There really is no place like the Caribbean. I’ve been a couple of times on vacation with my husband but not since we had kids (over 10 years ago!) so I was thrilled to have been invited to the Social Media on the Sand conference in 2015, held at the stunning Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa.
It feels overwhelming to try to tell you everything about this trip that was amazing, but I’m going to share the highlights and just say that we still talk about this family vacation almost daily and can’t wait to go back. It was worth every penny, every vacation day, every educational travel day missed at school, every everything. We made lifetime memories with our kids with a truly magical backdrop. If you’re considering going, I have one word for you: GO!
We had quite a ride getting to Beaches Turks & Caicos! We found a direct flight from JFK in New York to Providenciales in Turks and Caicos on Jet Blue, but when we got close to the island we hit stormy skies and had to take a detour to fuel up in Santiago, Dominican Republic. While we were anxious to get there, it was an adventure and the kids got a kick out of visiting another island on the same day!
We were pretty tired when we arrived at Beaches so we greatly appreciatedĀ such hospitable staff, and gorgeous accommodations in the concierge suite. The picture above is of the Arizona pool and one of the first ones I took that night that we arrived. It was a beautiful sight. We were so happy to be there!
Take a tour of our suite in the video below.
Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa Concierge Suite Tour
Such a nice room. We were so comfortable here with plenty of space for our family of four. Beaches adds so many special touches with the towel art and fresh flowers, and full-size products from Red Lane Spa (which they replenished throughout our stay!).
First things first: we explored! Despite the fact that the torrential rain that delayed our arrival had really stirred up the ocean, it was still as blue as it is in pictures. This was our kids’ first trip to the Caribbean and it’s quite a bit different than the Jersey Shore! They were in awe and I just loved sharing this experience with them.
There are several pools on the resort and we took a dip in every. single. one. This one, the Arizona pool, was closest to our room and that swim up pool bar became a fast hit! They have a menu of drinks just for the kids, so expect to hear, “Let’s go to the bar. I need a strawberry daiquiri,” several times a day. š
Seeing new wildlife is one of our favorite parts of hitting a new destination. These little lizards are all throughout the vegetation and they’re pretty fast, pretty tricky to catch, but I have two kids that are persistent and they managed to catch a few to get a closer look before letting them go.
This is the view of the resort from the balcony of our room. It seriously looks just like a postcard. We couldn’t get over how gorgeous everything is!
The staff at Beaches Turks & Caicos is just the best. The very first night we arrived, we had dinner at Arizona’s (delicious food and a cool atmosphere) and this server, Reno, was so nice to my kids that when we left my son Leo said, “I love him.” *melted* But seriously, what kid wouldn’t appreciate having their dessert delivered on their server’s head?!
There are 20Ā restaurants and bars at this resort and we did our best to try them all! One that definitely stands out is Mario’s. This is an Italian place and we ate there for lunch one day, and went back again for dinner another night. The menus for each meal are totally different and both delicious.
We particularly liked that there was an option to dine outside at Mario’s. This deck has a great atmosphere and is still close to that amazing antipasto bar!
This doesn’t even come close to including everything on this bar! Smoked salmon, steamed clams, pasta for the kids, on and on. We had the most amazing meal here and I love that everything is fancy, yet kid-friendly. There was plenty for the kids to fill up that they loved. The food here is really perfect for families.
And all-inclusive means all you can drink. So I might have really enjoyed this mojito. Cheers!
Hands down, our favorite part of the resort is the beach. I mean…look at that view. And the beach is nice and loooong, so you really don’t have to worry about finding an empty lounge chair to relax in near the ocean. You’ll definitely find hammocks everywhere, too. If spending a day right here looks like bliss, well, it is.
This is one of my favorite shots of my husband with our kids, playing in the ocean while looking out at the boats on the horizon. Such a beautiful view, for me and for them.
Water sports are included at Beaches Turks & Caicos. We didn’t venture out, but we saw many people in kayaks on the water. This water is so clear you can stand on that pier and look down and see fish! We did sign out some snorkeling gear and walked down the beach to a reef and saw some VERY cool stuff. My husband even saw a sea turtle!
We made so many memories on this trip. My tween daughter told me over and over that I was her best friend. I’m not sure if I’ve heard that as much since we got home, but when you’re in paradise, completely unplugged from the ‘real world’ and homework and housework, true bonding with your family happens effortlessly.Ā
The sun set our on our trip way too fast. We arrived on a Tuesday and came home on a Sunday. If I had it to do over again I’d stay for at least a full week. There is so much to enjoy, so much to explore, and reentry into our regular lives was no joke!
I wanted to share our experience at the resort with you above, but have to touch on the Social Media on the Sand conference as well. It was AMAZING! We heard from a fantastic line up of speakers from a variety of backgrounds, sponsors like HP and Scholastic that I love, and had a chance to learn and grow our businesses as bloggers while we literally had our toes in the sand.Ā
Take a look at the video below for a better look at the 2015 Social Media on the Sand conference!
Beaches Resorts Hosts 2nd Annual Social Media on The Sand Conference
Bloggers, if you are invited to attend a future event, I highly recommend it, and definitely take your families! This is an experience they’ll never forget and I can’t imagine being there without them.
Just look at that view of the island as we were leaving. We can’t wait to get back to Beaches Turks & Caicos! Learn more about their resorts by following along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (warning: the pictures will make you want to hop on a plane immediately!).
There are so many more pictures that I’d love to share of our trip so I put them in a slideshow below. Enjoy!Ā
Jessica Peace-Urgelles says
We had so much fun there during Beaches Moms. I really hope to go back this year.
Lindsay Frank says
Me too Jessica! These pictures make me long for that beach again!
Heather says
Wow! this is just stunning. We spend a lot of time in the Keys and I love the tropical life…
Lindsay Frank says
It was AMAZING Heather. I really hope to get back there soon! And we’ve never been to the Keys (can you believe it?!). Have to add that to the must-do list!