Where the ocean waves are warm & the sand is smooth. Wish you were here.

We wanted a quiet getaway with the kids. We’ve done the all-inclusive route but that usually leads to eating way more than we probably should…just because it’s always in front of our faces! Fine for my teen son who eats like a machine. We’ve also gone “freestyle” at where meals are not included. Both are great options depending on what we’re feeling at the time. So, we zoned in on Turks & Caicos and we made our list of wants for this trip:

1. Ocean front.

2. Space (lots of space) with a teenager and 8 year old, they need their own space.

3. Accessibility to great health care (yes, we’ve had a couple of trips to the hospitals while on vacation in the past… so, peace of mind to know that there’s medical help near by if we need it – luckily we didn’t on this trip so far!)

4. Good food options.

5. Value for the money.

6. Safety.

We then started asking friends and researching on websites including TripAdvisor – I love this site! It gives opinions of real travellers like you and me. But we take comments with a “grain of salt”. If we see any red flags we could at least weigh the pros and cons. It seems like everyone’s a critic these days and eager to give you their opinion.

Turks & Caicos has this confident cool vibe about it. It’s quietly, but quickly, building up a reputation of being one of the best destinations in the Caribbean. It still has that low-key island charm without being overly populated and over run by tourists.

And they don’t seem to toot their own horn

…not that we want them to!

I secretly would love this island to remain the way it is but it’s just a matter of time before it will be built up with more resorts and hotels along it’s stunning beach. But for now, it feels genuine and comfortable. I could live here in a heartbeat! Now I know why it’s also a favourite amongst celebrities like Keith Richards (who has a home at the nearby Parrot Cay), Oprah, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

We are staying right on Grace Bay Beach where the ocean is sparkling blue and warm. Our resort, Ocean Club West has the perfect location. The sand is silky smooth and you can walk for miles. The weather is perfect… hot and sunny but has a tropical breeze that keeps you deceivingly comfortable in the sun…trust me, you feel it at the end of the day!

I’m actually writing part of this story on our last day of our vacation. Yes, there’s complimentary Wi-Fi at the resort and I’ve had a bit too much sun! So, I’m seeking shade by the pool with my laptop and a pina colada in hand.

We love travelling during the “shoulder season” between Xmas and March Break…it’s not too busy overall on the island and we can still pull the kids out of school without much consequence or stress on the older kid. We’ve been here during the coldest week of winter back home in Toronto. I can tell you that I’m feeling a bit giddy knowing that we’ve hit the right week to get away! I’m sure I’ll be shovelling snow when I get home!

This is now our favourite sunny island destination. It has everything we want and need for relaxing vacation with the kids. By the way, Ocean Club has two properties – and was named as one of only two resorts in Turks & Caicos in Travel & Leisure Magazine’s “Best Hotels in the World” issue (January 2013). Grace Bay Beach was also voted as the #1 beach in the Caribbean in the same issue!  Yes!!!! We were happy knowing this before heading down! We checked into a 2 bedroom unit with 2.5 bathrooms, a full kitchen, dining and sitting area, 3 TVs, plenty of closet space, and laundry machines.  It feels like home away from home – only someone else cleans (hey, I am on vacation after all!). We are within walking distance to some of the best restaurants on the island as well as a the local grocery store, a wonderful french bakery and the best patty shop on the island just across the street.

The resort has a relaxed atmosphere. No dress code. No need to rush out at the crack of dawn to lay claim on beach chairs. Hubby actually did that the first morning only to discover that there were plenty of spots available to resort guests. Literally we could leisurely take our time after breakfast and saunter down to the beach area where the chairs were ready and waiting. The pool area was equally as quiet and well maintained. I don’t know where everybody was since the hotel was almost full! I should also mention that out of all the islands we’ve been to, Turks & Caicos felt the safest overall. Everyone seems to walk everywhere even at night time. On our part of the beach, it was all families and older generations. What I also noticed was there were no loud partying types or booze bar hounds around at all.

The island is very easy going. I prefer to take long walks on the beach and just have the sun soothe my soul or relax under some shade as I read my latest beach novel. But the island hosts some of the most spectacular snorkelling at near by coral reefs. For $98 per person booked through Silver Deep it was well worth it (complete with soft drinks and “feel good juice”). Hubby and older son went to three different reefs and loved the experience!

