Tips for Families

The Bahamas is one of the top family-vacation destinations in North America. The smallest toddlers can spend blissful hours on sandy beaches and in the shallow seawater, or in swimming pools constructed with them in mind. There's no end to the fascinating pursuits offered for older children, ranging from boat rides to shell collecting, horseback riding to hiking or even dancing. Some children are old enough to learn to snorkel and explore an underwater wonderland. Some resorts will even teach kids to swim or windsurf.

Most families with kids head for New Providence Island (Nassau/Cable Beach), Paradise Island, or Grand Bahama Island (Freeport/Lucaya).

Every country's regulations differ, but in general, children traveling abroad should have plenty of documentation on hand, particularly if they're traveling with someone other than their own parents (in which case a notarized form letter from a parent is often required).

For details on entry requirements for children traveling abroad, go to the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov.

Recommended family-travel websites include TravelwithYourKids.com, Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com), Family Travel Network (www.familytravelnetwork.com), and Family Travel Files (www.thefamilytravelfiles.com).