🌊 Turquoise Waters and Family Bliss at Beaches Turks & Caicos 🌴
Every fall, we try to take a vacation with one of our long-time friends. You know the kind – the ones you used to party hard with pre-kids, and now your kids are just as inseparable as you are. In Fall 2022, we set our sights on somewhere warm, turquoise, and utterly dreamy: the pristine shores of Turks and Caicos. And for the first time ever, we went full-on chill mode with an all-inclusive escape to Beaches Resort.
📌 Trip Quick Facts
When: Fall 2022
Where: Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort
Who: Two families, four adults, four kids
Length: 5 nights
Vibe: Zero planning, maximum family fun
WHY BEACHES? 🏖️
We wanted something easy. No schedules. No car rentals. No planning. Just wake up, walk to fun, food, and sand, and let the day unfold. Beaches Turks & Caicos delivered all that and more – with an incredible layout of 5 distinct villages, 18+ restaurants, and access to Grace Bay, often ranked one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
It’s essentially Disneyland meets the Caribbean – but with cocktails. 🍸
Pro Tip: Download the Beaches app before you go – it helps with restaurant hours, activities, and even booking spa or childcare services on the go.
🍕 Where We Ate (and Ate… and Ate)
As a food-loving family, we had high hopes — and Beaches knocked it out of the park. Every meal was an adventure, and we didn’t have a single complaint from the kids (miracle!).
Here were our favorites:
Mario’s – Classic Northern Italian charm. Think hearty pastas and old-world ambiance. 🍝 Reflections – International buffet with island flavor. 🍛 Kimonos – Teppanyaki with flair. Our chef flipped fried egg bites into our kids mouth! (Make a reservation early.) Giuseppe’s – Cozy Tuscan vibes. Great pizzas, Apps, and candlelit dining. 🕯️ Bobby Dee’s – Our kids’ favorite! Pirate ship + 50s diner = daily visits. 🚢🍟 Bella Napoli / Dino’s – Wood-fired pizza in open-air settings. 🍕 Barefoot by the Sea – Seafood (for my hubs) and so many other choices with your feet in the sand. Perfect. 🐟🦀 Soy Sushi Bar – Try the variety of veggie rolls. You won’t regret it. 🍣 Mr. Mac – Mac & cheese station. Enough said! 🧀 Jojo Java & Yoyo Froyo – Daily coffee and froyo stops. ☕🍦 Cricketer’s Pub – Quick pub fare, great for poolside snacks. 🍔
Pro Tip: Bobby Dee’s and Yoyo Froyo are open late – great for post-pool kid cravings!
BEACH + WATER FUN 🌊🛥️🐠
The water here? Unreal. Turquoise, calm, and warm – we could barely get the kids (or ourselves) out of it. We had a blast with the following included water sports: ✔ Wakeboarding 🏄 ✔ Kayaking 🚣♀️ ✔ Glass-bottom Boat Rides 🛥️ ✔ Paddleboarding 🏄♀️ ✔ Snorkeling 🤿 ✔ Aquatrikes 🚲💦
We spent a full day at Pirates Island Waterpark – and it deserves its own spotlight:
Lazy River 🛶
45,000 sq. ft of Slides 🌀
Water Cannons + Pirate Ship 🏴☠️
Ice Cream Machine (!!) 🍦
Kids-only Swim-up Bar 🍹 (juice, of course!)
Pro Tip: Grab a poolside cabana for the day. Worth every penny if you want shade, snacks, and rest between waterslides!
🎉 Family Fun Beyond the Beach
So many unexpected gems packed into our days:
Silent Dance Party – So fun. Kids didn’t want to stop! 🎧🕺 Bubble Pool Party – We got a cabana and just vibed all day. 🫧🎶 Beach Yoga – A private session for my bestie and me. Total zen. 🧘♀️ Live Shows – Fire dancers, steel pan bands, Sesame Street® characters. 🔥🎭 Bake with Cookie Monster – A sweet memory for our girls! 🍪💙
Pro Tip: Most of the Sesame Street activities happen in the mornings – check your daily schedule so you don’t miss out!
