No points needed! Thanks to my Uncle for celebrating his birthday in Turks and Caicos and paying for our all-inclusive accommodations.
What have your large group family travel experiences been like? Share below in the comments!
Like this post? Please share it on social media using the buttons below.
My fiance and I are going to Turks too this September. Used BA points from Jax & back again.
Too bad there are no chain hotels we can use for rewards so we’ll have to use Arrival+
You will love Turks for sure! It’s beautiful. BA points are great for those short haul flights…no crazy surcharges! Arrival+ points come in handy and return a great value when there are no chain hotels. I just used a whole bunch to cover most of my accommodations in Patagonia!
Have a great trip and thanks so much for sharing!
This sounds like a great way to go with a large family. It’s simple and no additional planning required.
Exactly, Lesley! Who wants to manage a lot of travel logistics with a group that size?
That looks like a paradise! I haven’t been there yet, but I’m sure everyone can enjoy this place and all amazing colours of water! 🙂
There really is something for everyone and the beauty of the beaches is incredible.
I’ve always been so interested in Turks and Caicos. It seems like the lesser known destination in the Caribbean and I’m all about that.
I would say it’s mildly popular, but not as busy as other islands. Either way, Erica, it’s gorgeous.
We have over 70! Yes, 70 in our extended family and do a reunion every 5 years. I’ve been trying to convince them to do a resort or cruise style event for our next one for all these reasons!
Omg, 70! You are brave, LeAnna! 😉 The resort-style vacation works well because there is something to satisfy everyone without the hassle of too many logistics!
The option you chose sounds like a great way for an extended family to have a holiday together without being in each other’s pockets.
It worked out so well, Anne, without causing any headaches. 😉
I would love to gather my family together and go on a big vacation somewhere! Looks like you had a great time, and that’s a beautiful destination!
It was one of those (almost) once in a lifetime opportunities that allowed all of us to go together, Carly. Turks and Caicos was idyllic!
That ice cream parlour shot of the children is so so cute 🙂
Thanks, Stefan! 🙂
I’m so glad you had a fabulous family vacation – brilliant tips too. We got married in Hawaii, so as a destiation wedding it turned into a family vacation with about 40 of my relatives there from Australia 😀 It would always take us at least an hour to try and sneak out of the hotel if we wanted to go anywhere because we would always get caught by a relative and have to stop for a chat. Lol so I would definitely say plan a much more flexible itinerray and allow for delays 😀
Ha! I love the “allow for delays,” Meg! It’s so true when you’re traveling with a big family group. Someone always tries to divert your plans. 😉 Getting married in Hawaii sounds fantastic! I’m sure it was a lot (of fun, of course!) to coordinate with 40 relatives! Thanks for the tried and true tips.
You’ve got some great Turks & Caicos shots! This is one of my favorite cruise destinations; so much natural beauty. I really wish someone would invest in the country and spruce it up a bit, I always feel so sad when I leave at their economic condition. Looks like you had a fantastic time!
Thanks, Melody! I’m sure you know it’s the same on other islands in the Caribbean, too. It can be difficult to reconcile a lavish resort with the poor economic conditions elsewhere on the island. I always try to look for local programs that support the local community.
Wow. I also always ensure that i have little bit of flexibility in my plan. Loved reading it.
It’s a lot to coordinate that many people and you are right, Himanshu! Flexibility is a must!