I received accommodations for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
In Florida we have it all it seems; beautiful weather, beautiful beaches, and a variety of dining and entertainment choices. When we start our families though, things change and likewise so do our vacation needs when choosing a place for the family.
This weekend I had the opportunity to explore the beautiful Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida (the only Club Med in the entire US!). And guess what? This awesome resort is located not far from South Florida (under 100 miles), in Port Saint Lucie.
My family and I arrived and received a very warm welcome during check-in. We were taken on a friendly Club Med tour, and we learned very quickly that Club Med Sandpiper Bay is not the usual resort where your kids tag-along with the grown-ups the whole time and the parents never really get to relax. The kids enjoyed getting the opportunity to structure their stay in their own all-inclusive style, picking and choosing which kid-only events to go to as they pleased.
This is how our days worked:
- First we all grabbed a delicious breakfast at The Market Place Restaurant.
- Next, I dropped my kids off (yep I said it!) at the Kids Village where they could choose what they wanted to do. The hard part was deciding what to do the arts and crafts, games, trapeze, swimming, the splash park, mini golf and other options offered to them. The times are all scheduled, and the children are grouped based on their age. There was lots of supervision and plenty of children their age to join in with them.
- Then I found my perfect spot: a book nook by the adult pool, a spot at the Slice Bar, or I headed towards the bay for kayaking/sailing and more!
- I'd meet back up with my kids for lunch, and then we would all enjoy activities such as swimming or going for a walk.
- Finally, we would all enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres & dinner at 6:30pm followed by either a kids talent show or a night of family friendly dancing (a show put on by the hosts of Club Med).
If you’re looking for options for your toddler, they have options for you too! There's so much to choose from, and all are designed to keep your kids away from the “boredom blues”.
 |  |
What about the food? As always, having meals while on vacation is a primary consideration when making a choice as to where to travel to. Club Med makes the experience, once again, so easy. The main eatery is the Market Place Restaurant which is located conveniently at the heart of the resort (or village, as our Club Med hosts like to call it). Food there is presented buffet style. There is everything in this restaurant you could ever want: freshly baked breads, soups, cold plates, a sandwich bar, pasta station, salad stations, carving station for delicious roasts, seafood options and plenty of vegetarian eats, too! For the kiddies there is always pizza, burgers, fries, plain pasta (sauce on the side) and more. Have a sweet tooth? They have got you covered: ice cream, cakes, tarts, even crepes and more.
 | ||
What about evening entertainment? There is a show put on nightly by the hosts of Club Med with different themes (Insider's Tip: to be sure to know what the nightly theme is, download the Club Med App for the most up-to-date information). The theme on one of the nights I was there was “white party”. Everyone was dressed in their bright whites to get their groove on while on the dance floor (see our video on Facebook). You will see the Club Med culture in full effect doing all the latest “line dances” to all the latest tunes (clean versions of course). It was not unusual to see toddlers, preschoolers and beyond dancing on stage. It was a very refreshing evening full of wholesome fun for all ages.
By the end of our stay, Club Med left me feeling pretty good about returning soon for a truly family-friendly weekend getaway. All the bases were covered from the comfortable accommodations, the great food, and the variety of activity choices suitable for both my kids (who are 5 years apart!). Club Med Sandpiper Bay seemed to be a "MacKid" match-made-in-heaven, and we look forward to coming back as soon as we can.
Florida residents special rate offer is as follows:
- Offer: Tailored Offer for SANC Residents for S18/W19
- Details: Residents Save Up to 50% OFF Getaways to Club Med Sandpiper Bay, FL | Exclusively for residents of FL, GA, AL, NC & SC | Use promo code SANDPIat check-out
- Booking Window: Book by August 21, 2018
- Travel Dates: For travel between June 23, 2018 – February 16, 2019
