jeandiament

Hi there- I am planning ahead for next winter for a caribbean vacation with a toddler and baby. We are flying from Philadelphia and want an island that has direct flights. We are having trouble choosing which island would be best for us. Nightlife is not an interest for us however nearby food options would be nice or a home rental with a cook. We are going to rent a home for a week or two. I want to find somewhere with easy beach access but not over crowded. Wildlife and fauna and views are important to me so I had been leaning towards St. Lucia though im not sure it actually makes the most sense with young children. Beaches and food that are close while still feeling like we are getting away. I would prefer to get away from the overly touristy areas if possible or just an island that is more low key and relaxed- we had a trip planned for Harbour Island in the bahamas this winter but cancelled bc of covid. I know it is touristy there but because it is smaller I thought it would still feel special. I have been to the exumas in the bahamas a few times and LOVED it but am not able to sail myself so will not work for this vacation. Basically somewhere with amenities but somewhere a little different. The direct flights do make our options much more limited. Any suggestions would be welcomed- again we are just in the early phases of planning. Thanks.

Jean

balthy

The requirement for a direct flight limits your options immensely. Many airlines have stopped flying routes or are operating only from NYC with limited frequency for the time being. Do you know which islands you can fly to directly if so which ones are they? I've taken my daughter when she was little all over the Caribbean/Bahamas/Bermuda..They were all suitable although I would not choose Atlantic islands for a winter trip, not warm enough for me. Most islands have rental homes with a cook, have easy beach access and wildlife, views etc. The ones with direct flights from the US will be the most touristy eg Aruba. Those that require more effort to get to can be more rewarding IMO.COVID entry requirements can further limit your choices.

Sassafrass

How old will the baby be? The toddler?

jeandiament

Maybe it will be worth doing a connecting flight- I just figured anything to make it easier. I know St. Lucia, Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, I think Aruba were all direct- there were not many options.

The toddler will be 3.5 and the baby 7-8months.

balthy

Barbados is a great island if you can get to it. Beach villas with cooks are easy to rent, beaches on the West Coast/St James are calm and beautiful. There is a wildlife reserve, the east coast is windy/rugged, nice for an excursion. It has amenities. St Lucia is a bit more tricky. If you want rainforests, nature etc you have to go to the south of the island which is more remote and not close to amenities. I would suggest islands that are more south as the ones in the Atlantic might be too cool during the winter for sea swimming etc.

Anguilla has fab beaches but could be tricky to get to. Plus with COVID, direct transportation is better as alot of countries have COVID requirements even if transitting. Anguilla would require going thru Dutch & possibly French St Martin. Plus you might need a COVID test to get back into the US and on those small islands, a test might not be possible/easy to obtain. Its quite tough to plan anything this far out.