LilSugar

Atlantis Adventure: Is It a Destination For Your Family?

LilSugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:58 -0800

It's better in the Bahamas! As we hunker down for six more weeks of Winter, a Caribbean getaway sounds like heaven. Many island hotels are offering last-minute deals to escape from the cold, but how do you know if one is right for your family? As guests of Atlantis, JetBlue, and LEGO, we got an inside look at what the resort is doing to accommodate families.

A beautiful and expansive resort, Atlantis is situated on picturesque Paradise Island, a 40-minute drive from the Nassau airport. With four distinctive rooming options, we were situated in the Royal Towers, the resort’s original accommodations, where a standard room with two double beds provided plenty of space (and gorgeous views) to spread out and relax. While I would have loved to stay in the more luxurious and hip Cove area, it has a strict "no children" policy, which is probably best given its outdoor bars and gambling.

Atlantis’s water park, Aquaventure, has 141 acres of water slides, lazy rivers, pools, and sprinklers that are second to none. Three of the resort’s 11 pools are designed specifically for kids, with zero-barrier entries, in-pool jungle gyms, and ample lifeguards. Most of the park’s 18 water slides are for kids over 48 inches, though there are a handful created with lil ones in mind (you wouldn’t want your little ones on the bigger slides - trust me!). But if your tyke is anything like mine (and the dozens of others I observed), the rapid river ride, The Current, is perfect.

To hear about our favorite parts of the resort, as well as the low points, read more.

By far the highlight of our visit was the shallow water dolphin interaction. The hour-long Dolphin Cay experience included kissing the dolphins, learning about their mating habits, and watching their water show. My son is still talking about it. We were equally impressed with the pristine white sand beaches.

In the evenings, the resort has plenty of activities to occupy youngsters with its own version of Build-A-Bear, pottery painting, remote control car building and racing, and free nightly movies.

Where the resort seems to be lacking is in its dining options. Food at the resort is expensive, very expensive. To curb the costs, Atlantis offers two dining plans starting at $75 per day for adults and $35 for children over 6 years old. We tried several of the restaurants on the plan and, save a bountiful breakfast buffet, found the food to be mediocre. If I were to do it on my own, I would forgo a dining plan, stock up on cereal for the room, eat poolside for lunch, and save my money for dinner at the resort's more notable restaurants.

In all, Atlantis is a luxurious destination for those with money to spare (current promotions start at 5 days/4 nights for $499 per adult) . With the water park, animal interactions, AKA kids club, and a LEGO fantasy camp that is debuting this Summer (featuring building activities, the dolphin interaction, beach games, and more), there are plenty of activities to keep families busy. Parents with kids over 48 inches will be able to enjoy the bulk of Atlantis's amenities, but even families with smaller kids can experience the best of what the resort has to offer.

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Atlantis Adventure: What We Thought of the Atlantis Kids Club

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800

Have kids, will play! We recently spent some time down in the Bahamas courtesy of Atlantis, JetBlue and LEGO. The main purpose of our trip was to attend the grand opening of the resort’s Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA). Nestled between the pristine beaches, inviting waterslides and attractive aquariums, the 8,000 square foot kid space is nothing short of a wonderland for 3-12 year olds. The kids only club (no parents are allowed beyond the check-in counter) blends traditional camp activities like arts and crafts and dodge ball with state-of-the art technology, in a modern space that has something for everyone. Staffed by an energetic team, the AKA allows visitors to pick their own guided “adventure” during their stay.

AKA’s youngest club-goers (all lil ones must be potty trained), will love the Imagination Station’s fully-stocked grocery store and life-sized Victorian dollhouse. Its Wizardology reading room is filled with adorable pods for kids to cozy up with a favorite book, while a talking tree "reads" books aloud. There is also a performance room with a dress up area (complete with photographers that snap pictures to show off to mom and dad later) and interactive projected floor games (dodge ball, fish catching, soccer goalie, etc.) and an arts and crafts room where tots can complete both digital and live projects.

It might be hard trying to pry your older child's hands off of all of the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers that line the Game Room. Mac stations fill the Computer Room allowing kids to safely browse the web and compete in online games against other club-goers. And the Arts and Crafts Room is filled with projects specifically designed for the more mature crowd.

To see where the club could use some improvements and how much it will cost you, read more.

The state-of-the-art AKA seemingly has enough activities to keep kids' hands (and minds) busy while parents enjoy a lil R&R of their own, but given the location of the club, I was disappointed to find that most of the activities were indoors. While there is an outdoor play space (complete with life-size versions of Scrabble and Candy Land, a ping pong table and a basketball hoop), it had to be sought out, which is pretty hard to do when you are surrounded by fancy technology.

The staff did tell me that lunch and snacks are often eaten outside, but given that most families visit the resort as an escape from cold-weather locales, I would love to see more activities that involve the kids exploring the aquariums, beach and dolphins that make Atlantis such a great destination.

In terms of pricing, the morning and afternoon sessions (3 and 4 hours each, respectively) cost $45 each, with lunch and dinner options available for an additional fee. There is also an hourly rate available. For families who want to enjoy the resort’s outdoor activities together during the day, but are looking for some time for mom and dad to experience one of Atlantis’ celebrity chef restaurants and the casino, the $60 evening session (from 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.) is the same price as the babysitting service, but a lot more fun than sitting in your room with a strange caretaker.

