Puerto Rico 
You Lovely Island
by Katrina Hayday Wester

A while ago my parents called to ask if they could take my daughter on vacation with them to Puerto Rico. I quickly agreed. After all, even if I couldn't afford a vacation, there was no reason my child should be denied. My father, who's a "more the merrier" kind of grandfather, decided that the rest of us should go too and make it a truly intergenerational vacation. My husband couldn't go, but with much finagling my father figured out a way to get my son and me to Puerto Rico too. In the end, there were eight of us: my parents, three of their grandchildren, my sister, her boyfriend, and me.\

My parents have long loved Puerto Rico. They like the fact that it has a variety of beaches and hotels. You can travel and be on the Caribbean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean. Although it's a Spanish-speaking island, English is spoken everywhere, and since it's a commonwealth of the United States, there's no currency exchange or immigration process. It's as inexpensive to get to as Florida, and there are more U.S. flights coming into Puerto Rico than any other island in the Caribbean. If you are looking for great weather, look no further. The climate is as close to perfect as it can get, averaging 83°F (28°C) in the winter and 85°F (29°C) in the summer. In other words, it’s always summer! 

Since this was to be an intergenerational trip to Puerto Rico, we decided to try to visit as many places as possible. We wanted to give grandparents (and parents) an idea of what Puerto Rico has to offer to families traveling together. We wanted the grandparents to have as much fun (if not more) than the children, and it was hard at the end of the trip to determine who had more fun.

Where to Stay

Isla Verde:  Ritz Carlton Hotel, San Juan, Hotel, Spa & Casino

We started out our adventures at the  Ritz Carlton Hotel, San Juan, Hotel, Spa & Casino. From our greeting at reception there, I could tell we were in for a treat. The children were signed up to spend a day at the "Ritz Kids" program, and we were given a room to use for the day so the grandparents could spend the day at the pool, gym, or casinos. The children were really excited about having a day full of events that would keep them entertained. They quickly said their goodbyes knowing that their grandparents would see them on the beach while they were out on their Scavenger Hunt and Sandcastles activities. Sydney (age 8), Madison (age 6), and Alex (age 4) were immediately mesmerized by the Ritz Kids room where they were checked in. There was a wide variety of toys, games, and coloring pages for the kids to play with. Since Alex was considered young for the program, they had a special babysitter accompany him throughout the day. It was like he had his own personal playmate. 

After the staff took their lunch orders, the kids' day started. The day was scheduled as "Discover Puerto Rico Day." They had Spanish lessons, built sandcastles, searched for sea shells, and played volleyball, "hot coconut," and musical chairs. Since Alex was turning 4 on Thursday, they even had a special birthday party for him that included a cake with a train, gifts, and a card. It was quite a treat. There were two other children at the camp that day that coincidentally live near my sister, and they have since gotten together for play dates! 

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