Family Vacation Ideas and Help for Family Vacations

    One of my new roving reporters, Kim Ashton and her family just returned from a great Florida Space Coast vacation. I asked her to review the resort, as she has two boys and two girls under the age of 8! Her family is a great "test" family since they have to figure out a way to make the whole clan happy! The Ashtons make travel with kids look effortless. Kim has come up with money-saving tips and ways to find deals.

    She will be sharing her top picks for family travel from time-to-time. Her most recent travel experience with kids was to the Ron Jon, Cape Caribe Resort.

    If you are looking for a fun-filled family vacation, the Ron Jon Cape Caribe timeshare on the Space Coast of Florida is a great destination! Located in Cocoa Beach by Port Canaveral, this timeshare property offers inclusive amenities to those willing to rent, much like a hotel. The villas start at $130 a night and are decorated in a brightly-colored Key West theme. When logging onto the resort's website, you can view their large one to three bedroom villas.

    If you are visiting Orlando, this resort is only about an hour away on the East Coast by Cape Canaveral and offers much more than most hotels.

     With our family of four children, ages ranging from two to eight, there was never a dull moment! Outside, Cape Caribe had a large waterslide, sprinkler area, lazy river and large pools. There is a very large jacuzzi outside as well for adults only. Other outdoor activities include the local beach. (You can get there by walking or taking a golf cart ride, depending on which tower you stay in.) There is also an on-site nine-hole miniature golf.

     The recreation department offers outdoor activities, like treasure hunts on the beach; they have each child dress up in pirate attire with their shovels in hand to find the "loot."

     This resort is the place to be -- indoors or out! When you arrive, you get a schedule of events which include live reptile shows, crafts, treasure hunts, movie info and more. On the first day, we enjoyed playing in the huge arcade, giant indoor jungle gym play area (bigger than what you'd find at a "Chuck E. Cheese"), and even watched a movie in their free movie theatre.

     Our villa was on the third floor overlooking the pool area, with views of the Atlantic Ocean. From our very large balcony, we could look to our left and watch cruise ships depart on their journeys. As I mentioned, the rooms were quite large and we could have made the walk-in closet a playroom if we stayed their long enough! The set-up was ideal with a full kitchen, laundry area, two separate bedrooms and bathrooms.

     Here's a great tip: Check out the deals for timeshare properties like this on Ebay. Some owners are unable to use their week so they will sell it on-line. You can purchase a week timeshare for a great price! It was worth every penny to have the added space for the six of us.