Top 10 reasons families stay at Club Med Sandpiper Bay

It's time to take the family on vacation, a place where there is something, that every member of the family can enjoy on their own, and still be together. Whether it be the accommodations, the restaurants, or the activities, it's all there for the family - to stay together, to play together, or on their own, depending on their interests.

Club Med has such a place - Sandpiper Bay Resort in Port Lucie, Florida. It is their only all-inclusive resort in the USA, and after extensive renovations, it reopened in December 2011. This is the place for families to vacation, and here are 10 good reasons.

It is one of the most important aspects to a family vacation, the accommodations. Most important is that the kids will be with, or very near the parents, and all family members will be close by. Sandpiper Bay's deluxe family rooms, makes this an ideal possibility, there is a seperate room for the parents, and another for the kids, and a large living space where they can mingle while enjoying the WiFi, flat screen TV, and stocked mini-fridge which is refilled daily. There is either a private garden area or terrace.

For those wishing not so much space, there is the "family Club rooms" whose floor plans gives the choice of either a large room with space for all, or a room with a seperate cleeping area for the kids. The included Terrace adds that much more space

Meal time is very important for families, and depending on the ages of the kids, it is also important that they dine together. The "Market Place" at the resort is just the place for families to eat together. There is a "baby corner" where Mom can prepare the meals for the little ones; a junior and mini club sections just for the kids, with large tables that can seat the family.

The outdoor restaurant "Soleil" has tables that seat up to eight, it is very informal where no one needs dress up when coming from the pool. Open from 9:30am to 10:00pm the family can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It's no kidding, "Slice" welcomes the family, from the littlest one to the adults, ehere they can enjoy the two areas of the bar - the "sports bar" with a flat screen TV which airs favorite sport games, and the "lounge" with comfortable sofas.

There is also a bar, a junior lounge - Latitude 27 - which is specifically for teenagers, 11 to 17 years, and is open from 11am to 11pm daily.

It is easy to keep the kids entertained, there are professional GO's that supervise the different clubs for the children.

a. The Baby Club welcomes infants from 4 months to 23 months where they can enjoy meals, activities, and nap time suited to their ages. At 6:30pm parents, who wish to, can join them for dinner.
b. The Petit Club has a spacious and fully equipped facility for kids - 2 and 3 years of age - can enjoy fun walks and outdoor activities. Parents can eat with the kids, or enjoy dinner on their own.
c. The Mini Club gives the 4 to 10 years old more imaginative adventures, based on the age group - they can enjoy sports and a wide range of activities.
d. The 11 to 18 years old club is specially designed for teenagers, and provides a wide range of stimulating, creative and artistic activities.

There is much more to do, in Kidz Village they will meet Raggs,Trilby, Pido, Max and Razzles - TV Characters and talented musicians - who host creative fun workshops, musical programs and fast-paced "live" shows. In the BRITTO Art Center, kids as young as 4 years can learn to paint, sketch and color.

The playing areas, outside the mini club structure, allow children who are not enrolled in the clubs to come and enjoy, as long as they are accompanied by a parent.

One of the best reasons, for families, to vacation at Sandpiper Bay Resort are the Academies a place where any guest can get one-on-one fitness training, from professional coaches. There is a Tennis Academy, a Golf Academy, and a Fitness Academy which consists of 18 multi sport events and as well as Yoga. There is also other sports available - AquaZumba, sailing, basketball, volleyball, soccer, paddleboarding, and pilate.

Families can choose to do as much as they want, or just relax at one of the three swimming pools, there is even a pool and aqua park just for the kids. Best of all there is the Flying Trapeze and Circus school, one of the top favorites for everyone.

While the kids have their own pool and aqua park, the adults get to relax in a quiet pool area with hot tubs, near the St Lucie River, this is an area for 18 years and over.

Adults also get to indulge themselves with a large variety of SPA treatments, as well as learn the art of relaxation, meditation, and breathing. Get pamper with facials, massages, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, or even waxing. Don't look on it as an indulgence, but as an "antidote for civilization".

There are party nights, live bands and entertainment for the older members of the families, and special events are announced during the year - such as " The Triathlon Races" held in the summer.

As wonderful as a Resort is, being able to visit some of the places around the resort, is often an option for vacatgioneers. Sandpiper Bay Resort has many intgeresting places, nearby, and families can arrange to take a few hours or a day, away from the resort to visit.

Among the many options is
a. Sunset or river cruises on the St Lucie River, which can include a dolphin tour
b. Get a group of new friends together and take a "wave runner tour" to a secluded area for swimming.
c. Love fishing, indulge in either a river fishing trip or a more adventurous deep-sea-fishing trip.
d. Take the day and plan on a trip to Walt Disney World, it is not that far away

Families taking an all-inclujsive vacation, will find that knowing up-front, what it will cost, is number 1 for them. Sandpiper Bay is an all-inclusive Club Med Resort that includes the accommodations, gourmet dining options and bars, award-winning clildren programs, expert lessons and top-of-the-line sports programs and equipment, nightly entertainment, and transportation between the airport and the resort.

The resort also has optional programs available, for which there is a extra fee, but these can be determined - by arranging for them ahead of time - thus allowing budgeting to fulfill ones vacation plans. One of the special cost-savings offered by Club Med is that "children under 2 years can stay free in the room with the paretns".

Getting to Sandpiper Bay Resort is very easy, and one of the special reasons to plan a vacatio there. Four airports service the area -
West palm Beach airport is only 45 miles away, and takes about an hour by car.
Fort Lauderdale is a larger airport and has more daily flights, it is 95 miles from the resort, a little under a 2 hour drive.
Miami is not much further, and for some might be more convenient, especially for international visitors, it too takes about 2 hours to get to the resort.
And finally Orlando Airport, this is 120 miles from the resort, it's special attration to use, is that it is the airport for Walt Disney World and Florida's Universal Studios. Guests planning on visiting these two family attractions, might well consider flying into this airport, which takes only a little over 2 hours to get to the resort.

Once the final plans have been made for the vacation at Sandpiper Bay Resort, the decisions will influence which airport will be used. Regardless the Resort can assist with these plans, making for a seamless, carefree, enjoyable vacation