How young of a child would you bring to PDC

pamnryan · 01-25-2008

for thier first trip there. We are so excited to bring our son after he is born. It most likely won't be till he is a year old. Would many of you recommend this early ? We are just planning a relaxing time and not as much adventure as our previous trip there. Thanks so much for any advice if you took your own young child.

Mexivoof · 01-25-2008

30

penalipee · 01-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mexivoof

30

Sol · 01-25-2008

I have seen lots of folks who have traveled to Playa with babies. Here is a link that provides some information on traveling with a little beebee. Click here

drewl · 01-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamnryan

for thier first trip there. We are so excited to bring our son after he is born. It most likely won't be till he is a year old. Would many of you recommend this early ? We are just planning a relaxing time and not as much adventure as our previous trip there. Thanks so much for any advice if you took your own young child.

As far as flying goes.. I think you'll find that traveling with a little one has phases. Between 3 months and around a year, they are pretty easy to travel with, sit in your lap, etc.. Helpful to have two people so you can share the carrying and take breaks. Between 1-2, it gets a bit more challenging.. they still sit on your lap, but are bigger, more active and have learned to walk, almost have to have 2 adults to manage. Then, after 2, it starts getting a bit easier (and more costly) as they get their own seat!

Tommygurl · 01-25-2008

Hi there,

We took our kids last year for Christmas...they were 3 & 6 & they had an excellent time!

We are heading back for 2 weeks in May & they are very excited! One thing is the kids club only took kids from age 4 on so my son was a little disappointed he couldn't go with his sister but that being said he had a fantastic time on the beach or at the pool with us! The second half of our stay we were in a non ai hotel in town & spent lots of time at the beach....quite a few kids around of all ages!

**SunKneeMarie** · 01-25-2008

We were there this summer and Riley G was 16 months old. By a year you pretty much know their schedules and they are eating solids, so there's not so much to schlep around (especially at the airports)... we kept things pretty lowkey and planned around her naps and had a good time... by the 4th day she was ready to go home so she was a little shrieky for the whole last day... hopefully yours will have a quieter temperament

rkm0813 · 01-25-2008

I took my children to a AI resort in Puerta Vallarta when they were 11 and 14. It was great because they were old enought to come and go around the resort. I dont think I would have had the patience taking them as babies.

This trip they are not going and they are not happy with me. I told them Mom needs some "away from children" time

pamnryan · 01-25-2008

Thanks so much for your replies and the SOL the thread was very helpful. I know we never got to see PDC till we were over 30 but I think our child will love it and be so lucky!

Mexivoof · 01-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamnryan

Thanks so much for your replies and the SOL the thread was very helpful. I know we never got to see PDC till we were over 30 but I think our child will love it and be so lucky!

That was tounge in cheek, I should have used an emoticon.
We don't have kids, just dogs, but personally I would wait until 6-7.
And I would say the same thing about Disney World or Niagara Falls. I don't remember what I did at 2; do you?

**Susie Q Roo** · 01-25-2008

Okay, I would hope that anyone who has brought children to Playa won't take offense at this.

I personally wouldn't bring a child on a vacation to Playa. (And I'm speaking from my attitude before it became my home.)

What I personally seek out on a vacation to a destination like this could not be achieved while having a small child with me. For me, a vacation like this is to escape the rigors of daily life and relax without HAVING TO do anything. When there is a child along, there are a whole lot of "have-tos" and it wouldn't be a vacation for me. I wouldn't get to read endlessly, or spend hours in the sun, or eat at restaurants based on my OWN tastes, or drink to excess, or stay up late without having to worry about when I might be awakened the next morning. I might as well have stayed home and enjoyed playing with my child in our own familiar and comfortable environment with some extra trips to parks or kids' museums or movies or whatever during that time frame.

(That said, I've had a great time when my son in his 20s has come to visit.

Even though he's abused me horribly for being "boring"

.)

I would prefer to spend "kid vacations" going to more kid-oriented destinations, and forgo my personal wants in lieu of catering more to theirs. There are cheaper beach vacations in the states and I don't think a small child would care, or know the difference, between the Gulf coast of Florida and the Caribbean of Mexico, nor appreciate the exposure to a different culture at such a young age.

Tommygurl · 01-25-2008

So....you don't want to backpack across Europe with us & the kids in about 6 years then?

rkm0813 · 01-25-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

Okay, I would hope that anyone who has brought children to Playa won't take offense at this.

I personally wouldn't bring a child on a vacation to Playa. (And I'm speaking from my attitude before it became my home.)

What I personally seek out on a vacation to a destination like this could not be achieved while having a small child with me. For me, a vacation like this is to escape the rigors of daily life and relax without HAVING TO do anything. When there is a child along, there are a whole lot of "have-tos" and it wouldn't be a vacation for me. I wouldn't get to read endlessly, or spend hours in the sun, or eat at restaurants based on my OWN tastes, or drink to excess, or stay up late without having to worry about when I might be awakened the next morning. I might as well have stayed home and enjoyed playing with my child in our own familiar and comfortable environment with some extra trips to parks or kids' museums or movies or whatever during that time frame.

(That said, I've had a great time when my son in his 20s has come to visit.

Even though he's abused me horribly for being "boring"

.)

I would prefer to spend "kid vacations" going to more kid-oriented destinations, and forgo my personal wants in lieu of catering more to theirs. There are cheaper beach vacations in the states and I don't think a small child would care, or know the difference, between the Gulf coast of Florida and the Caribbean of Mexico, nor appreciate the exposure to a different culture at such a young age.

