How to Book an Enriching Family Vacation at a villa in Jamaica

A family vacation provides not only the opportunity for bonding but also for exposure to new and unique cultures.

Make a group decision:

If you’re a fan of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, you may have seen their vacation decision-making process a few times. Everyone writes down where the want to go, puts the paper into a hat, and then a location is picked out. While you don’t have to be that random about your decision, including the group is a fantastic idea. Consider enlisting your spouse or older children to do some preliminary research on possible places to go—somewhere you’ve never been before, with a lot of interesting history, and with a lot of activities for the whole family to do. If you’re planning a trip with extended family definitely include them as well.

 

 

 

As an example of a possible destination, Ocho Rios is a wonderful coastal city on the northern side of Jamaica. It boasts the site where Columbus supposedly first came to shore in Jamaica. There is a unique blend of historical and tourist attractions which provide countless activities for all age groups.

Book an immersion experience:

Once you’ve chosen where you’d like to go, the next step in your research is to find somewhere to call home for the length of your stay. It is tempting to book an all-inclusive brand name resort. However, sometimes this can be exactly that—inclusive. These types of resorts are likely similar to your past beach vacations. Choose something a little out of your comfort zone, such as a villa inside the city limits. This way you’ll be closer to the local culture and give you more freedom to explore.

Look for places that:

• Give you an opportunity to taste authentic cultural food and drink.
• Are within reasonable distance to cultural centers, such as local marketplaces.
• Provide transportation and the freedom to explore new areas.
• Place you amongst locals. If you’re in a coastal town like Ocho Rios and rent a large villa, your neighbors will likely be Jamaican citizens with beach houses instead of the tourists you’d run into in a resort.
• Have a kitchen. This way you’ll be able to give preparing local cuisine a try!

The next installment of this article series is: Planning for your Cultural Vacation

Jamaica Ocean View villa in Ocho Rios, Jamaica offers the perfect setting to relax with family and friends, to reconnect with long distance friends, or deepen new friendships. Feel free to contact us for more information about how our accommodations in Ocho Rios suits your Jamaica vacation plans.