As the title of this book suggests, The Everything® Family Guide to the Caribbean is a information-packed resource written specifically for families. The goal of this book is to help you plan the ultimate vacation to any popular Caribbean destination, plus save you some money in the process! You will read about all things you can see and do on each of the popular Caribbean islands, as well as aboard the cruise ships that sail the Caribbean.
What sets this travel guide apart from others is that it has been written for families, not honeymooners, business travelers, college spring breakers, senior citizens enjoying their retirement, or couples looking for a romantic getaway. This book defines a family as any of the following:
Individual chapters provide detailed information about the most popular Caribbean islands, including the following: what makes the island a perfect family-oriented vacation destination; a little history about the island; how to get to the island and choose the best accommodations while you're there; information you need to know about that island to help you prepare for your trip; information about how to best get around the island; details about the top ten must-see activities and attractions offered on the island; and strategies for saving money during your vacation.
Because this book is targeted to families, all the attractions, activities, restaurants, shops, spas, and cruises are rated according to value as well as overall family friendliness and age appropriateness. This will enable you to make intelligent vacation-planning decisions before you leave home, based upon whom you'll be traveling with. These ratings are aimed to help you and your family to make the best decisions about where to stay, how to plan your itinerary, and how to choose the most exciting ways to spend your time. These ratings will help you decide what activities and attractions are appropriate for the people you're traveling with, whether they're toddlers, kids, teens, adults or senior citizens. They also help you decide whether the attractions are worth the money, based on the entertainment value they provide.
If you're traveling with kids or teens, please note that some of the attractions, activities, and destinations are clearly described as suitable for adults only. Many casinos, day spas, and nighttime activities and attractions, for example, are simply not suitable for kids or even teenagers. Still, they will provide plenty of entertainment to parents who decide to leave their children with a babysitter or in one of the supervised youth programs offered at many resorts and on the popular cruise ships.
Understanding the Ratings System
To help you decide which activities and attractions you want to experience while visiting any of the Caribbean islands, you'll find detailed descriptions of what there is to see and do. This book also offers a ratings system to help you determine what activity, attraction, or tourist destination is most appropriate for various age groups: young children (up to five years old), children (ages six to fifteen), teenagers and young adults (ages sixteen to twenty), adults (twenty-one and up), and senior citizens. The rating charts use stars to show the suitability of each activity, attraction, or destination for the specific age groups, as follows:
One star: Fair value/interest level for that age group
Two stars: Good value/interest level for that age group
Three stars: Excellent value/interest level for that age group
N.S.: Very poor value or not at all suitable for that age group
For example, an activity that's an excellent value and a lot of fun for teens or adults would receive three stars in those two age group categories. But that same attraction might only receive one star under the senior citizen and young children categories, if that activity isn't suitable for those particular age groups.
