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Puerto Rico: a family-friendly island

When it comes to families that are traveling, Puerto Rico offers a wide selection of fun things to do and see for parents, kids and even grandparents. The island’s resorts are equally family-friendly. Puerto Rico offers much more by way of child care than typically baby-sitting services. A number of the island’s hotels feature such evening activities such nature hikes, tennis lessons, coconut carving and sand-sculpture contests, all under the supervision of trained camp counselors.

Restless teenagers can learn to dance along to Latin-style hip-hop through salsa and merengue classes. They can also learn conversational Spanish, indulge in water sports, take off-road excursions, scuba dive, swim in the world’s largest freshwater river pool and play video games.

In addition, a number of family-friendly sites are within an easy driving distance of San Juan. Among these are the only tropical rain forest in U.S. national Forest System, bays that glow in the dark and caves with an underground river running through them. San Juan itself is home to the Children’s Museum.

While the kids are away, parents can play at any of 14 golf courses, shop in Old San Juan, explore 500 years of art and architecture, or browse museums and art galleries.

At night, parents have a number of traditional and international restaurants from which to choose. After dinner then can let loose in many casinos, discos and nightclubs scattered in and around San Juan.

Following is the sampling of resorts and hotels that offer children’s activities.

Condado Plaza Hotel and Casino

This property features Camp Taino from 10am to 4pm, offering activities and special events for guests 5 to 12. The daily fee is $25 per child includes lunch. The hotel has a toddler pool, and the kids water slide in the main pool starts in a Spanish-style turret. For teenagers, the hotel has a video-game room, tennis courts, several putting greens and organized activities.

Hyatt Regency Cerromar Beach Resort and Casino.

The resort’s signature attraction is its freshwater pool – which the property claims is the world’s longest river pool – that runs 1,776 feet with 14 waterfalls and four water slides. The attraction has a current that will carry a swimmer downriver in 20 minutes. Also popular with families is Camp Hyatt, which is for children 3 to 12. The camp is offered to guests of both the Hyatt Cerromar and its sister hotel, the Hyatt Dorado Beach resort and Casino, located just down the road.

At Camp Hyatt, CPR-certified counselors direct educational, environmental and cultural activities from 9am to 4pm. From 6pm to 10 pm, children are supervised during special clown and mime shows, nature walks, talent shows and sports games. Campers received a Camp Hyatt painter’s hat, passport and, after the fourth visit, a Camp Hyatt backpack. The daily fee is $40 per child, a second child is admitted for $20 per day. Evening camp also costs $20 per child. Half days (9am to noon, 1pm –4 pm) cost $20 per child. Meals are included.

Parents of children enrolled in Camp Hyatt receive a 50 percent discount on a second room, subject to availability. For infants and children not enrolled in Camp Hyatt, bilingual babysitters are available for $8 and hour plus a $3 transportation fee.

Ritz Carlton, San Juan Hotel and Casino

The hotel’s supervised Ritz Kids program includes a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Guests 4 to 14 often gather at the hotel’s beach to enjoy waters ports, build sand castles and play tennis. Inside the hotel children can participate in cooking classes, educational games, arts and crafts. Ritz Kids program is offered daily, with counselors who are certified in infant, child and adult CPR, and basic first aid and water safety. The full-day program costs $45 per child, including lunch. A half-day version is available for $25.

In addition, this property is the only Ritz Carlton Hotel worldwide to offer Ritz Kids Day at the Spa. This program introduces young guests to the importance of self care and well-being. Services include My First manicures, pedicures and facials, as well as supervised, clothed massage. The privilege is $150 per child.

Kids’ menus are available in the Caribbean Grill and through room service, and feature such favorites as alphabet soup, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pizza, french fries and chocolate-chip cookies. Nanny and babysitting services are available, as are in room video game systems.

Wyndham El Conquistador Resort and Country Club

The resort, set on a cliff top overlooking both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, features Camp Coqui. The program, open to kids 3 to 12, is offered on the resort’s exclusive Palomino Island. Groups are taken by hotel’s water taxi for a day of water sports, nature hikes, island crafts and games. The full-day program, from 8am to 4pm, costs $38 per child and includes lunch. The $25 half-day option does not include lunch.