Fine Family Getaways JANET RUTH FALON Special to The Jewish News here's no doubt that both parents and children look forward to the idea of going away on a vacation. Unfortunately, the prospect of going away together, as a family, is sometimes not so appealing. Let's be honest. The kids usually don't enjoy trips in which they're shlepped to museums, historic sites and other passive, education- oriented attractions. The par- ents probably aren't wild about multiple visits to those old standbys, Disneyland and Walt Disney World. And al- though they all love each other, too much togetherness can get, well, wearing. "The ideal family vacation is when both the • adults and the children can go some- where and not be bored," says one local travel agent. Adds Corliss Hirst of Fling Vacations, a Pennsylvania- based wholesale charter oper- ator, "You want there to be a combination of activities that children can do independent- ly, as well as together with their parents." Luckily, the travel industry has responded to this growing need, and there are more well planned family resorts and programs than ever before. For instance, all-in-one vaca- tion spots such as Club Med have added kid-tailored resorts-within-resorts. 70 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1989 For a fun family vacation, head for places both children and adults can enjoy. Here are six suggestions. And cruises, traditionally geared to adults, have created comprehensive programs for children. Sitmar Cruises, for example, promotes its Youth and Then Activity Centers, which include arts and crafts, dance contests, cartoons and movies, Italian lessons, talent shows, masquerade parties, and a health and fitness program. Add these to the standard list of reliable family destina- tions, such as the national parks and those unquestion- ably successful Disney geta- ways, and you probably have enough vacation options to get you well into the teenage years. Special family resorts and programs not only offer round-the-clock activities geared to children of different ages, but also provide special kiddie menus. The availability of babysit- ters is useful, not only when parents want to leave the pre- mises after the kids have gone to sleep, but if Mom and Dad need a break from full- time parenting during the course of the day. All-inclusive packages are often the best option for fami- ly vacation, not only because the cost of the trip is prede- termined but because meals, activities and other details of traveling — which can be complicated for a family — are covered. What follows is a list of some of the most popular destinations for family vaca- tions that you might know about; we'll assume you're familiar. with Walt Disney World and Disneyland, al- though a variety of package deals abound. -Club Med's Mini Clubs and now, its Baby Club at The Sandpiper in Port St. Lucie, Florida: Everyone knows how Club Med has The newest attraction at Disney World is the Disney MGM Studios Theme Park dedicated to movies. earned its reputation for carefree vacations by offering transportation, lodging, sumptuous food and lots of ac- tivities for one price. But five of the Club Meds offer Mini Clubs, extending the Club Med experience to families who want to vacation together and yet partake of age-appropriate activities. Mini Clubs, which are open to 2- through 11-year olds, have been around for more than 20 years. Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., children have the exclusive use of their par- ticular area, where special ac- tivities are offered under the supervision of a trained staff of gentils organisateurs (nice organizers). While the kids head off each morning to join their peers, Mom and Dad are close by at the tennis court, aboard a sailboat or under a palm tree with a good book. The family can regroup to do things together at any time. Mini Clubs are located at Caravelle (Guadeloupe), Pun- ta Cana (Dominican Repub- lic), Eleuthera (Bahamas), Ix- tapa (Mexico) and The Sand- piper (Florida). The Sandpiper in Port St. Lucie features Club Med's on- ly Baby Club, available _for babies between 4 and 12 months old. From Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the babies are taken care of by a well trained staff who play with, nap, change, read to and entertain their charges indoors and out. There are strollers and cribs available. In the Baby Club dining room, a baby food specialist prepares special menus, and both bottle warmers and food mixers are available 24 hours a day. Premier's Cruise and Walt Disney World Week: This popular package in- cludes a four-night cruise in the Bahamas and three days at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The Star Ship/Royale and the Star Ship/Oceanic both of- fer the we-do-it-for-you amenities of any cruise, with one minor addition — Disney characters sail on every cruise. And as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World, there's a full activities program for kids, led by spe- cially trained youth coun- selors. Economical four-or five-berth staterooms for fam- ilies are available, too. The cruise leaves from Cen- tral Florida's Port Canaveral and docks at both Nassau and Salt Cay. The Disney World half of the package includes three nights at a hotel near the "Vacation Kingdom" (the cruise cabin rate category you purchase determines the on- site property you're assigned), seven days use of a Hertz ren- tal car with unlimited mileage, a three-day passport to Walt Disney World and EP- COT Center, and admission to Spaceport USA at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, located close to the pier at Port Canaveral. By the way, senior citizen discounts are available if you want to bring along the grandparents.