At the resort, we were able to play tennis (racquets and balls provided), borrow bikes and beach/pool toys. Our kids were also happy to look for geckos and coconuts in between swimming and digging in the sand. For golf enthusiasts, Provo Golf Club is close by ($180 per person at this time of year).

There still isn’t much to buy on the island (hubby was relieved).  A couple of duty free shops that sell the standard watches and jewels. Local artisans are scattered in shops
that sell ceramics, paintings and sculptures. Don’t expect any familiar name brand clothing shops here. Best bet is to visit the local grocery store and bring home some local jerk seasoning or Bamburra Rum. Or purchase a large conch shell (make sure you keep the receipt to show at the airport – and don’t take any fresh ones from the ocean).

The island is home to many incredible restaurants. We were happy with the food everywhere and worth going to. Every restaurant was family friendly most of them offered kid menus. Conch is the specialty so you should at least try it. Conch fritters, cracked conch, conch patties, chowders, stew…it’s endless.

The SEASIDE CAFE (located Ocean Club West)  is a great option to dine by the beach for every meal if you choose. I must admit that I’m addicted to their chicken soft tacos and rum punch at lunch time. And their Jerk Chicken is tangy good on Caribbean night!

LEMON CAFE is a Mediterranean restaurant with Chef John Tsavalas offering Moroccan dishes with the local fresh seafood. He makes his own preserved lemons that is often used in  many of the dishes. My older son enjoyed the lamb burger while hubby devoured his lobster. I enjoyed the chicken kebabs with my younger son. The dessert of date phyllo is delish and we finished with fresh mint tea.

YOSHI’S JAPANESE is located on the main street and about a 10 minute walk from the hotel. Menu is pretty extensive and handed to you on an iPad. I always crave asian foods when we are on vacation so my Ramen Noodle Bowl hit the spot! Needless to say, the sushi is very fresh – must try the conch sushi!

COCO BISTRO was our last night’s dinner. We had heard consistent reports that this is the best restaurant on the island from friends who have visited. It’s a 10 minute walk from the our resort and located under an oasis of tall palm trees. The food is wonderful and the service rivals any high end restaurant back home. Make sure you make a reservation and save room for the Coconut Pie!

DA CONCH SHACK a relaxed meal on the beach sitting at picnic tables, You can kick off your shoes and feel the sand! Their cracked conch is mouth-watering good! Little guy had coconut conch stew and loved it! But if you’re conched out…they do have jerk chicken! We were there on Thursday night with a live local band playing and wished we had stayed longer. It’s a fun environment and people dancing. Best rum punches too! But from our hotel area it’s a $50 cab ride one way.

JIMMY’S DIVE BAR was the only spot that I would hesitate to recommend. It’s a 5 minute walk from our hotel and we thought it would be something like Senor Frogs where they play a few jokes on people. The kids get a real kick out of that whenever we’ve visited one. Jimmy’s warns people that they open when they want to open depending on weather, good fishing days or hangovers. The also warn that they are slow at service (ok, good to know) and will charge a $10 fee for crankiness (hahaha). Well, they weren’t kidding! We ventured there one day at lunch time and waited an hour and a half for food. The staff was friendly and the burgers were good. But when you get the bill and see that they tack on the tip for you for the lack of service. Not sure if I’d return! People upped and left all around us but we stuck it out just to see how long it would actually take. Now we know.

We did venture to the grocery store for snacks and drinks since we had a fridge. We also visited the French cafe in the morning for breakfast treats. Next time we’d probably get more items for lunch instead of eating out all the time and go out for dinners!

I must admit that we’ve completely fallen in love with the island and this gem of a beach front resort for a thoughtful and relaxing family vacation. I would highly recommend it as a great quiet getaway for all ages!

I have to mention that as we were in security line at the airport ready to go home, a local gentleman came by and made a heartfelt speech about how much they appreciate us tourists visiting their island. He hoped that, on behalf of the islanders, we would continue to tell our friends about Turks & Caicos but most importantly, he thanked all the families who brought down children to share in what he hoped was a memorable experience for all.

And it truly was.