Whether your family is the sun-seeking, snowbird type or diehard fans of summer getaways, there's nothing like a beach trip with the people closest to your heart. And when all meals and drinks are prepared for you and included in the nightly rate? That's just plain magic. Here we reveal our tips for finding cheap all-inclusive family vacations. Bon voyage!
Search for summer or fall dates
Hotel and airlines don't readily admit it, but the fact is that rates jump in the winter months for beach travel. Dying to make your getaway to somewhere warm and sunny while other families are stuck in the snow and ice? You're not alone, and due to increased competition, you can expect to pay an arm and a leg.
To snag cheap all-inclusive family vacations, consider departing in the summer or early fall months, the "low season" in the Caribbean and Mexico.
Stick with familiar beach towns
While smaller, more exotic islands in the Caribbean are getting more press and prestige lately, the biggest and best assortment of affordable all-inclusive resorts are found in a few select places, the main areas being Cancun, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta.
Look at these big-time beach destinations first to see what you can get for the money you have allotted. You'll be surprised how far your dollar can go. It helps that most of these destinations have major airports with frequent flights from cities throughout North America, helping to keep transit times short and prices low. Not every tiny island in the Caribbean can say the same.
Not sure which beach will suit you and your family? Refer to our beach directory to learn more about top beach destinations.
Consider cruises
Cruises are by their very nature family-friendly — most ships nowadays are equipped with tons of onboard activities to keep little ones occupied and entertained. Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas has a skydiving simulator, an elevated capsule allowing 360-degree views, and a flexible recreational space for basketball, roller-skating and bumper cars. And the new Carnival Vista has an onboard water park, a ropes course, the Skyride elevated cycle track and even an IMAX theater.
Meals and some basic drinks are included in the cabin fare, so while cruises aren't 100% all-inclusive, they're a better value than a stay at a hotel, with very competitive nightly rates. And don't forget that you can tack on a beverage package that includes alcoholic drinks and soft drinks. See our cruise deals now.
Browse our deals
We're proud of the cheap all-inclusive family vacations we find and publish, so why not tell our readers about them? Depending on the time of year and departure city, we can find beach getaways as low as $499 per person, and many listed resorts have family-friendly amenities like children's pools and kids' clubs with supervised activities. See all package deals now! Considering a cruise for your island escape? Find your perfect family cruise deal.
Sign up for the BeachDeals email
Wouldn't it be nice if cheap all-inclusive family vacations simply showed up in your inbox, saving you from having to search various sites? Sign up for the BeachDeals fare-alerts email and you can make this a reality. Never miss an awesome beach vacation deal again. Sign up now.
