Punta Cana is the easy button for a Caribbean family trip. Direct flights from most of the US, a long beach, and more all inclusive resorts than anywhere else in the region. The hard part is not deciding to go. It is picking the right resort out of sixty, because they are not the same and the difference shows up on day two.
Know the beach zones
Bavaro has the widest sand and calmest water and it is where most of the big family resorts sit. Cap Cana to the south is newer and more polished with a marina and some very good kids programs. Uvero Alto to the north is quieter and prettier but the surf is rougher and there are more red flag days. If your kids are small, stay in Bavaro or Cap Cana.
Water parks and kids clubs
Several resorts now have their own water parks with slides and lazy rivers, and for a family with kids between five and twelve that changes everything. Kids clubs range from a room with crayons to full day programs with staff who know every child’s name. Ask for the actual schedule and the age brackets. A club that takes four and up is useless if your youngest is three.
Room types that matter
Family suites with a separate sleeping area for the kids are worth the upgrade. Swim up rooms sound great but the pool outside your door is not fenced, so with toddlers I would skip them. Ground floor rooms near the kids pool save a lot of walking with wet children.
Food
Buffets are the default and that suits picky eaters. The a la carte restaurants usually need reservations and some have age limits, so check before you promise the kids the teppanyaki place. Most resorts have a 24 hour snack bar and that is where the pizza at nine at night comes from.
Outside the gates
Punta Cana works fine without leaving the resort, but Saona Island day trips, the Scape Park cenotes at Cap Cana and the Hoyo Azul sinkhole are all doable with school age kids. Book these through the resort or a reputable operator and keep them to one or two across the week.
What I ask before booking
When is the beach calmest. What are the kids club hours and ages. Are there connecting rooms. Is the water park included. What is the transfer time from the airport. Get those five answers and the rest of the week takes care of itself.
Planning Dominican Republic with kids? Start with the full Dominican Republic family travel guide, or send me the ages and the dates and I will come back with what is really available.
Share this:
Discover more from Adventures We Seek
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.