Susie Q...I agree 100% with what you said....I was afraid to say it

Juanito · 01-25-2008

As soon as the kid is old enough to understand and obey, "Go to the refrigerator and get your daddy a beer", then the kid is old enough to bring to Playa.

**SunKneeMarie** · 01-25-2008

I understand the "ideal" world of not bringing kids if you want a relaxing vacation. But sometimes leaving kids with others isn't an option. In our case, if we wanted to go to Playa, the kid was coming with us. Was it a romantic time for hubby and me? Not really. Was it a nice family vacation? Most of the time.

I like Playa better than the Texas or Florida beaches for the most part. Whether she understood the beauty of the color of the sand and water is irrelevant; I sure did. And it isn't anymore expensive to go to Playa over Florida from here. Matter of fact the place we stayed at in Port Aransas made that trip more costly than the trip to Playa.

Our day will come to travel solo again. Until then we choose to travel with our kids. Or else I gotta stay home. And trust me, that option is the suckiest of them all.

01-25-2008	#1 (permalink)
pamnryan into ruins Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 70	How young of a child would you bring to PDC for thier first trip there. We are so excited to bring our son after he is born. It most likely won't be till he is a year old. Would many of you recommend this early ? We are just planning a relaxing time and not as much adventure as our previous trip there. Thanks so much for any advice if you took your own young child.

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01-25-2008	#2 (permalink)
Mexivoof añejo Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 4,580	30

01-25-2008	#4 (permalink)
Sol añejo Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: The Gem State Posts: 12,730	I have seen lots of folks who have traveled to Playa with babies. Here is a link that provides some information on traveling with a little beebee. Click here

01-25-2008	#6 (permalink)
Tommygurl crab killer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I am Canadian!! Posts: 14,923	Hi there, We took our kids last year for Christmas...they were 3 & 6 & they had an excellent time! We are heading back for 2 weeks in May & they are very excited! One thing is the kids club only took kids from age 4 on so my son was a little disappointed he couldn't go with his sister but that being said he had a fantastic time on the beach or at the pool with us! The second half of our stay we were in a non ai hotel in town & spent lots of time at the beach....quite a few kids around of all ages!

01-25-2008	#7 (permalink)
SunKneeMarie character encapsulator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 30,090	We were there this summer and Riley G was 16 months old. By a year you pretty much know their schedules and they are eating solids, so there's not so much to schlep around (especially at the airports)... we kept things pretty lowkey and planned around her naps and had a good time... by the 4th day she was ready to go home so she was a little shrieky for the whole last day... hopefully yours will have a quieter temperament

01-25-2008	#8 (permalink)
rkm0813 ruined Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 98	I took my children to a AI resort in Puerta Vallarta when they were 11 and 14. It was great because they were old enought to come and go around the resort. I dont think I would have had the patience taking them as babies. This trip they are not going and they are not happy with me. I told them Mom needs some "away from children" time

01-25-2008	#9 (permalink)
pamnryan into ruins Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 70	Thanks so much for your replies and the SOL the thread was very helpful. I know we never got to see PDC till we were over 30 but I think our child will love it and be so lucky!

01-25-2008	#11 (permalink)
Susie Q Roo Just a Random Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Q Roo Posts: 14,071	Okay, I would hope that anyone who has brought children to Playa won't take offense at this. I personally wouldn't bring a child on a vacation to Playa. (And I'm speaking from my attitude before it became my home.) What I personally seek out on a vacation to a destination like this could not be achieved while having a small child with me. For me, a vacation like this is to escape the rigors of daily life and relax without HAVING TO do anything. When there is a child along, there are a whole lot of "have-tos" and it wouldn't be a vacation for me. I wouldn't get to read endlessly, or spend hours in the sun, or eat at restaurants based on my OWN tastes, or drink to excess, or stay up late without having to worry about when I might be awakened the next morning. I might as well have stayed home and enjoyed playing with my child in our own familiar and comfortable environment with some extra trips to parks or kids' museums or movies or whatever during that time frame. (That said, I've had a great time when my son in his 20s has come to visit. Even though he's abused me horribly for being "boring" .) I would prefer to spend "kid vacations" going to more kid-oriented destinations, and forgo my personal wants in lieu of catering more to theirs. There are cheaper beach vacations in the states and I don't think a small child would care, or know the difference, between the Gulf coast of Florida and the Caribbean of Mexico, nor appreciate the exposure to a different culture at such a young age.

01-25-2008	#12 (permalink)
Tommygurl crab killer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I am Canadian!! Posts: 14,923	So....you don't want to backpack across Europe with us & the kids in about 6 years then?

01-25-2008	#14 (permalink)
Juanito reposado Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The state of 5 national parks and 1 crappy soccer team Posts: 1,081	As soon as the kid is old enough to understand and obey, "Go to the refrigerator and get your daddy a beer", then the kid is old enough to bring to Playa.

01-25-2008	#15 (permalink)
SunKneeMarie character encapsulator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 30,090	I understand the "ideal" world of not bringing kids if you want a relaxing vacation. But sometimes leaving kids with others isn't an option. In our case, if we wanted to go to Playa, the kid was coming with us. Was it a romantic time for hubby and me? Not really. Was it a nice family vacation? Most of the time. I like Playa better than the Texas or Florida beaches for the most part. Whether she understood the beauty of the color of the sand and water is irrelevant; I sure did. And it isn't anymore expensive to go to Playa over Florida from here. Matter of fact the place we stayed at in Port Aransas made that trip more costly than the trip to Playa. Our day will come to travel solo again. Until then we choose to travel with our kids. Or else I gotta stay home. And trust me, that option is the suckiest of them all.