Earlier this year, my parents surprised me with the news that we were headed to the Turks & Caicos Islands. I’d never heard of this place, so I immediately started researching. Right away, I found images of beautiful islands. I was EXCITED! And not just because we were in the middle of a dreary Pacific Northwest winter.
I was 100x more impressed when I saw the island in person; stunned by the turquoise blue sea. I got my feet wet, literally, with a dip in the ocean, and then got busy exploring our home for the next week, Beaches Turks & Caicos.
The Food
You need to know this about me: I consider food to be the best part of any vacation. On this trip, I had some of the best food of my life. I could order anything I wanted (and I did!) because it was all included with our stay. Of course, that meant extra desserts, too.
You might not like seafood, but that’s okay! Beaches served everything from Italian pasta to Indian curry. There are 21 restaurants at Beaches Turks & Caicos. I ate at 15 of them and they were all delicious.
My favorite restaurant was Kimonos. I love it when the chef cooks the food right in front of you. We had soup and dumplings for appetizers while the chef prepared our food teppanyaki-style (cooked on a sizzling hot grill). The chef then filled our plates with different kinds of meat, rice, and noodles. It was very fun to watch, and the food was very fun to eat, too!
[Related: Food Allergies at Beaches Turks & Caicos]
When I wasn’t filling up on food, I was gulping down frozen drinks. The best thing about the pools (other than swimming) were the swim-up drink bars. There was even one just for kids. I ordered several strawberry daiquiris a day (non-alcoholic, of course). I also ordered milkshakes from the cute little food trucks at the waterpark.
The Beach
There were tons of water activities at the beach, most of them were included with our stay. There was paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, scuba, snorkeling, and even aquatrikes!
I love snorkeling so much, but I don’t get to do it often! I live in Oregon. It’s way too cold to swim in the ocean around here, let alone snorkel. I was amazed at how many colorful fish swarmed around me. The warm water was definitely a bonus, too. You could either join a boat tour, and snorkel right off the Beaches Resort boat. Or you could walk down the beach about ten minutes and snorkel in the coral gardens at The Bright Reef.
Pedaling aquatrikes was also a fun experience, though we weren’t on the water long because my dad got kind of nervous. The tires on the bike were huge, maybe monster truck worthy. I did get a little stressed out when the bike wasn’t going the direction I wanted it to go, but at least if the bike tipped, we knew how to swim and we wore life vests!
Unfortunately, parasailing wasn’t offered by the resort. Luckily, I convinced my parents to let me try it! I’m so glad that I did, because it was awesome.
We met up with a licensed tour operator on the beach where my dad and I climbed onto a small motor boat. It whisked us out a little ways and when the boat eventually stopped we were surrounded by the prettiest of oceans.
My dad and I got situated in the harnesses and safety gear. It didn’t take long for them to hoist us into the breezy air. Let me tell you this, it was beautiful! A whole 360º view of the ocean, sky, trees, resort…all of it. It was truly amazing. I felt so peaceful and we even got some good selfies. Not many people can cross that off their bucket list!
[Related: 5 Reasons Why Beaches Turks & Caicos is Great for Families]
The Pools
Another great experience was the pools! They were scattered across the resort, nearly a dozen of them.
The slides at the water park were lots fun. There were big and small ones. But I much preferred slowly floating down the lazy river. It snaked around the park, and passed by several waterfalls (which my brother loved dunking me under).
It can be hot and humid in Turks & Caicos! The pools, in addition to the ocean, were a wonderful way to stay cool.
The Entertainment
The evening performances in the French Village were the perfect way to end the day! There was a different theme for each night. There was everything from talent shows to informative plays about island life. The island night included a fire dancer. He invited audience members to come on stage and participate, but I didn’t raise my hand for that one.
I liked that you could come and go during the performances, as you pleased. When my little brother got tired, he left with my dad, while I stayed a bit longer with my mom. I recommend getting a dessert plate from the Cafe de Paris and enjoying some treats while watching the shows.
[Related: Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Review]
The Activities
There weren’t many tweens and teens at the resort during our visit, but they did have some awesome spaces where we could hang out without the stress of little siblings. The younger kids had their own camps and play areas. There was Club Liquid, a space just for teens that included disco, an all-ages bar and a dance floor. There was also a spot for tweens that had arcade games and other activities. Teens and tweens could also join in on activities like boat rides and snorkeling.
An adventure to a new country is always so fun, but having everything included makes it all the better! This was the perfect getaway after months spent stuck at home. I think you’ll have a blast at Beaches Turks & Caicos! I’m already trying to convince my parents to go back ASAP.
[ Related: A Teens’s Favorite Thrills, Chills & Snacks on the World’s Largest Cruise Ship ]
