This year, FTF’s annual awards honor successful family retreats. In the hectic 21st century workaday world, adults and kids are endlessly busy with jobs and school, meetings and homework, personal trainers and afterschool activities. Weekends are full of household chores, more homework (for parents and kids) and separate relaxation activities. Sometimes it’s hard for families to keep track of everyone’s schedules, and although many try, most are no longer successful at eating dinners together regularly.
When it’s time to get away from this routine, more and more adults are in search of a vacation where they can spend precious family-together time. This doesn’t mean sleeping in the same hotel room and going separate ways during the day, but securing family bonds by experiencing both new and favorite pursuits together.
FTF “Top 10 Getaways for Family Togetherness” have been selected for focusing on the kinds of activities that put the “family” back in family vacations. By offering a variety of outdoor adventures, watersports, cultural learning opportunities, crafts, classes, spa treatments and old-fashioned fun, kids, parents and even grandparents can reunite, create memories and, hopefully, return home inspired to find ways to nurture these connections.
Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn
Orlando, Florida
866/462-6425
When SpongeBob throws a party, you know it’s going to be fun for kids -- but adults? The Sponge and many other Nickelodeon characters have a constant presence at this unique Holiday Inn with its own party-for-all-ages atmosphere. The poolside speakers, adoring children, and doting parents and grandparents are loud, but this positive, if noisy, ambiance did nothing to prevent the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando from receiving the honor of “Best Holiday Inn North America.” It is, after all, located in the heart of family travelers’ Number 1 destination, with complimentary shuttles to all the major Orlando theme parks. There’s so much going on at the Nick Hotel, however, that staying on property for a day is just as fun for parents as for kids, who together can share theme park thrills without having to wait in line.
The Nick Hotel leaves no lack of activities for families to enjoy together, all with a kid-friendly twist. The property features two pools with 11 appropriately orange (Nickelodeon’s signature color, besides green slime) slides and flumes, patrolled by a fun-loving army of lifeguards and subject to spontaneous games and shows. In the giant sandbox, adults can help kids build castles or dig to China. A court with multi-height basketball hoops, mini golf, and an additional children’s play area are also available outdoors.
Activities like Bingo, “dive-in” movies, and Karaoke spring up year-round, and a printed entertainment program is given to all guests. In typical Orlando style, families can catch a character breakfast with their favorite NickToons like The Rugrats or Dora. The characters show up again in clever shows at Studio Nick, offering participatory stage entertainment right in the hotel. If all of this isn’t enough, you might hit the massive arcade or wander through the food court in search of an Arby’s sandwich or Pizza Hut breadsticks. With all of these options, you’d think your kids would never want to go back to the room.
But they probably will, since the Nick Hotel’s specially designed KidSuites keep young tastes in mind. KidSuites feature two or three bedrooms, holding respectively a maximum of seven or nine guests, and embrace décor inspired by a host of Nickelodeon characters (make sure to special request if you want SpongeBob!) Each suite has free Internet access, a 25” TV, pull-out sofa, and family room with mini sink, microwave and fridge, in addition to an adults’ room and children’s room with either two twin or toddler bunk beds. Kitchenette Suites and high-style Nick @ Nite Suites offer additional options for traveling couples. At the first of possibly many Nick Hotels, the rooms are as much of the attraction as the décor in the public spaces.
In addition to the food court and buffet, families can hit the Nicktoons Café for a bite to eat, of course with many kid-friendly menu choices. The Kid’s Spa is an amenity especially for young ones offering temporary tattoos, hair braiding, and more. Though the Nick Hotel has no formal daytime childcare program, Nick After Dark is a supervised program for ages 5-12, where kids take an evening off from their parents to play games, go backstage at Studio Nick, and play with slime.
For 2006, two-bedroom KidSuite rates dip as low as $125/N midweek in the snow season and represent tremendous value year-round, if you factor in the savings of not buying theme park tickets.