SPECIAL EXTRAS WE LOVED 💕📸🌴
We also managed to sneak in some truly memorable extras that made the trip even more special:
Beach Braids for the Girls – We found a friendly local vendor right along the beach who did the girls’ hair in the cutest, neatest braided styles – classic, small tight braids that stayed put all trip long. They loved it and felt so grown up! 💁🏽♀️🌺
Glass Bottom Boat Tour – A super fun way to explore the reef without even getting wet! The kids were mesmerized by the tropical fish and coral just beneath our feet. 🐠🛥️
Professional Photoshoot – The resort offers complimentary family photo sessions, and we used it as a chance to knock out our holiday photos. The beach backdrop? Way better than our living room. No stress, no studio, just sunshine and smiles. 📸🌅🎄
Pro Tip: Book your photoshoot early in the trip while everyone is still tan, un-sunburned, and has fresh braids or beach hair!
DATE NIGHT UNDER THE STARS ✨🥂
One night, the dads surprised us with a romantic private beachside dinner. My first thought: Where are we putting the kids? But Beaches came through with their certified in-room nanny service. 👏
This was our first time using a nanny service at a resort, and it was amazing. The girls were safe, happy, and completely content. Meanwhile, we sipped on some bubblies and enjoyed gourmet dining under the stars. 🌅🍾
Pro Tip: Book your romantic dinner early in your trip – it fills up quickly!
ARRIVAL + AIRPORT TIPS ✈️🚕
After landing at Providenciales International Airport (PLS), we were greeted with that signature island breeze and friendly faces. Rather than waiting for the complimentary group shuttle, we booked a private taxi through the Beaches concierge service – and we’re so glad we did. It made the transition from airport chaos to vacation mode super smooth. 🙌
The ride to the resort took about 15 minutes, and our driver even gave us a quick tour of the island along the way.
Pro Tip: Request a cold towel and water when you arrive – it’s a small touch that makes a big difference after a flight!
WHERE WE STAYED 🏨🌴
We stayed in the Italian Village, which was super central and family-friendly. The rooms were spacious with bunk beds for the kids, a stocked mini-fridge (included!), and a patio that overlooked the pool. Best part? It was steps from both the beach and the waterpark, which made our days totally seamless.
Pro Tip: The Italian Village is great for families who want to be close to the action – but bring a sound machine if you’re light sleepers!
OUR DAILY FLOW ☀️🕶️🍹
Let’s be real – we basically lived on a loop of beach, eat, lounge, eat, float, snack, dance, and eat again. 😂 Strict schedule? Not really. But here’s the vibe of how our days flowed:
☀️ Morning-ish – Wake-up snuggles + coffee run to Java ☕
🍳 Sometime after that – Buffet breakfast at Mario’s or Giuseppe’s (hello, omelet bar!)
🌊 Late morning-ish – Waterpark giggles or Sesame Street® hugs 🌊🧸
🍕 When hunger struck (again) – Lunch at Barefoot, Bobby Dee’s, or pizza on the go 🍕
🛶 Pre-dinner jam – Kids Club fun or silent dance parities🎧
🍽️ Golden hour – Dinner at one of the many amazing restaurants 🍽️
🌙 Wind down – Live show, dessert, night swim, and maybe one more ice cream 🍦
Pro Tip: Don’t overschedule. Let the day unfold. Trust us – your best memories will be the unexpected ones (and the third snack).. The magic is in the spontaneity – and the frozen mojitos.
THINGS WE SKIPPED (and didn’t miss!) 🚫😎
With so much to do, it’s impossible to get to everything – and honestly, that was part of the charm. Here’s what we didn’tdo:
Spa treatments – We planned to, but the beach naps won out. Next time, for sure! 💆♀️
Scuba diving – It’s included, but our kids weren’t old enough yet. (Put it on your future list!) 🤿
Excursions off the resort – With all the amenities on-site, we didn’t feel the need to venture far.
Character breakfasts – We caught the Sesame Street crew plenty around the resort, so we skipped the paid breakfast add-on.
The gym – LOL. It was there. We were not. 😂
Pro Tip: Don’t stress about doing it all. There’s more than enough to enjoy – and always next time.
WHAT TO PACK 🧳☀️🌴
Here’s a handy list to make sure you’re prepped for paradise:
