Even if Chevy Chase’s pathetic attempts to amuse his family in National Lampoon’s European Vacation seemed a little over the top, a lot of people could identify with the things that family did. At one time or another, we have all tried to get by on a vacation with just a little money. Fortunately though, that kind of simplemindedness doesn’t get very far with today’s families. Children are more sophisticated and so is everyone else. Today, families need everything laid out just so; they need their amenities, their facilities and their entertainment, and no excuses. And oh, they want learning experiences for everyone as well. That’s where a number of great family resorts are beginning to step in. If you’re looking for amusement, recreation, entertainment and education, all delivered by the boatload in professional style, in these family resorts, travel plans are made worthwhile.

Let’s start with the Hyatt Regency in Maui. Is your child tired of being told about the planets and stars in school and never getting to see anything really interesting? Well, the Tour the Stars program at this resort should be exactly the right thing to inspire your child. Don’t most observatories have to be high up on a mountain for the best view? Well, while they don’t have a mountain, the rooftop of the nine-story hotel building does very well. The hotel employs its own astronomer who gives everyone, children and adults alike, a go-around of the only deep space telescope Hawaii has, outside of its professional circles. The telescope itself is a 14 inch beauty and you get to see spectacular close-ups of the planets, galaxies and stars. Your children will be super-excited to look as much as they want and to learn about how to interpret the night sky. When they come back down to Earth, the resort boasts its own waterpark. When it comes to family resorts, travel to something like this can be so rewarding.

From high up in the sky, diving way down into the depths of the ocean in Florida, you have another Discovery channel-like experience in store. We’re talking about Dolphin Encounter on the Florida Keys Resorts of Hawks Cay. Tell your children you are going to Florida, and right away, they think they’re being taken to Disney World, Universal Studios and the Wet ‘n’ Wild waterpark. Show them how it can be wet and wild without waterslides at the Hawks Cay. This is a place that’s built from the ground up to amaze children. And Disney has nothing on this place. Every activity they have takes you closer to nature – marine life and land-based life alike. And it’s the only dolphin experience for children in all the land. It’s actually a certified scientific program that helps people understand dolphins better. There is a saltwater lagoon that’s nice and calm right next to the property where children get to interact with dolphins to their hearts’ desire.

With these innovative family resorts, travel with the family in the summer is no longer what it used to be.

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