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Five Tips For Choosing a Family Friendly Airline

LilSugar — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:50 -0800

Pack those bags and don't look back! Last week we had the pleasure of traveling down to Paradise Island in the Bahamas to check out the grand opening of the Atlantis Resort's new kids club courtesy of JetBlue, Atlantis and LEGO. All week we will be reporting back on what we saw and how it might be suitable for your family. Today, we start with our trip down to the island resort and a few things to consider when booking a flight with tots in tow. Airline travel is not what it used to be, so seeking out an airline that caters to the littlest travelers in your group will make the flight that much more enjoyable for everybody. Here are our five tips for choosing such an airline.

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10 Ways to Curb Car Sickness

LilSugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:00:38 -0800

The Boy Scouts said it best when they told us to "be prepared." Mamas of wee ones who get sick in the car tend to have an arsenal of supplies to help combat the queasiness. Rather than give into their lil one's weak stomachs, mothers have several tricks up their sleeves to ensure a smooth ride to their destination. We've gathered up the 10 best tricks we've heard to fend off car sickness, but feel free to add your own!

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Do You Use Hotel Babysitting Services?

LilSugar — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:00:00 -0800

"Vacation, all I ever wanted. Vacation, had to get away!" In the dead of Winter, a vacation away from the home you have been cooped up in for the past few months can seem like heaven. New surroundings and a beach or ski slopes that will keep the family busy throughout the day could be just what the doctor ordered to beat the Winter blues.

But mom and dad sometimes need a little break of their own. Once the kiddos hit the sack, some parents sit in the hotel bathroom reading books or surfing the web, while others call in the reserves – resort childcare – to give them an opportunity to explore restaurants, casinos and more adult-friendly nightlife. The pre-interviewed, CPR-trained babysitters can help put your children to sleep or can come after they have already called it a night, giving mama and pops a little vacation of their own.

Would you use a resort's babysitting services while on vacation?

Seven Products to Simplify Traveling With Baby

LilSugar — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:00:00 -0800

There's no need to attach a U-Haul to the car when traveling with a baby. Though the lil one's gear may look like it will leave little room for mom and dad in the car, with some careful planning and the right products, you can transport all of your wee one's necessary equipment with room to spare. Here are seven collapsible products that bring all of the comforts of home to your travel destination.

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Download Our Free Games Before Your Thanksgiving Travel!

LilSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:10:00 -0800

Is the diaper bag all packed? Before you hit the open road, chug down the tracks or take to the friendly skies with your family, download LilSugar's free and fun printable travel games to keep the kiddos occupied on the journey.

Train Games - an I spy sheet and a train maze will keep your wee ones entertained while they whistle down the tracks.
Road Trip Games - a cool coloring page and backseat license plate bingo allow parents to keep their eyes on the road and put the pedal to the metal while their kids busy themselves in the backseat.
Airplane Games - a foldable paper plane and a tray table memory let mom and dad relax while families ride a mile high.

5 Tips For Healthy Travel This Holiday

babysugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:30:35 -0800

Nobody wants to be sick over the holidays, but unfortunately, it's an easy time to catch a cold or the dreaded flu, especially if traveling. Moms who have been taking precautions to keep their families flu free may want to read up on these five simple tips that will help swear off the sniffles and sneezes.

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What's Your Worst Mommy Travel Story?

babysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:30:41 -0700

Forget snakes. I'm scared of babies on a plane - especially my own! A year ago, I would have felt confident passing on travel tips for flying with infants as my daughter was a dream baby barely making a peep for 6-hour flights. But as we've all learned, just when you think you've got it down, the world turns upside down and mama's back to square one. I had the, ahem, pleasure of flying with my family for the weekend and experienced some of the most grueling hours of parenthood yet. My lil guy is a sweet laid back angel on land but without a crib or the room to move, he turns into a screeching wiggle worm who can't get comfortable and lets everyone around him know it. He didn't actually cry or have a complete meltdown but it was enough to make the eyes roll and comments fly.

To see what made me want to pull my hair out, just read more.

In the end, it was the Bjorn and a trip to the bathroom that saved us from helter skelter. I strapped his chubby legs into the carrier and took him to the lavatory where I sang lullabies and caressed his brow. The trick was keeping the door shut without locking it. Locking it enables the bright fluorescent lights, which startled my already hyper child, but leaving the door unlocked allowed other passengers to believe the room was available. After 10 minutes of planting my foot at the door, swaying and soothing, he finally drifted off to dreamland. I made my way back to the seat and rested for an hour before he was startled all over again. Thankfully the end was near and we all made it to our destination alive and well, let's just say alive.

What's your worst travel story? Do tell in our The Mommy Club over in our LilSugar Community! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Expectant Mamas Can Fly High Without Worry

LilSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:00:12 -0700

Flying the friendly skies just got a bit less burdensome for expectant women. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has revised its recommendations regarding pregnancy and travel by air, deeming it safe for women who are not considered high-risk. According to the new recommendations:

Since 2001, "a number of observational studies have been published confirming that air travel is generally safe during an uncomplicated pregnancy. These new studies have made our previous recommendations stronger and more detailed . . . When a patient with an uncomplicated pregnancy asks about occasional flying, we should feel comfortable saying, 'It's safe.'"

That's great news for women whose work requires them to travel and for those looking to squeeze in a relaxing babymoon or trip to visit distant friends prior to the lil one's arrival. The new recommendations should also ease the minds of moms-to-be who like to fly themselves, like Angelina Jolie who was piloting her own plane while pregnant with Vivienne and Knox and Gisele Bundchen who recently took up helicopter lessons. How far into your pregnancy did you continue to travel by air?